Transcript
Blue Water Rush’s Sub box for Titan KC These are the steps I took (if I can remember them), but feel free to improve upon these if you can think of a better way. OK you got the diagram and material list so here goes…. A. Rip 2 lengths of MDF to 11”(these are oversized so that later it is easier to cut rakes). B. Cut the 4 side pieces out of one of the 11” rips to 9” then trim from 11” to 10 ¾”. C. Using a jig saw, cut the top rake of each piece measuring 8 ½”high in front to 7” on back. On the 8 ½” end take another ¾” off with the table saw (to account for face board to come later). D. On the bottom, measure in from front 1 ¼” and in from back 2” and mark a line with a combo square up 1 ¼” on each end, then connect the ends of the 2 small lines with a perpendicular line. Do this for all 4 pieces, but on two of them, draw a 1 ½” radius on the bottom back corner. (to clear the back of cab hump & not dig into carpet. The end sides are clear of this hump so you don’t need to radius these). Use a good steady jig saw like a Bosch to cut out the reliefs and rounded corners you just drew. (working with a jig saw is a little tricky because if you don’t stay steady the blade will want to walk and not stay plumb. You can always circle in first to the long line then work your way back). You can also use a rasp later to square up corners and straighten out chunky or out of plumb sections. E. Cut the 2 speaker baffles to 15” x 10”, then mark center and use a compass to draw your speaker cutout holes. Drop a 5/8” spade bit through on the edge of the circle, then use jig saw to cut hole, going slow and steady. (Progressor blades for hard board work really well). F. Cut the 2 backs of boxes to 4 ½” x 15” then set table saw blade to rake (approx. 8 deg.) If you use an adjustable bevel and hold it to the side pieces you can lock it in to the rake, then stand it on table saw bed and adjust blade to it. Now you’re going to rip the angle making sure you leave 4 1/8” at the wide point. G. Now cut the 2 tops out of the 11” rip to 15” long. Rip the first rake removing the minimum amount of material as possible (about ½”) and then measure and mark the width to 10 1/8”. Now bear in mind that you’ll have to flip the board upside down to cut the parallel rake. You can use the pre-set bevel to mark the angle on the end of the board if need be, and eye it up against the blade to make sure you get it accurate. (This is probably the trickiest part of the whole job). H. Now cut the amp shelf to 17” x 10” I. The best way I found to start assembly is to join the back and baffles together first. Lay the baffle down and stand the back piece on the baffle, flush with back edge, with angled end facing up and going uphill toward front. Draw a line and set the back piece aside. Layout 4 evenly spaced marks down the length of the line exactly 3/8” in from back edge and at least 1 ¼” in from ends to avoid splitting MDF when screwing together. Drill the 4 holes with a 11/64” bit, then from bottom, use a countersink to just break the hole so screw will sit down in about 1/8” (Don’t over drill countersink). OK then use pony clamps to secure back to baffle. (Tip: use the reverse rake rip from the waste of cutting the back pieces to counter-angle the top of the back piece so the clamp won’t ruin the wood). Make sure to keep the clamps out of the way of the screw holes, because now you must use a smaller 3/32” bit to pilot through the bigger holes and into the baffle board about 1”. Use tape on the bit 1 ¾” from tip if you’re not sure how far you’re going through. OK repeat this for the other baffle & back. Now remove all clamps, shoot a bead of wood glue down the baffle board between the line you drew and the edge and stand the boards on end, holding the joint together with your hand and start
the screws, don’t over-torque the first screw, in case you have to adjust. Continue with other screws and torque evenly until tight and boards are lined up good. If you’re a little off on the back edge, a belt sander will even this up later. But make sure you’re even on the ends. That’s why I stood them on end when fastening. Repeat for other baffle. Wipe off excess glue with a damp cloth. J. Now join the tops in the same manner, drawing a line, pre-drilling etc. (refer to the large scaled side drawing I provided). Note that you have to angle the holes a little to follow the rake, so you don’t poke through anywhere. K. Now, take the outside ends (far ends) and layout the inside lines according to my drawing, so that when you join to the previously made assembly, everything is straight. You might not be straight on the previous assembly, so this will give you a guarantee. You can bend as necessary watching the lines you drew. Pre-drill all the holes, use my pics to see hole placement, countersink, pilot blah blah blah. Then glue & screw. Repeat this for the inside ends (with the back radius corners). L. Now measure up 4” from bottom on the inside box sides and draw a horizontal line. Measure down ¾” from there and draw another line. This is where the amp shelf will be located. It is as low as you’re gonna get it, so don’t get any ideas. Now you can mark and drill the holes from the outside, then countersink from the inside. You only need 3 holes per side, and keep the front holes back from the front of boxes about 2” and 1 ½” in back, then just center the middle hole between the 2 outside screws. The tricky part here is piloting the holes in the shelf. If you have long pipe clamps it should be easy, just stand box on end, lay shelf on line and clamp. Then pilot and repeat for other side. Wood glue it & screw it. You’re done for now. The wood glue must dry before you continue with proper box sealing. M. Ok wood glue’s dry. Now take your phenoseal (doesn’t matter what color, I used black, Home Dumpo sells white and almond I think) Use a 9 oz. tube in a caulking gun and shoot a nice bead down all inside joints. Don’t worry about wiping off excess. Rub it in smoothly with you’re finger, pausing after each joint to wipe off your finger. Keep a dry rag and a wet rag handy, so you can wipe your finger on the dry rag then clean and dampen same finger on wet rag. This will keep your beads smooth and even. Don’t forget to apply some to screw heads going into amp shelf. N. Now, stand box so front is facing you set back about 2” from edge of work table. rip a board to 9 ½” wide and cut it to 50” long (check actual length of box in case 50” is too short). Stand the board against front of box flush on ends and draw a line along top edge and down to amp shelf and across shelf, then up other side and along other top edge to end. Rip rake at top of board, then straighten blade back to 90 deg. square and take a measurement from bottom of board to amp shelf line. Set fence to this dimension, taking care to allow cut to be made on right side of line. Set blade height to 7/8” and hold board against fence and above blade like you’re opening your truck hood. Turn saw on and carefully lower board, holding securely against fence and allowing blade to plunge through. Once through, feed board along cut but stop about 3” from vertical line. Remove board and finish the rest of rip with jig saw, then make cross cuts. O. Lay box on it’s back, then lay face board on top, lining up all edges and sides flush. Scribe all contours on inside bottom of box, then flip board over. Measure in from each end 2” and draw a line 1 ¼”up, then from that line measure in again 12 ½” and draw another line 1 ¼” up. Draw a line across joining the ends of the 2 small lines. Cut reliefs the same as you did for the sides.
P. Now to get the contour for the center hump, you could use cardboard to scribe, cut and fit, and it may take a couple rounds of this before you fit it just right. Use a piece of cardboard at least as long as the space between the two lines closest to the center of box. Then lay the cardboard dead center on the face board and flush with bottom and jig saw the scroll. Flip the board upside down again and from the lines you drew earlier, measure and mark lines for all the areas you will be driving screws into, so they stay as centered as possible. Pre-drill as usual, countersink, lay board in position and clamp on each end (box is still on it’s back), and pilot drill. Then shoot wood glue along box on all exposed edges, and screw board tight. Wipe off excess glue everywhere (underneath, on top, around amp area etc.) Again, wait a couple hours for glue to dry. Q. Turn box onto face so baffle holes are facing you. Take caulk gun and squeeze small dollop onto your finger and spread along all joints. Make sure you use enough and try not to be sloppy with your beads. R. Use a belt sander (preferably a large one with 60 grit belt) and true up and smooth all sides. If you’re good with this tool, you can use it for the curved floor contour and the bottoms of the feet created by cutting the sound wave reliefs. S. Assuming you’re using 3 ½” terminal cups, use a 2 3/8” hole saw, and drill through back of box. Try to drill in an area where you won’t run into screws, centered up & down, and ideally toward the inside of boxes to minimize long cable runs. Dry fit terminal cups and mark screw holes with a pen. Remove cups and pre-drill holes, slightly smaller than shank of screw, making sure not to drill through back of box. Next, solder 18” to 24”of appropriate gauge speaker wire onto inside terminal cup spades taking note of + and -. Now whether you carpet your box or laminate it, you still have to seal the cups air-tight to the back of box. Apply a generous bead of phenoseal around hub of cup, and mush it in and tighten small beveled brass screws to box, then clean up excess caulk with finger and wet rag. If you’re using carpet and install your cups last, be careful with messy caulk. In my case, the back & bottom of my box is rough textured enamel so I painted before I drilled the cups out. Other tips: I made my own wire grommets from plastic 1” plugs, and hollowed the centers out with a spade bit, then filed them smooth and phenosealed them into pre-drilled holes. I also used some plastic ring brackets just to keep wires tight and safe. GOOD LUCK WITH THIS PROJECT BROS. THE TITAN IS WORTH THE EXTRA DETAILS!!!
