Printer Friendly Forum Posts - RX-8 stereo, trunk ideas?

I'm in the process of planning out my stereo install and I have an idea in my head on how I want my trunk to look...I'm just not sure how to do it.

I have an RX-8 which has a dropped area in the trunk, its about 27" x 18" and about 4" deep. I want to install my amp and crossovers in this dropped area of the trunk floor and make a clear cover with a cut-out of a logo (either RX-8 or maybe the amp brand). This would make the entire trunk floor the same height. The cut-out lettering will serve as ventilation for the amp and I also want to install neon at the edge of the glass to make the edges of the lettering light up.

Problem is I'm not entirely sure how to do this or what material to use.
Should I use a plexiglass, lexan or an acrylic sheet for the clear cover?
How can I cleanly cut out the lettering I want or can I get this done somewhere? I have most handtools at home, just not experienced in cutting this type of material.

Here's a pic of my idea for this cover if my explanation sucks.

posted_image

First of all, you'll need a large cut out, just because amplifiers need air to breath, and enclosing them is never a good idea.

You're going to need a thick material to start out with, just so the neon can mate with the cover.

I used 5/16 in thick lexan for my install, which I picked up at the home depot. It is hard stuff to cut. I used a sharp jigsaw, and a lot of patience. If the saw is too fast, it can melt the material instead of cut it. Too slow, and the material can vibrate and crack.

It's tricky to do, and you'll need to get extra material, because chances are you'll screw up a few times, like I did. To do the lettering, use paper stencils, or at least keep in mind, you'll need something to hold the center of some letters supported, like the letter "O", "B", "A", "D", etc...

But your best bet may just be going to a glass cutter and see how much they'll charge for the work. They usually have all the tools needed to do precision cuts in all sorts of glass and glass-replacement materials

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~WAYLAND