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Cabinet and Chassis Restoration and Refinishing For help with cabinet or chassis restoration (non-electrical), please leave a message here. |
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28th Nov 2018, 6:40 pm | #1 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Malvern, Worcestershire, UK.
Posts: 34
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Decca TP22 speaker grille
Hi,
I have a Decca TP22 which is now working well. Cosmetically there one or two things that need sorting out. These mainly involve cleaning and polishing but I'm not sure what to do about the speaker grille. It is buckled at one end and is bowed so that it protrudes well forward of the brass trim around the speaker baffle. What shape should it be, flat or slightly bowed? I hope the pictures are sufficient to illustrate the problem. Any help with this would be much appreciated. Steve. |
28th Nov 2018, 6:57 pm | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Yorkshire, UK.
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Re: Decca TP22 speaker grille
Hi steve, This is how mine looks, a picture speaks a thousand words. I know the two outside knobs should be Roberts type. Looks like not a lot wrong with yours, just the end near the Decca badge needs some work.
John. |
28th Nov 2018, 7:13 pm | #3 |
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Malvern, Worcestershire, UK.
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Re: Decca TP22 speaker grille
Ah, thanks for that John, those pictures give me a good idea of what to aim for when straightening it out. Thanks for your quick reply. Have you any suggestions regarding how to straighten it? Maybe dampening it or very gentle heat?
Steve. |
28th Nov 2018, 7:32 pm | #4 |
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Re: Decca TP22 speaker grille
Possibly damp the warped flat part and clamp flat overnight. There should be a baffle board held in with 4 screws, this will clamp it in place once you have it nearly flat.
John. |
29th Nov 2018, 12:49 am | #5 |
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Malvern, Worcestershire, UK.
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Re: Decca TP22 speaker grille
Thanks for the advice John. Sorry about the delay in responding, I've been out this evening. Yes, there is a baffle board which, as you say, should hold it in place once I've got it back to a reasonable shape! The grille is quite dirty in places so will need cleaning anyway. Bit late to start playing with it now, I'll look at it in the morning.
Steve. |
30th Nov 2018, 1:15 pm | #6 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Malvern, Worcestershire, UK.
Posts: 34
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Re: Decca TP22 speaker grille
Hi John,
Just a quick update. I followed your advice and the grille is now a much more reasonable shape and fits nicely into the cabinet. As you say it should be held firmly once the baffle board is in place. Thanks for your help with this. Regards, Steve. |
30th Nov 2018, 4:08 pm | #7 |
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Location: Middlewich, Cheshire, UK. & Winter in the Philippines.
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Re: Decca TP22 speaker grille
They are made from some sort of fibre. I bleach them clean and then starch them to stiffen ino the correct shape. They were cream originally. If very stained, dilute emulsion paint works well and stiffens them as well.
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30th Nov 2018, 4:38 pm | #8 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 3,987
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Re: Decca TP22 speaker grille
I had not realised grilles were originally cream. My set was filthy on arrival and I mean FILTHY brown and black all over possibly been all its life in a service garage or an Iron foundry. Once clean the nearest paint to what I thought remained seemed to be Bronze, so I sprayed with car paint aerosol.
John. |
30th Nov 2018, 9:46 pm | #9 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2003
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Re: Decca TP22 speaker grille
I wonder if the finish was changed in the course of production, or alternatively the portable and table versions of the set received different treatment. The TP22 here definitely has a bronze-painted grille, with some oxidation (verdigris): my TT33 on the other hand is distinctly cream.
Paul |
30th Nov 2018, 11:22 pm | #10 |
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Middlewich, Cheshire, UK. & Winter in the Philippines.
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Re: Decca TP22 speaker grille
I suspect that the TP22 may have been a metallic creamy colour, close to a bronze, originally. I have both TP22 &TP33 but its hard to tell the difference.
Its a most odd material, akin to the woven paper used in the Goblin Time Spot. If so the acid in the paper will have changed the colour over time. |