restore ADS L1230 speakers and need help

[atchicago]

I was gifted a pair of L1230. So excited!

The cabinets are not in good shape. also screen fabric needs to be replaced.

I plan to work on the cabinets first. Pretty much the bottom needs rebuilt. (see pics)

I do not have woodworking experience.

I am wondering if someone here has a copy of the blueprint of the cabinet?

also, I'd appreciate any advices on how to replace the fabrics of the screens. like where to acquire the fabrics, and how to put the fabrics on?

Thank you so much!

 

[homebrew]

As the old saying goes, there's more than one way to skin a cat. I use 3M #77 spray adhesive as a fixative. Here's another way:

https://www.humanspeakers.com/howto/grill.htm

It may be pretty difficult to find actual ADS enclosure plans. If you remove the woofer it will allow you to see the interior and get a good idea how they are built. But without woodworking experience (and I'm assuming you do not have the appropriate tools) you might check with a local cabinet shop to see if they'd be willing to help. Complete replacement of the bottom of the cabinet may not be necessary.

 

[avguytx]

There is no such thing as a "blueprint of the cabinet". Also, did you also post stuff on the ads Facebook page? You'll get about equal information from both sides so you may not hear much new. If you don't have wood working experience, my recommendation would be to find someone that does. Maybe you should search for a cabinet shop that can help with the wood working.

The fabric will be a nightmare to replace unless you have ever done it in the past. It's not very straight forward like a standard flat grill where you roll and stretch material to the backside. These have a sewn spot on the top corner and it really requires taking off the original material, laying it on new material, and cutting out the new piece. Then, you need someone who can sew that corner. Fortunately for me, I spent 25+ years in car and home audio installation and can recover grills....and I have wood working experience, tools, etc.

Not the best speakers to cut your teeth on for sure. Great speakers but if you don't have any knowledge on how to do any of this stuff, it might be best to sell these and get something that's "plug and play" and requires no rebuild, as it seems these do. Also....post some better pictures.

 

[Spiceman50]

Welcome to AK.

Review your Facebook post, I have responded to your post. Congrats on having been gifted a very fine speaker system. Again, it's difficult to tell and understand the damage to your speakers with the pictures you've provided here and at Facebook. Also, I don't recall you mentioning any damage to the grill cloth which will be another topic, suggesting you deal with the cabinet damage first, then the grill cloth later. Post a pic of the grills so we can see that.

As I stated in your FB post, do not remove the Risers (which I believe is the damage depicted in your photo?) Those risers play an important roll in protecting the bottom trim work.

Garry~

 

[Dswankey]

I was gifted a pair of L1230...I am wondering if someone here has a copy of the blueprint of the cabinet?

No blueprint but a plethora of really good info directly from ADS

http://sportsbil.com/ads/l-1230-ownersmanual.pdf

 

[jdurbin1]

I do have ADS blueprints, but I don't think any for that particular cabinet.

John

 

[atchicago]

it looks like the front and sides are screwed on.

I still need to figure out how to disassemble the back one, which was in the worst shape.

any ideas?

 

[doctorolds]

Since the particle board/MDF has swollen so much the screws are possibly just hidden. Take a wide flat tip screwdriver or chisel and dig through the damaged wood at approximately the same location as they are on the other side. You can't hurt anything really since replacement has to be performed anyway. I would use a black Sharpie and trace around them on the bottom of the cabinet to use as a reference, but it is likely not be exact due to the damage possibly?

 

[allsmith]

If it was me i would make new riser boards and the rest if swollen and crumbly i would grind the loose stuff away and use auto body bondo to fill and smooth out the missing material..but im a body man and have all the sanders and tools..you could use a epoxy wood filler but bondo would be cheaper and probably easier to sand..you would have to re veneer after all the bodywork is done

 

[allsmith]

yes you need to show us better pictures..here is a pic i found online of the bottoms..is it only the riser boards on yours that are bad?

 

[GD70]

I agree with the direction you’ve been given.
The risers would be very simple for a wood worker to make. You can easily measure each piece, basically make your own “blueprint” of the risers and have them cut. Make sure the joint angles are accurate. I suggest using a hard wood like maple or oak, and paint black like the originals if that’s what your after, or stain to match the original finish. Wood is much stronger than MDF.
The pic you posted looks like the bottom panel of the cabinet that has moisture damage. I’d sand that flush, and soak with ZPoxy finishing resin. One, it will soak into the particle board and make it stronger than original, and two, it’s very easy to sand. I personally don’t like Bondo on any type of wood product because it expands and contracts with humidity, the Bondo will eventually separate. If you plan to veneer over it, that’s a different situation and would be fine. The ZPoxy becomes part of the board. I’ve done this dozens of of repairs this way.