hihoslva

I had my doors apart (again ) today, as I was planning on installing my Rockford woofers in my wife's Jeep (argh - they didn't fit - damn Mopar....), as I plan to put Infinity stuff back in my car.

Anyway, I was utterly dismayed to see what my homemade MDF speaker adapter rings looked like. They were completely destroyed.

Not that I was planning on re-using them, but it was all WATER damage. I don't believe water was dripping on them, as I have the speakers inside of XTC foam baffles for protection. Rather, the combination of whatever little water was present (open windows in the rain, etc), plus the tendency of MDF to really soak up moisture shredded them.

MDF easily soaks up moisture from the air, and with the temperature changes and humidity, I'm sure they had plenty of chance to do so. And just a few drops of water can do the damage I saw.

They were like flimsy wet cardboard, and actually had some mold growing on them.

So for any of you using homemade baffles, make sure to water seal them with some primer, or even a Thompson's deck product. Otherwise, expect that they will be waterlogged in no time - mine were only in for about 6 months.

~HH

JJB

FWIW, a good coating of polyurethane also works well with MDF.

JAC

Would you guys say it's best to get some of those scosche adapters instead? since they're made out of plastic.

Dave Cameron

MDF has some very appealing sonic properties to it that would very well make one choose if over the plastic. The plastic can be covered with deadening material and will come out as good though.
The other hassle of MDF in doors is that if there is any area exposed to mosture, they will soak it in. They can be sealed, but remember then you have the mosture level inside the MDF fixed compared to the enviorment around it. Not Good, it will contract and expand with temperture and humidity- cracking the waterproof material possibly letting in serious real mosture.
I have not built them for a Mazda, but I have done front rings with a maratime paint on them, and made sure to coat the inside of the screw/bolt holds, and then applied deadening material on top of that. As far as I know it is still working for the guy.
The dead bang give away on the Protege is that the stock speakers have those water guards on them,the little drain holes on the bottom of the doors and the waterproof barrier under the interior coverings. Clearly the design draws the line on mosture in the car not on the outside skin of the car, but the inside skin of the car.
Yet another instance I am afraid of why cars are such a lousy audiophile enviorment, and why sometimes, less expensive hardware you will be able to replace three or four times in the life of the car may very well be better than one set of expensive components that will probably survive the same lenght of time.....