I never real got around to making the speaker grill I always wanted. I ended up making some grills out of some MDF and speaker grill cloth. They worked fine. I always wanted a metal grill but until now I couldnt find the metal that I liked. <BR>In fact someone here pointed me to" Mc Nicols company" in LA and thats where I bought the grill metal all $200 dollars worth. Thanks. Anyways I needed to make the frames that would hold the grill's. These are the frames cut out of 3/4 MDF. Im gonna cut a grove in the inside of the frame and sink a PC board style led's that wrap around the inside edge of the frame and light the speakers. They should be pretty cool. <BR>These are my old grills. <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/267381.jpg" alt=""> <BR>now they are junk and here is the start of my new project <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/267382.jpg" alt=""> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/267383.jpg" alt=""> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/267384.jpg" alt=""> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/267385.jpg" alt=""> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/267386.jpg" alt=""> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/267387.jpg" alt=""> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/267388.jpg" alt=""> <BR> <BR>(Message edited by grant_west on November 20, 2005) <BR> <BR>(Message edited by grant_west on November 20, 2005)

does all that weight make ur tower shake alot?

When I was on Grant's boat we hit a set of converging wakes from a couple boats, I didn't notice much tower at all.

his enzo box is made of mostly fiberglass which is pretty light compared to speaker cans.

That and the flight control tower IMO is one of the most stable towers out there.

how are these grills coming along?

I have been busy with some other project's but had some time last week here are some pic's of what I have been up to. <BR> <BR>Here are 2 of the 4 im working on these are the grill that surround the down fireing 6X9's they should work like dome light's <BR>I took the grills and added some stud's to the the grills so that they will bolt into the speaker box with no visable mounting hardwear. <BR> <BR>Then I searched and searched for a router bit that would make a grove in the grills deep enough to flush mount the SMT LED's. Once I found a bit and got the right in-set via a ghetto bering I was off to have them routerd. <BR> <BR>Clay made this nice groove in the grill frames. <BR>The SMT Led's fit right in to this channel <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/272990.jpg" alt=""> <BR>Then I solderd together 3" 14-inc strips to make a ring of LED's and then added the plastic protectieve tubing surrounding the SMT's. Im gonna wait to drill threw the grill frame and run the wire into the box untill I have the box in front of me. Thats why the LED's arent sitting flush in the photo. <BR> <BR>Ill prime them and get them ready for paint. Stay tuned. <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/272991.jpg" alt=""> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/272992.jpg" alt="">

All hail the Bling King, we are all but loyal and serving subjects. <BR>

LOL: Kris, Now That I have found a solid LED source Kris @ <BR>(Wake Specialty) Ill start doing more LED project's. Look out dark un-lit aera's LED's comming your way <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" border=0>

so when are you gonna have to upgrade to the nuclear power plant to power your boat <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/biggrin.gif" border=0> <BR> <BR> <BR>looks killer dude

That looks awesome.

<BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/273355.jpg" alt=""> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/273356.jpg" alt=""> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/273357.jpg" alt=""> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/273358.jpg" alt="">

These are the anodize aluminum grills that will attach to the back side of the frame

Grant are those your Kenneth Cole's???? <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/biggrin.gif" border=0> <BR> <BR>

G- Those are coming out nicely, is that metal easy to work with or did you have trouble with it trying to bend when you cut it?

Andreas: LOL, Kenith Cole's for the masses! <BR> <BR> <BR>The Perferated Aluminum was easy to cut its real thin. I have a pair of metal shear's Giant Sissiors and they cut it like butter.

Watch this thread digress... <BR>Kenneth Cole has nothing on Toschi...running shoe technology in a dress shoe <BR><a href="http://www.toschi.com/" target="_blank">http://www.toschi.com/</a> <BR> <BR>He even has some driving shoes for that nice Gallardo! Lol, I dont know how to be serious after all that, but his shoes are the most comfortable dress shoes my feet have ever been in.

Jan: LOL Toschi shoes are pretty bad ass. I went to school with Ron Toschi: His stuff is pretty bad ass with the carbon fiber sole. But they are not my style. IMO they look like they belong on a golf course

Hey, if your looking at "Ron" Tsochi shoes, I think your at the wrong store. lol. <BR>This looks like a golf shoe to you? <BR> <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/273909.jpg" alt=""> <BR> <BR>btw, the grills look killer. I thought for sure you were gonna bo with the bentley style grill material with the super bling...of course I cant find a pic.

ummm Jan, yeah they look like golf shoes to me... <BR>Grills look pimpin, definitley like what you did with the inlay of the lED

Ok I have been super busy with lots of projects. I had some time to get back into the speaker grill's. I decided to go a diffrent direction with how the LED's sit in the grill's. I orginaly was going to houze the Led's in a D shaped tube that set into the grove I routerd into the wood frame. I had a better idea after I saw the plexy ring Kris @ wake specialty's made fr my brother's Q'56 sub box. I decided that I would throw the D ring idea out and make the LED's sit into a plexy glass frame that in-set's into the orignal wood frame. Here are some pic's of what Im trying to do. The Idea was to get rid of the dot dot dot effect the individual LED's give off. I wanted the frosted Plexy to give off a even glow kind of like how Neon look's <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/280315.jpg" alt=""> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/280316.jpg" alt=""> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/280317.jpg" alt=""> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/280318.jpg" alt=""> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/280319.jpg" alt=""> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/280320.jpg" alt="">

<BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/280327.jpg" alt=""> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/280328.jpg" alt=""> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/280329.jpg" alt=""> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/280330.jpg" alt="">

They do look nicer that way but that sure is a whole lot trouble to go through but I guess that's why you are Mr. Bling... <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>Nice!!!

In the 5'th photo of the first set of pic's I just loaded you can see the effect of a Neon ring floating around the plexy grill. When I finish sand the ring you shouldnt be able to see the LED's, If I was to sand or frost the entire pley ring the halo effect would go away and the entire plexy frame would glow. Im up in the air about weather to leave the halo effect or make the whole plexy inner frame glow.

Ed I hear ya. But when your into it. It's fun it's no trouble at all. <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" border=0>. Like saying doing inverts and spin's is way to much trouble. Why not just ride wake to wake all the time.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/wink.gif" border=0>

Grant I like the halo look. If you made the whole plexy glow it would be to much IMO. Now if you sand/frost BLING on one and BLING on the other, when they light up you would see BLING BLING on the tower. Now that would be SICK!

Dude I can't bow any lower. Quick question on subject, the SMD Strips. When you go to Wakespecialty's web page and you navigate over to the strips it only shows the 3. How do you order them longer or do you have to connect them together to get the desired length? <BR>Thanks ahead of time.

<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/rofl.gif" border=0>Hahahahaha Grant,you are totally right on with your comment. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>On the other note,I asked myself the same question.....spins and inverts,just way to much trouble!LOL<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/lol.gif" border=0>

I decided to do away with the halo effect. The clear spot between the frame and the etched spot on the plexy will be a window for dirt that I wont be able to get behind and clean. <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/280351.jpg" alt="">

This my friend is what I was initially thinking about when you described this project - shoot me the drawing and we would make a custom set of speaker rings. I dig the effect and am investigating the equipment to do that in a production environment without jacking the cost any higher. What was your grit schedule? <BR> <BR>Cory - I will have 6's and 12's posted soon. These are delicate by nature. If you have a need for anything longer than that, please contact me so we can help get you what you need.

G man, <BR> <BR>We need to put you on a particle board diet. I don't see any reason to use particle at all, just do them all plex? It has plenty of structural strength and it's a whole bunch easier to waterproof. Have Wakespecs miter them out for you with their CNC machine. Initial cost will be higher but what is your time worth?

Mike: Your the best arm chair engineer I know. Man how long has it taken you to "NOT" make thoes BLING LED tail light's you said you were gonna make me. Its been "Like 3 month's" and I still have nothing! You know how many projects I have done since you said you were gonna make them. Ill tell you what as soon as you are done with the LED tail lights take some pic's of them and post them up and I will tell you how to build them easyer. <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/rofl.gif" border=0> Now get off the Internet and finish my tail light's <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>for thoes of you who dont know I know and respect Mike and Im joking. <BR>