First Boombox project, need advices!

[V-bro]

I've still got some 250mm sewage pipe and even some 320 with 10mm wall thickness... I was thinking of making some subwoofers with them.

I've once gotten them as leftovers from guys doing some street sewage projects here nearby....

[alexlangberg]

MickB, how do you paint the PVC? I tried once but scratches off REALLY easily. I've seen some articles about using dye instead but do you have some other trick?

[V-bro]

Use good primer and a tough top coating...

[MickB]

I just used Plasti-kote spray paint for the silver, not sure whether it's enamel or something else but it seems to stick well. I didn't even bother with primer but I did roughen the surface first with fairly fine abrasive paper to remove the shine and provide a key. I tried to use clear laquer on top to make it tougher but it turns the silver to a boring grey colour.

Clear laquer does work with other colours though and definitely makes a tougher finish, although it does have a tendency to form a maze of cracks on the surface after days or weeks. Haven't been able to work out why sometimes it crazes and sometimes it doesn't despite trying it in different conditions and different drying times between coats.

[toxicious]

Finally I am back from the semester and back to work on the boombox.
I have painted the two small sides with something in orange (pictures later) and started wondering about painting the membranes on the woofers.
MickB, you painted yours in Silver, was it with any special sort of colour?
As my boombox goes in orange and black I thought that painting the outer ring on the membrane on the woofer in orange would be cool. Though I will only do it if I can do it with my orange I already have. It is just an ordinary type of paint and I thought that just painting it with a small brush would do.

How about that idea? Will I destroy the woofers or will it make the sound worse?

[MickB]

MickB, you painted yours in Silver, was it with any special sort of colour?

Plasti-Kote metallic silver spray can. I put masking tape on the surround to give a nice clean sharp edge line.

Must admit I was a little worried before I did it as I wasn't sure whether the paint solvents would react with the bonding medium of the cone, but it was OK. I sprayed several very light coats and let it dry well between coats just to be safe. I don't think the weight is enough to affect the sound noticeably, it must be a very small amount extra compared to the total weight of the cone and moving parts.

[toxicious]

Okay thank you for the tip, though I think I will wait with painting it until I am done with the boombox.

[toxicious]

Phew...I think I should consider the boombox done now. Been a while since I posted here now. well, I haven't mounted a battery charger in it yet, and I will maybe paint it more if I feel like it (lol) but it works to 100% now at least (yeah I will mount a heatsink on it too asap). But I wonder how I can create an article, as the other boombox creators have done? Where I can put some footage and some text maybe (since it is done now, except the heatsink)

[Scratchy]

You can't create your own Article on this site, but you can do a Blog of your build.
The website admins can them create and article from that.
Then it can be also added to this sticky.