www.iFourWinns.com

I'm starting to work on my plan for upgrading the stereo in the 318.... There are 4 speakers in the arch today - 6.5's. I am thinking hard about upgrading them to the JL 7.7 inch speakers.

However -- There is an issue with mounting depth. I only have about 2.75 inches of depth to work with in the arch. The 7.7s need about 3.15. That means, I should be able to put in a 1/2 inche trim ring spacer betwene the arch and speaker and have them fit just fine.

Now the fun part... I don't want a starboard spacer. I'd like to use clear acrylic that the edges get sanded down/polished to look like a finished glass edge.

The stuff I found is like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... %26otn%3D4

This would need to be cut down into 4 speaker rings. Outer diameter 7.75 inches. Inner diameter, 6.25.

Does anyone have the tools to router these out and then polish that outside edge? My finish woodworking skills are less than stellar.

I'd be happy to pay for your time and what not. Or - maybe we can make a trade or something (PM me for more details on that, but I do work for the evil empire that powers most all the computers around the world).

The speakers I am thinking of going with are the new sport grills from JL.
http://marine.jlaudio.com/products_comp ... rod_id=390

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

Maybe try a local custm glass shop? They'd be able to work with acrylic and polish that edge.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

Sanding and finishing the edges is actually the easy part. I can do that.

It's geting the rings cut from that sheet. I could use a saw - but then you chances of being a perfectly round circle reduce greatly.

I'm hoping someone has a router table with some nice, sharp bits that could cut these out for me.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

Cougar, try a local cabinet shop they should be able to cut your rings very easy and cheap.

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Mike
Smithville, MO
08' Hayabusa, 2011 Subaru Outback, 03' Infiniti G-35 S.C.

Find someone who has access to a water jet machine. They would come out perfect. I have access to, one through a local machine shop we do buisness with. It is called Absolute Welding and Waterjet I think.

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1998 Baja Boss 252 7.4L MPI Bravo 1 (SOLD)
2007 FW H200SS 5.0GXI (Sold)
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500 Crew 6.0L (tow vehicle)
1991 FW 170 Freedom 4.3L (SOLD)

If you know someone with a Roto-Zip it would be easy to cut the rings out. To make the edges smooth and shiny just sand and then hit with a torch flame, that's how the acrylic pro's do it.

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Brett DiMichele

TAP Plastics can whip those right out for you.
12021 NE Northup Way
Bellevue, WA 98005

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2000 268 Vista "Reely Nauti"
http://www.facebook.com/#!/rivercruiser

We have a winner!

I will be stopping by TAP plastics this week. SWEET!

That's exactly the kind of shop I needed.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

I want to keep a close eye on this as this would be the same idea behind home-fab LED cupholders...

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

Whatever you decide will be am improvement. Just this past weekend I put in the JL 6.5's (the better of the 2 they make in that size) and it was an amazing differance over fractory and they just dropped right in.

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2005, 268 Vista, Table Rock Lake "Choices II"

After putting the JLs in my 240 - I will never go back to anything else if I can afford the JLs. They are unbelievable.

Speaking of LEDs - I thought about doing something with the LED rings, but I'm challenged coming up with a way to mount the LED's.

Any ideas?

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

I'm just going to pull the cup holders, drill a hole in the side about 1/2" from the bottom and silicone the led in - running the wires appropriately of course. No ring needed.

Like so:


Here's the obligatory 'clear water bottle' shot:

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

I think that's an idea worth considering. I like it. Since Steve (aguyindallas) and I both just ran a mother wire around the whole boat this wouldn't be to hard to add on. It would however take me a bit of extra time since adding 4 more cupholders at the end of the year I would now have 10 to do. You've got me thinking about it now Jim.

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2008 H210SS VP 5.7 Gi/SX
2011 Ford F150 FX4 EB

TAP Plastics is a semi winner.

They can very easily cut me the rounds - but they said that the inner diameter cut out was too close for their machines.

Poop.

100 bucks for 4 7.75inch cutouts of 1/2 acrylic. Finished outer edges. I would just need to cut out the inside. Materials, labor, tax, and all... Not a bad price.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

I can check with some of my buddies up there and see what machine shop would do a good job of milling your centers if you want. High speed milling might be your only option if the ring is so narrow.

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2000 268 Vista "Reely Nauti"
http://www.facebook.com/#!/rivercruiser