# First Subwoofer Build (CSS SDX15) Pics!



## 1999cutiger

Just wanted to share some photos of my first subwoofer build. I am using a sealed enclosure for my downfiring CSS SDX15 sub. The internal air space is 3.70 cubic feet. I am in the process of applying the finish right now. More to come....


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## jmuir

Looks good Mike. What kind of finish are you using? 

I see you have some more clamps in the background. What you could not get those to fit also.:bigsmile:


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## XipeTotec

Wow, looks great! What Kind of wood did you use? Alder?


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## 1999cutiger

Thanks for the compliments.....I am using red mahogony stain with semi gloss polyurethane on top (lots of it). The construction of the box is 3/4 inch mdf, wrapped in 3/4 inch birch plywood with poplar trim. I can assure you this enclosure is really heavy and I don't even have the driver mounted yet. I'm not sure how I'm going to move it....


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## 1999cutiger

Rule #1 of any real wood shop....you can never have too many clamps!


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## Owen Bartley

Looks great Mike! I've always liked that classic design for a nicely finished sub. Make sure you keep us updated and take lots of pics of the finishing process!


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## ec114

Owen Bartley said:


> Looks great Mike! I've always liked that classic design for a nicely finished sub. Make sure you keep us updated and take lots of pics of the finishing process!


You mean, uh, Shaker style? :bigsmile:


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## 1999cutiger

All done....


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## XipeTotec

It looks very nice and very classy! Good Job!!:T


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## ISLAND1000

Wow! Beautiful cabinetry and finish. 
How does that 15 sound? It's gotta be good.


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## 1999cutiger

Thanks very much for the kind words. The 15" sounds great, although I have not been able to really test her out. I have two daughters....one is 20 months and the other is 2 months old. I don't want to scare them quite yet.


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## zero the hero

no man, you gotta get them used to the sound young! I always made sure my house was noisy when my baby was napping so he'd get used to it, and so we wouldn't have to turn off the TV and tiptoe around when he was asleep


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## Pinhead-227

zero the hero said:


> no man, you gotta get them used to the sound young! I always made sure my house was noisy when my baby was napping so he'd get used to it, and so we wouldn't have to turn off the TV and tiptoe around when he was asleep


Heh, that's how I was raised, too! When I was _really_ little I used to fall asleep at basketball games in the bleachers with the crowd screaming and the buzzer going off... Then a little later on I slept in the seat behind my dad in an old, beat-up (read LOUD) combine. Noise doesn't bother me at all and I still have better hearing than almost everyone I know.


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## ISLAND1000

Pinhead-227 said:


> Noise doesn't bother me at all and I still have better hearing than almost everyone I know.


 . . . . . . :huh: what???? . . . . . .?


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## Pinhead-227

Haha other than the selective hearing that I seem to have acquired.


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## Mike P.

Nice sub, Mike, well done!


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## bballer123

That is one of the nicest looking boxes I have seen. Nice job!

-Matt


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## 1999cutiger

Thanks very much! I am very happy with the way it turned out and ever happier with the way it sounds!


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## lcrooks

Beautiful. Did you do the japanese lacquer application technique? Your finish almost looks that glossy.


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## Nick77

That is one of the nicest diy subs I have ever seen. The attention to detail and the recessed top is really nice. I assume its sealed? Nice work! :hail:


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## 1999cutiger

Thanks very much.....yes, the sub is sealed.

Japanese lacquer? I'm not sure what that is. Can you elaborate?


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## lcrooks

It's a really labor intensive method of applying a finish, results in a extremely high gloss shine. Multiple coats with 1000g and up sanding in between.


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## 1999cutiger

Yes, that is more or less what I did for the finish. There are 8 coats of semi-gloss poly on it. I sanded it with very fine sand paper in between each of the coats. It is fairly time consuming, but I think it is worth it.


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