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You should be able to do it with a table saw and a fine blade I think, for plywood maybe. I can't recall correctly. I'm sure a quick google search would give you that info. I'm planning this too! Ooops shit, let the cat out of the bag!

Oh snap, I like me some plexi!

Can't wait to see what you got cookin'.

Yeah things are starting to fall into place as far as a design, but I need some damn time to work on it. That's the main issue right now. Cause I'd like to have been done with the amp rack by now. But as they say perfection can't be rushed right! LOL

Hell yeah, I hear ya!

Mine's going a little slow as well.

My Plan B on the amp rack has evolved into Plan C.... :D

I didn't like the wood panel so I'm in the middle of redoing it.

The tricky part is that when my plan changes, it usually involves learning a new skill.....

The new skill this week is aluminum brazing :detail:

Pics and details coming soon!

This post sent with 100% recycled electrons.
2004 BMW M3
Mechman 280A
2 - XS Power XP3000

1 - XS Power D375

500F of Maxwell SuperCaps (soon to be 1000F)
iPadMini2

Dash mounted O-scope
Audison bitOne (Remote DRC MP)
Highs Amp - PPI Art A404
Hertz HSK130 (HSK165 waiting...)
DC Audio DC9.0K
2- DC Audio XL12m2

LEGAL             - 147.3dB @ 41Hz
OUTLAW         - 150.2dB @ 45Hz

OUTLAW         - 145.7dB @ 30Hz
JUNE 2014 SOTM WINNER

2014 COLORADO PEOPLE'S CHOICE WINNER

SOTM BUILD:
http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/141656-wicks-e46-m3-build-bass-turbo-button-and-a-big-new-addition/page-68#entry2802026

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You should be able to do it with a table saw and a fine blade I think, for plywood maybe. I can't recall correctly. I'm sure a quick google search would give you that info. I'm planning this too! Ooops shit, let the cat out of the bag!

Oh snap, I like me some plexi!

Can't wait to see what you got cookin'.

Yeah things are starting to fall into place as far as a design, but I need some damn time to work on it. That's the main issue right now. Cause I'd like to have been done with the amp rack by now. But as they say perfection can't be rushed right! LOL

Hell yeah, I hear ya!

Mine's going a little slow as well.

My Plan B on the amp rack has evolved into Plan C.... :D

I didn't like the wood panel so I'm in the middle of redoing it.

The tricky part is that when my plan changes, it usually involves learning a new skill.....

The new skill this week is aluminum brazing :detail:

Pics and details coming soon!

Hmm, that's funny you say that cause I was honestly just thinking about that same exact skill! I just don't know how to go about doing it. We may have to talk about this in private!!

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How about a pre-weekend update?

Went shopping the other day.

Guess if this whole "stereo" thing doesn't work out, then it looks like I got a great spot to store my Mt Dew..!

284dew-fixed_zpsd1253628.jpg

Seriously,

I wasn't liking how the wooden mounting panel looked, the vertical board that the amp mounts to.

So I came up with a much more elaborate idea. If it works out, it should be pretty neat.

My highs amp is an old school classic with some beefy internals which scream to be showed off.

I cant do that with board covering the whole back of the amp.

Sooooooo how about a thin metal frame that attaches to the amps mounting tabs and has an open middle...?

I found some thin aluminum square "U" tubing at Lowes that should work great.

Hmmmmm how do I turn it into a bracket though since I don't have a welder and I'm not too excited about JB Weld anymore...?

Let's mock it up and see what it looks like:

288ampalrack_zps8c4b8d08.jpg

That could work but how do I join the corners cleanly and securely, since it has to support an amp?

All I have is a simple propane torch so I can't get the metal as hot as I'd like to, but after some thought, brazing could be a good alternative.

While I thought it over, I decided to work on my front baffle trim.

Glued in a back plate to secure the trim piece for when it was time to bolt together.

285baffletrim1_zpse6ee6dd2.jpg

Some threaded inserts so the wood doesn't strip out:

286baffletrim_zps67c7a81a.jpg

Mounted:

287baffletrim_zpsfd703069.jpg

The other side took a LONG time to finish due to some tedious trimming that I had to do BUT I can't quite show you that yet.

:ninja:

I ran over to Harbor Freight for a $15 pack of aluminum brazing rods and walked out with a bag of stuff and a $120 receipt...... :trippy:

Anyway I set things up on my garage floor since all else I have is a wooden table which wouldn't like a torch and hot metal all that much.

289rackprep_zpse04f3cd5.jpg

...and here we go:

290amprackbraze_zpsf6d1b6ee.jpg

291brazecloseup_zps0b511a3f.jpg

Not too bad. :shrug:

Some beads are good, some not so much but I can clean them up later.

The instructions say that the brazing material is much stronger than the base aluminum that you bond together and its definitely true.

There were a few sharp beads that stuck out from the corners that I tried to clip off with a side-cutters and couldn't....

This stuff hardens up HARD!

The down side is that the bond to the aluminum wasn't as strong as I'd hoped, but its pretty decent.

Maybe if I had a propane-oxy torch setup or oxy-acetylene which could burn hotter but this should work for just a ~10lb amp.

HINT: If you want to try this, remember to grind or sand the aluminum before trying to torch/weld it.

Aluminum collects an oxide film which could affect the bond.

Here's the new mock up on the whole frame-work:

292rackmockup1_zpsecee65ec.jpg

292rackmockup2_zps2530164e.jpg

For some added support, I'm thinking about adding some internal bracing material into the "U" channel of the aluminum tubing.

As is, the whole bracket is very light and should look a lot better than just a hunk of wood.

Weather outlook this weekend is lookin' great so I should make some good progress!

:good:

This post sent with 100% recycled electrons.
2004 BMW M3
Mechman 280A
2 - XS Power XP3000

1 - XS Power D375

500F of Maxwell SuperCaps (soon to be 1000F)
iPadMini2

Dash mounted O-scope
Audison bitOne (Remote DRC MP)
Highs Amp - PPI Art A404
Hertz HSK130 (HSK165 waiting...)
DC Audio DC9.0K
2- DC Audio XL12m2

LEGAL             - 147.3dB @ 41Hz
OUTLAW         - 150.2dB @ 45Hz

OUTLAW         - 145.7dB @ 30Hz
JUNE 2014 SOTM WINNER

2014 COLORADO PEOPLE'S CHOICE WINNER

SOTM BUILD:
http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/141656-wicks-e46-m3-build-bass-turbo-button-and-a-big-new-addition/page-68#entry2802026

sig-sized6_zps0265e669.png

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OH MY! Aluminum brazing huh?! Nice touch! Now I have questions. HOW STRONG exactly is this thing? Like for instance if I were to make a bracket to hold in a couple of side mounted batteries, small ones, and use some threaded inserts to secure it down, would this type of application hold for me? Would the bracket stay together is what I mean?

DAMN IT MAN, now you have me all excited!!!

Off to google I go!! Nice work boss!! I'm very anxious to see more! You going to paint it, or leave it raw?

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So what was in the box?

Ohhh its coming. I'm still in the process of mounting it and getting some other things fab'd up.

There are a couple features about it and showing it now wouldn't highlight all the details I designed into it.

Soon....soon.

:good:

This post sent with 100% recycled electrons.
2004 BMW M3
Mechman 280A
2 - XS Power XP3000

1 - XS Power D375

500F of Maxwell SuperCaps (soon to be 1000F)
iPadMini2

Dash mounted O-scope
Audison bitOne (Remote DRC MP)
Highs Amp - PPI Art A404
Hertz HSK130 (HSK165 waiting...)
DC Audio DC9.0K
2- DC Audio XL12m2

LEGAL             - 147.3dB @ 41Hz
OUTLAW         - 150.2dB @ 45Hz

OUTLAW         - 145.7dB @ 30Hz
JUNE 2014 SOTM WINNER

2014 COLORADO PEOPLE'S CHOICE WINNER

SOTM BUILD:
http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/141656-wicks-e46-m3-build-bass-turbo-button-and-a-big-new-addition/page-68#entry2802026

sig-sized6_zps0265e669.png

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