Designed to elevate the aesthetics of acoustic foam panels, while making mounting easier.
Background: I have always loved the look and functionality of acoustic foam for my set up, it helps me get the most out of my sound system while looking cool(in my opinion). The only issue is that securing foam to walls without using permanent adhesive only ever works temporarily and lacks depth. It also makes it much more difficult to dust/clean the panels as they tend to accumulate a lot of dusk. I designed these frames to elevate the look by giving them some depth and to allow for them to be removed more easily for cleaning.
Small Problem i know but just the kind of thing 3d printers are meant for.
Acoustic Foam Panels - 12"x12"X1" Note: this can be any 12 by 12 panel, there are many different styles, with varying quality.
Screws - M3 x 8 Hex Socket countersunk Flat Head Screws for assembling frame
Spray Adhesive - I used 3m 77, works well on foam and has a decent working time.
Foam Core Poster Board - Amazon link is for example, much cheaper options exist, the 36 inch by 48 inch board will yield two 2x2 panels and two 2x1 panels.
Double Sided Tape - Any double sided tape, i got mine from Daiso
Filament of your Choice - i used PLA, but PETG would probably last longer
Drywall Screws/Anchors - 1.25 to 1.5 inch screws the head of the screw must be 8 mm or ⅓ of an inch to sit flat. Note: the panels are very light this is what i used, but depending on your wall you may need something different.
After Printing, thoroughly clean supports from frame pieces
Use M3 screws to secure pieces to each other, tighten the screws until they pop out the back of the frame and no more.
Press spacers into the back of the corners of the frame. depending on your print setting this may require extra clean up. Note: i plan on improving this part of the design but it should work for now.
cut poster board into a 24inch by 24 inch square, or 24 by 12 depending on the size of your frame, then cut a 1x1 inch square from every corner (this is to leave room for mounting screw). Do a test fit to make sure it fits comfortably in the frame, trim if needed.
Apply two coats of spray adhesive to board (do this outside and wear a mask)
Place board in frame
Carefully align the foam panels from the inside corner to the outside, the glue should have a couple minutes of working time so make your adjustments and use the frame to make sure everything looks aligned
Remove the board from the frame, and apply double sided tape to all 4 sides of the frame as shown below
Use the frame to and a level to mark the mounting holes and secure the frame to the wall
Peel Double Sided Tape, and place foam panel into frame, applying pressure to ensure foam backing makes contact with tape.
Spacer Is optional, frame can be mounted directly on wall, you can also scale spacer on the z axis to make it longer or shorter.
I added a .25 inch buffer on all sides because the acoustic panels i used are not dimensionally accurate, varying slightly in height and width, keep that in mind when placing the panels.
This project is a work in progress, there are probably still some kinks that need to be worked out and I will update and notify accordingly.
I am not a sound engineer so i cant speak to the acoustic properties of or specific benefits of the frame. if you have any insight or improvements, leave a comment with your suggestions.
Amilcar Gamez
