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-   -   Whats the secret to screwing an amp too.. (http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=799664)

jonblarc7 08-22-2013 6:22 PM

Whats the secret to screwing an amp too..
 
A carpeted wall. I can't not for the life of me get the screws that came with the amp to screw into the wall. I tried drilling the pilot hole, only to not be able to find the hole in the carpet(I know haha). Holding the amp with one hand drilling with other while laying on my side is not what I call fun. Any trick you can tell me would be great. Maybe so self tapping screws I don't know.

99Bison 08-22-2013 6:31 PM

Put a piece of tape on the carpet and mark the hole through that. Or use other such tape ideas... Like to hold spacers, etc.

jwmustangin 08-22-2013 6:51 PM

drilling holes
 
Please god...

Tell me you are not drilling into the hull!

If you are behind the observer's seat and drilling toward the port side of the boat I hope like hell there is a "fake" wall or amp rack board in front of what is usually the port side of the hull.

baitkiller 08-22-2013 6:53 PM

"God"

Iceberg 08-22-2013 7:19 PM

Use a pointed heat source, like a soldering iron (a heated nail will do the same thing), to melt the carpet where you want the holes to be. It will keep the carpet from bunching up on the drill and you will be able to find the hole. Do you know how thick the panel is you are drilling in to?

brichter14 08-22-2013 7:31 PM

What I did was cut the carpet down on one side and slide in a 3/4" piece of mdf and glue it to the gun wall. Once that is done replace the carpet and you can screw the amp into that.

jonblarc7 08-23-2013 4:25 AM

It is the wall towards the bow of the boat under the observers seat. My supra already had an amp that cramped out on me I the same location. But it was a much larger amp and I can't use the same holes.

ian_ashton 08-23-2013 7:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brichter14 (Post 1840703)
What I did was cut the carpet down on one side and slide in a 3/4" piece of mdf and glue it to the gun wall. Once that is done replace the carpet and you can screw the amp into that.

Good idea, except the MDF part - moisture will destroy MDF, use any other type of actual wood for long term results.

chattwake 08-23-2013 8:03 AM

I put a screw through the side of a boat once while mounting an amp board. I learned the hard way how not to do that.

TC_Mastercraf_X5 08-23-2013 9:11 AM

I struggled with this as well; however, was able to pull back carpeted area to find a good drilling point. My MC has a spot that has extra fiberglass allowing for you to tap into that instead punching through the other side. It a real pain in the back side though as that under seat area isnt real big and felt like a turtle flipped upside down!

tampawake 08-23-2013 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chattwake (Post 1840762)
I put a screw through the side of a boat once while mounting an amp board. I learned the hard way how not to do that.

I got about 7 tiny tiny barely noticeable holes through the side did not think I was going that deep through the plastic blocks I mounted using epoxy to my hull. Soooooo dumb but not fixing. Tuff lesson to learn

jonblarc7 08-23-2013 1:10 PM

I'm going to try some self tapping screws tonight and see how it goes.

Houstonshark 08-23-2013 1:42 PM

Here's a boat I completely rewired for a friend recently.

Basically, I cut the strips of carpet out on the side of the hull and sanded the fiberglass a little before cleaning it well. I then ran my strips of wood over the table saw to cut the grooves in it and then used a paddle bit to drill out (not all the way through) additional sections of the strips.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...psa09b008c.jpg

I spread dynaglass on the back side of the wood strips and made sure to spread it into the slots and holes well.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...psaa57befa.jpg

I then pressed the strips against the prepped hull, leaning some sweet dumb bells against them.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...pse7de3ff8.jpg

I then mounted the amps to the carped amp board I had built and screwed the amp board to the strips once they were secure.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...psd573f8d4.jpg

Midnightv10 08-23-2013 4:02 PM

Great idea with the dumb bells

Houstonshark 08-23-2013 4:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midnightv10 (Post 1840876)
Great idea with the dumb bells

Thanks. I was working out while doing this. I used a lot of hardener in the dynaglass so that I could use my dumb bells on the boat between sets.

I don't normally lift that heavy but I was all jacked up on Mountain Dew that day!

jonblarc7 08-23-2013 4:56 PM

Got it for now I used a alittle bigger drill bit and a longer screw. Next year I think I'm going to add a third amp and build a amp like TJ thanks guys

rukie 08-23-2013 9:48 PM

TJ^^^^^^ hilarious.. Get after it!

bcd 08-24-2013 5:11 AM

I pulled the carpet down and used short screws (to not go through the other side) and liquid nails to secure a big plastic cutting board (aka cheap starboard). I then reglued the carpet and installed the amp with longer screws.

Shewchuk 08-24-2013 4:34 PM

Hey tj! What kind of wood did you use and what was the dimensions and thickness. Thanks

Houstonshark 08-25-2013 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shewchuk (Post 1841051)
Hey tj! What kind of wood did you use and what was the dimensions and thickness. Thanks

That was 3/4" marine grade plywood. Regular plywood would be just fine.

I don't remember the dimensions. You prob want each strip to be ~3" wide and you want it shorter than the height of the amp board so that you can easily run and conceal the wires.

I placed the amps on the board in such a way that I could use 2 (longer) screws per amp to go through the board and into the strips so that you didn't see extra, random screws on the amp board. That also makes it easier to remove the whole board later, without having to take the amps off and hunt for all the screws.

Mount the amps to the finished amp board on your work bench and prewire it as much as possible, including the power, ground and remote if you are using distro blocks.

Label everything well and if you use printed labels, I'd recommend some clear heat shrink over them because they will eventually fall off.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...psc02c7daf.jpg

Midnightv10 08-25-2013 3:09 PM

8 Attachment(s)
I did mine very similar except I ran the set offs horizontally along the inside of the hull..

Totally agree to do as much wiring as possible on the bench... It can get pretty congested back there

Midnightv10 08-25-2013 3:16 PM

Hey TJ... what's with the brushed SYN amp? did it come that way or did you make it that way?
kinda like that:cool:

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...psd573f8d4.jpg[/QUOTE]

Houstonshark 08-25-2013 4:03 PM

It was pretty scratched and beat up so I just brushed it. Whoever did the install before didn't bother to mount it. They just left it laying up against the side of the hull.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps77445941.jpg

Midnightv10 08-25-2013 4:54 PM

Lol... Nice!!

Midnightv10 08-25-2013 4:55 PM

you did a good job brushing it.. that looks great

Shewchuk 08-26-2013 7:25 AM

Wow, thanks guys, well done!! Your pictures and ideas are very helpful!!

Shewchuk 08-26-2013 4:03 PM

1 Attachment(s)
Hey one more question, would something like this "BONDO FIBERGLASS RESIN" work to mount the wood strips against the hull of the boat so we could mount the amp rack on. TJ I seen you used Dynaglass, but I happen to have this BONDO stuff laying around. I was going to get maybe use Gorilla Glue or something similar too? What do people have the best luck with? Thanks

brett33 08-27-2013 7:23 AM

Dynaglass or Liquid Nails. IMO Liquid Nails is hard to beat for $3 a tube.

Houstonshark 08-27-2013 1:26 PM

That fiberglass resin would work if you were going to be laying fiberglass mat on and around the wood strips or if you chopped up fiberglass mat to mix with the resin.

Like Brett said, it's much easier and cheaper to just use an adhesive like Liquid Nails. I had the Dynaglass already and like being able to control how quickly it cures.

brichter14 08-27-2013 7:07 PM

Here's mine

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/08/28/apavura9.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/08/28/ymymydyn.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/08/28/avu7epun.jpg

I made a support brace to help keep the amp steady. It's all screwed into 3/4" mdf glued behind the carpet


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