Baffle 'Em With Flat Black

 I managed to put a frame on the front of the speaker baffle.  This gives the speaker cloth something to stretch against and keeps it away from the front of the board.

I used screen bead trim for this.

Then I painted it flat black, which will help hide any imperfections once the grill cloth has been installed. And, besides... all the cool kids are doin' it!

Big whoop, right?

I think I've found the grill cloth I'm going to order; I'll pull the trigger with the next paycheck.

Then I suppose I'll have to by some staples.  It's always something!

Speaker Cloth Pt. 2

 I am still trying to find the speaker cloth for the cabinet.

Original:

Here's some Gold Lurex grill cloth that's a possibility:

Too gold? Too shiny?

Or maybe some "Fender Wheat" material?

Closer? Not as gold-y and shiny.

Linen grill cloth on Amazon:

No shiny threads, but nice.

I wonder if it would be possible to buy (or make) a reproduction badge?

The $$$ invested is piling up...

Baffled by the Baffle Board

 Well, I got all excited about cutting out the six 5-1/2" holes for my speakers with my jigsaw and ended up royally screwing the pooch. I tried making a compass device for my saw that had a 2-3/4" radius so I could make a perfect circle.

Except I ended up snapping the blade off in the jigsaw and creating half a spiral on the board.

My buddy, Bill, came up with a router table so we could anchor the board at the circle's center-point and then rotate it around the cutting tool. A garbage-picked Black and Decker work table was adapted for this purpose:

We took a couple of trial runs on the baffle I had ruined and then went for it on the new board.

The result?

Not bad!

Next, I will add the trim to keep the as yet un-purchased speaker cloth off the front of the board and then paint everything flat black.

Baby steps, people.

Baby steps.

Now, About That Speaker Cloth..?

 Seems like it should be easy enough to match something like this:

I'd better get busy!

Maybe some burlap?

How about Vintage Poly Burlap Metallic Ivory/Gold?

(Enlarged to show metallic detail)

Maybe some actual speaker cloth?

Perhaps Vinyl Mesh material?

Seville Grey Will Save The Day

 OK, after scouring the internet, I stopped in at the local JoAnn Fabrics store. The funny thing is, I went there to get some suitable speaker cloth, but instead, found this! 

It rung up as their "Seville Grey" vinyl covering.

A few clicks of the heels on my ruby slippers and I finally learned "there's no place like home!"

Of course there was a 40% off coupon that I could have downloaded on my smart phone... if I, indeed, had a smart phone. Which I don't.

But who cares? No shipping charges or back-order shenanigans. 

I finally have my amp covering!

Bye-Bye, Tuna!

 I think I finally found the covering for my project!

I give you "Covington Dundee Carbon!"

Is my quest at an end, or is there one more boss battle ahead?

I think I finally found the covering for my project!

EDIT: Oh, noes! This isn't the vinyl I need. It's fabric for reupholstering couch cushions!

The same company offers something called Phifertex® Wicker Weaves Vinyl Mesh Free Spirit Denim Fabric. It's described as:

Phifertex® Plus Vinyl Mesh Metallica Smoke is a versatile designer sling fabric with unparalleled dimensional stability. The metallic weave combines yarns in a variety of tones, giving the material depth and a high-style design. Woven from 100% vinyl-coated polyester, this fabric is perfectly engineered for applications that demand extra strength. Designed to withstand the elements, Phifertex Plus will stay flexible in all climates and features Microban® antimicrobial protection.

Maybe this would be a better material..?

The search continues...

Fantasy Project? Part 4

 This might just be the speaker box covering I end up with.

I give you: Blackened Tuna Tolex from Mojotone!

Not exactly like the original, but close-ish.

The original.

Fantasy Project? Part 3

Here are some pics of the box for the cabinet, now that it's out of the clamps.

Pro tip! Use wooden hardware store yardsticks for your trim work.

Fantasy Project? Part 2

 I spent a few hours with my pal, Bill, cutting up some plywood he donated to the effort.

He managed to make the basic box, using corner clamps, drywall screws and corner clamps.

Don't have a photo of it just yet

We also cut the baffle board, onto which the six speakers swill be mounted. The six 5-1/2" holes need to cut, but this will be the layout:

Vintage 1964 Oaktron 6" speakers

The DC resistance of the coils are 6 ohms each. With three wired in series and each series set wired in parallel I should end up with a 9 ohm load, which should be close enough to the traditional 8 ohms speaker cabinet most amps require.

(Of course by "we" I mean my friend, Bill.)

Fantasy Project?

 Back in the summer of 1975, I improbably got a steady baby-sitting gig. This was the only time anyone ever hired me to do anything as a teenager. 

Flush with cash, I bought a used Silvertone 1485 guitar amp through the Swap Sheet for $75:

Here's a Sears catalog description:

That's right, baby! Six, count 'em six, 10" Jensen speakers and 120 watts of tube-driven power! I was in hog-heaven. And dig that cool trolley with the industrial casters.

This amp saw service in my garage bands as well as my brother's punk band, The Factor.

I sold it off in 1998 when I moved to North Carolina. I think it was on the cusp of needing to be re-capped, but, hey! I sold it for $200, so who's laughing now?  Let's see what they're selling for in 2021...

Conclusion? I am a genius!

I'm not crying... shut up!!!

SO, what is this fantasy project?  Read below the fold, people.

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