Box Building Tips

[soothsa]

I'm looking to build my first box to suit my Fi BTL 15" and mount my Sundown SAZ-1500D Amp to it. I have no experience in box building, but my friend has been guiding me through it and here are the plans so far.

38x18x15 which would be 5.9 cubic feet but he said after I port it, it'll be near 5.

I'll be using 3/4" MDF wood, but I'm not sure how to construct the port and if I should just screw all the slabs together. I'm going to have it facing backwards (so it doesn't get muffled by my hatch cover) in my 02 VW GTI.

ANY help or tips would be appreciated before I get started in an hour or so. I don't want to run into any problems on the way..and I'll keep you guys posted with pics. Thanks.

[Sanitarium]

1. Lurk more

2. Glue > screws

3. Torres box calculator.

[Carroot1]

1. Lurk more

2. Glue > screws

3. Torres box calculator.

X2 and measure twice cut once

[soothsa]

1. Lurk more

2. Glue > screws

3. Torres box calculator.

I read somewhere that screws will hold up better. Woops. I tried using Torres box calc but I don't exactly get what I'm doing. Like what's the diff between height and length of a port?

[Sanitarium]

height and width are the size of the hole it would make, internal dimension. length is how LONG it would be.

edit: oh and screws weaken the wood, predrill the holes so you don't split the wood and use screws sparingly, only to clamp the wood together for the glue to dry. just leave em in when you're done. (but i've been known to pull screws out of boxes when i'm in a pinch and need a couple to finish a project)