More on Grill Cloth fixing

[Radio Fixer]

Please have a look at : http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Radio-Gr...Swq7JT31ez

And read the fixing recommendations about only fixing the cloth by a 1" strip around the edge, "allowing it to stretch in the field".  He uses the same adhesive as me but I only use this for baffle boards not inside a cabinet.

I have done it both ways on baffles: just the perimeter, and tried his fixing method, and sprayed all over and both have worked.  For the latter I think getting an all over stretch first is key as if it sags in a grill cut out it wont be able to even out.

Obviously it does no harm to have the cloth slightly damp, as the text, but often it has little or no effect with modern materials.

Note how he does the strip completely, lays the cloth on the board face up, and then stretches it out by hand all the way around.  I'm sure I have tried this at one time but didn't like it as when you try to stretch it one side it moves on the other.  I prefer to lay it down on a flat surface face down, do the stretch as described in a previous post and then place the glued baffle (perimeter or all over) down on to it.

This was negative to me:   "making sure to leave enough in case you have to stretch an area again".  If you have to stretch an area again and the glue has pretty much dried there is little chance of getting it up again without distorting the weave !!

Gary

[Radio Fixer]

And how you don't want it to finish up: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Radio-Grill-Cloth-Pattern-11-Crosley-Mirror-Dials/300883321973?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3De1964bcf3fb843659b74c97f567fdce0%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D300719399017

I wouldn't have posted that !

Gary

[Yorkie]

He has quite a nice assortment of cloths at reasonable prices, but that particular cloth seems to have flaws in it (the plain sample that is - not just on the radio).

I'm always on the lookout in haberdashery shops, curtain, cushion and dressmaking material, but rarely see anything quite right for use as speaker fabric.  

That said, I know that people do sometimes strike lucky.

I've got a few pieces of various patterns I've collected over the years from NVCF etc (Sid Chaplin et al).

Apart from an Ecko A22, for which I found something suitable, I don't have any sets that are worthy of anything too exotic or faithful to the original - the fabric would probably be worth more than the set!

[Alan Douglas]

"making sure to leave enough in case you have to stretch an area again" I would read that as meaning before the glue sets (his next sentence).

As to the other seller, are those defects supposed to be there? And the first radio has about the worst refinish job I've ever seen.

[AlanBeckett]

And the first radio has about the worst refinish job I've ever seen.

Couldn't agree more

I've got a 39J/H done with what looks like Carpet, at least that's what SWMBO said.

Alan

[Radio Fixer]

When you think about it spreading the glue on 1" of the panel and laying the cloth on it and trying to stretch it into position is almost a recipe for getting glue on the cloth where you don't want it. It is the back, that's true, and I suppose unless you have applied an excess it shouldn't go through. But I have always done mine trying only to get glue on the cloth where it is in contact with the baffle.

[Terry]

It's a long time since I've fitted any Tygan or similar - if I'm allowed to mention this 'modern' plastic stuff in this thread!

However, I always stretched the cloth over the baffle and fastened it at the back, so there was no glue on the front.

A quick once over with a fan heater to contract the cloth - the 'plastic' equivalent to damp fabric - and job done.

[Radio Fixer]

I Have never used Tygan Terry but knew about the fan heater trick. Believe it works OK.

Gary

[Terry]

... Believe it works OK.

It works very well, Gary!

I've only used it on smallish items, comparable to what most folk here would do* but a friend used it to cover a cabinet similar in size to a VOX AC30 (2 x 12" speakers) whilst another used it on a massive cabinet - we used to call it 'The Shed'! - housing one 18" speaker on a very large baffle.

Both used the fan heater trick - both of them for the first time, I should point out - with perfect results.

The largest I've done is a speaker cabinet to a Goodmans design for a 10" speaker which, I think, measured 500 x 800mm

The cabinet shell was made from mahogany veneered contiplas which was cut to size by the local DIY shed but Goodmans insisted on a 19mm baffle and back.

There was no way I wanted an 8' x 4' sheet of the stuff, particularly as I was dependent on public transport at the time, but I found a small outlet who would cut to size.

As a precaution I converted the metric measurements to imperial (this was over 40 years ago!) and saw the look of relief on the guy's face when I offered him the choice.  Of course my list of measurements ended " ... by three-quarters."

"Oh, it'll have to be 19mm, I'm afraid - it's all decimal now!" 

At this point I burst into laughter ...