Don't fall into the trap...
 

Just a note to share a recent experience which may save others from making the same mistake. I had a piece of speaker cloth saved from a scrap set which had been stored in the workshop for a number of years. I needed some for a home constructed set and cut it to the correct size. As it had one or two minor rucks in it I thought I would iron it on a cool setting, sandwiched between two sheets of kitchen roll. That worked and I was left with a nice smooth cloth. Unfortunately it had shrank a little and would no longer fit. Luckily I had just enough left to do the job, which I ironed first before cutting to size. I suspect the cloth had some kind of plastic weave mixed in but it wasn't obvious (to me anyway).
Alan.

Re: Don't fall into the trap...
 

We used to tighten the speaker cloth using a hairdryer on a low setting and it caused it to shrink just enough to give a smooth unwrinkled finish.

Re: Don't fall into the trap...
 

I was beginning to wonder if this was an intended property of the cloth, to give a nice taut finish after the cabinet was built. I don't often work with speaker cloth to be honest. I am happy to get the set working and don't usually pay much attention to cosmetic detail.
Alan.

Re: Don't fall into the trap...
 

When I built a speaker cabimet in the 60's with 2 WB Stentorian HF1012 speakers I used Tygan cloth and the recommended way was to gently heat shrink it taut.

John

Re: Don't fall into the trap...
 

Heatshrinking tygan - that must be the tip of the month! :D


PS Nothing's new!

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Re: Don't fall into the trap...
 

That's how we did it in the 1950's. Normally fixed Tygan with an office type of stapler (I actually had a proper staple gun) to a wooden baffle and gently heated with a hairdryer.

Re: Don't fall into the trap...
 

Yes I remember using a hairdryer to 'tauten' speaker-cloth after Evo-Stikking it to baffle-boards. You had to get the amount of heat just right or the cloth shrunk differently in different places giving a most-unpleasant appearance!

[In times-past I also often sandwiched a piece of metal mesh or chicken-wire between the baffle-board and the speaker-cloth to provide some protection to the speaker-cone - because roadies were never excatly careful where they put their feet!]

Re: Don't fall into the trap...
 

That takes me back! I made a speaker pair with HF1012s. I got the heating tip for Tygan from a Gilbert Briggs ( of Wharfedale ) article