After this assembly, a belt sander was used to smooth out minor imperfections in the alignment of the sides and divider with the top and bottom in order to ensure a better fit for the front and back of the box later.
| Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 |
|
Here's a good view of the point at which the top, bottom, sides, and divider were assembled. A circular saw was used to cut the pieces to the proper size/shape. This can be tricky, a table saw would have really been the proper tool to use in this case but.. well, I ain't got one. Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Glue, and 1.25" drywall screws were used to fasten everything together. All screw holes were pre-drilled to a diameter about half that of the screw to help prevent splitting of the wood when driving the screws. A larger bit was used to drill shallow holes that would countersink the screws. After this assembly, a belt sander was used to smooth out minor imperfections in the alignment of the sides and divider with the top and bottom in order to ensure a better fit for the front and back of the box later. |
 |
Once the previous assembly was given ample time to dry (a couple days in this case), I proceeded with attaching the front and back of the box. The speaker holes in the face were done by first drawing the circles, drilling a 1/2" starter hole, and using a jigsaw. It was important to position these holes exactly because the calculations were such that there was only 1/4" of face height to spare on the top and bottom once the speakers were installed. Plenty of wood glue is used here to ensure a good solid assembly. |
 |
After the assembly was dried solid (again, a couple of days) it was time for paint. First I put on a couple of coats of gray primer. I chose to use a textured spray paint that made the box look like stone, and somewhat matched the trunk carpet colors. Before applying the textured paint, I masked off the portion of the face where the rim of the speaker meets the wood using masking tape. This would prevent the textured paint from creating air leaks, where the speaker meets the wood, as the paint does not provide a smooth surface. It came out a lot better than I expected. A few days later I applied a heavy dose of matte clear-coat over the textured paint finish. This will generally strengthen the finish, making it more durable and moisture resistant. |
 |
Gave the clear coat plenty of time to dry, and it was time to proceed. 8 gauge speaker wires were run through the rear of the box. These passed through holes that were the exact diameter of the wire, an extremely tight fit. Then, silicone sealant was applied to all the inside joints, as well as around the wire holes of the box to make sure there would be zero air leakage. Inner walls of the box were lined with 1" polyfill, using 3M spray adhesive. Wood glue was applied to the inner sides of the speaker cutout to reinforce the MDF, and allowed to dry solid. This will help prevent splitting of the wood when the speaker screws are driven. |
 |
BAM! How ya like me now? The speakers were wired up and screwed down tight with 1" drywall screws (holes pre-drilled with a bit about half the diameter of the screw to help prevent wood splitting). All of the extra care taken with measurement and remeasurement before cutting out the speaker holes paid off, the speakers dropped into these holes perfectly without even a tiny bit of play. The enclosure came out a lot better than I expected. My only gripe is that at this point the thing weighs a ton, and the amplifier and cap aren't even attached yet. Not only does it look like stone, it weighs as if it were a solid block of it. |
| Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 |