Edges of glassed pieces.

How do shops get their peices to have such sharp , perfect edges? I want to make some kickpanels (6.5 component set) but I havent been able to make any pieces with good edges for a factory look. My method is MDF frame, stretch fleece, glass, fill, sand. I'd like to cover with vinyl but I need help with making that look good.  I want it to look something like this:

https://https://stereorama.com/installs/lexus_rx300/09.jpg

Unfortunatly the link you left doesn't work but regardless....

if you are vinyl wrapping or painting then your finish is critical...vinyl shows everything..even a speck of dirt. The key to sharp, straight factory looking edges is sanding, filling, patience..and more sanding. Don't wrap the piece until it looks perfect and when you do keep all the surfaces that will be exposed very clean.

I reccomend stretch vinyl and heat activated glue (from select products) when wrapping anything curvy because this stuff will strech like taffy when heated and once the glue sets it holds its form forever. Very durable stuff too, perfect for kicks.

Good Luck

That link isn't working for me so I was not able to view the picture.

But I'll try my best with what you wrote.  Don't use the mdf to frame the kickpanels (I'm talking about the base not the speaker ring), instead lay a couple layers of fiberglass down on the kickpanel area untill it gets pretty sturdy, then trace on the fiberglass, the shape that you want the base to be, cut it to the traced dimensions (with a rotary cutting tool if you have one).  Then go through the rest of the process (strech fleece, glass, fill, etc)

I hope that helps.  You should be able to make sharp edges that way, if it is the base of the enclosure that you were talking about.

Ok I found the link..you have one to many "http's" on the one you posted.

But it still hold true what I stated. The edges on the countersink if doing it this way will be much simpler for you if you have router skills and know how to make jigs. If not you can still accomplish a nice finish by hand sanding, which you will always need to do regardless...but it does cut down on time/labor if you have router skills for this type of work.

Sorry about that. https://stereorama.com/installs/lexus_rx300/09.jpg

The problem with my edges comes in when the fleece acutally meets the edge of the glass. When I sand around the edges, the two peices (front and base peice) begin to separate.

Ok, if you are having to sand it that far your original piece might not be straight enough to begin with. However, one of the cool things about glassing is you can add more if needed.

Also filling can be used (bondo) but for real strength I would want the glass to be the support and the bondo or whatever you use for fill just be for fine cosmetic/shapings.

I also use a small electric sander for edges and tight areas, it has a triangle shaped head and really cuts time. Home depot, lowes, sears etc should all have these small sanders.

A small air grinder is great for cutting with initial leveling of rough surfaces after glassing/fleecing.

Yes, you can make an "insert" like that for the countersink by attaching a strip of thin ABS plastic around an MDF speaker mount, and use formica, mirror plexi or anything you can imagine for the mounting plate. But still cutting with a router and using jigs will cut down on time since the product will hardly need any shaping afterwards.

But the more you sand, fill, sand the better the finished product. Nothing worse then going through all that work and it looks like ass or has sloppy edges..or wrinkled vinyl..that just makes me sick.

It's worth it to take the time and pride to really make it perfect.

I wouldn't worry too much about enclosure volume, as long as it's sealed and has some minimal airspace it should be fine. Unless you were using these as subs I would think a 6.5 would not require much airspace to reproduce 100hz and up.

They say a 50% fill of polyfoam will make a speaker perform as if it were in a bigger enclosure. I can't imagine this hurting the sound so why not use some. However, I think it is more for subwoofer purposes then a mid. If the enclosure has more airspace it should theoretically produce deeper bass but IMO as long as it's sealed and aimed properly it will always outperform a door or dash mount as far as SQ.

I wouldn't worry too much about enclosure volume, as long as it's sealed and has some minimal airspace it should be fine. Unless you were using these as subs I would think a 6.5 would not require much airspace to reproduce 100hz and up.

They say a 50% fill of polyfoam will make a speaker perform as if it were in a bigger enclosure. I can't imagine this hurting the sound so why not use some. However, I think it is more for subwoofer purposes then a mid. If the enclosure has more airspace it should theoretically produce deeper bass but IMO as long as it's sealed and aimed properly it will always outperform a door or dash mount as far as SQ.

I dont typically reccomend making a kickpod actually sealed.  The chances of you being able to get the right airspace in there and not have the pod take over the whole footwell (slightly exagerated) are minimal.  Therefore, when the volume is too little it'll cut off your low end production.  I guess if you're not using the speaker for any low end then it doesn't really matter.

I'll tell ya man, my best advice for figuring out how they do things they do is subscribe to magazines, buy books, watch the tv shows and buy videos.  Get yourself some real hard background, even if the complicated stuff doesn't make sense at first.  Then once you can see how something simple is done in your head, try it.  This will give you some hands on experience with some of the materials and processes that were used in the more complicated things you read about or saw.  Then, once you have created some dust, go back and watch/read/plan again.  things will start to come together.  It worked for me. 

If the pod is not sealed what would you suggest?.....a ported pod? that would be nice if there is space and you are good at rocket science and/or have alot of free time.

But if just simply not sealed I would expect some cancellation...that can't be a good thing....am I wrong?  realize this is a 6.5'' used as a mid, a small tight enclousure should be the way to go I would think. And if it is a quailty mid with some power this will sound great.

Does anyone really like the sound of port noise?  lol

I guess in a small pod maybe it would sound like an air leak?

I wouldn't know because I seal them tight so they perform. I guess in some instances a door will produce better bass response if it can act like an infinite baffle..but thats kinda unpredictible. And mids aimed at your feet and very unequal distance from left/right is not really condusive to a great sound stage.

So perhaps there may be a small compromise in lower frequencies but to have a leaky enclosure expecting it to give better low end doesn't cut it ...for me at least.

Sounds like that pod was way too small and might have had leaks as well. But if  they were mounted in a location the kept most or all of the rear wave seperated from the front wave once you cut the back..it would perform better on low end, like you stated as an infinite baffle.

Just goes to show it can pay to experiment..Even if it is just you..if it sounds better to you..and works for you..no reason it is not the best for you.

I tend to make floor pods pretty fat so there is enough airspace to have some low end..but most of my systems that I build pods for are competition level so I generally use a midbass up front as well...like 8'' enclosures in the floor and the such so I am typically more concerned with "punch" and not low end so much with the mid ranges.

I think it's a great idea..the more bass up front..the better the sound stage.

But for those 8''s to perform you should use some kind of enclosure..even free air type or infinite baffle is not going to ever give you the quality of a sealed or vented enclosure for really nice deep, yet tight bass. And use some kind of sound deadner to help with resonance and rattling etc.

Thats a pretty cool little pod.  Weird insert though.

The way I look at speaker pods are like this.  You know those 6x9 prefab boxes places like Best Buy and circuit city sell?  Anyone who has used them knows that you lose any reasonable low end that the speaker has to offer cuz it just doesn't have enough airspace to create the spring that pushes and pulls the woofer far enough to do so.  Therefore if I want low end out of a speaker pod, I don't seal it, I don't port it (necessarily) either.  However, if you were planning to cross them over in such a way that you'd filter the low anyway, then screw it, seal em up!

6x9 holesaw! thats priceless.  We always have our new guys call around to some other shops to try to locate a 6x9 hole saw and a wire stretcher.  One new guy actually had  another new guy at another shop start calling around looking for one too.

If you want to get a 6.5 pumping in a small pod...give it some power. But agreed, the more airspace the lower the response..too a point...a real quality 6.5 used for staging is not quite like a 6x9 free air on a rear deck.

regardless, the 6x9 holesaw has been put on hold. too dangerous....lol,  just use an airsaw for petes sake. Hey another one is call around to autoparts store saying you need a johnson rod for a 86 buick..haha