06 Civic Build - New Build List on page 60

[scooter99]

Ok so I got a little bit of work done today. Not much, but progress is progress right!

First up are the A Pillars. I didn't do much on these, but I did get them sanded down and ready for the filler portion. Still need to fill the insides a bit, and do another resin coat on the back side, but otherwise, they're getting there!

Next I got started figuring out he hinging portion of the tablet. I decided to use a piano hinge to pivot from. Trying to figure out also how to do with without showing the actual spine of the hinge as well. I got it.

I cut the hinge 1/8" short of the edges. That way I had some room. Room for what I don't know, but room anyway!

Predrilled the holes for the screws. That helps to keep it straight when I screw it in. The screws will get ground off from the other side when it's done.

This is about the limit of the hinge forward, which is well more than enough for what I need.

As you can see here there's plenty of clearance and it's going to sit flush just fine! Actually i could stand to cut another cover plate that's about 1/8" taller for it. I'll do that when I get this more dialed in.

[scooter99]

The next issue I faced was that when the pan was in there with the base, the hinge got in the way. So I had to simply alter that from one piece to two pieces. Not a problem and it works just fine!

This is not with the pan and tablet connected, but just showing the two parts.

I taped them together. There's some room for them to separate, but I think I have a solution for that. Matter of fact I know I do. I'm going to cut strips the size of the edge of the frame to beyond the current cover piece. Then glue the frame together. I'll then router the inside edge of the frame on the cover piece, and then the same on the outer portion so they match up. This will give me about 1/4" thickness and allow me to account for the suede that needs to go in. It'll make more sense when I get it done.

You can see in this picture the slight gap that's there. That needs to get bigger and filled in order to allow for the suede on the back and front. It already slides in and out pretty damn well. But the suede will protect it also.

Just a backside shot.

And this was the last thing I was able to do before I had to stop. I started mocking up the panel for the DRC. Gonna be a tight fit on this one! But I'll make it work. The DRC will be centered on the center of the tablet.

Really I should probably get the sides done and in place, or at least temporarily in place, before I start the DRC panel, so I may go back and do those first.

That's it for now. Hopefully more tomorrow. Thanks for tuning in!

[scooter99]

Well, i had great plans today to get the dash bezel put together and reading to star finishing but here i sit, its 1:30, and im in my pajamas still and the rosebowl is gonna start soon! Not sure any work is gonna get done today. Lol

[armykyle1]

more amazing work like always

Its all coming along nicely

[scooter99]

Thanks. Wish i could get my big ass off the couch to do some work today but so far no go.

[Twostrokeking]

Thanks. Wish i could get my big ass off the couch to do some work today but so far no go.

DO IT!

[scooter99]

N't gonna happen I don't think.Gonna have to see what happens. We may do a family outing too.

[IBleedMusick]

I leave for a few days and come back to all of this...damn this is looking good had to play catch up from page 43 then go back to 40 to remember what the hell was going on.

[scooter99]

So are you caught up now? Here's where I stand pretty much. I've got the tablet pretty much in place, at least where I want it to go. I need to start doing the sides and then fill in some pieces so I don't have 40 lbs of filler on this thing. Then after that I need to get the panels made for the DRC and then fill in the holes, and A/C ducting that isn't going to be used. After that's done, it's time to start getting it molded and sanded and finished.

The thing I'm thinking about right now, is the cover. I'm thinking about making a new one out of fiberglass. I'm thinking about suspending it from a box or something, really not suspending just setting it on the box back down face up. Then take that template I made up out of foam board, which gives me the exact frame outline on it, then drawing that on the taped front. Then when I glass it I'll have the black lines to give me a guide to cut out. Might do this, might not. I don't know 100% yet. I will most likely still use the wooden board for the front cover, but this would allow me some space that I need to make up. Just thoughts.

The next thing is the A Pillars and my current status on those is this; I've sanded them down, and they're sealed off at .06 cu ft per pod, and resined one coat on the back. It needs another coat, and then needs some milkshake mixture on the inside of the whole thing, maybe. Then it needs to be finished out with filler and sanding. SO it's about 50% right now.

That's pretty much where I stand currently. I need to build a new sub box out of birch and then incorporate the power side of it as well into that. I need to still deal with the rear deck amp rack. I think what I'm going to do with that is, instead of tearing it all apart or building it over again, I think I'll just take the front piece off, and then put a top frame piece on it. This will basically be just a frame of the entire thing with the curve on the front so it leaves the insides wide open. Then, I'll take a piece of the 1/8" ply I've been using for the tablet install, I've got 2 sheets of it, and make a front plate that will go with the contours of the whole rack. Then I'll have to finish it off with a cover plate of some sort. Sounds like a lot of work on it, but it's really not too much.

I still need to get the layout and and somehow make a template of each amp, so I can do the cutouts again. I know it was mentioned on here somewhere before how to do it using the amps with the router, but I don't remember where and I haven't gone back to look very far. So if anyone has any thoughts on that, please feel free to inform me. I have a guess at it, but it's only a guess, and I'd rather someone else give me the real way to do it.

SO that's about it. I'm starting back at the overtime this week so not much if anything is going to get done during the weeks now. So that leaves the weekends which are always hectic. Thanks for sticking with me, and I'll get some more done soon. I promise!

[scooter99]

Ok guys I got a couple things I need help with here!

First: I was turned onto Parts-Express.com for a couple of volt meters for cheap. Looking at them they don't look too bad and they have blue or red led lighting on them. I'd obviously choose blue. Anyway, I'm thinking of running one of these to my rear battery to monitor the power back there on that battery.

Blue LED 8.5-30 VDC Panel Meter with Auto Brightness

Operators Manual

A: Do I need one on both batteries?

B: Shouldn't they both read the same voltage anyway?

Second: We were talking a while back about my cooling system idea and the fact that amps need to be within a certain temp to work well. I'm still thinking about the cooling system, since I'm closing off a vent up front anyway. So I was looking at temperature gauges a while back, but the same company that makes the volt meter above, makes a temperature gauge as well. Take a look at these:

Blue LED Temperature Display With Dual External Sensors

Operators Manual

A: Do I need to get one of the dual sensor ones and then also a second meter with a single sensor for the 5 channel since that's running the sub?

B: Should I only do a dual sensor one, and then put the sensors between the amps, splitting each side between the HDP4's and the HDP 5?

So in looking at these, I think they would look pretty good flanking the DRC under the tablet. But if I need more that one temp gauge, then I'll have to do something else. Maybe I'd have to put them in the cubby down below. Not sure.

What do you guys think?