Fibre Glass Door Pods
In this tutorial I will show you how to construct fibre glass door pods. These pods are for a 92 Honda Civic, will house a Focal 6.5†midbass and 4†mid and will be finished with paint.
There are many ways of making pods. Some of you may already know how to make them using another method and wish to continue using it. Another technique is to acquire a block of polystyrene, cut out the shape for the pod and then cover it in Fibreglass. This enables you to cut out the process of using lycra.
Materials you will need:
Fibreglass Resin
Fibreglass Mat
Hardener
Disposable Gloves
Icecream Container
Lycra
MDF
Hot Glue
Screws
Nails
Bog
Paint/Vinyl/Carpet – depending on chosen finish
ADOS (contact adhesive)
plastic wrap/plastic sheet
Tools you will need:
Sandpaper, various grits – rough to smooth
Screwdriver
Drill
Router/Jigsaw
Hammer
Ruler
Saw
Craft Knife
Costs:
(costs may vary, dependent on where you purchase the supplies)
To make pods yourself you should set aside approximately $250 - $300.
Fibreglass supplies - $10/litre for resin and $10/m for mat.
MDF - $30/sheet
Lycra - $20/m (I usually only get half a meter as the material is doubled, so I end up with a meter for $10)
Bog - $40/tin
ADOS – I usually get it from the upholster I get the vinyl from, about $10 for a decent sized jar
Vinyl – around $30/m or
Paint - $12/can
First job is to make the speaker rings, either a router or jigsaw can be used to do this. The jigsaw is quicker but rough; alternatively a router will get you perfect and tidy circles. I will be using a router in this example.
First step is to make up a template. Find the measurements of your speakers (usually provided on the spec sheet). Halve the measurements and mark them off on your template. Don’t forget to measure from the outside of the router bit for the inside edges, and from the inside of the router bit for outside edges. Drill the holes and find a screw with the same size head as the hole.
Drive the screw into the MDF, this becomes the centre of one ring, and bang a few nails through the MDF to hold it in place. Router out about 5mm at a time to reduce the strain on the router. Stop the router occasionally and remove the dust that will build up in the cut. You will notice I have routered out a recess in my rings; I did this because I am making my own speaker grills. Normally I would just cut out a simple ring without the recess.
Repeat this for all your rings. Check before you start the router that you wont hit the nails that hold down the MDF.
WEAR SAFETY GEAR! Earmuffs and safety glasses
Pull off the door trim; be careful not to break any clips. Because my door is not flat I will take a mould from it so that the pod sits snugly against it when finished. If you have a flat door panel you can use MDF for this instead.
Put a piece of cardboard behind the factory speaker hole and tape it in place; this will stop the fibreglass from falling through. Next put some plastic wrap or other plastic over the door panel to stop the FG sticking to the door, which will makes it easier to separate and also keeps the panel clean.
Rip up enough FG mat into pieces to do both doors in 2 layers. Mix up some FG resin and hardener in the icecream container, be sure to wear some disposable gloves as the resin will burn your skin. Its best to do this outside as it can get very messy. Alternatively lay lots of newspaper on the floor.
Soak a piece of mat in the resin and put in place. Continue this until the area you want is well covered, overlap the mat to make sure it will get a good bond.
After you have finished wait for the FG to set, if it’s a hot day it should set within a few hrs.
Get a piece of paper and draw the shape you want your pods to be. Make sure you leave enough clearance so it doesn’t get in the way of the door closing. This will be your template. Once the FG has set trace around your template with a felt pen and then cut out the shape with a saw or air tool.
Once you have them all cut out, sand the edges smooth so they wont rip the lycra. Place your rings on the base and find some angles that you think would best suit your setup. Cut some strips of MDF to length and using the hot glue, attach the rings to the base. After you have done this it’s a good idea to check them in your car to make sure there is enough clearance and the angles are correct. It’s too late to do this after you have FG the whole thing and then find out it doesn’t fit!
Leave the hot glue for 15-20mins to make sure its set properly. Stretch the lycra over the pods and hot glue it to the back of the base (if you have used MDF for the base you can use a staple gun to attach the lycra). Make sure to pull it really tight. Try to get all the wrinkles out but if a few remain it doesn’t matter too much as the next few layers of matting will cover them. Once again mix up some resin and hardener, then really soak the lycra with it and leave to set (see pic 10). Next apply 2-3 layers of matting to make them nice and strong.
Leave the pods overnight so that the FG has plenty of time to go off and is rock solid.Trim up the pods by cutting off and sanding any excess glass or lycra that hangs over the edges. Give the whole pod a quick sand if there are any sharp bits sticking up. Cut out the holes for the speakers using a craft knife and saw, then sand the edges smooth.
Note: I would recommend wearing gloves when sanding the FG as the dust can really irritate sensitive skin.
At this point cut out the base for the speaker magnets to go through. Use the drill and saw to cut it out and tidy it up with some sandpaper. Its best to do it now to avoid damage to the pod later on. Test the speaker fitment to make sure you have cut out a big enough magnet hole.
Mix up some bog on a scrap bit of wood and generously apply it all over the pods. If the lycra has sunk in some places make sure you put plenty of bog there to bring it out to the shape you want. Leave to set for about 30mins and then start sanding, sanding and sanding. After you have sanded it smooth to the best of your ability, mix up a bit more bog and fill in the little holes that appear. Do this as many times as necessary.
This part can take awhile. However, if you are planning on putting carpet on your pods you wont have to sand it so perfectly smooth because the carpet will cover any bumps fairly well. If you are putting vinyl on your pods you will have to sand them fairly smooth, as the thinner vinyl will show up the bumps. If you are planning to paint them you will have to sand them extremely smooth.
Once you have finished sanding your pods and have the shape you want it is now time to finish them.
Give your pods a blast with a compressor to get all the dust off them but be careful not to use too much pressure. After this you may notice a few holes that have appeared, if so bog them up and sand it again.
For paint I use the cans that they have for touching up your car from Repco. This way if you want your pods the same colour as your car it’s easier to get it right
I took them outside on my table and put newspaper down. I started with one coat of Dupli Colour Scratch Filler/Primer, left it till it was touch dry and then another coat. Repeat this as many times as necessary, and give it a light sand. Next I did a coat of Dupli Colour Artic Silver, left it till it was touch dry then another coat. Repeat as many times as necessary. If you want a matt finish no more work is needed and the pods are complete, stand back and admire your work.
If you want a glossy finish you can spray them with a few coats of clear coat. However, I found that the clearcoat left them looking slightly yellow which I was abit disappointed with.
If you wish to vinyl them the steps are as follows (No pictures for this as I painted mine). Lay your pods out upside down on the vinyl and cut off a piece that is larger then the pod. Cover the vinyl and your pod in ADOS and leave until the adhesive is touch dry. Use a heat gun and heat up the vinyl but be careful not to get it too hot as it can melt.
Pull the vinyl over your pod, the ADOS will stick really well so be sure to get it where you want it. Stretch the vinyl fairly hard but try not to get stretch marks in it. Keep adding heat to the vinyl as necessary; it’s a lot easier to apply when it’s warm. This process is best done with two people as one can heat it and the other can put it on the pod.
After you have finished the front of the pods turn them over and apply ADOS to the back edges of the pod and the vinyl. Pull the vinyl to make sure it’s tight and stick it down, if you have used MDF for the base you can staple the vinyl down with a staple gun. Trim up the edges of the vinyl with the craft knife, turn it over and cut a cross in the speaker holes and you’re done!
The first time I vinyled a pod I stuffed it up because I was rushing. Take your time as it does take some getting used to if you have never done it before.
To make my speaker covers I cut out a ring of MDF to fit nicely in the recess. I then got some really thin material, stretched it over and stapled it onto the back of the ring. This is a really simple yet effective way of making your speakers look nice.
To attach the pods to the doors, screw the pods from the inside and from the back of the door trim. Put enough screws in so that it’s going to hang on when the door gets closed.
So there you have it, all the steps to making your very own pods. Take your time when you’re making them and do a good job, as the saying goes ‘Do it once, do it right’. If you get stuck and are in the Waikato region my services are available.
