HOW TO: add an odd shaped window to a subwoofer enclosure

Hey, I'm custom building a box for myself, and I wanna add some plexiglass windows to it. I've noticed on alot of boxes with windows, theres a metal surround frame on the plexi. Is there a way to get around that for cheap, and if so, how? Here is the box I'm gonna make, one of these I mean. Theres two chambers both at around 3 cu ft. theres 1-15" and then either 3-10's or 2-12's... but the plexi is what I wanna know about, how can I make it work with the box?

all the boxes I have done, I just use a router and make a lip for the plexi to sit in, then you can drill pilot holes and screw the plexiglass in, or you could glew it in, but use a black stip of something to cover the glue

yeah, that was I figured I would go, with the router, and then cover it with some rubber whether stripping, but I was just wondering if there was any other ways to do it without having to route both the MDF and the Plexi to make it so the plexi isn't rescessed into the box...

also keep in mind that if the plexi is supposed to "seal" the box so that you can see inside the sealed box, then a thin piece of plexi isn't going to be enough. You are going to want a very thick piece of plexi glass. I'd say around half inch thick. Also, if you are going to screw it in, make sure you drill pilot holes as large as the outside of the threads of the screw. Unlike wood, plexi glass has no room to compress. If you drill a pilot hole smaller than the screw and try to put the screw into it, it will crack/break a piece of plexi glass off. Also, don't over tighten the screw for that same reason. If you are using flat head screws that have an angled bottom (underside of the head) then make sure you use a countersink drill bit and put a counter sink in the plexi glass so the screws will lay flush. Otherwise when you try to screw them in to lay flush it will crack the panel... =P

Yeah, I was thinking of useing 3/4" to match the thinkness of the MDF. And for the screws and stuff I was going to go with some 3/8" closely threaded round head screws with bolts and maybe some washers as to distribute the pressure around the bolt.

in that case I'd do as you said, put a second layer of fiber board inside with some overlap over the hole (so you have something to screw into). I'd also try to find some good rubber gasket material. Preferrable something with a large lip on both sides so you can cover the screw holes on the top of the plexiglass, and so you don't see the wood on the bottom of the plexiglass. Make the hole just the right size so that the plexi glass combined with the rubber gasket going all of the way around is pressure fit snuggly into place (this will help to seal it). I'd also put some black silicone between the rubber gasket and the wood for extra sealage. If you can get some really big rubber gasket material you might even be able to get it so you can cut a pattern or design of some sort on top of the plexi. Might make it look cool =) Put a light inside too so you can see everything =)

mmmmmm making stuff is fun isnt it?

making stuff=stupid

Recon wrote:

making stuff=stupid

Making stuff > *

If people didnt make stuff this world would collapse.

hehe Recon lives in a cardboard box I guess.. wait.. someone had to make the machine that made his cardboard box.. so I guess he just lives under a tree.. =P

Recon wrote:

making stuff=stupid

Your parents made you in a very freaky nasty kinky sweaty way!

umm, eww.. images of parents ******* in bed are bad.. =P

DragonJeep wrote:

If people didnt make stuff this world would collapse.

you are right, but it can still be stupid..think of something that you think is stupid, but you still do it

You right...

I used to smoke weed all the time...Its stupid but I still did it.

weed