what do i need to build a sub box?

Question

should I build a sub box or buy one
what tools would I need to build one what type of wood should I use how do I seal it?

Answer 1

I recommend buying one. Every subwoofer has different specs of how much air space is needed. If you do build one you going to need screws or finish nailer. Wood glue, silicone, Carpet, circular saw, jig saw, and some clamps to hold it together. Here is a link.
Hope its helpful and goodluck.

Answer 2

most custom boxes are built with 3/4" MDF. Build or buy? I'd personally build my own mainly because I want an enclosure volume that's perfectly mated to the speaker based on specs of speaker.

You can calculate necessary box volume by plugging in values for a few key parameters...Vas, Fs...can't remember the others. I bet you can find freeware software that'll do the math for you

Tools.....table saw ideally but normal power saw will work provided the cuts are accurate. I'd use glue and wood screws to seal the joints and along the inside of the box I'd put a bead of silicone. You'll want to make sure there's an airtight seal between sub and box.

Tighten the screws in a manner that you'd tighten lug nuts in order to prevent warping

I made a big mistake w/ the first box I built and wasn't careful enough when tightening down the sub and put a hole through speaker surround when screwdriver slipped off screw. What I'd recommend is taking a jigsaw or and cutting out a circle and then cut an indent in the circle that will allow the screw hole to be seen.....turn the wood around as you tighten each screw....if the drill/philips head slips it'll hit the wood rather than the speaker.

go up to elitecaraudio.com or diy audio for more information....there's some good articles

Answer 3

Basic thing you need for building a box.

Time, patience, calculator and some knowledge of Theile Small Parameters.

You will need:

3/4" MDF (90% of boxes are made from it)
Elmers Wood Glue
1 1/4" screws
A table saw or circular saw (not recommended unless you can cut straight)
I corded or cordless drill with phillips #2 bit
I router with a circular jig (jigsaw can be used but not recommended)
Speaker quick connects


These are what you'd need if building a box yourself. Not recommended for a person making their first box without any knowledge.

The easiest way to get a box is a prefabricated box (pre-built). The problem is all subs will fit but, not all subs sound the same in the prefab boxes. There are also many types of boxes, like Iso-baric, Ported, Sealed, and Bandpass which are the most used. I would recommend going to your local CAR AUDIO dealer and see what they recommend for the type of subs you want, and then search for installs others have done over the internet for ideas.

I hope this has helped you out a little bit.

Answer 4

you're gonna need some plywood, preferably maple, it will resonate the best. you're probably just going to want to seal it with some ordinary calk or wood glue, you could also make it look professional by covering it with felt or a similar material

for optimum sound, you're going to want the seal to be good enough to the point of where you can push down on the sub and it rises up slowly, if it follows your finger back up, you'll need to go back and make sure that everything is sealed, you might also need to go the extra mile and put a rubber grommit over the hole where you want the wires to enter the box

Answer 5

Go to Radio Shack (or its equivalent) and get a booklet on speaker cabinet design and construction - it won't be very expensive, and it will give you accurate information on how to build a suitable sub box. You can use 3/4" pressboard, which is inexpensive and quite dense, and won't resonate - you don't want that in a speaker cabinet as it colors the sound. I prefer ported cabinets for the bass reinforcement that you get at a lower power level.

Answer 6

Well you can buy a box if you never built one before or don't have the stuff to do it. It will just be easier to buy a pretty good name brand one, Q logic is good a good example.

Answer 7

i don`tknow