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ads L1230's - time for grill repair - 11.9.2021

@Spiceman50 I've got a few smaller things I'm selling off that could fund sending these in to get rebuilt as they are a little rough lookin and were questionable at first. I agree in it being rare seeing the right drivers on ebay for sale.

I'm still pondering on how I'll do the grills but may just recover them where there is one piece that has to be covered separately then attach. Most likely that top piece as you can see that sewn seam anyway. Anything I put on these for grill cloth will literally look better than what the stock material does...it's nasty. ha

Usually when I move the speakers, I either pick them up and move around or lay them on a side and push across the room. That reminds me that I have got to get those bases done and come up with an "outrigger" for them to keep them still.
 
avguytx said:
@Spiceman50 This Mellotone black grill cloth may be what I work with as it's about double the thickness of the usual grill cloth. You do lose some stretch but it's more a true black and I may just have to give it a try. They definitely can't look worse. ha.

https://www.parts-express.com/Mellotone-Premium-Black-Speaker-Grill-Cloth-Yard-64-Wide-260-332
Click to expand...

I'm thinking, that looks pretty close to what I got. In the photo labeled Side by Side, the Mellotone is on the bottom. Pic is somewhat deceiving, but remember your looking at it on a macro level. and it looks quite a bit thicker then the ADS. Also, although the manufacture did state, that the fabric was not stretch, it does stretch a little. Just enough you can pull it, to pull any wrinkles out. I had to make sure I didn't pull it tight enough so as the corners would eventually poke though the fabric over time.

Not planning in time, I didn't get cloth glue specific for the job, however, I am and was familiar with a product called "Liquid Stitch" Worked like a charm for me. It's tacky enough that will partially quick and allow me time to put a board on the seam, then clamp for 12 hours. I knew it would work so wasn't worried about using it. Placed a bead on the board, used my finger to smooth down the line, then pulled the fabric over the end. Held it there for just a minute or so, then clamped a board over the fabric for as I said above 12 hours. It was fully dry after a couple hours, but I didn't rush it, and worked on it the next day.

At one point I had to redo a corner, and it was darn tough pulling that fabric off that grill.

side by side.jpg 20171210_151520.jpg
 
Got to check out this stuff too. Also have a large catalog to try to match the grain of the fabric. The stuff you have is close but I am sure the exact match is out there. Good luck with the project. Spicemans cabinet work is furniture grade. I love watching restorations of ADS speakers.


https://www.guilfordofmaine.com/acoustic


Many styles to choose from. This one looks close to me. You can order samples first.

https://www.guilfordofmaine.com/swatches/2403-513

This one as well is similar.

https://www.guilfordofmaine.com/swatches/9834-2644
 
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Thank you plugto!

And thank you for this link https://www.guilfordofmaine.com/swatches/9834-2644

I just requested a sample. This looks pretty close to be honest. When I was searching for exact match, I got just a little over a dozen samples from vendors, and nothing exact. I finally gave Richard a call and asked him if he had any idea for a source for exact fabric, just in case he had something written down, and he sent me the link from Ebay to the fabric that I chose.

Obviously, the weave doesn't match, but what I found out was that black is not always black and if you at least get close to the tightness of the fabric the next biggest obstacle is getting a true black that matched the ADS fabric.
 
Ok, almost 5 months later and I'm back at it. I got a wild hair on Sunday to work on the grills, which are awful. There are holes in the cloth, snags, and what looks like animal urine on them so definitely not remotely interested in retaining those. I donned a pair of gloves and grabbed a pair of pliers and a narrow width scraper "just in case" as that old glue was holding pretty good. The cloth came off quite well and I'll be able to take it and use for a pattern for the new cloth and will make the new larger to be on the safe side. My wife will be able to sew those top corners like the originals are.

Fortunately, the frames are in quite good shape except for one where the top of one attached to the side piece which had turned rather "powdery". Any problematic areas got some wood glue and clamps to re-attach and that worked out fine. Just down to some sanding to smooth them out and spray down with flat black paint. Maybe this weekend, there'll be time to get them covered and back on. I prefer the grills to be on them rather than not, personally. I'm trying to decide what to use for glue as I'm just not confident that 3M Super 77 will be strong enough. Years ago, back in my car audio days, there was a higher strength 3M spray glue we got at an upholstery shop in north Tulsa that I need to research and see if it's still made. That stuff was strong. We ultimately "advanced" and had an elaborate "landau top spray glue" that we bought in bulk and sprayed through a real spray gun. You could glue a person to the wall with that stuff.

I've also got to recover the grills for my Klipsch CF-3's but that's another story.

This is how crappy the grills look. Notice the nastiness on the bottom which worse case scenario was dog urine...yuck. But, fortunately, they don't smell at all and is amazing in itself. Maybe it was just outside water. Yeah...that's it. :-/

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I think it looks like body fluid from a rotting corpse LOL. Give em hell and get it done. I have a pair in my cellar but they are buried under several cartons. I wish I could easily get at them to see the inside. There is only one minor top corner that is frayed. Can't you use staples? I did a pair of Large Advents with staples like they originally were done, and I reinforced the corners with hotmelt from an electric glue gun. Also just reupholstered two chair pads using just staples. The type of staples that you apply the moisture barrier plastic over insulation into studs.The underside of the chair seats are ugly but the top is tight and solid.

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Fugly rips and dings.

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Went wacky with the staples but overkill is better than weak.

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Reinforced corners with the hotmelt glue sticks.

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Much less fugly!!

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Now this is a vinyl fake leather like material. Way way way too much staples but it is a lifetime warranty LOL never come apart.

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Top does look nice, and the bottom like the inside of your L1230 grills are hidden from view. Just wanted to give you some ideas. I never did this before I am a newby but where there is a will there is a way. I am sure you will be successful so give it hell and please share the pics as you go. Good luck!!
I have to dig my pair out of the cellar because I am giving them away to my daughters god son. He helped me hang a 56" plasma on the wall in her house. Poor kid has been waiting 2 months now. I will remove the grills and look on the inside and see if there is any ideas I can pass along to you. I have gotten so much help on theses forums from so many other guys. We all help each other out.

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Can barely see them but they are facing the wall to protect the domes that got rebuilt by Rich. Can't stand to see them not being used. I have heard many many models of ADS speakers and this model in my opinion has the best imaging. No idea why but that's what I hear from them.
 
Oh, I'm not really worried about recovering them. I've covered hundreds of grills from 1985 till now from my years in home and car audio in a previous career. I've built more complicated things than these grills by far. I could replicate them if I had to.

Can't use staples on these as it would scratch the cabinets. The only staples used are two very small staples in the top corners; one on each side.
 
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