eyeopeningepisode Posted February 7, 2019 Report Share Posted February 7, 2019 Hi Guys, was told recently that for big powerful setups, 3/4" mdf boxes might break apart. I don't see how if it's ported with a huge port, but i could be wrong? I was told this by a guy who builds alts and custom sub boxes, but i know plenty of other guys who do the same and they say 3/4" is just fine. Some other types of wood or fiberglass has also been experimented with but preferred is 3/4" mdf. What do you all think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocking.that.eclipse Posted February 7, 2019 Report Share Posted February 7, 2019 It all depends on how much pressure you build up. My first attempt at a wall was flexing 4 sheet thick worth of baffle. Bracing will have a lot to do with it also. Properly braced will allow you to have less sheet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckeeler11 Posted February 7, 2019 Report Share Posted February 7, 2019 It's not about blowing apart really but how much it flexes. Flexing walls = less output and sloppy sounding setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triticum Agricolam Posted February 7, 2019 Report Share Posted February 7, 2019 "When is 1" mdf or thicker really necessary?" The short answer is never. If 3/4" MDF isn't strong enough there are lots of things you can do. The first is to just use a stronger material, good 3/4" plywood is much stronger (and by good I mean something with 7 or more equal thicknes plys), its also lighter, holds screws better, and is just much more pleasant to work with. The second thing you can do is brace properly, bracing is the most effective use of material when it comes to adding strength. The last thing you can do is double up your 3/4" material where its needed. Its not always needed everywhere either, and doubling up where its not needed is just a waste of material, space, and weight. I've use 1" MDF once, because it was specifically requested by the customer. I'll never do it again, my back still hurts from handling that sheet. "Nothing prevents people from knowing the truth more than the belief they already know it.""Making bass is easy, making music is the hard part."Builds: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyeopeningepisode Posted February 7, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2019 Actually just talked to the guy who built the box i have now, it is actually birch wood, not mdf. I couldn't tell because it is rhino lined, since it's a blow through box. He said birch is stronger. Anyone seen birch flex? or is it a pretty good wood to use for this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k58.cross Posted February 7, 2019 Report Share Posted February 7, 2019 Any panel will flex if it has enough open surface area. Brace it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyeopeningepisode Posted February 7, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2019 all thread metal bracing you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k58.cross Posted February 7, 2019 Report Share Posted February 7, 2019 Triticum has a great thread on bracing here: The takeaway I got was that shelf bracing will probably the easiest and most effective. I think you may want to mount sub off of center axis as well in order to cancel some panel resonance that box stiffness doesn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triticum Agricolam Posted February 7, 2019 Report Share Posted February 7, 2019 4 minutes ago, eyeopeningepisode said: all thread metal bracing you think? That will work, its not my first choice for a number of reasons though. Here is a thread I made on bracing....NVM k58.cross beat me to it ? "Nothing prevents people from knowing the truth more than the belief they already know it.""Making bass is easy, making music is the hard part."Builds: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiBo Posted February 11, 2019 Report Share Posted February 11, 2019 On 2/7/2019 at 9:09 AM, Triticum Agricolam said: I've use 1" MDF once, because it was specifically requested by the customer. I'll never do it again, my back still hurts from handling that sheet. Lol. I made my enclosure for my 3-12's out of 1 inch MDF... I loved it. It sounded deep and Rich. My new enclosure is 1 inch Baltic Birch braced well with three ¾" top baffles. Next enclosure will be a wall. I'm not looking forward to loading this fully loaded 1 inch Birchbox into the back of my truck haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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