[87DXHatch]

I've gotten my speaker pods and a-pillar mounts to the point where everything is where it needs to be. The next step is covering them with fleece and glassing the fleece.

This is EASILY the most frustrating part I have come across. How the hell do I stretch the fleece across the various skeletons so that it's all smooth with no wrinkles? It's ridiculously difficult.

 

[newtitan]

you need to secure one side first

using either

1) staples
2) crazy glue (with a speed inhibitor so it dries immediately--I figured this out after the fact lol)
3) hot glue gun


all these works

just do it slow and secure the one side, and then pull REAL hard as you move slowly around the mold


fleece is better since it holds more resin, but I found that a tshirt-or sweater (non cotton) can work better since its a little easier to pull tight and cheaper

if you do this you may have to use tow layers of mat vs maybe only oen is you use fleece

also as quick tidbit use a colored fleece or tshirt its easier to see where you missed the resin

and if it does wrinkle not a big problem, you can always

1) just dremel it out and cover the hole with mat and resin (three or more layers sicne its a hole)

2) or just use filler, since its easier to sand than fiberglass anyway

less sanding the better though I still have blisters

and use proper tools

a dremel and a die grinder or small circular power sander ( Ididnt have one--and it sucked)

it will make your life soo much easier


AND MAKE SURE you have aimed your ribbons porpely using a laser pointer it really makes a WORLD of difference how they are aimed, I had to aim mine twice

 

[87DXHatch]

I suppose I should slow down a bit and make sure my ribbons are aimed properly. The door pods are ready to go, but I rushed the ribbon mounts.

Do I want the driver's side ribbon point at the passenger's headrest, and the passenger's side ribbon pointing at the driver's headrest?

 

[newtitan]

please slow down and aim them properly

I made that msitake and it cost me another day or rebuilding and sanding

take your time

(even though I know it sucks to have nice stuff in the garage )


every car is different though

I had the drivers side poiting as close the center of the headrest and the same as the passenger I had the lcy's which are larger I think--so my drivers side was down about 10-15 degrees in the vertical from optimum)

due to the way my apillars mount no way around it

it can be a little hard because of the ribbons shape, and depth to get it straight on the drivers side , so you may want to cross them at the center of the two head rests


you will be out of direct line of the ribbons so youll lose some output, but it all depends on how good your build skill are and the room you have

 

[87DXHatch]

So to recap, ideally you want both ribbons pointed at the driver's side headrest, correct? And if that isn't possible, cross them between the seats' headrests?

I just picked up a laser pointer and some more back strapping to finish doing the a-pillar mounts. Door pods have been completely fleeced and are ready to be glassed. Hopefully I'll have these close to done today!

My plan for mounting the laser pointer: cut a small piece of wood that will go across the opening of the mounting ring, drill a hole big enough to fit the laser pointer with the button depressed, and secure it to the mounting ring. Sound good?

 

[87DXHatch]

Holy **** I'm glad I took the time to aim these. Passenger's side was pointed at driver's side hand grip (forward on the arm rest) and driver's side was pointed at the passenger's arm rest, down low. Now they're both near the driver's head rest (passenger's side is dead on, but driver's side is off by a couple inches).

 

[newtitan]

told ya it helps

I made that mistake (bad aiming)my first go round and I was like man theeese thing suck lol

then I took the time to aim them with the laser pointer and they are EXTREMELY nice tweeters if you like it smooth baby!!!

 

[87DXHatch]

Fleeced and glassed! Now I'm just hoping I had them secured to the fiberglass moulds well enough so that they didn't move anywhere.

How much of a difference in aiming does a few inches make?

Man... it's like 95° outside... good ol' Minnesota.

 

[AzGrower]

Man... it's like 95° outside... good ol' Minnesota.

Try Arizona, which was as high as 116 today. :shock:

 

[87DXHatch]

Ah but does Arizona have ridiculous humidity percentages? Or swarms of misquitos? I think not. :-D

 

[AzGrower]

Ah but does Arizona have ridiculous humidity percentages? Or swarms of misquitos? I think not. :-D

you got me there mane. Although the monsoon is upon us and the RH does creep a bit.

BTW...here is nice buildup of some fiberglass door panels.
http://www.splbassx.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5005

 

[newtitan]

nice find on the door pods

thats a good tutorial

hey Azgrower have any idea how to make speaker grilles?

I posted on carsound and got no post love lol

 

[87DXHatch]

Here's how I made the grills on the last set of pods I did in my 89 Accord:

Take steel brake tubing, and cut it into various lengths with a dremel... long enough to go across the woofer with about an inch and a half of overhang on each side. Pinch each end of the tubing pieces and drill a hole in each end. Use a vice-grips to bend it 90°, and put a slight bend in the tubing. Attach to the pods.

http://www.sounddomain.com/ride/277765/2

Halfway down are the pictures of my old Kodas in door pods.

 

[newtitan]

nice idea but I was thinking something a littel less obtuse

that looks like more of subwoofer grille, not somthing Id want upfront


amd man you never covered those or the fibergalss? did they last long ?

 

[87DXHatch]

I didn't spend a lot of time on them. They lasted until I removed them from the car, which was a year later. They weren't damaged beyond some concrete dust around the speaker. They served their purpose.

I don't know yet what I will do for a grill for the Seas woofers.

 

[AzGrower]

nice find on the door pods

thats a good tutorial

hey Azgrower have any idea how to make speaker grilles?

I posted on carsound and got no post love lol

Yeah I saw that. Sorry I didnt post on it earlier, I quickly checked that site before leaving for home and saw your post. N E Who, go to the Select Products site, they have the raw grille materials there, like the metal grille mesh (fine mesh, not waffle cone type) and cloth as well. Then, just use a baffle ring the same size you want to make the grille as your "die" and start bending the sides to flatten them in.

https://selectproducts.com/frames.html

 

[newtitan]

do let me get this straight

1) buy the grill strength/size etc you want
2) take a baffle ring ( i assume the cutout peice right)
3)bend the grille around the circle

so how do you attach the metal to the speaker baffle, or will it stay already on the baffle?

im a little confused lol

 

[AzGrower]

do let me get this straight

1) buy the grill strength/size etc you want
2) take a baffle ring ( i assume the cutout peice right)
3)bend the grille around the circle

so how do you attach the metal to the speaker baffle, or will it stay already on the baffle?

im a little confused lol

Well say you want to attach the grille cover to the panel that goes over the speaker. Like that picture you posted on CS&P. You cut your hole in the panel, and from behind you attach the grille via small screws or even small earth magnets (which are very powerful and can easily hold the grille). So what you see is the grille pushed through, from the rear, until its flush with the paneling.

The grille needs to be created to fit the inside diameter of the hole you cut in the panel, so you make a "die baffle" to fit that measurement, and bend your grille over that. Make sure to deduct a small amount in the measurements to account for the thickness of the mesh material.

I suck at explaining things, I know, but I am much better showing you in person.

 

[newtitan]

thats exactly what I needed to 'read" now i get it

Ill try that
thx man

appreaciate it
this doorpod idea keep getting more costly by the minute

 

[AzGrower]

this doorpod idea keep getting more costly by the minute

Thats how I feel about car audio in general :lol: