Building A Custom Subwoofer Box - It's Hip To Be Square- Atoz

Because the face of the enclosure will be smoothed with plastic body filler, it's important that the outside edge of the ABS be sanded with 80-grit sandpaper to better promote adhesion.

Here's a finished shot of the face of the enclosure after grating and sanding the surface with 40-grit sandpaper. If done correctly, this bodywork process should only take about 15 minutes.

With the template still attached, sand the router marks from the roundover bit starting with 80-, 120-, 220- and finishing up with 400-grit sandpaper.

The area where the plastic bag removed paint is now clear. To contrast from the red, overlay a white vinyl sticker on the backside. This will enhance the "Bowling Ball Effect."

Use a blue buffing compound and a buffing wheel to polish the outside edge of the acrylic. Remember to not overapply pressure against the wheel and melt the acrylic.

When assembling the box in the beginning steps, be sure to inset the sides of the enclosure 1/8" to leave an edge to stop the vinyl and also to insert carpet to cover that edge. Notice I'm using a plastic door panel tool to press the vinyl into the edge. This tool comes in handy when upholstering.

After applying carpet to the sides of the enclosure, use an upholstery blade to cut off the excess. You will notice after removing the excess carpet that the edges will be frayed. Running a heat gun lightly over the edges will clean them up.

Wood glue and staple the oval insert and MDF ring to the enclosure.

I've chosen to backpaint the acrylic with our company logo. So I applied a reverse vinyl sticker to the back.

This is a quick way to add a little flash to the traditional square box. If you look closely, you will notice the paint technique behind the acrylic.

Tape off the edges of the vinyl to prevent overspray of the upholstery glue.

Because the ABS strip was stapled to the outside edge of the oval, the oval template will fit inside the ABS perfectly. Using this oval template, cut a piece of 3/8" acrylic by first using a jigsaw and trimming it up with the router. While the template is still attached, use the roundover router bit to finish the outside edge. Leaving the template attached allows for a heavier radius on the outside edge.

Apply desired amount of Duraglas to permanently mold the shapes in. While the Duraglas is in a soft clay-like stage, use a body filler grater to shape the face of the enclosure. This step really saves a ton of time if done correctly. Use the grater as a sculpting tool to create a uniform shape.

Apply two medium wet coats of color base with a spray gun to the back with the sticker still in place. Remember: It's not necessary to use a spray gun for this process. Paint in an aerosol can will also work. For that marble "Bowling Ball" effect, press a plastic grocery bag against the painted surface while the base coat is still wet, thus removing paint.