Plexiglass?
09-24-2006, 08:25 PM
#2
Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Washington DC metro
Posts: 389
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 89 RS
Engine: 2.8
Transmission: 700r4 auto
Axle/Gears: huh?? guessing stock.
had one in my Eclipse. made it outta 1 inch plexi as I diddnt want my sub to crack or bend it. was it overkill? probably, but Id rather not find out I went to thin the hard way.
diddnt sound any different than a decently made Fiberglas or MDF box. Had to take more time with the way I sealed the edges since they were visible. Basically I did it as I was thinking about running Neons in it. but I since wised up and have a carpeted MDF box now.
diddnt sound any different than a decently made Fiberglas or MDF box. Had to take more time with the way I sealed the edges since they were visible. Basically I did it as I was thinking about running Neons in it. but I since wised up and have a carpeted MDF box now.
09-26-2006, 07:55 AM
#4
Plexi is a lot more expensive, and a lot harder to work with. If you can overcome those problems, your box can sound fine.
Plexi is a bitch to cut. You need a fine-tooth blade on a table saw, and I've found that I usually need to keep the blade all the way up so that it cuts through less material at once. This is dangerous as hell, especially considering how hard you've got to push on the plexi.
Because you're not glueing it together in the same way that you glue MDF together, you've also got to make sure that your cuts are perfectly straight and very smooth so that the two pieces will mate well and retain rigidity at the joint. You can experiment with using MEKP as an adhesive, but you'll need to practice because that stuff will make a real mess of the plexi if you're not careful. You need to pre-drill and countersink all of your holes, and be careful not to overtighten or you'll crack it.
Plan on buying extra, and experiment with a couple pieces before you start working with the main pieces.
Another idea, which will be easier but still look good, is just use the plexi on one surface so that your enclosure will have "windows". It looks a lot more professional than a box that you can completely see through, and it'll make your life easier too. For example, here are a couple pics of the stereo that I put into my fiance's Camry:
Plexi is a bitch to cut. You need a fine-tooth blade on a table saw, and I've found that I usually need to keep the blade all the way up so that it cuts through less material at once. This is dangerous as hell, especially considering how hard you've got to push on the plexi.
Because you're not glueing it together in the same way that you glue MDF together, you've also got to make sure that your cuts are perfectly straight and very smooth so that the two pieces will mate well and retain rigidity at the joint. You can experiment with using MEKP as an adhesive, but you'll need to practice because that stuff will make a real mess of the plexi if you're not careful. You need to pre-drill and countersink all of your holes, and be careful not to overtighten or you'll crack it.
Plan on buying extra, and experiment with a couple pieces before you start working with the main pieces.
Another idea, which will be easier but still look good, is just use the plexi on one surface so that your enclosure will have "windows". It looks a lot more professional than a box that you can completely see through, and it'll make your life easier too. For example, here are a couple pics of the stereo that I put into my fiance's Camry:
09-27-2006, 12:54 PM
#8
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Doghouse ······································ Car: 1989 Formula 350 Vert Engine: 350 L98 Transmission: 700R4 Axle/Gears: B&W 3.27
Posts: 14,241
Received 165 Likes
on
120 Posts
Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
Engine: 5.1L TPI, 5.0L TPI
Transmission: 700R4, M5
Axle/Gears: Sag 3.73, B&W 3.45
Cutting Plexiglas Here are a few suggestions:
1) NEVER EVER use a recripcating saw like a Jig saw or a Sabre Saw
2) Use a Fine tooth blade (as mentioned above) and make sure it is SHARP, a dull blade can melt the edge OR it can leave chips which will eventually spread into cracks.
3) A Band Saw with a fine blade (24 teeth per inch or higher)
4) Sharp blades not once used for wood are good
IF You ever need a drill bit for drilling Plexiglas make sure that they are sharpened for drilling Plexiglas.
There is a lot of information for working with Plexiglas Here: http://www.glapinc.com/instructions/...1BChapter3.pdf Its actually from the US government and working with Aircraft windows which incidently are made from Plexiglas or Acrylic.
The drill bits can easily be made or modified with a grinding wheel, all you need to do is dub off the end so there is a 0° Rake angle...
1) NEVER EVER use a recripcating saw like a Jig saw or a Sabre Saw
2) Use a Fine tooth blade (as mentioned above) and make sure it is SHARP, a dull blade can melt the edge OR it can leave chips which will eventually spread into cracks.
3) A Band Saw with a fine blade (24 teeth per inch or higher)
4) Sharp blades not once used for wood are good
IF You ever need a drill bit for drilling Plexiglas make sure that they are sharpened for drilling Plexiglas.
There is a lot of information for working with Plexiglas Here: http://www.glapinc.com/instructions/...1BChapter3.pdf Its actually from the US government and working with Aircraft windows which incidently are made from Plexiglas or Acrylic.
The drill bits can easily be made or modified with a grinding wheel, all you need to do is dub off the end so there is a 0° Rake angle...
09-27-2006, 01:54 PM
#10
Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Washington DC metro
Posts: 389
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 89 RS
Engine: 2.8
Transmission: 700r4 auto
Axle/Gears: huh?? guessing stock.
Ive always use normal bits when drilling into plexi, I just take a bit more time.
On a side note, Jim are those TangBand subs in that camry box? If so how do you like them?
On a side note, Jim are those TangBand subs in that camry box? If so how do you like them?
09-27-2006, 03:33 PM
#11
Yeah, they're the Tangbands. For the $35 I paid, I can't ask for more. For the $53 that they cost now, I may or may not still feel the same way.
In the right box, they play plenty deep. They get loud enough considering that I'm using 2 channels of a 50x4 to power them. In terms of sound quality, they're decent. They aren't the cleanest sub I've owned, but they're far from the worst. They sure sound better than any other <$100 mass-market sub that I've used, but they're nowhere near my Koda, nor would you expect them to be.
My main complaint is that you need such a ridiculously large port that by the time you build that into the box, you could have stuffed a 10" into a sealed box and taken up less space.
Overall, if you're capable of building the box that it needs, and you're trying to build an uber-low budget SQ system, it's worth consideration.
In the right box, they play plenty deep. They get loud enough considering that I'm using 2 channels of a 50x4 to power them. In terms of sound quality, they're decent. They aren't the cleanest sub I've owned, but they're far from the worst. They sure sound better than any other <$100 mass-market sub that I've used, but they're nowhere near my Koda, nor would you expect them to be.
My main complaint is that you need such a ridiculously large port that by the time you build that into the box, you could have stuffed a 10" into a sealed box and taken up less space.
Overall, if you're capable of building the box that it needs, and you're trying to build an uber-low budget SQ system, it's worth consideration.
09-27-2006, 03:43 PM
#12
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Doghouse ······································ Car: 1989 Formula 350 Vert Engine: 350 L98 Transmission: 700R4 Axle/Gears: B&W 3.27
Posts: 14,241
Received 165 Likes
on
120 Posts
Car: 87 Formula T-Top, 87 Formula HT
Engine: 5.1L TPI, 5.0L TPI
Transmission: 700R4, M5
Axle/Gears: Sag 3.73, B&W 3.45
For the most part working with 1/2" or 1" material it would not be a problem because there is so much material. The consideration really occurrs with material less than 5/16 or 3/8" thick in a situation where you will be tightening screws etc.
IF you use a backing plate with another piece of Plexiglas or Wood as you drill then you can actually use a normal bit, BUT its still a little risky.
In a nutshell the specially sharpened drill bits are for the perfectionist, If you have exit chips you can usually clean them up with a countersink or larger drill bit, but sometimes you cant use a countersink for one reason or another...
Cutting like stated above just takes time, If your cutting a 1" piece of plastic its going to take a while no matter what saw your using. The biggest trick is getting good sharp bits etc. We mill edges so there is a lip and it will sit flush into a part every day. Making bends and give it shape for special areas etc, its all easy IF you know how, there is definately a learning curve, I have been around plexiglas for my entire life so its almost second nature...
IF you want to use a router you HAVE to use some sort of guide, it will make life a WHOLE lot easier. routing your name out or trying to cut something by hand is next to impossible...
John
Last edited by okfoz; 09-27-2006 at 03:50 PM.
09-27-2006, 03:47 PM
#13
Ahh, that makes sense. I'd forgotten about that. When I drilled mine, I made an MDF jig so that I could par-drill into one side, then flip the piece over and drill from the other side. That way I wound up with clean holes. Using the proper bit would probably be a lot easier.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
