Custom Console, Faceplate' s and Rails

[EOppegaard]

Hey guys. I have an 06 Ford Escape Hybrid with the lovely center console. Currently I removed part of the factory console and put a kenwood TK-880 in there, however I am really looking for some more space (I will post some pics later).

I am looking to build a custom center console, type thing...yeah...go with me on this. There will only be room to mount one full, non remote head radio, due to the fact that the dash is in the way. I will post some pictures when I am out of work so you can get a better idea.

I am looking for a source for some rails, as well as faceplates and their dimensions. I plan on building the console out of wood, and then wrapping it in felt, the same audiophiles use for sub boxes. I would like to ensure I actually have enough room for a full faceplate. Ideally, I would rather use manufactured faceplates and rails for simplicity, otherwise I will me custom mounting everything.

Any ideas would be appreciated!

Thanks!

-Eric

[nmfire10]

I suggest doing it the way NECS installed the fire radio in your medic truck. That seems to be working well....

[EOppegaard]

I would prefer the control head not to spin after being "installed"

[nmfire10]

Imagine the money they saved by installing the entire radio with one screw though!

[Batwings21]

Jotto Desk makes some nice faceplates for a lot of radios, and they would easily adapt to a custom console, even just using some aluminum angle as a side rail. I'm sorry I don't have console dimensions handy, but you may be able to find them at there site.
http://www.jottodesk.com/Comersus/store ... cIndex.asp

[EOppegaard]

Anyone know a source on where to pickup the faceplates and rails?

[Batwings21]

If you like the jotto's, you can order them directly from the link above, the rails, would just be aluminum angle stock from your local Home Depot.

[EOppegaard]

Really? Home Depot? okay...now I am a bit confused! What exactly am I looking for?

[nmfire10]

Its just a piece of angle iron. You'd probably have to drill your own holes for the faceplate screws.

[apco25]

PM me, I am a jottodesk distributor and can get what you need.

[High_order1]

What they are trying to tell you is that all consoles are just variations on a theme. Some might be better implementations than others, but they all kinda sprang from the same well.

If you are trying to build one in metal, everything you need is at your local big box hardware store. Wood is the same, but there are some things you should keep in mind.

Metal is more forgiving when you spill your Big Gulp, is thinner, and lighter in most cases. But it is a little harder to work with. Wood is less intimidating, but it chips easier, and sometimes likes to disentegrate (OSB / MDF) or delaminate (plywood / veneers).

When I built the thumpers, we used wood because of its' mass. I graduated from wood to metal and thermoplastics for consoles, faceplates, and custom lighting solutions a long time ago.

Back to you, unless you have great mental vision (you can see what you want in your head), the best thing to do is to go get a refrigerator, dryer, or other heavy duty cardboard box and make a prototype. I've seen some people try styrofoam, but that's WAY too messy for me.

Don't worry about the innards, just make the outside so it looks like what you want the finished job to look like. Use masking tape to hold it together until you freeze up that part of the design, then you can use duct tape to hold it together. It might take a few times to get all the angles right, and DON'T forget to occasionally stick the radio and switches and whatever in there. More than once I have built something beautiful that (crap) wasn't deep enough by like an inch or so. (shrugs shoulders) Happy little accidents.....

Once you get your cardboard prototype set up so that you like it, then you look at the prototype to see what it lends itself to. Sometimes, you don't have to build much. The marine, custom van, and RV industries have a lot of stuff already made that you could corrupt by whacking a side off or cutting down. Another place is junkyards. Think about your protoype and look in cars. Maybe you can cut the hump off an old van, or part of the console on an import, and have the shape you want already professionally done.

Once you get the shape, then you need to figure out a way to mount it. Be careful where you drill. I can't overstate that enough. Also, until you learn how, get a piece of scrap carpet at the junkyard and drill into it a few times so you don't potentially ruin your own. You may have to reinforce where you bolt it to the box, or in some cases, build an entire frame, and then slide the box over it like a skirt.

Then, you need to get some aluminum L shaped brackets from Lowes/Home Depot, and find a way to mount them parallel in the face of the box.

Finally, you need to get some faceplate material. You can buy the professional ones off eBay used, and it makes it look like you bought a custom console. Or you can continue on the homebrew route, and get more sheet metal from HomeDepot / Lowes, or buy some plastic if you aren't hot on shiny metal.

That's basically what happens. It's not as easy as it sounds, but once you get in there swinging, its' not as hard as it looks. Take pictures along the way....

-Shawn