Center Console With Kick

This month's how-to is part one of a two-part article on a center console subwoofer enclosure. I'll cover some simple techniques on forming the shape and bodywork as well as making fiberglass inserts. Next time we'll finish up with a floating armrest, aluminum inserts, upholstering and painting techniques.

The subwoofers in this console will fire down, so the first order of business is to build the sides and bottom to get the general shape.	The top of the console will have an inverse curve which will result in a unique look. To build this I used a Mobile Solutions True Arc template to cut duplicates out of 11/42" MDF on the router.	To get you closer to the desired shape without a ton of body work, cut several arced ribs and space them equally apart. Keep the gaps between each rib minimal and superglue them in place.
Next, cut small strips of 11/42" MDF to fit between the ribs and superglue in place. This extra step will help stiffen the ribs so nothing breaks loose while stapling the grille cloth in place.	To shape our subwoofer/console, staple an appropriately sized piece of grille cloth over the form. Start in the center of each rib and work your way out. This helps keep the grille cloth attached tightly to the ribs.	Place the console back into your vehicle to make sure you accomplished the look you were after.
The most important step in any custom project is to find creative ways to help get the job done fast. Here you'll see I've taken a few extra minutes to build a custom stand to hold the console in place. Allowing the console to float off the edge of the table lets me fiberglass around it with ease.	With the console mounted in our stand, apply a coat of polyester resin to the grille cloth. Be sure to saturate the material completely.	Now apply five layers of 1.5-ounce fiberglass mat to further stiffen the surface. Tearing the fiberglass mat into small pieces allows each layer to blend evenly.
After the surface has completely cured, use a grinder with a 24-grit sanding disc to knock down any high spots and remove the top waxy layer of resin.	Now mix and apply a generous amount of body filler over the fiberglass surface. Be sure to spread on enough filler the first time to eliminate the need for multiple applications. Use 36-grit sandpaper and hand sand the surface to the desired shape while the body filler is in a "clay-like" stage.	Here's a shot of the sanded console. The shape should be smooth and and free of undulations.
The console will have fiberglass inserts for a floating armrest that we'll finish building in part two. To make this, apply two layers of masking tape over the top of the console. Using a few measured reference points and template, draw on the masking tape the shape of what will eventually be the fiberglass inserts.	Using a razor blade, cut the outline of the shapes and remove the excess tape around the edges.	Here's a shot of how the fiberglass inserts should look when complete.
The next step is to apply aluminum foil over the console. Using 3MSuper 77 adhesive, spray the surface of the console and the backside of the aluminum	Affix the aluminum foil to the surface, working from the center out. Use a new body filler spreader to smooth out the surface of the foil.	Apply mold release wax over the entire aluminum foil surface. Notice the masking tape imprint in the foil. This will transfer over to the fiberglass.
Lay down five layers of 1.5-ounce fiberglass mat in full sheets and mix and apply resin. Notice I made several relief cuts around the edges of the fiberglass mat. This will help the material lay down evenly. Check back next month for the completion of this project.