Sealed RL-P18 Build around 8ft³

**NewbieMark** · **09-18-09, 09:55 PM**

This is my build thread which spawned from the Linkwitz thread.

This box was built out of 3/4" MDF with a double face. It is now being wrapped in 3/4" Baltic Birch and will be trimmed out with Maple so all sides will be double wall with a triple wall front. I am thinking of a rosewood type stain.
Should finish out around 7.6 ft³.

The upper window brace.

All bracing in place.

Laminating 2 faces of 3/4" MDF, I can always use more clamps...

Faces being glued to the box..

Birch face being glued to the front.

**Sonnie** · **09-19-09, 03:02 PM**

Looking forward to seeing the finished product... thanks for posting.

**Mike P.** · **09-19-09, 04:50 PM**

Looking good! Nice bracing!

**NewbieMark** · **09-24-09, 09:50 PM**

Another update.
Gluing up the maple strips is slow going, taking my time(don't want to mess up the finish).
While those are in the clamps, I have primed and put the first coat of satin black paint in the recesses for the sub and binding posts. I have also installed the hurricane nuts.
After I get all the strips glued up, I will run the flush panel bit around the box and add a nice roundover.
I still have to finish planing down the hickory to add to the front.
BTW...this box has become rather heavy and the sub still hasn't been installed....

Painted rebate.

I was able to get the same grain pattern on both sides of the sub.

Here is a shot of some of the maple strips ater they were glued in.

Recess for binding posts

**Bent** · **09-24-09, 09:56 PM**

looking very good so far - keep it up.

**NewbieMark** · **09-25-09, 11:14 PM**

I need some ideas for feet, as this thing will be sitting on a hardwood floor. I am guessing it will weigh in around 250lbs or more. So they will need to be sturdy.

**NewbieMark** · **09-28-09, 11:17 PM**

Getting closer. I finished all the routing tonight. Here are several more pictures. It is really hard to get good pictures of such light wood under florescent lights. They tend to wash out the grain.
The top and bottom face plates(wide boards) are hickory. The side rails between the hickory is wormy maple.
The stuff that looks like glue squeeze-out is actually a stainable wood filler, that will be sanded down flush.
I am ready to start sanding and staining(this may take a while). I have been trying different stains on scrap pieces, and I really haven't found one I like on the birch yet.
I also have the grill pieces glued up and hope to get it covered in the next few nights. I think it looks really cool. I will post pics when it is finished.

**NewbieMark** · **10-04-09, 11:20 PM**

I finally got this thing sanded and stained. I just need to add a few more coats of polyurethane and it has turned cold and rainy here, so it's one coat a day for now. I solved the feet problem and bought an Auralex Gramma.
The pictures are still a little washed(flourescent lighting and a flash?)

This picture is the closest to the true color of the three pics.

The face frame was stained natural.

**sub_junkie** · **10-06-09, 03:38 AM**

Wow, looks good. Looking forward to the results

**NewbieMark** · **10-10-09, 09:47 PM**

Almost there! It has moved from workshop to the house.

This thing is H E A V Y!
Since last update- 6 coats of polyurethane, Dayton Binding Posts installed, grill magnets are installed (covered with black felt trim), and tonight it was stuffed with 4 pounds of Premium Polyester Fiberfill.
Hopefully, I can get the driver installed tomorrow. I would do it tonight but it is bedtime for the little ones, and I would have to fire it up if it were installed...

By the way that is an Auralex Gramma laying next to the box for an idea of the scale of the box.

**Mike P.** · **10-11-09, 01:54 AM**

Wow, that's beautiful workmanship!

**sub_junkie** · **10-11-09, 02:41 AM**

That looks VERY good. Excellent work. Do you have a picture of the grill yet?

**NewbieMark** · **10-11-09, 02:58 AM**

Thanks guys.
Actually...I do have pics of the grill.
Just hadn't posted them yet.
BTW...The sub will be front firing, it is just lying on its back until I get the sub mounted and screwed in.
It's hard to tell from the picks, but the grill gently slopes from the top and bottom to the ring.
The flash really makes the ring stand out, it is much more subtle in a normal lit room.

**sub_junkie** · **10-11-09, 04:05 AM**

Looks good. I was thinking about doing a design like that for my Mal-X box so the grill wouldn't stand out and I would have just used a square grill, but I ran out of wood

haha.
Will you be running REW or a SPL meter once its installed?

**NewbieMark** · **10-11-09, 11:22 AM**

I want to do both.
But, I have some equipment to buy and research first.
I have the dsp1124 and ep2500(need to install the fan I bought for it).
I am ordering the calibrated Dayton Mic from Cross Spectrum today.
I need to read up to see where to go from here...lol
My big computer has Midi inputs (SB Audigy 2 Pro).
I know I need an SPL Meter, just have to figure out which one.

I have an excellent WAF on the sub......but

is starting to gain some attention...lol

**NewbieMark** · **10-12-09, 12:34 AM**

Ordered a Xenyx 802 for the mic.
My laptop has a line in setting in the control panel, so I will try that first.
I also got the fan mod done tonight.

I like this pic, nothing special, just a look at the guts of an EP2500.

Finished sub sitting in the corner.

This thing has to weigh in over 300lbs. The auralex gramma was under severe strain, so I ended up taking it out from under the sub and placing it under the ep2500 for the time being.

**Ryan Anderson** · **10-12-09, 03:47 AM**

Quote:

NewbieMark wrote:

Ordered a Xenyx 802 for the mic.
My laptop has a line in setting in the control panel, so I will try that first.
I also got the fan mod done tonight.

I like this pic, nothing special, just a look at the guts of an EP2500.

Finished sub sitting in the corner.

This thing has to weigh in over 300lbs. The auralex gramma was under severe strain, so I ended up taking it out from under the sub and placing it under the ep2500 for the time being.

BEAUTIFUL!

**stidrvr** · **10-14-09, 10:59 AM**

I like the inlay, nice touch!

**scoobydoo6v92** · **10-15-09, 07:49 PM**

Quote:

NewbieMark wrote:

Ordered a Xenyx 802 for the mic.
My laptop has a line in setting in the control panel, so I will try that first.
I also got the fan mod done tonight.

I like this pic, nothing special, just a look at the guts of an EP2500.

Finished sub sitting in the corner.

This thing has to weigh in over 300lbs. The auralex gramma was under severe strain, so I ended up taking it out from under the sub and placing it under the ep2500 for the time being.

That looks just like my QSC RMX 2450 amp. IS that what that is??

**NewbieMark** · **10-15-09, 11:41 PM**

Quote:

scoobydoo6v92 wrote:

That looks just like my QSC RMX 2450 amp. IS that what that is??

It is the Behringer EP2500. I haven't seen the guts of a QSC, but I would imagine they are very similar and probably using many of the same components.

**NewbieMark** · **10-15-09, 11:54 PM**

I played with the bfd a little tonight, and watched Iron Man.
All I can say is AWESOME!

The can lights in my ceiling were buzzing and rattling

...That never happened with my old 12...lol
I love the tactile response of this thing, and I can't wait to get the second one fired up.
Hopefully, the mic will arrive tomorrow so I can get some measurements and get this thing setup a little better this weekend. I am pretty sure I was running the bass a little hot tonight, but I couldn't resist.

**Mike P.** · **10-16-09, 09:22 AM**

It's good to hear that you're enjoying it! Just wait until the second one is done!!!!

**Blaser** · **10-20-09, 07:25 PM**

I was always curious to figure out how a RL-P18 would sound in a sealed enclosure! I would like to see a REW FR plot...I hope that will be possible one day

**NewbieMark** · **10-20-09, 07:32 PM**

Quote:

Blaser wrote:

I was always curious to figure out how a RL-P18 would sound in a sealed enclosure! I would like to see a REW FR plot...I hope that will be possible one day

I have the calibrated mic, stand, xenyx, and a laptop, so it is possible...

I just have to make the time to learn, setup and run REW.
Maybe I can get to it on cold rainy day.

**sub_junkie** · **11-09-09, 10:18 PM**

Have you done any tests yet, Mark?

Advertisement