# DIY: Build your sub box for $30 in 5 minutes. No woodworking skills necessary.



## 12v Electronics (Jun 1, 2008)

We just received an interesting product. It is a DIY subwoofer box kit that comes complete with carpeting, binding posts and hardware. It is shipped flat to reduce the shipping costs and can be assembled in less than 5 minutes with a phillips screwdriver. It is constructed from 3/4" MDF and has really great binding posts/bannana connectors. The carpet is pre-attached and the joints are routered and dowel pinned to make assembly extrememly easy so no woodworking experience necessary. 

Now for the best part. We have them on sale for $29.99 and due to their design, they ship standard UPS so shipping costs are very reasonable. Materials alone would cost more than this.

Here is what you get: 









The joints are routered and have adhesive tape on them so all you have to do is line up the numbers and fold the box together.

Option: You can also remove the adhesive strips and use wood glue for an even better bond, however the supplied adhesive works very good. (I know this because I tried to take one apart. It was not easy)










Now place the screws (supplied) into the pre-drilled holes and drive them in. That's it. The box is complete in about 5 minutes or less. 

Option: Silicone sealant (not supplied) can be placed on the inside joints to prevent any air leakage. The routered joints and adhesive tape do a very good job, but a bit of overkill never hurt. 

Now place your favorite speaker in the box and make the connections. You are done. 


























They are available in the following sizes:

10" sub: Size- .8 cubic foot. 14" wide, 13" tall, 13" deep
12" sub: Size- 1.55 cubic feet. 17" wide, 16" tall, 14.75" deep
15" sub: Size- 1.95 cubic feet. 19" wide, 18" tall, 16" deep

I am using the 12" version in my car right anow and it sounds very good. It is built from 3/4 MDF wood, so it is really built better than most of the pre-made boxes available. I built it exactly as the instructions said and did not do anything extra like glue or silicone the edges. There are no air leaks that I can find and the box is super strong. It is really a great idea and looks great. The carpet finishes nicely even at the joined edges. 

They are available on our website: 
http://www.12velectronics.com/servlet/the-Subwoofer-Enclosures/Categories

The quality of materials is very good. The binding posts are high quality and not the normal spring terminals you see in most boxes. You honestly cannot buy the materials for this price.


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## Zakerid (Apr 30, 2007)

http://www.12velectronics.com/servlet/the-Subwoofer-Enclosures/Categories
link no worky


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## M3NTAL (Apr 9, 2006)

That is very cool - thank you for passing this on to us, I just might grab one due to how good of a deal it is.


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## Zakerid (Apr 30, 2007)

nevermind


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## Locke (May 29, 2007)

very good deal wish they had a 2.1 cubic feet


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## Robert_J (Nov 9, 2006)

It looks exactly like the Scosche boxes that were sold at Wal-Mart for about $25. The weather stripping seals were poor at best and allowed a lot of air leaks. I removed them and used Tightbond II glue. It's not a bad box for the price.

And Wal-Mart still has them - link. I've seen the 12" version at my local store as well.

-Robert


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## sircharles (Jul 21, 2008)

its says the walmart ones are 5/8" mdf...


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## 12v Electronics (Jun 1, 2008)

I was at Walfart during lunch. They had the 12" version there for $35.99. It is not the same one. 

Not only is it 5/8" thick, but the wood is more like particle board than MDF. 

It is smaller at 1.25 cubic feet and has cheap spring loaded terminals.


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## -db (Mar 14, 2007)

12v Electronics said:


> Option: You can also remove the adhesive strips and use wood glue for an even better bond, however the supplied adhesive works very good. (I know this because I tried to take one apart. It was not easy)
> 
> 
> Option: Silicone sealant (not supplied) can be placed on the inside joints to prevent any air leakage. The routered joints and adhesive tape do a very good job, but a bit of overkill never hurt.



Why are these listed as an option? This is an absolute requirement if you want to achieve a decent box.

You should also be mentioning to seal the terminal cup to prevent any possible leakage from there.


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## JayinMI (Oct 18, 2008)

DOUG! Dude, where have you been? Haven't seen you on DNO in a while.

Jay


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## WLDock (Sep 27, 2005)

-db said:


> Why are these listed as an option? This is an absolute requirement if you want to achieve a decent box. You should also be mentioning to seal the terminal cup to prevent any possible leakage from there.


I think the whole point in this product is that it saves space for the retailer. Think about the space that prefab boxes take up. On the flip side, I think the target for a product like this is the DIY'er that wants a basic low powered system. I am sure that the box will work "as is" for that segment. It might even turn out to be better than some of the cheap low grade MDF boxes out there.

On the other hand, the guy that wants to drop in a heavyweight sub and power it with 1K watts should do as you stated and even try to add their own side braces. But, I guess at this point this product may not be what that crowd needs? A lumberyard would be a better place to shop? The DIY type that are looking for "absolute requirements" in "achieving a decent box" probably already know that the lumberyard (and partsexpress) is the "BEST" place to shop for a DIY box. They might even use Baltic birch instead of MDF.  And they can even make the correct size that they need...WOW, just think of that. So accept this for what it is and not try to make it into what it is not.


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## getonerd (Jul 24, 2007)

here is the 10" box at walmart for 20.00


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## TXwrxWagon (Sep 26, 2008)

guys don't shoot the messenger. if its truly 3/4" MDF & ready to rock, for the average DIY'er its a steal. 

Think about it.. a sheet of 3/4" MDF @ Lowes/home Depot is currently about $15 (give or take a buck) they charge $.25 per cut. and on a 4'x8' sheet, you would need roughly 7 cuts.. if the guy cutting has a brain.. remember we are talking Lowe/Home Depot so another $20 in cuts.

Radio shack, to get a decent, similar binding post set up is $12.00 (doubt it is nearly as nice)... so right there you're at the same price. And you have a $12 roll of Ozite carpoet form O'Rielly Auto or Autozone to carpet it. PLus screws, plus silicone, plus glue...

*edit* I forgot about the 1/2 way attractive woofer grill included that rarely any woofer sold provides anymore

Just chill... he wasn't offering a Single-Seat-Car, IASCA SQ enclosure option. Remember, DIY goes WAY beyond ultar-high-end OEM driver installs & 6 rolls of sound deadening & 500 yards of F'ing Tech-flex

I can totally see a simple system with a couple pre-cut beauty boards to hide the basic shape making this a VERY affordable option for a DIY who is getting their feet wet.

Good find 12v

Rob


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## -db (Mar 14, 2007)

WLDock said:


> I think the whole point in this product is that it saves space for the retailer. Think about the space that prefab boxes take up. On the flip side, I think the target for a product like this is the DIY'er that wants a basic low powered system. I am sure that the box will work "as is" for that segment. It might even turn out to be better than some of the cheap low grade MDF boxes out there.



No one is disputing who the core consumer (lower end product user) is for this product. My whole point is the crappy double sided tape. 

The could just a easily include a small (sample sized) bottle of Tightbond or Elmers wood glue instead of putting tape on the board. If the wood is 3/4", then is all that it would take to make that a decent box. 

If someone is not competent enough to squirt a little wood glue in place of the tape then they shouldn't be attempting to operate a screw driver. Buy a prebuilt.




You are also missing the whole point of this discussion. This is not about the wood/binding posts/carpet. No one is disputing the materials. This is about the way you attach the panels together.

Oh, the messenger is the one selling/promoting the product, so yes, he belongs in the line of fire for this one.

If he would have promoted it by saying remove all tape, apply wood glue and screw together, problem solved. But, he did not do that. He called the tape acceptable. If this was advertised to the myspace crowd or another audio forum out there, that's fine. But to do it here? No, not acceptable. 


Ok. rant done.


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## TXwrxWagon (Sep 26, 2008)

a few points:

1.) There is not a single Pre-fab using all 3/4" MDF.. most are 1/2" on the body & MAYBE 5/8" face.

2.) Most of the prefab's don't glue their joints they quick-silicone the internal joint.. not strong, just "sealed".... you need both strong & sealed.

3.) agreed, it would not cost any more & only add, what 5 minutes & 1 paragraph to the instructions to incllude the glue instead of the tape... Point agreed... But at this level of customer.. the tape is sufficient. Anyone taking the next step in DIY is looking here or other information & knows to glue & seal the unit.

4.) So what if 12v is a seller promoting a product? Its a viable offering to the DIY market. Just because you aren't the benefactor, don't hate on the smarter guy...

5.) The #1 missed point I see all over this forum is the understanding that there are LEVELS of DIY... One guy with a '98 Camaro was getting criticized for not taking more time to clean up his install, another guy who didn't use tech-flex & whatever the sponsor sound deadening (Second Skin) was getting reamed for using "inferior install practices"... geez.. Not everyone is at Expert level... chill...

Rob


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## 12v Electronics (Jun 1, 2008)

Yes, the glued joints should not have been an option, but that would have taken over 5 minutes. 

To be honest with you, I built one of these as per the instructions, and then tested it. I found NO air leaks. Then I tried to take it apart. It required a hammer and a pry bar. When it came apart it did not break at the adhesive, but about 1/8" to 1/4" on either side of it. I would not have believed it if I didn't see it for myself. 

I still think that wood glue would be better, but the adhesive used has some weird "gooey stuff" that is impregnated into the foam. It really does soak into the wood when compressed. 

This enclosure is not for everyone, but if someone needs an enclosure this size, it is really a good bargain. Building a 3/4" MDF enclosure of with these materials would definitely cost more. Add a small tube of wood glue and you are still under $33.


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## JediMentality (May 7, 2008)

I don't know if its just me, but, from the pictures, those boxes don't look entirely square. It seem like it has a slight angle in the back. I'm sure they are square or else they probably would advertise them as wedge. Huh...


Oh, and shipping is *VERY* reasonable. Less than $7, so total price is $36.94. Just remember how many people dread selling/shipping sub boxes because of weight.


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## 12v Electronics (Jun 1, 2008)

JediMentality said:


> I don't know if its just me, but, from the pictures, those boxes don't look entirely square. It seem like it has a slight angle in the back. I'm sure they are square or else they probably would advertise them as wedge. Huh...
> 
> 
> Oh, and shipping is *VERY* reasonable. Less than $7, so total price is $36.94. Just remember how many people dread selling/shipping sub boxes because of weight.


There is a slight angle on the back side. It is hard to tell from the pics, but if you look at the side panels in this one you can see the angle: 









The shipping price is slightly higher than $7. You will need to put your zip code in to get an accurate rate.


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## JediMentality (May 7, 2008)

12v Electronics said:


> There is a slight angle on the back side. It is hard to tell from the pics, but if you look at the side panels in this one you can see the angle:
> 
> The shipping price is slightly higher than $7. You will need to put your zip code in to get an accurate rate.


Yep, there is an angle. And I was way off with the shipping. Not exactly "slightly."


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## 12v Electronics (Jun 1, 2008)

JediMentality said:


> Yep, there is an angle. And I was way off with the shipping. Not exactly "slightly."


It is about 29 lbs, so the shipping is based on your zip code. The dimensional weight would be the killer if it was assembled.


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## riahc3 (Oct 31, 2008)

Looks pretty nice


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## 86mr2 (Apr 29, 2005)

It's an IKEA subwoofer box.


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## el_chupo_ (May 27, 2007)

12v's shipping kills it for me, i must live too far away. It would be a good deal if it didnt cost almost as much as the box to ship it. I dont know how you get your pricing quotes, but I know my wife's business' UPS prices are way way lower...

Nice idea, and looks pretty nice too. if your close, good deal.


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## clbolt (Jan 9, 2008)

I'm not going to argue the merits of buying this box versus building your own for the average comsumer. Assuming the buyer can follow the directions, this box will doubtless serve it's intended purpose well. Do a little better than just following the directions, and it could even be a great box for the price. However, the cost for the 10" version shipped to me comes to $49.51. The pre-assembled name-brand single 10" box I bought off ebay cost less for the box and for the shipping. I was aiming for a particular size for my Aura NS10, but if I'd wanted a slightly larger box, it would have been even cheaper.


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## lust4sound (Apr 9, 2008)

TXwrxWagon said:


> guys don't shoot the messenger. if its truly 3/4" MDF & ready to rock, for the average DIY'er its a steal.
> 
> Think about it.. a sheet of 3/4" MDF @ Lowes/home Depot is currently about $15 (give or take a buck) they charge $.25 per cut. and on a 4'x8' sheet, you would need roughly 7 cuts.. if the guy cutting has a brain.. remember we are talking Lowe/Home Depot so another $20 in cuts.
> 
> ...


A sheet of MDF is $25 at Lowes last time I checked. Had the guy cut it into strips for me. What a debacle. After he butchered the cuts, I made a stink and ended up getting the whole thing free. Trimmed the crooked pieces myself at home and bingo. One perfect sealed 3/4 MDF box.

Factor in carpet, carpet adhesive, silicon, screws, good terminals, extensive time in labor, it would cost much more to build at home from scratch. Way to go Blaupunkt. That **** is genius!


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## [email protected] (Nov 28, 2008)

12v Electronics said:


> It is about 29 lbs, so the shipping is based on your zip code. The dimensional weight would be the killer if it was assembled.


Wow, for the 12" box, it's $56.25 shipped to me in CA. Doesn't sound like too good of a deal anymore. 

Also, what's this you say about "dimensional weight"? I'm about 99% sure that the package dimensions (assuming the enclosure was preassembeled) would not even change the UPS shipping cost. Even the 15" version is NOT considered oversized with UPS. If you don't mind me asking, what are the exact dimensions of the packages?


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## 12v Electronics (Jun 1, 2008)

Shipping size is 20x20x12 and 29 lbs. It is shipped from zip code 60156. You can check the UPS website to check the charges if you like.


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