You and be both! It doesn't help that I'm an impatient SOB.



Thanks for the tip on the local supply. Probably the most difficult part will be getting the mat, and lots of it. The stuff seems cheap enough though. The resin being the expensive part. Figuring around 3 gallons of it.

I'll be lurking this thread. I want to get 12W7AE-3 into a Z (ported), needs a big enclosure so if you can manage 15" then the 12" should be easy!

Cant wait to see the end results!

The 12W7 doesn't need a large enclosure per say as much as it needs one that's deep. The mounting depth of that 12" drivers is 9 inches! My Alpine 15" Type S is only 7 inches. It requires a max of 2 cf sealed vs the W7 that only needs 1.75 cf ported.

I'll probably actually be going larger than that and end up around 2.5 cf sealed when all said and done.

That would not be an issue at the local shop =) It's actually a pretty gigantic supply place with a huge warehouse and I think they do some manufacturing as well.

This is going to be a slow process at this point.

Researching the types and amount of mat I need and a good supplier at reasonable prices, and being able to find the time to get together with my friend to take measurements and build up the mold of the tire well.

At this point, I do know that the entire enclosure will be thick, heavy, multi-layered fiberglass with a birch baffle. Keeping it solid and sturdy while maintaining a low overall weight is key.

I'm curious; Why are you going so far over the recommended volume for the enclosure?

So I can tune it to my car, my liking. You can always make a large enclosure smaller via stuffing, but can't really make it bigger. Plus, going with a slightly larger enclosure will help flatten the response a bit.

I'm not too concerned with the driver having a lower power handling capability due to the larger enclosure since I'm running a low powered system to begin with and won't be pushing the system that hard. Again, strictly SQ here. Not to mention that a larger enclosure will actually increase efficiency a little.

Seriously considering saying f#@k it and going a different route with the sub build.

This so called "old friend" of mine doesn't really seem to be willing to assist me or guide me as far as what actual materials to buy. I get very short answers from him, if I'm lucky. And as I have been told several times now, 3 gallons of fiberglass resin for one small-ish enclosure is ridiculous. Everyone says that one gallon of quality resin should be more than enough for an enclosure the size I need.

So at this point, I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't know if I'm going to just build a traditional MDF/birch enclosure for it, find someone else who will be willing to build a fiberglass enclosure for me, OR... Say the hell with it and forego the Alpine Type S 15" sub and go with something totally different.

All I know is that I'm getting tired of driving around with only half of a system with no sub(s).

Stick to your guns.. Go the traditional route with MDF or Birch....Much less time consuming, and a better base to build your false floor off of.

Yeah, but that's a lot of extra weight as well. Something I was wanting to avoid. And with the thickness of the wood, the floor height is going to be even higher.

Just some concerns I have bouncing around in my head.

Fiberglass is nasty, but really DIY friendly and can easily learned at the University of Youtube =)

I'd start with some heavier chop mat like 3oz that you can cut and lay in larger flatter areas, and then some 1.5oz mat to tear up and use in curves/corners. Get enough mat for 3 layers of 3oz in the larger areas. At that point it should be strong enough that you can easily add more layers outside the car if you need to. If you pick up supplies at fgci locally, the folks at the store will help you select the proper amount of resin to go with it... they are pretty knowledgeable there and I have even spoke to guys there that have experience building enclosures. Don't forget the respirator!!!!!

Pilot Supplies and Aircraft Parts from Aircraft Spruce

This is really good resin. Very little outgassing (smell) Great for bagging.
MGS EPOXY RESINS from Aircraft Spruce

Fiberglass / Kevlar / Carbon fiber is pretty good on ebay.

Carbon tow if you really need to strong spot.

Super light panel can be made with a layup like this...

1 layer 1 oz glass cloth
1 layer 5 oz carbon single weave
1 layer balsa wood. 1/8" thk
You can do thick panels with end-grain balsa 1/2"+ thickness (super strong)
1 layer 5 oz carbon single weave
1 layer 1 oz glass

.015 thick mylar to lay and squeegy each side and a vacuum back to pull it all together.

Look up vacuum bagging videos.

Practice on some small pieces first. Use the 60 minute hardener to give yourself a little more time.

It's going to be about 24 hours in vacuum so if you have a loud pump it may be an issue for other people in the house. My wife used to hate my little diaphram vacuum pump running all night. She'd bitch and moan for a couple of days about it. Don't try it if the temp is going to be below 75F

If you're going to go fiberglass with the cheap polyester resin...

Make your box out of wood and get the shape you want. Then coat it with fiberglass mat and resin. Make sure you use enough resin to get all the little air bubble out. Most of the work is getting as much of the air as possible out. Let it kick and then go to town with 60 grit before it gets really hard. You can knock a lot of material off without too much work that way. Doesn't get all powdery either. Stop and wait if you see the fibers tearing out of the soft resin. Need to wait until it's just a little harder. Should be where you can leave a slight mark with a strong fingernail.

One other trick for you...

You'll need polystyrene foam. The kind that will dissolve in gasoline. You shape it to your liking and put the glass and resin over it. Once you have the shape, you use gasoline to dissolve the foam out. You need to use the epoxy resin on this. The polyester stuff will dissolve the foam just like gasoline. Again... make a couple of small test piece before you go large to get the feel of it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJYNmJOwPH0
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...7D&FORM=VRDGAR

also... Use gloves and at least a dust mask. fibers in your lungs is bad.

This is all excellent information, but I just don't have the time or space to do this on my own. I live in an apartment complex and they ask questions every time they see the hood up or something other than groceries pulled out of the trunk. I hate living here but it's what I've got to work with for the moment.