I have been debating if I should either create a glass enclosure under my deck lid in the trunk or actually assemble one out of either 3/4" birch or 5/8" MDF that will actually bolt to my back seat support. I will then be able to get a good 8CF of space, enough to fit two 15's (RE's of course ) behind my back seat. I will not be able to screw the sides down due to the location of the strut towers so I need to use a combination of adhesive then follow up with resin/fiberglass on the inside. I need some pointers and or some adhesive recommendations. The back wall of the enclosure will be screwed down then carpeted. Polo..
Really screws don't do anything for an enclosure other than hold it together while the glue is drying. A glued joint is far stronger than screws are, and it's possible to glue without screws as long as you line the panels up.
Who said I was talking about XXX's ( ) ? It could be just one, lol. I was going to use either Gorrilla glue or epoxy then glass the inside or maybe even add angle aluminum and use screws from the inside out? Once the panels are in place it will be impossible to access it from the outside. The back panel if you can picture it will be screwed down probably with inserts and cap head screws for accessibilty. Polo.
guys... like jonothan said screws do nothing to hold the box together.. they hold it in place while the glue dries, moreso they tighten the gap inbetween pieces which will make a stronger joint.. the bigger the void the weaker it is.. most decent cabinet glues will bond the joint just as good as the wood itself. ive built a few without screws u just have to use clamps.. but screws are far easier.. id stay away from the gorrilla glue, thats one of those adhesives that works on many different materials.. doesnt mean its the best on them, i doubt it will penetrate the wood and bond it as well as cabinet glue
yes, you can build a box w/ no screws...just clamp it together while the glue dries.
oh...and gorrilla glue works VERY well on MDF. just dampen the wook alil before you apply the glue. (the glue swells after about 1-2hours, you have to wipe away the excess)
Um....paper mache boxes work great. Just make sure that you have a good sense of humour when you TRY to mount the sub.... Let us know how it turns out. These boxes are not all that good for SQ or SPL but are great in the POS category.
Yes, you don't need screws, both those other guys are right...glue is much stronger it actually chemically bonds the wood to the point where the wood is going to break before the joint thats glued. Don't use gorilla glue....it's not a true wood glue...us elmers wood glue or liquid nails. As long as you clamp it good and tight and let it dry for long enough teh box should hold up. Oh, BTW, Polo you are fricking insane!!!! (2 new xxx's...)
just my 2 cents...screws should give the box more stability when they start to flex since the screws are inside the wood holding the wood in place glue is only on the outsidejust go with what you said about the aluminum corner peices with screws
I would get a right angle drill accessory, and use at least a couple screws. The glue might not move, but the little bit of MDF touching the glue could strip right off the rest of the MDF..
It seems like with a sub that powerful, you need something that gets a good grip up in the MDF, not just a touching bond, because the wood can strip right off.
If a w7 can bust it's own H.O. box, I seriously doubt that some damn glue with no screws will withstand the new XXX for long.. Not to mention that it's expensive equipment, and better safe than sorry!
Just thought of a good idea, just predrill all the screw holes while it is outside of your vehicle, then go and screw the screws in by hand using a little stub screwdriver.
IMO - i don't care who says screws r not really necessary & that glue alone can hold a box secure . Lemme explain - with 2day's high wrms subs (like a single 2500wrms 15/18" or like Atomics 4/5000wrms+ subs) & the immense air flow & forces acting in a box , can we honestly expect even the strongest glues 2 hold a box with these monsters together !? . I'm betting a big NO - i would most definitely hate 2 have my box burst @ its seams & possibly damage expensive stuff & even myself around it (there r pics online of this happened 2 ppl b4).
Hey who wants 2 NOT use any screws thats ur choice - i will play it sensible/safe & continue using sufficient screws in ALL my boxes ....
Screws are really only used to hold the box together while the glue is drying. The glue bond is what holds the box together, and is actually stronger than the MDF itself. Try unscrewing all the screws out of your enclosures, take a hammer, and hit the bonded sections of the MDF. The MDF will chip and break away, and the glued sections will not come apart (of course, unless you did a really crappy job of glueing ) If you're building a box for two high power subs like that, the internal bracing is a LOT more important than screws. I personally use both, I'm not that great of a wood worker, so any help with keeping everything in line is good in my book!
u have to use screws when ur building a box with high wattage subs ur box is gonna fall aprt just ask B his box fell the h3ll aprt with his two treos if you dont use screws just be prepared to build a new one soon.
the glue might hold the box together but like people have stated its not worth trying it and your box blow up or fall apart when you turn the XXX up then a peice of wood goes through the VC or cone i dont think it would be worth trying the theory out on a $700 sub....
I love how people don't understand that screws do almost nothing in woodworking where glue is used properly. Yah if you can use them...i will use both cause its easier than clamping...but the glue is much much stronger than most people think. The screws will just strip/pull out with enough force...the whole board will break before the glue...lol w/e though i don't wanna piss anyone of too much by being right....
I do agree, better safe than sorry, makes perfect sense to me. A stubby screwdriver will not work in this case because the side panels will only have enough space against the strut towers to fit a couple of layers of DynaMat. What about internal screwing with angle aluminum and combination of glues and epoxy resins? After I get it all assembled I could glass over anyting extra like bracing. Hey would birch be more rigid and if so what thickness would be sufficient? My Tcab box uses Birch @ 3/4" and is a whole lot lighter than an MDF box. Polo.
PS- notice how shiny it is when it is coated in resin.
" The screws will just strip/pull out with enough force...the whole board will break before the glue...lol w/e though i don't wanna piss anyone of too much by being right...." JOSH ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ FYI, screws dont ever pull, strip out! You must be talkin/thinkin about a NAIL!
"u have to use screws when ur building a box with high wattage subs ur box is gonna fall aprt just ask B his box fell the h3ll aprt with his two treos if you dont use screws just be prepared to build a new one soon." NEMEN
yepp, Im with Rovin, glue AND screws... my ported box is resonating/flexing from the front baffle and the port resonates, cause its glued not screwed... sounds like 2 peices of wood fu(kin.. however im redoin the entire box, with a double baffle, resin, the whole 9.. entensively braced!!
Polo just make sure to use all types of glues & screws..
But what your take on the aluminum angle? Think about it, glue the box edges then take a piece of alu angle and drill holes down the length of both sides using screws and epoxy like Anchor Tite which is strong as hell to add support. Polo.
im with rovin on this one i would def put screws on it what happens if the glue doesnt dry correctly then your screwed so put screws in to back up the glue wouldnt you rather be safe then sorry
Yea I know what your saying, I don't see any reason why you couldn't secure the pieces from the inside.. Just make sure that when its all finalized that you use some good filler and make all the inside surfaces flat and smooooth.
Good woodworking glue is stronger than natural wood itsself. Caulking is the preffered adhesive in enclosure building because you want an "airtight" seal. Screws hold the box together while the glue/caulking is curing, not just dry to the touch.
Another option is to use wood bondo. Its just like auto body bondo, but for wood. It is mixed with hardener just the same. Using this product will help seal the joints just like caulking, but it isnt easy to apply, especially in tight spaces.
I would try glue first, and make sure you do something to keep the joint together with either a clamp, strap, or anything that would apply enough pressure to hold it together till the glue cured. Then I would run a healthy bead of caulking on the inside to eliminate any leaks. This may be your best option, since screws are not going to work, and using just glue/caulking without screws or finish nails, will probably leak later on or fall appart due to too much vibration.
"FYI, screws dont ever pull, strip out! You must be talkin/thinkin about a NAIL!" Last I checked, MDF distinigrates (sp?).
"my ported box is resonating/flexing from the front baffle and the port resonates, cause its glued not screwed... sounds like 2 peices of wood fu(kin.." It's got nothing to do with your glue or screws, you must not have braced or baffled it sufficiently for the sub you were using. As I said before, bracing is much more important than screws. Also, what mixneffect said. I used silicone on my boxes instead of a "normal" caulk, seemed to work ok. Also, I'm not looking to start a flame war, that's just my take.
"i use PL400 construction glue. i like it better than liquid nails"
I went to Home Depot to check this stuff out seemed pretty impressive. I then came across this stuff called I think it was PC11 (something like that) and it had a display that said "Never possible before" or something. It showed materals that in the past couldn't be bonded so I tried pulling the pieces off the board, wouldn't budge. First I tried ripping off a little glass rock that was bonded to wood, then a piece of angle Aluminum attached to MDF, no go, I mean I reall tried. I deliver refrigerators for a living, I'm no pVssy, the sh!t wouldn't budge. I then went to the tool dept and grabbed a roofing hammer then went back, lol. I started beating on the display over and over trying to break it loose, this sh!t wouldn't move, the rack started to shake nasty too. After I got done and I actually broke some of the glass rock that was glued down I turned around and noticed I had about 5 employees staring at me, then they said "pretty good stuff, eh?" , lOl. I had a fricken audience... Polo.
) behind my back seat. I will not be able to screw the sides down due to the location of the strut towers so I need to use a combination of adhesive then follow up with resin/fiberglass on the inside. I need some pointers and or some adhesive recommendations. The back wall of the enclosure will be screwed down then carpeted. Polo.. 
) ? It could be just one, lol. I was going to use either Gorrilla glue or epoxy then glass the inside or maybe even add angle aluminum and use screws from the inside out? Once the panels are in place it will be impossible to access it from the outside. The back panel if you can picture it will be screwed down probably with inserts and cap head screws for accessibilty. Polo.
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