How thick of plexiglass should I use?

[stingray72]

Im thinking of putting plexiglass on the front of my bandpass box with the fi sp4 18 v 2.1 using 3500 watts daily and 8000 for burps.

[Dafaseles]

People usually use 3/4". But I would assume if you can find 1" it would be stronger for your burps and to get numbers. You also have to consider that the installation of the plexiglass is another point of potential leaks. Not saying it's going to leak, but the more breaks in the string wood you put (corners, edges, anywhere that's just not a solid piece), you just have to be mindful of that. The cool factor of your box will go up in points, but you just have to be mindful of the application. It could have the potential of bringing down your numbers, if you decide your numbers are more important than the cool factor. 

[stingray72]

Numbers are more important no plexiglass for me.  Thanks.

[Dafaseles]

2 hours ago, stingray72 said:

Numbers are more important no plexiglass for me.  

I've read a huge numbers killer is a weak enclosure. The enclosure could be 100% correct, but if you have no bracing and the box is flexing because it's not strong enough, you lose db's.

At my job, when I put pipe underground, we have to pressure test it. At points we have to cut the pipe and put some kind of fitting on the pipe for numerous reasons. When we pressure test the pipe, it's to verify with air or water that it can handle the natural gas that will be inside the pipeline safely. If there is a leak, 100% of the time, it's at a fitting. The solid pipe won't leak. Now, that's not to say that 99% of the time those fittings won't even leak. But using the fittings introduces what we call a potential leak point. 

I take that mentality to your enclosure. Nothing is going to be stronger and more leak proof than the braced wall of wood. Every edge, every corner, and every point you have to put a hole in that box (for example even where you mount the sub) is a potential leak point. Even though 99% of the time it won't leak. If it does, that's where it's going to leak. So if you cut an extra hole in your box for the plexiglass insert, it must likely won't leak, but that's one more extra point it could potentially leak, or one extra point that can grow weak overtime and start leaking. 

But, to be able to see that sexy 18" FI sub moving, would be worth it to me, though I'm not into number chasing. Everyone has a different end goal with their system, and that's part of the fun! 

[stingray72]

All that makes perfect sense.  But the kicker is Greg can get pretty good discounts on that stuff and I looked up the weight and its even lighter than baltic birch.  As you can tell im thinking of going all plexi.

[Dafaseles]

2 minutes ago, stingray72 said:

All that makes perfect sense.  But the kicker is Greg can get pretty good discounts on that stuff and I looked up the weight and its even lighter than baltic birch.  As you can tell im thinking of going all plexi.

All I'm saying is if numbers are more important than the cool factor, there's a reason no one competes with an all acrylic box. 

[stingray72]

I know i dont want to take a chance db wise plus mistakes can happen with a sheet of plexi and that would bum me too.

[Soccerballzs]

1 inch thick plexi!!

[CFD]

I used half inch thick plexi on one of my boxes but the power the guy was sending to the subs was about 2-3000 Watts, not 8k lol. Plexiglass is pretty damn strong IMO, more so than MDF by a long way, probably many types of plywood too.