Customizing Sub Box Tutorial!
#1
05-13-2008, 06:27 PM
Customizing Sub Box Tutorial!
Covering Boxes with Vinyl/Carpet
READ THIS ALL HERE WITH WORKING PICTURES! (LINKS DONT WORK ON MY TUTORIAL) SORRY
When designing your box it helps to use this method for hiding your joint lines in the carpet or vinyl. When placing your side boards onto the box, move them further in towards the centre of the box by about 9 to 10mm. This will give an edge along both sides of the box. This extra area will then be used to hold the “fake sideboards”.
Once the box is built, make sure that all the screws sit flush or just slightly deeper than the wood itself, this helps with the finish. Fill all your screw hole areas with some form of putty. I use the Spakfilla stuff that’s used on Giprock. Its very easy to apply, drys very quickly and is extremely easy to sand.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic2.jpg)
When your making your box, try to let the wood sit just over the other edge that it rests on, ONLY do this though if your wood is not completely straight or has chips. What this does is, it lets you plane the 2 pieces that have been joined together. Use an electric plane if you can, as it saves a lot of time. Now the wood will sit nice and flush with the other. This is very important for the finish.
Once the putty drys, just sand it with some medium course sandpaper. And it helps if you have an electric sander.
The whole box should be completely smooth now and ready for vinyl/carpet
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic5.jpg)
When you start covering the box, start with the base or bottom of the box. Place the box somewhere high, I use the work horses. Make sure to cut the material you are using in width only for now, let about 10cm hang off both edges. Lay the base of the box to one side, spray the contact on half of the base. I start with the base of the box because that’s the only side that will not be seen, so having a joint in the material there won’t matter. Place the roll of material on top of the box, roll out enough the cover half of the base and spray the back of the material also. I use the 3M Spray Contact which I find is the best stuff. 1 can will do about 2 large boxes. Once the contact has become tacky and starts to dry alittle (about 10 mins) stick the material to the box. Just let the material hang over the side of the box, keep it sort of tense with your hands, it helps to have an extra pair of hands sometimes. Start from the top edge and work towards to centre of the base of the box. Push down with the side of your hands towards the centre to lay the material out evenly over the box. Don’t worry if you get lumps or creases, the glue will let you take the material off, but you have to be quick and don’t press it all down with force until you know its perfectly layed out.
(IMG:http://oscarg.idx.com.au/pic6.jpg)
Leave the box in the same position, let the material flop over to the other side so that the side of the box (which is your top area now) is clear. Spray contact on the side and material. Always spray enough on the material to just overlap the edge of the box. Stretch the vinyl down as much as you can from the edge that was last glued. This helps with the finish and look of the edge. As lumpy edges don’t look good. Keep doing this until your back to the start which will be the base again.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic7.jpg)
Now that your back at the starting area, you need to finish off the joint in the material. Spray contact on the other half of the box base and material that is left. Spray enough so that the material will over lap the first part that you started with, just overlap it slightly, about 30mm. Once you have pressed the material down, get something very straight, ei a ruler or a straight piece of wood. Place it along the top of the 2 layers of material. Now get a Stanley knife and cut along the edge of it. This will cut the 2 layers of material at the exact same line. Remember to hold the straight line as hard as you can so you don’t go off the mark. Now remove the top layer that you just cut which was the piece of material that was wrapping over the starting piece. Under neath that layer will be the original layer you started with, lift the material as it should still not be completely dry and remove the other bottom layer. The old starting layer and new wrap around layer should now both meet perfectly in line with each other creating this joint line
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic8.jpg)
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic09.jpg)
Now for the sides. Start spraying the overhanging areas on the side of the box. Just spray enough to cover the edge of the wood and alittle more towards the centre of the indented sideboard. Just spray the top and bottom for starters. Then glue them down.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic10.jpg)
Once they are glued down, you need to now cut the only join lines that will be seen. Get your Stanley knife and cut from the very corner of the edge your working on, towards the centre of the sideboard. This will give this triangle effect. Now do the same to the other corner of the same side. So for instance, if you cut the top right hand corner, cut the top left hand corner, then the opposite side, which will be the bottom right hand corner and the bottom left hand corner. This will leave you with the side of material still uncut. Spray contact on them now and glue them down. They will overlap the corners you just cut.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic11.jpg)
Get the ruler now and make the material overlap the corner’s cut edge. Place the ruler at the correct angle on the corner so that your cutting directly towards the centre of the sideboard. Cut the 2 layers or material together just like was done for the base of the box.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic12.jpg)
Once again peel the top layer of material and the old bottom layer to leave a perfect join line. I peel it back with the Stanley Knife as it makes it a lot easier because its such a small piece of material.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic13.jpg)
Now just cut off the excess material along the inner edge of the sideboard. It should look like in the pic now. Leave that little overlap of material onto the inner edge as it will help with the finish and fitment of the “fake sideboard”.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic14.jpg)
Just trim the material out of the sub mounting holes and ports you might have. It helps to leave a little material overhang into the hole as when mounting the subs it creates a tighter seal.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic15.jpg)
Now for the “fake sideboards”. Cut out 2 pieces of 6mm MDF. Make them the same measurement as the inner area of the sideboards of the box less 2 or 3mm. Lay out some material to cover the panel and overlap by about 10cm. Spray contact on the front and then cover with the material. Then flip over so that the back is seen. Glue the 2 opposite sides, top and bottom or left and right. Glue them down. Cut with the Stanley knife, from the very corner, towards the centre of the panel. Do the same to both opposite sides.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic16.jpg)
Then glue the sides of material that are left. Once again overlap the material onto the corner that was just cut previously. Cut the corner so that it looks like in the picture.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic17.jpg)
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic18.jpg)
Now cut off the excess material and it should look like this.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic19.jpg)
Flip the sideboard over and it will look like this. Now you have a panel that will
READ THIS ALL HERE WITH WORKING PICTURES! (LINKS DONT WORK ON MY TUTORIAL) SORRY
When designing your box it helps to use this method for hiding your joint lines in the carpet or vinyl. When placing your side boards onto the box, move them further in towards the centre of the box by about 9 to 10mm. This will give an edge along both sides of the box. This extra area will then be used to hold the “fake sideboards”.
Once the box is built, make sure that all the screws sit flush or just slightly deeper than the wood itself, this helps with the finish. Fill all your screw hole areas with some form of putty. I use the Spakfilla stuff that’s used on Giprock. Its very easy to apply, drys very quickly and is extremely easy to sand.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic2.jpg)
When your making your box, try to let the wood sit just over the other edge that it rests on, ONLY do this though if your wood is not completely straight or has chips. What this does is, it lets you plane the 2 pieces that have been joined together. Use an electric plane if you can, as it saves a lot of time. Now the wood will sit nice and flush with the other. This is very important for the finish.
Once the putty drys, just sand it with some medium course sandpaper. And it helps if you have an electric sander.
The whole box should be completely smooth now and ready for vinyl/carpet
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic5.jpg)
When you start covering the box, start with the base or bottom of the box. Place the box somewhere high, I use the work horses. Make sure to cut the material you are using in width only for now, let about 10cm hang off both edges. Lay the base of the box to one side, spray the contact on half of the base. I start with the base of the box because that’s the only side that will not be seen, so having a joint in the material there won’t matter. Place the roll of material on top of the box, roll out enough the cover half of the base and spray the back of the material also. I use the 3M Spray Contact which I find is the best stuff. 1 can will do about 2 large boxes. Once the contact has become tacky and starts to dry alittle (about 10 mins) stick the material to the box. Just let the material hang over the side of the box, keep it sort of tense with your hands, it helps to have an extra pair of hands sometimes. Start from the top edge and work towards to centre of the base of the box. Push down with the side of your hands towards the centre to lay the material out evenly over the box. Don’t worry if you get lumps or creases, the glue will let you take the material off, but you have to be quick and don’t press it all down with force until you know its perfectly layed out.
(IMG:http://oscarg.idx.com.au/pic6.jpg)
Leave the box in the same position, let the material flop over to the other side so that the side of the box (which is your top area now) is clear. Spray contact on the side and material. Always spray enough on the material to just overlap the edge of the box. Stretch the vinyl down as much as you can from the edge that was last glued. This helps with the finish and look of the edge. As lumpy edges don’t look good. Keep doing this until your back to the start which will be the base again.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic7.jpg)
Now that your back at the starting area, you need to finish off the joint in the material. Spray contact on the other half of the box base and material that is left. Spray enough so that the material will over lap the first part that you started with, just overlap it slightly, about 30mm. Once you have pressed the material down, get something very straight, ei a ruler or a straight piece of wood. Place it along the top of the 2 layers of material. Now get a Stanley knife and cut along the edge of it. This will cut the 2 layers of material at the exact same line. Remember to hold the straight line as hard as you can so you don’t go off the mark. Now remove the top layer that you just cut which was the piece of material that was wrapping over the starting piece. Under neath that layer will be the original layer you started with, lift the material as it should still not be completely dry and remove the other bottom layer. The old starting layer and new wrap around layer should now both meet perfectly in line with each other creating this joint line
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic8.jpg)
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic09.jpg)
Now for the sides. Start spraying the overhanging areas on the side of the box. Just spray enough to cover the edge of the wood and alittle more towards the centre of the indented sideboard. Just spray the top and bottom for starters. Then glue them down.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic10.jpg)
Once they are glued down, you need to now cut the only join lines that will be seen. Get your Stanley knife and cut from the very corner of the edge your working on, towards the centre of the sideboard. This will give this triangle effect. Now do the same to the other corner of the same side. So for instance, if you cut the top right hand corner, cut the top left hand corner, then the opposite side, which will be the bottom right hand corner and the bottom left hand corner. This will leave you with the side of material still uncut. Spray contact on them now and glue them down. They will overlap the corners you just cut.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic11.jpg)
Get the ruler now and make the material overlap the corner’s cut edge. Place the ruler at the correct angle on the corner so that your cutting directly towards the centre of the sideboard. Cut the 2 layers or material together just like was done for the base of the box.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic12.jpg)
Once again peel the top layer of material and the old bottom layer to leave a perfect join line. I peel it back with the Stanley Knife as it makes it a lot easier because its such a small piece of material.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic13.jpg)
Now just cut off the excess material along the inner edge of the sideboard. It should look like in the pic now. Leave that little overlap of material onto the inner edge as it will help with the finish and fitment of the “fake sideboard”.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic14.jpg)
Just trim the material out of the sub mounting holes and ports you might have. It helps to leave a little material overhang into the hole as when mounting the subs it creates a tighter seal.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic15.jpg)
Now for the “fake sideboards”. Cut out 2 pieces of 6mm MDF. Make them the same measurement as the inner area of the sideboards of the box less 2 or 3mm. Lay out some material to cover the panel and overlap by about 10cm. Spray contact on the front and then cover with the material. Then flip over so that the back is seen. Glue the 2 opposite sides, top and bottom or left and right. Glue them down. Cut with the Stanley knife, from the very corner, towards the centre of the panel. Do the same to both opposite sides.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic16.jpg)
Then glue the sides of material that are left. Once again overlap the material onto the corner that was just cut previously. Cut the corner so that it looks like in the picture.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic17.jpg)
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic18.jpg)
Now cut off the excess material and it should look like this.
(IMG:http://users.on.net/~kewleyd/caapics/subbox/pic19.jpg)
Flip the sideboard over and it will look like this. Now you have a panel that will
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