Sound deadening doors!
04-18-2004, 07:35 AM
#1
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Mr. Marco posted a good question that has many answers, how to sound deaden doors. Everyone is going to have a different approach to sound deadening doors, this is mine.
This is my stock door with a number of things already done to it. There was a foam barrier covering the centre section of the door, that has been removed. The tar that held the foam in place was forcefully removed as well. This tar stuff is horrible to take off. I recommend doing this in cooler weather as it tends to pull off in strips versus gobs in warmer weather.
Alright, so I switched sides, big deal. This is the beginning of applying the Cascade VB2-HD to the inner door frame. As you can see, there are lots of tight spots to get into and one big honking cross-member to get behind. I started by using contact cleaner to prep. all the surfaces for application, nothing sticks to dirty metal and doors get dirty. I then cut 6” by 8” pieces of VB2 and heated them up with an airgun before application. (I also heated the steel surface up as well) Each piece was slid into place with the backing on, and I then used a pair of needle nose pliers to peel the backing off.
Like I said, it is tight in there, especially behind the cross memember. I applied a single layer of VB2 across the entire outside door frame, and then taped the outside of the door to look for resonances. Where ever I found a resonance, I applied a second layer. Directly behind where the midbass driver was to be installed, I applied another layer still.
I then applied a single layer of VB2 across the entire inner door frame. I used 2 large sections to make heating and applying the material easier. (On a side note, do this one door at a time. You will need to use the other door as a reference for bolt hole and fastener locations.) Each door took about 2 hours of prep.(including disassembly), and about 2 hours for the inner and 2 hours for the outer door frame application. The VB2-HD when heated has the ability to stretch and conform to the contour of surfaces. I took my time, and the result is a beautiful clean application. Wear gloves, as it is very hard on the hands and the heat gun makes it worse. (I used motocross gloves)
More to come…..
This is my stock door with a number of things already done to it. There was a foam barrier covering the centre section of the door, that has been removed. The tar that held the foam in place was forcefully removed as well. This tar stuff is horrible to take off. I recommend doing this in cooler weather as it tends to pull off in strips versus gobs in warmer weather.
Alright, so I switched sides, big deal. This is the beginning of applying the Cascade VB2-HD to the inner door frame. As you can see, there are lots of tight spots to get into and one big honking cross-member to get behind. I started by using contact cleaner to prep. all the surfaces for application, nothing sticks to dirty metal and doors get dirty. I then cut 6” by 8” pieces of VB2 and heated them up with an airgun before application. (I also heated the steel surface up as well) Each piece was slid into place with the backing on, and I then used a pair of needle nose pliers to peel the backing off.
Like I said, it is tight in there, especially behind the cross memember. I applied a single layer of VB2 across the entire outside door frame, and then taped the outside of the door to look for resonances. Where ever I found a resonance, I applied a second layer. Directly behind where the midbass driver was to be installed, I applied another layer still.
I then applied a single layer of VB2 across the entire inner door frame. I used 2 large sections to make heating and applying the material easier. (On a side note, do this one door at a time. You will need to use the other door as a reference for bolt hole and fastener locations.) Each door took about 2 hours of prep.(including disassembly), and about 2 hours for the inner and 2 hours for the outer door frame application. The VB2-HD when heated has the ability to stretch and conform to the contour of surfaces. I took my time, and the result is a beautiful clean application. Wear gloves, as it is very hard on the hands and the heat gun makes it worse. (I used motocross gloves)
More to come…..
04-18-2004, 08:21 AM
#3
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,783
Welcome back!
I spent a great amount of time trying to figure out how to mount my midbass drivers. Part of the problem was the fact that my door skins are covered in leather with wood trim. I liked the stock doors, and didn’t want to butcher them. The other part of the problem was that the Focal Utopia 6.5” midbasses are rather large.
So with this in mind, I set out to couple a larger driver to my door and not wreck my door skin.
This is where I started. It was cold outside, the garage was full of other projects, and I was just too plain lazy to clear out some room or get it heated up. So the basement project begins. (with hand tools and a jig saw)
I finally got the ***** to go outside and do some work. Here I’ve cut a “breather” hole behind where the driver will be mounted.
This is the first of 4 mounting rings to be attached to the door. I drilled bolt holes and attached nuts inside the door frame to prepare for the next step.
I spent a great amount of time trying to figure out how to mount my midbass drivers. Part of the problem was the fact that my door skins are covered in leather with wood trim. I liked the stock doors, and didn’t want to butcher them. The other part of the problem was that the Focal Utopia 6.5” midbasses are rather large.
So with this in mind, I set out to couple a larger driver to my door and not wreck my door skin.
This is where I started. It was cold outside, the garage was full of other projects, and I was just too plain lazy to clear out some room or get it heated up. So the basement project begins. (with hand tools and a jig saw)
I finally got the ***** to go outside and do some work. Here I’ve cut a “breather” hole behind where the driver will be mounted.
This is the first of 4 mounting rings to be attached to the door. I drilled bolt holes and attached nuts inside the door frame to prepare for the next step.
04-18-2004, 08:23 AM
#4
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Join Date: Oct 2003
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And this is the secret of the whole installation. Modeling clay. I heated it up in the microwave to make it easier to apply….a bit too much as you can see.
I applied a 2” thick ring around where the mounting ring will attach.
I then bolted the trim ring onto the door and compressed the modeling clay to form a perfect seal with the door. (Do this while the modeling clay is warm)
And this is the finished result with the modeling clay smoothed to contour of the door and trim rings. It’s pretty messy, so I’d recommend wearing latex gloves.
The other 3 trim rings have been attached with woodscrews and the driver mounted and wired ready to go. At this point I started doing some listening tests at high volumes to check for rattling or other weird noises.
Ok, I’ve switched doors again. Here I wanted to illustrate how more sound deadening was applied around the driver mounts to completely seal the door. If you look closely, you’ll be able to see the second layer of VB2-HD I’ve applied across the lower section of the door.
This further shows just how “sealed” the door is. When loud music is played with the door adjar, I get chuffing noise from the door latch area. It’s the only area of the door that I can’t seal off. [img]smile.gif[/img]
More to come...the door skins are pretty interesting...
04-18-2004, 09:09 AM
#6
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 146
Quick question on the MODELING CLAY, why are you using it?, Are you planing on making a fiberglass mold on top of it?, [img]graemlins/dunno.gif[/img] or are you using it to seal up the woofer to the door?
If you are using it to seal the woofer in the door wont water cause it to melt? [img]graemlins/2xblown.gif[/img]
If you are using it to seal the woofer in the door wont water cause it to melt? [img]graemlins/2xblown.gif[/img]
04-18-2004, 10:13 AM
#7
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Ah...the questions have started.
The door has little slit vents along the bottom edge. It's a BMW so it's engineered pretty well.
The Cone material is NOT paper. It's a fiberglass and foam composite, so moisture isn't an issue. The modeling clay is oil based, it took me 3 days to get the stuff off of my hands...washing did nothing.
Modeling clay is DEAD. Drop a ball of it, then drop some MDF, which one bounces more? The modeling clay helps absorb energy in the driver baffle, and it seals the midbass to the door.
There is more to come, the doors skins are not done. Yes there is fiberglass involved, but also a bit of this:
Adam
The door has little slit vents along the bottom edge. It's a BMW so it's engineered pretty well.
The Cone material is NOT paper. It's a fiberglass and foam composite, so moisture isn't an issue. The modeling clay is oil based, it took me 3 days to get the stuff off of my hands...washing did nothing.
Modeling clay is DEAD. Drop a ball of it, then drop some MDF, which one bounces more? The modeling clay helps absorb energy in the driver baffle, and it seals the midbass to the door.
There is more to come, the doors skins are not done. Yes there is fiberglass involved, but also a bit of this:
Adam
04-18-2004, 11:11 AM
#8
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 146
OK...Hmmm maybe I should experiment with clay...currently I have just finished applying 8-10 layers of B-Quiet extreme in the door behind my 6" woofer...I also covered inside the door and outside...the hole for my speaker baffle is now very stiff with the extreme applied...
I'm not looking for ear snapping MIDBASS from my speaker...but I am looking for nice SYNTHESIZER and GUITAR sounds from it...
I'm thinking of maybe making a small 6" Diameter port with the clay behind the speaker sort of like an enclosure!!! [img]graemlins/jawdrop.gif[/img] I just thought of somthing...if clay is more DEAD than MDF then maybe I can build a small enclosure behind my speaker!!! [img]graemlins/jawdrop.gif[/img]
How well does this stuff stick to plastic, and metal? [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]
I'm not looking for ear snapping MIDBASS from my speaker...but I am looking for nice SYNTHESIZER and GUITAR sounds from it...
I'm thinking of maybe making a small 6" Diameter port with the clay behind the speaker sort of like an enclosure!!! [img]graemlins/jawdrop.gif[/img] I just thought of somthing...if clay is more DEAD than MDF then maybe I can build a small enclosure behind my speaker!!! [img]graemlins/jawdrop.gif[/img]
How well does this stuff stick to plastic, and metal? [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]
