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I am thinking about attempting to mount a set of 8" mids under the center dash location of my truck. When I see it in my head, I picture something like a large cup holder cut in half down the center, but I am totally lost on how I might lay this up to be fiberglassed. When I attempt to draw a top view, it looks like cleavage, with the boobs being the cones and dust cap(no pun intended)! Can anyone picture what I'm trying to describe, and how would you begin to lay it up for glassing?
:wat:
Sorry, I'm trying to think of other ways to explain it... Say you take one of those sonic tubes they use for concrete deck footings, you stood it on a table, and cut it from top right to bottom left. You would be left with 2 equal, 3 dimensional triangular cone shapes.
If those were 8" tubes, and you placed a woofer at the bottom and placed them on the transmission hump under the dash of a truck, and aimed them at their respective headrests.
Like this, but with speakers?
http://www.oldbug.com/100_0560%20Small.jpg
http://www.autotrucktoys.com/ford_tr...uge-Pods-A.jpg
If the gauges were at the back, like looking down a tunnel. Now cut away the outside half of each tube...lmao
Let's try this picture thing...
Attachment 4751Attachment 4752Attachment 4753
Well, it kinda worked...lmfao
I'm not understanding what I'm seeing. How does the cone interact with the diagonally-cut tube? Is the black-marked spot supposed to be removed?
Are you wanting to make a waveguide for each speaker? Or just for looks? What information do you intend for these speakers to play? Dedicated center channel? Midbass? Subwoofer?
Is this what you're trying to do?
Attachment 4754
Winner, winner, chicken dinner!!! Now, if I put two of those back to back and aimed them each their respective headrests from the floor in the center under the dash, like reversed kick panels. They would be for midbass/midrange. I can not believe you figured out what I was trying to describe! Could I lay that shape up with a cardboard tube, and fiberglass that as a mold?Quote:
Originally Posted by BigAl205
Or, what about crossing the tubes in an X pattern? I think that would look really tricked out, but would it mess with the sound?
Baloney cut...who woulda thunk it? Al, you get me...lmfao!!!
Hehe, it's what motorcycle builders call an angled cut on an exhaust pipe end. I guess you could mock it up with cardboard and then glass over it. The only other option I could think of would be PVC.
I don't know what a waveguide is, Papa. I'm thinking it would be less obstruction in the center than in the traditional kick panel corners...Quote:
Originally Posted by papacueball
How about giving us a pic of the dash and/or console so we can see what you're working with
the actual speaker would be at the back of the baloney cut? My brain that has been conditioned to eliminate reflections- especially early on- says don't try this. I remember a topic on baffle step that concluded that even rounding the edges of the front baffle of a speaker- that is an edge that isn't even raised, but flush with the driver- provided a smoother frequency response. I'm sure one of the geeks can essplain what is happening.
Properly executed wave guides have a ton of maths and design to them..... just sayin'.
Point taken! I just saw this cut out a couple times and thought it looked cool. The ones I saw were possibly on a red Monte Carlo on here (the a pillar was cut like this, but then carpeted over, I think), and I saw another a pillar with this cut on a you tube video I was watching trying to learn how to fiberglass a pillars...
So, I should definitely not even waste my time pursuing this? I don't want to do a ton of work for no apparent reason, which is why I'm bugging you guys so much before I have even finished purchasing everything! As always, thank you guys for the info and the heads up...
I understand wanting to put a divider so you don't hear the right center, and the passenger doesn't hear the left, but I just don't think it'll work the way you want it. But...it never hurts to try
Dunno... just giving my .02. I find that I won't live long enough to make all of life's mistakes myself, so I try to glean and learn from others. Methinks it isn't the most ideal way to get the 'essques' and I would focus efforts on something more practical and proven.
I think I will follow you guys' first instinct and not try it on my big truck. I have an '85 that we are threatening to start re-doing, and I can play with that one as much as I want. I think I'd rather get this system up and going, so I can really see where I stand as far as the pieces I've chosen.
As long as we are discussing fabrication and glassing things, is there an all-in-one fiberglass kit that you guys would recommend for a beginner that would have everything included to do a-pillars and kick panels? I don't know how much in volume I would go through doing those 4 mods. Maybe a kit that would give me plenty of working time in a room temperature garage (@65 degrees or so), and included like the finishing bondo, etc. I can gather all the tools needed, it's just the liquid, cloth, and other stuff I'm not sure about.
At that temp, you should have plenty of pot life (working time).... possibly too much. No "kit" exists, but I'd be happy to help with needed materials. First- how quickly do you want it to "set"? Two resin types you can use is polyester and epoxy. Polyester stinks to all hell, but does kick and harden to full cure faster than epoxy as it can be adjusted with the ratio of hardener to resin to make a "hot batch" to compensate for the cooler temps. Epoxy can do the same to a degree, but it's a bit touchier. I did an epoxy bar coat on the outside cantina bar last summer in Fla- when that kit kicked (began to catalyze and harden), it kicked HARD. That process is exothermic, so it gives off heat. When concentrated in a quart plastic cup, it is tremendous heat. Starts to smoke and can easily melt the plastic and ruin whatever is around it. Tried mixing two at a time and when I was done spreading the first, the second was hard and smoking. Dropped it in a bucket of water for safety. I had done that to a lesser degree with polyester in the past to get a fast cure at colder temps, but never that big of a batch. Anyway- If you want to like the fiberglassing process enough to do it again, you need to buy good product. If you don't have a boat supply place local that has quality material, buy from US Composites. Decide if you want Polyester or Epoxy resin- later I will recommend mixing per directions and using a heat gun/hair dryer once the glass is laid up to heat the area and begin kicking off- to which point it will sustain itself with its own heat.
Also, you can go cheap on body filler, but Rage Gold is so much easier to use that it's almost fun. If you want structural strength from the filler, you will need to go with BondoGlass though. A bit tougher to work with, but the stuff cures like a rock.
I will be in no hurry to get these done, so the curing time will not be an issue. Just looking for the most user friendly materials, and need to know approximately how much of each material I will need. From your description, sounds like polyester resin would be the better solution for me. Do you think a gallon of resin would be enough to do all 4 areas?
probably more than you need. the resin is just to fuse the glass together- use just enough to saturate. That being said, buying a second quart after coming up short would probably cost you more than the gallon. Just like drywall mud- five gallon pail is the price of one and a half gallon pails.
I'd better go with a gallon, assuming my first attempt will not be show quality work... Does the hardener come with the resin?
Rage Gold is definitely nice.Quote:
Originally Posted by slade1274
Yeah I picked up some Poly 435 Resin from US Composites for when I can get down to Mic's for some 1-on-1 training for a pillar project. 3M mask is on the shelf for sure. I haven't cracked it open yet but I can imagine it'll knock you out.
Should I use the 435, or the 700 poly resin?
435. And Babs brings up a great point that I forgot since making the shift to epoxy- you will need a CHEMICAL VAPOR respirator with the polyester resin.... and subsequent selfie wearing it. The long timers will respect you most for the selfie.
Hopefully Ziggy stops in and can post his photo shop of all the selfies giving the bird so the long timers can get a much needed laugh.
Gotcha! Thanks!