Author Topic: Grill Cloth Replacement - 412s Cabinets  (Read 5984 times)

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Offline wildbill96

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Grill Cloth Replacement - 412s Cabinets
« on: March 30, 2010, 06:32:17 am »
Before I tear into this project can someone out there give me any useful tips that they learned when they replaced the grill fabric on their vintage Sunn cabinets?  Staples versus glue?  Best methods to stretch the fabric?  Any guidance you can provide will be greatly appreciated.  Thanks...
'72 Coliseum 880
'72 412s x 2
'79 Concert Monitors x 2
'73 Studio Lead

Offline EdBass

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Re: Grill Cloth Replacement - 412s Cabinets
« Reply #1 on: March 30, 2010, 07:42:55 am »
I've only done a couple, and I used an electric staple gun. I laid the grillcloth on a carpet and put the frame on top, then used those big binder clips that you use for thick stacks of paper to clamp the grill cloth to it.
It's fairly easy to adjust the grill cloth using the clips, when I get it straight and taut, I staple the heck out of it.

I've never managed to get one "factory perfect", but usually no one but myself knows where the flaws are.

Offline wildbill96

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Re: Grill Cloth Replacement - 412s Cabinets
« Reply #2 on: March 31, 2010, 11:59:14 am »
Thanks for the tips.  The fellow at Mellotone mentioned to me that you can use a hairdryer to help tighten the fabric after you have stretched it all you can manually.  He said that there's a 2 to 3% shrinkage designed into it.  I think I'll follow your procedure and then do the hairdryer trick on it for good measure.
'72 Coliseum 880
'72 412s x 2
'79 Concert Monitors x 2
'73 Studio Lead

Offline HRobert

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Re: Grill Cloth Replacement - 412s Cabinets
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2010, 12:39:35 pm »
Bill,

Are you attaching the cloth to a removable frame, or are you attaching it to the speaker baffle?

Rob

Offline wildbill96

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Re: Grill Cloth Replacement - 412s Cabinets
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2010, 02:54:27 pm »
My cabinets both have removable frames that the grill cloth is attached to.  Does that make a difference in the the approach that I should take when I recover them?
'72 Coliseum 880
'72 412s x 2
'79 Concert Monitors x 2
'73 Studio Lead

Offline EdBass

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Re: Grill Cloth Replacement - 412s Cabinets
« Reply #5 on: March 31, 2010, 08:53:33 pm »
Thanks for the tips.  The fellow at Mellotone mentioned to me that you can use a hairdryer to help tighten the fabric after you have stretched it all you can manually.  He said that there's a 2 to 3% shrinkage designed into it.  I think I'll follow your procedure and then do the hairdryer trick on it for good measure.

I didn't know the hairdryer tip. That may well make the difference in getting the factory perfect look!

Offline broiler

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Re: Grill Cloth Replacement - 412s Cabinets
« Reply #6 on: April 23, 2010, 07:50:36 am »
Careful with the hairdryer! I tried that, and wrecked what was almost a perfect regrill job! The redo wasn't as nice after my "meltdown". Hope you have better results.