i am about to start my new install and have a few questions... I am installing my new system in a 2002 blazer, so space is not a real concern. I have 2 zed audio amps (gladius and minilith) that i would like to "float" and a custom fiberglass mono chamber dual 12" box. I want to invert one or both subs. I want some creativity but not alot of fabricating. My idea is to mount the box on an angle to the back seat so the rear sub is almost in the corner and the front sub is like in the middle of the cargo area, then mount the amps so that they look like they are floating in mid air, kinda like a step on top of eachother angled to the opposite way of the box. My dilema is how do i mount the amps to look like they are floating and so they look like steps. i also want to back/under light all this so it kinda glows. any ideas will be greatly welcomed. How do i go about making the rack for the amps and should it be out of plexi or mdf?

here is a pic of the box and i want to mount it at the same/similar angle as the pic with the amps coming from right corner to left front corner.

http://i13.ebayimg.com/02/i/08/8b/a2/ba_1.JPG

 

Ahhhhh Here's the thing.

With this kinda build your looking at alot of fabricating.... no matter what Fiberglassing is alot of work.

Now fo the "floating" look. I was going to have mine elevated over my box. You will need like 2-4 Steel Dowels (to hold the weight of the amp) Have them connected to the box/floor securely. Then you will need a flat peice of either MDF/wood OR a flat sheet of steel or something strong enough to hold the amp. Screw the amp into that. And then you should have an amp holder for ya.


I'm trying to think if you can use Clear Plastic rods to hold it up but i'm debating the strength of it.....


I have to look around for a pic I had for an amp rack of multiple ones floating

 

well the box is made already so the glass work is done, the amp rack is the dilema... i thought of the same idea as you with round dowles i found a supplier of 2" solid acrylic dowles or 5" cylindrical hollow acrylic that has an 1/8" thick wall but as you, my concern was weight and attaching it together... the plastic place says to use their glue but i am worried about it not being strong enough. i also considered having a pedestal welded out of 1' box steel or aluminum with a square plate to bolt to the floor and another square plate to mount the plexi or mdf to. A buddy suggested using wall speaker mounting brackets, like the omni mount ones with the ball/ clamp set up then he said i could angle and turn it anyway i want but again i am worried about weight and loosening up. any thoughts?

 

Well if your concerned about there glue get some Gorilla glue. Thats what people use to help seal a sub box! so it'll be strong enough lol. I'd do the acryllic rods due to them being clear and it will help with the invisible look Plus u could put an LED at the end of em and it might look sick

 

now now, i got this in the bag. 1.5 - 2 inch metal pipe, comes up to a platform peice about 3x3 inches. platform piece made of 1/8th inch sheet metal,weld the platform at an angle to the pipe. from there run a 1/2 inch piece of plexiglass bolted to that platform to attach the amp to. paint the pipe to match fiberglass box color. this will suspend the amp and the reason for the pipe is to run the wiring. you can hide the wires in the pipe then through the bottom of the plexi and into the amps. it loos good and its operable. everyone wins.

 

Thank you!!!! sounds great! and simple, gotta find someone with a welder now!!! i think it will work and i could even step it for the second amp to sit slightly under the top amp.

 

yeah you could mount them like that. glad we could help you.make sure to post pics when its done.

 

Gorilla Glue will not work on Acrylic. Plastics are much more difficult to bond than wood, you'll need a glue that will chemically react with the plastic to melt the two pieces of plastic together. If you are still considering an acrylic rack you should consider buying the adhesive the plastic shop wants to sell you it is the only glue that will work. Nothing you can buy at a hardware store or wal-mart will give a structural bond when working with plastics, except maybe model glue if you plan on building your rack out of polystyrene (which is a bad idea, it's the weakest commodity plastic.)

 

i bonded plastic with gorilla glue back in the day, but i sanded the plastic rough first so it would bond better.