Cutting doors for speakers

[Longhorn Man]

Keep it stock, don't cut them....

I'm cutting my doors for speakers. I need advice on how to do this without screwing it all up. I want to mount the speakers inside the door, from behinde the sheet metal. However, I completely suck at cutting straight lines, let alone intentional curves. What would be my best bet? I thought about my air cut off wheel, but the curves would kill me when the wheel shatters. I have an air nibbler, but they don't seem to good for slow cutting and don't seem to be too good in turning. Is a jig saw the best route?
Also, how do I determine the hole size since I want to mount behind the panel?

I plan on getting the lower door carpet kit and putting it over the speaker. I'll poke holes in the back side of the carpet to let the sound travel through better. I know it won't be accusticly invisable, but it will reduce the muffeling effect.

[tnblazerk5]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

Keep it stock, don't cut them....

I'm cutting my doors for speakers. I need advice on how to do this without screwing it all up. I want to mount the speakers inside the door, from behinde the sheet metal. However, I completely suck at cutting straight lines, let alone intentional curves. What would be my best bet? I thought about my air cut off wheel, but the curves would kill me when the wheel shatters. I have an air nibbler, but they don't seem to good for slow cutting and don't seem to be too good in turning. Is a jig saw the best route?
Also, how do I determine the hole size since I want to mount behind the panel?

I plan on getting the lower door carpet kit and putting it over the speaker. I'll poke holes in the back side of the carpet to let the sound travel through better. I know it won't be accusticly invisable, but it will reduce the muffeling effect.

plasma cutter !!!!!!! lol and if you dont have that just use the jig saw lol and to mark the hole put the speaker to the door where you want it and make the out line of it on the door then look at the surface of the speakers and see how much you need to take away from what you just marked on the door then remark the door smaller (the same distance you just looked at the speaker for )in most cases the hole will be 1/2 inch smaller than the speaker sumtimes more and sumtimes less

[cableguy0]

the jig say is your best bet. i cut the first set out with a jigsaw and it was far easier than the cutoff wheel i used the second time. plus the cutoff wheel really heated the metal and made the paint bubble around it

[matthufham]

i cut up the drivers door today for a 6 1/2" round speaker. i used a 3" cutoff wheel. first i took the template that came with the speaker and marked my door, and gave an extra half inch around it for the cover, cut it out, fit the speaker, cleaned the edges put the speaker in (surface mounted, not flush like you want), drilled 4 holes put the cover on, and screwed it in.

[Bishops Trucks]

I just put 2 6-1/2" round speakers in my doors today. I used a dremal tool and a few cut off wheels. It took a little time but they turned out perfect.

[Jakes-66-K10]

Yeah, that's what I would recommend - a Dremel with a fiberglass reinforced cutoff wheel. Outline your circle, then make several cuts the size of the cutoff wheel on the inside of your outline. After you pop out the panel you could just round off the areas left, and polish it up to finish the circle.

[cdowns]

first make up a real good cardboard template// mark the doors drill a series of 5/16 holes and connect the dots with the jigsaw

[Longhorn Man]

Wow...no flamers. Sweet.
I hadn't thought of the plazma cutter...we have a few of them at work.
tnblazerk5, I follow what you are saying, however, last time i did it like that, I ended up needing to start all over on the box I was building.
However, it doesn't look like I have too much of a choice since I don't have a template for the 6X9's. (Had them for years now)

Any more advice?

[neonlarry]

I would recommend mounting them on the outside with a pair of these to keep them dry:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-E8Djm2U....asp?i=237XT92
Also covering them with carpet might be a little too much for good sound, JMO.
Of course these recommendations might not fit into your overall plan.
If you don't use the baffle boxes I would put some type of sound deadening material behind them. They can sound like two cans and a string without it.

[mplex2000]

Hole saw, if they make them that big. Otherwise, use a wood router and a cheap bit you can sacrifice. If you use 1/4" plywood in place of the router base plate you can drill a hole in it and use a dowl pin (or screw or whatever) to hold the base at the center of your speaker hole.

[Longhorn Man]

I thought about that, I am planning on some kind of sound deadeing stuff on the insides of the doors, the speakers are poly instead of paper, so i am not too concerned about the water, but I DO need to do something to keep them dry-ish at least.
The reason for the carpet is to hide them from prying eyes, and to look stock-ish. I know the rugs were never an option, but 99% of the ppl out there don't know that. Same way I intend on counter sinking the head unit and having the delete plate on hinges. Out of site, out of mind, and it keeps the others quiet too. (others being the ones i was expecting to flame me) At least it will LOOK unmolested.

I would just toss them on the floor in front of the seats in wedge boxes like I always have before, but the buckets I installed ( http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php3?t=136065 ) prevent this, and there is no room under nor behinde the seats for them either. I could stack the 2 speaket boxes on the passenger side in the cab corner...but that'd be gayer than gay.

[mocwon]

A variable speed jig saw with scrolling capability. Use a thin kerf, narrow blade with as many teeth as you can find (the saw blade, not yours )

[panhandler62]

A jig saw or a reciprocating saw should work.

You should be able to build a lower door "skin" panel and use speaker grill mesh over the speaker location. If you plan it out well the speakers won't be invisible, but they won't jump out at you and they should sound fine.

I think you should be able to keep the speakers dry by just cutting up some large tupperware bowls and making "half moon" shields to mount under the speaker flange. You don't have to hermeticaly seal them afterall -- just give them an umbrella.

[byrd]

They do make a hole saw big enough, I believe they make them up too 6",but a hole saw that size won't be cheap!! I bought some cheap plastic back covers for the speakers at local discount store for about $10 works great and keep them all the way dry.My door were alreadt cut when I got the truck and all I had to do was enlarge the hole and I choose the jig saw route. It was really easy,and fast, took about 1 1/2 hour to cut and wire up both door speakers, and put the radio in. Randy

[junkyardjohn]

WHERES CPNE???? LOOK!!! LOOK!!! HE'S CUTTIN DOORS .. OH THE DRAMA OF IT ALL... & TO THINK THAT THEY ARE PROBABLY SOME OF THE LAST, RARE, UNCUT DOORS IN EXISTANCE. (HOWS THAT??) JOHN

[cableguy0]

you almost got it john now just throw in a couple big words and it will look authentic

[weasel29gm]

Cut em' and cover em' Andy!!!!!!!

[panhandler62]

The only reason I haven't cut mine is that I'm afraid I'll cut through that one last bit of good metal that's hidden in amounst the rust and the bottom of my doors will just fall right off.

[Skruffy]

They make a hole cutter that goes in your drill and is basically an arm with a carbite cutter mounted on it that can be adjusted to whatever size you need. I don't know where to buy them off the top of my head, but they exist - I had one.

[guyryan100]

well a hole saw won't do you much good with a 6x9 speaker, but then again, you don't have to get the hole perfect, or even all that close, really. As long as the hole isn't too big... you're going to cover it over with carpet anyway, so I wouldn't stress out about making the cut pretty. Just as long as you don't cut it too big.

[69 longhorn]

Originally Posted by junkyardjohn

WHERES CPNE???? LOOK!!! LOOK!!! HE'S CUTTIN DOORS .. OH THE DRAMA OF IT ALL... & TO THINK THAT THEY ARE PROBABLY SOME OF THE LAST, RARE, UNCUT DOORS IN EXISTANCE. (HOWS THAT??) JOHN

SACRILIGE! No, dont cut the doors i still have a "virgin " dash in my longhorn......if I cut it out , & put it on evilbay, do you guys think it will be worth big bucks? L

[jimfulco]

I cut mine for 6x9's (laying down) years ago with a saber saw. Took about 5 minutes per hole and broke only one blade. They went inside the door with a cheesy plastic grill on the outside. Definitely don't use paper-cone speakers. They won't last. Draw the outline of the speaker on a piece of paper with an oval cutout about the size of the cone itself for cutting. I think I drilled the screw holes first & used them to align the template, then used a magic marker to mark the cut line.

[4x4Poet]

I've been using Eastwood's drill nibbler on sheet metal. Makes curves easy. Doesn't affect paint much. Fairly clean cut edge left ready for a little brush on paint.

http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/p...&keyword=28026

It can get away from you, but cuts best slow where control is easy. A variable drill or air drill helps with control. Even better is to clamp on a guide. Guess it would be tough to find a circle guide properly sized for the speaker hole you need.

Edit: I going to try one of these speaker Power Pads that dampen behind a speaker:
http://www.cardomain.com/item/CAEDPP7

They come in 7" and 9" versions. They used to have a pic. It's just a damper rubber with molded in deflecting ridges. I have one, but haven't tried it yet. Very soft, FWIW.

Did another search. Found some pics and variety of choices:
http://www.mainstreet-audio.com/thestore/DSHT.html

[67Fleet]

I just did my doors also. Cut holes for 6x9 speakers using a cut-off tool and then got it all nice and neat with an angle grinder. Came out perfect. I marked my template with a sharpie, then cut the rough outline with the cutoff using multiple angled cuts as close to the template as possible. After all the major cuts were done I just slapped on a 80 grit disc on the angle grinder and colored in the lines. Worked great! Sounds great now too with 2 Blaupunkt 6x9's and an Alpine CD player.

[69 longhorn]

Originally Posted by RPOZ11

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69 longhorn...
Yeeesh!
I coould have sold you a pair of 72 doors already cut for this in exchange for your uncut doors!

What were you thinking????????????

Well......my doors dont have speaker holes, & the dash is not cut(cept 1 hole for a toggle). I doubt my doors would fit a stocker tho......my longhorn is wearing a 4" chop top in fact there arent too many things that havent been cut on the old truck(i like my sawzall) L