[surfMOMster]

....teaser pics....

 

[alfundo]

nice! great style surfmom!

 

[surfMOMster]

I was unhappy with the output from the tiny trunk light in the xB. I thought swapping the bulb for an LED would improve the brightness but it didn't really add much.
Next step was to try an Oznium 6-LED module and place it on the opposite side of the cargo area so I could have two light sources.

It threw more light but it looked kinda plain and random.

I decided I was gonna cover the area with a screen to diffuse the light and make it look nice. But I needed a way to hold the screen onto the plastic panel.

A fiberglass enclosure seemed like the best way to mount the screen. Using the same steps as people do to make custom subwoofers, I made the housing out of resin and fiberglass cloth.

Fabbed up a shoji screen from bamboo and wood and decorated the paper with sakura that I inked in by hand.

The screen is affixed with thin strips of velcro that hold on and grasp the felt wrapping on the edges of the enclosure.

The cherry blossoms on the screen tie in with the fabric trim that's decorating my interior.

 

[xbinrochester]

It looks great!

 

[C96]

Wow Lady! You make it look so easy any talented genius could do it. Great work on many levels. I particularly like the cherry blossom artwork. Just to have something like that backlit would be a great addition, even if it server no other purpose.

Thanks for sharing the idea.

Allan

 

[Hellen4Wheels]

Another great job. You are truly talented with a tremendous imagination. Now, I have one more thing to be jealous about in your car.

 

[evilcalvin]

you did the fiberglass too?
Impressed I am, clean work too, I should know.

 

[Parkers09xB]

Amazing.

surfMOMster you are so creative! I love that all of your work is 100% original and done by you!

 

[quackPOT]

Pretty slick. Does it really add usable light to the rear hatch area? Or is it more of an aesthetic/ambient light output? Where'd you tap the power source? Switched or does it behave like like the stocker, triggering on the hatch opening? Very nice work, thanks for sharing!

 

[evilcalvin]

even my wifee likes it. that is where my sub is going

 

[surfMOMster]

Pretty slick. Does it really add usable light to the rear hatch area? Or is it more of an aesthetic/ambient light output? Where'd you tap the power source? Switched or does it behave like like the stocker, triggering on the hatch opening? Very nice work, thanks for sharing!

Many thanks for the all of the compliments!

Yeah it actually does add usable light to the cargo area. I lined the inside with aluminum foil in order to maximize brightness. I'll try and get a decent photo of it.
I always have the option of going with a higher output light (like the 1W flood) because I used male/female disconnects when I hooked up the LED. It'll be a quick five minute install if I decide to upgrade with even more light.

The power is tapped from the OEM hatch light and it's wired to a white LED switch. It's a stand alone switch not triggered by the door. Wires are routed under the floor boxes and under the deck trim cover.
Once again - thanks to bobLamb for his accessory DIY.

Here's two more views of the fiberglass enclosure. I removed the panel from the car in order to construct it knowing how difficult it is to fix mistakes once you've spilled resin or applied it incorrectly (Lots of knowledge from working on surfboards.). Those few traces of blue painters tape were seriously stubborn and refused to come off. The outside edging of the enclosure is wrapped in felt. It's meant to match the material on the back of the rear seats and also to provide a soft yet snug application into the cubby. Velcro holds the structure in place and keeps it from sliding out of the panel.

Yup, all done by myself. 100% original.
It was a really rewarding experience and it's inspired a few new ideas for my interior.

 

[voodoo8.0]

impressive!!