Fibreglass

[rufjat 10+ year member]

Hey, I don't know too much at all about working with fibreglass... But I want to make my next box outta it!

How much would it roughly cost me (to do myself, with the help of a buddy or two)... Im lookin for a 3 sub (12") enclosure, ported... Subs are Rockford Punch HX2... Total volume needs to be at about 8.5 cubic feet... Anyone?

Also, I'm not informed at all when it comes to frequency... I was told that the reason my subs could be blowing on me so often (I went through 4 subs in 1 year running the recommended 500W RMS to each sub) because my box's ports were tuned wrong... ????

What's an ideal tuning, and how to fix it on the new box?? I'm into listening to stuff liek rap, Lil John n what not...

Thanks for the help!

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[Tear 10+ year member]

I don't know much about fiberglass but I wanted my box to be made of it and I got an estimate from an audio shop of a couple grand to make one. So unrealistic //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/mad.gif.c18f003ab0ef8a0d9c27ca78d77a6392.gif

 

[Gauntlet 5,000+ posts]

Check my kick panel thread....I made a rough list of what you'll need and how much it costs on one of the pages....the only thing you might have to adjust for is more resin/mat/bondo depending on the size of the box...

 

[capone_78744 10+ year member]

for a box of that size your looking at $150(if u have all the neccesary tools already) but if you go elaberate and do motorized stuff will then skys the limit.

also since this is the first time u will b working with fiberglass i wouldnt start off with such a big project. start with glassing the inside of a cardboard box, etc so u can get the jest of it.

-capone

 

[rufjat 10+ year member]

$150 for the construction??? You sure???? Cuz the local audio shop quoted me about $3000 for the box...

Anyone on this forum from the Toronto, Canada area that knows how to work with fibreglass?

 

[Gauntlet 5,000+ posts]

Yep, that's about right for the materials. Here's a list of what I had to buy:

- A gallon of fiberglass resin - around $20 per gallon

- A coupe extra tubes of hardener - $1-2 per tube

- 2 or 3 packages of fiberglass mat - $5 a package

- A big box of disposable gloves - $8 bucks

- Lots and lots of cheap brushes (use bristle brushes, not foam) - 99 cents a brush

- A dropcloth, painters tarp, or garbage bags - I had some lying around

- A Dremel with a fiberglass cutting bit (#542) - $50 for the dremel, $10 for the bit

- Painter's tape - around $3 bucks

- Fleece - $5 a square yard

- Spray adhesive/liquid nails/epoxy/hot glue gun - spray adhesive (3M 90) - $12, liquid nails - $4

- Wood dowels - $2

- Sandpaper - $3

- Body filler - I used some I already had....I think quarts are like $7, and gallons are $20

- A mold release agent (WD-40, vaseline, a non-stick cooking spray, astroglide, petroleum jelly, etc) - I used some Pam I had

- Carpet or vinyl or paint and primer - carpet was $7 per square yard I think

- Coarse thread drywall screws - $2

All you would need different from that list is possibly more resin/hardener/bondo/mat/brushes.....the shop quoted you way more because they can.

 

[TPABlazer 10+ year member]

shop charges for labor too

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

They quoted you that much because of labor. Isn't the going rate somewhere around $60/hr for custom work these days. A large fiberglass enclosure will take them a week or more to do if the structure itself is 'glass because it has to be thick enough not to flex. Then there is all the sanding, filling and finishing. This won't be their scrub installer doing this either, they hopefully save him for deck-and-four and basic amp installs that he likely won't screw up. It will be the head guy and his time is money.

 

[ROBB]

If you need any fiberglass work drop me some mail. I can send you some pictures. I have found that prices vary so much depending on how much exp. the shop or person has. I can usually do one in a day. 2 Days with paint and not just primer

Cheers,

Robb

 

[rufjat 10+ year member]

yeah, shop charges about $65/hour for labour... I guess there's that much money going into the labour eh?! I'll see if I can find someone in my area to do it for me for less... It sounds pretty complicated... =S

 

[Pete 10+ year member]

One of the highend custom shops around me in MN charges 650 to make a sub enclosure from glassing the spare tire well... I'd do it for 500 at work. Ask around and make some offers.