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Me and my friend's cardboard sub enclosure.

#1
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1/11/09 at 11:33pm
  • Joined: February 2007
  • Location: west coast of florida
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My friend ordered a 15" Dayton Classic Subwoofer and he didn't have any wood to build an enclosure to test it out.

So, we figured cardboard would do... Temporarily, of course. He doesn't have a subwoofer amplifier at the moment, so we're using an old receiver and using it as a full-range speaker. On Thursday we're going to head over to Home Depot to get some MDF to build a REAL enclosure and the following Thursday he's going to get a sub amp.

Feel free to laugh at these pictures, we are as well.
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"Bobby is and idiot"
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#2
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1/12/09 at 6:01am
  • Joined: August 2000
  • Location: Southaven, MS
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Re: Me and my friend's cardboard sub enclosure.

What is the Fb of the enclosure?

-Robert
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#3
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1/12/09 at 11:19am
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Re: Me and my friend's cardboard sub enclosure.

21.79 for the first one.

But we built a new 18cf sealed (still cardboard) enclosure. The reason being that the first one would "breath" because we didn't have any bracing. So we got a stiffer box and braced it with really stiff cardboard.

"Bobby is and idiot"
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#4
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1/12/09 at 6:11pm
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Re: Me and my friend's cardboard sub enclosure.

Um, what about cardboard tubes? They apparently can work pretty well...

as it is, those look like something I would do. Except, of course, I would do a sealed-box type enclosure. (Duct-tape is your friend!)

Leo
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#5
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1/17/09 at 10:27pm
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Re: Me and my friend's cardboard sub enclosure.

You guys know of a program that I can enter the dimensions of the box, where the port hole/driver hole is, and print out a blue print so Lowes can cut it out for us?

"Bobby is and idiot"
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#6
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1/18/09 at 6:43am
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Re: Me and my friend's cardboard sub enclosure.

There are a few car audio sites that will give you a cut list based on dimensions. Download the free version of Cut List Plus and it will give the optimum layout on sheets of MDF. Choose the optimized for cross-cuts because that's what they do at Lowes and Home Depot.

Speaking of the big box stores - you won't get accurate cuts there. If they get within 1/4" then that's good enough for them. That's not good enough to build a box with. Go to the store when they aren't busy. That way they can spend time on this. See if they will let you clamp a stop block on the cutter. For example, if you need to make 3 or 4 cross-cuts at 18.5", then you clamp a small piece of wood at the 18.5" mark on the ruler of the cabinet saw. Slide the sheet until it touches the stop block and cut. Repeat for each. This way it is easy to get repeatable cuts. Finally, they won't cut your port nor your driver hole. That is your responsibility. A $20 jig saw will do it if you are slow and careful with it.

-Robert
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#7
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1/18/09 at 7:29pm
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Re: Me and my friend's cardboard sub enclosure.

Alright, will do.


And I forgot to mention, we ported that 18cf enclosure to ~10Hz. Sounds pretty darn good for a $80 15" subwoofer in a cardboard box playing full-range.

"Bobby is and idiot"
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#8
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4/19/09 at 9:18pm
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Re: Me and my friend's cardboard sub enclosure.

Update!

Too lazy to retype, just gonna quote from another forum.

Quote:
My friend bought a Dayton Classic 15" Subwoofer and since he couldn't afford MDF, he just used a cardboard box.





"Viva" larger box with bracing upgrade.



And now, the MDF Project Log:

This is our first project, so don't expect professional results from this. :p Heck, we don't even have a router, and had to use a jigsaw! xD

We forgot my camera, so we were at this point in the build when we were able to take pics:

(the fan was actually spinning when I took this shot. Fast shutter speed FTW!)


Lamp so we can see while we glue.


Sub and Port.


Sub and port and front of box.


More pictures to come.

"Bobby is and idiot"
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#9
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4/19/09 at 9:33pm
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Re: Me and my friend's cardboard sub enclosure.

Sub is done, all that we need to do is coat it with bed-liner, but we wont do that till a later date, too lazy.

Still playing full-range with an old Yamaha Stereo Receiver...

Gorilla Glue Applied...



Weight added...


Maybe this much weight?


All or nothing...


2 hours later...




Friend Nelson screwing on the bottom piece.



Back piece screwed/glued on. Nelson decided to move into his new home...


I'm the black one on the right...

More pics in a couple seconds...

"Bobby is and idiot"
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#10
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4/19/09 at 9:55pm
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Re: Me and my friend's cardboard sub enclosure.

Quote:
Sub placed in corner





Thanks Steve for the idea of using bolts as terminals...


Vids come at a later date...

"Bobby is and idiot"
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#11
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4/20/09 at 2:34pm
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Re: Me and my friend's cardboard sub enclosure.

Bolts as terminals is a surprisingly simple idea. How well'd it work? I imagine you're shooting the bolt through with washers to pinch into?

Leo
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#12
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4/20/09 at 7:39pm
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Re: Me and my friend's cardboard sub enclosure.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Leo Kerr
Bolts as terminals is a surprisingly simple idea. How well'd it work? I imagine you're shooting the bolt through with washers to pinch into?

Leo

I would have, but the bolts weren't long enough to allow washers.

Works fine anyways, no air is escaping through passed the bolts (it basically just screwed in like a normal wood screw, so I'm pretty sure you'd need to seal this thing and have much more displacement to anyways) and the speaker sounds great.

Steve Meade gave me the idea for this. I've never thought of it before, pure genius!

2002 Caddy (8) Fi Btl 18's (2) Rockford T15k - The Forum

"Bobby is and idiot"
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