Well this is what I ended up with:
![]()
After installing my hands-free cell kit I was looking for place to "ditch" the speaker. In my 02' WRX wagon I just screwed it into the carpet just in front of the seat. This was bad, I could hear every thing just fine but I thought I would try something different.
After spending some time looking for various places I stuck the speaker in the oddments tray. The speaker was much louder and could be heard with the window rolled down. So I drove around for a couple of days with it sitting in the tray.
![]()
[The bit of blue sticking out underneath the speaker is some masking tape.]
I am sorry that there are not more pictures of the process. When I started I wasn't sure what I was going to end up with so I didn't bother with pictures. This is the first piece of it's type that I have ever made. I did a bit of looking around for more info but didn't fine much about the process so I just winged it.
I started by making a paper board template of the tray opening.. Then transferred that to 1/4" balsa. I wasn't sure of the thickness so I just went with something that I could "take down" if I needed to. Then I built a guide for the slope of the tray -- this was simply another piece of balsa that was cut and sanded to fit inside the tray along the wall with a curve that matched the slope of the outside edge of the tray. (I made one for each side.)
By making a few partial cuts to the back of the balsa cover I was able to "bend" the shape to match the slope. I "back filled" the seams with bondo. This didn't prove to be as strong as it needed to be, so I glued the cuts with wood glue.
After taking the speaker apart I figured the easiest thing to do was build the existing grill into the cover, as the existing grill had all that was needed to secure the speaker in place. I did this by cutting a hole in the cover just smaller then the grill and sanding down to fit. I then used construction adhesive to "weld" the two pieces together. (Great stuff, very strong but it takes forever to dry.) I then "back filled" the front with bondo to make a clean transition between the two and covered with black grill cloth.
It isn't perfect, but I was pretty impressed with myself for my first attempt.
After installing my hands-free cell kit I was looking for place to "ditch" the speaker. In my 02' WRX wagon I just screwed it into the carpet just in front of the seat. This was bad, I could hear every thing just fine but I thought I would try something different.
After spending some time looking for various places I stuck the speaker in the oddments tray. The speaker was much louder and could be heard with the window rolled down. So I drove around for a couple of days with it sitting in the tray.
[The bit of blue sticking out underneath the speaker is some masking tape.]
I am sorry that there are not more pictures of the process. When I started I wasn't sure what I was going to end up with so I didn't bother with pictures. This is the first piece of it's type that I have ever made. I did a bit of looking around for more info but didn't fine much about the process so I just winged it.
I started by making a paper board template of the tray opening.. Then transferred that to 1/4" balsa. I wasn't sure of the thickness so I just went with something that I could "take down" if I needed to. Then I built a guide for the slope of the tray -- this was simply another piece of balsa that was cut and sanded to fit inside the tray along the wall with a curve that matched the slope of the outside edge of the tray. (I made one for each side.)
By making a few partial cuts to the back of the balsa cover I was able to "bend" the shape to match the slope. I "back filled" the seams with bondo. This didn't prove to be as strong as it needed to be, so I glued the cuts with wood glue.
After taking the speaker apart I figured the easiest thing to do was build the existing grill into the cover, as the existing grill had all that was needed to secure the speaker in place. I did this by cutting a hole in the cover just smaller then the grill and sanding down to fit. I then used construction adhesive to "weld" the two pieces together. (Great stuff, very strong but it takes forever to dry.) I then "back filled" the front with bondo to make a clean transition between the two and covered with black grill cloth.
It isn't perfect, but I was pretty impressed with myself for my first attempt.
so i think you're saying you put hour hand-free speaker in that tray and covered it with a hand-made grill. that is a *very* cool idea. hopefully you can post a better/closer pic of the grill.
