I brok several big vintage woofers after trying to clean they cone / front membrane.
they really needed some clean, with some wet tissue.
unfortunately after the membrane goes wet it tore down immidiatly
this is the speakers,
the black membrane deastroyed from the base after the cleaning
how to clean vintage membreene from thin paper ?
thanks.
they really needed some clean, with some wet tissue.
unfortunately after the membrane goes wet it tore down immidiatly
this is the speakers,
the black membrane deastroyed from the base after the cleaning
how to clean vintage membreene from thin paper ?
thanks.
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Paper is water-soluble(polar bonds), so use a water-free solvent(covalent bonds).
But many glues are solvent-based, be careful around joints.
I'd start first with compressed air, aided by a soft toothbrush.
Then a solvent like acetone, naphta, xylene(outside! face upwind) with a small art paint brush.
One thing this will do is redistribute lignin and dyes, it will appear much darker when wet, in-between when dried.
It's worked fine on many old ARs like yours, but once the cone warps from water it's toast.
Good luck, Mr. Phelps, and of course if you are etc etc ............
p.s. if you remove loose dust, cleaning has no functional effect, it just makes us feel better
But many glues are solvent-based, be careful around joints.
I'd start first with compressed air, aided by a soft toothbrush.
Then a solvent like acetone, naphta, xylene(outside! face upwind) with a small art paint brush.
One thing this will do is redistribute lignin and dyes, it will appear much darker when wet, in-between when dried.
It's worked fine on many old ARs like yours, but once the cone warps from water it's toast.
Good luck, Mr. Phelps, and of course if you are etc etc ............
p.s. if you remove loose dust, cleaning has no functional effect, it just makes us feel better
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I use low adhesion painters masking tape, like the blue or green type. Just lightly dab the sticky side on the cone surface and keep repeating until you get the results you want. Just dont press down too hard so it doesn't take any paper fibers with it. This is also a good method for cleaning sticky, dusty tweeter and mid domes.
I ha e a set of older mb quarts car speakers
They where very highend in the day, but the woofers are dirty. Very dirty, so I’m watching this post closely for any good answers
They where very highend in the day, but the woofers are dirty. Very dirty, so I’m watching this post closely for any good answers
What profiguy says, painters tape and a gentle touch. Try pressing the tape onto a t-shirt first to reduce the stickiness. Works on yamaha beryllium....
^ fine arts natural squirrel brush is what I use (I'd go with a #12 size at the minimum and up from there depending on finances) - Blick Master Natural Brush - Round, Size 18| Utrecht Art Supplies
Silly putty aka Dow Corning 3179 silicone dilatant compound. It picks up dust, grime, oils and does not leave residue on paper.
The blue painters tape works very well. Its one of the only ways I know of to reliably clean coated cloth surrounds and sticky coated mid/tweeter domes. Many of the older paper cones have textured or fuzzy surfaces, which really hold onto dust and dirt. A thorough vacuuming with a small soft brush attachment can really help keep the dirt from being worked further into the cone surface.
I'd recommend extreme caution using compressed air on speaker cones, specifically very old and weathered paper cones. If you aren't careful, you run the risk of pushing the dirt further into the pores of the cone surface and even deforming the cone itself if its a thinner cone or weakened by moisture/age. You also risk delaminating the surround or dust cap and weakening the glue joints. Vacuuming with a soft brush is always the preferred method, as it pulls the dirt away rather than pushing it as with compressed air.
I'd recommend extreme caution using compressed air on speaker cones, specifically very old and weathered paper cones. If you aren't careful, you run the risk of pushing the dirt further into the pores of the cone surface and even deforming the cone itself if its a thinner cone or weakened by moisture/age. You also risk delaminating the surround or dust cap and weakening the glue joints. Vacuuming with a soft brush is always the preferred method, as it pulls the dirt away rather than pushing it as with compressed air.
Watchmakers use Rodico putty (looks like grey silly putty). The stuff picks up dust and grime and leaves no residue. However, if the paper cone is fibrous and feels like woven cloth - with a loose fibers, the putty will get stuck in the fibers.
That's how I do it unless it's an older ADS treated fabric soft dome. You know the ones from the 80's that had the square aluminum face plate. They sounded great but what ever they used to treat those domes with was like tar and everything stuck to them. You could pick the larger lint ball or stray hair off the cone with some tweezers but the dust was pretty much there to stay.
Those AR's look like they need to be re-coned not a dusting off. They look like they had a rough life as the sound system at a frat house.
I'll second jackolope those speakers look very well ab/used and in need of a reconing, etc.
Once the MMS is doubled due to grime, its truely time😉
If it is paper cones, anything liquid is to avoided, usually periodic vaccuming with curtain brush attachment is good. Painterstape works to some extent.
Smoke and other grime usually means reconing. Almost anything that will remove grime will damage the cone.
Cheers
Once the MMS is doubled due to grime, its truely time😉
If it is paper cones, anything liquid is to avoided, usually periodic vaccuming with curtain brush attachment is good. Painterstape works to some extent.
Smoke and other grime usually means reconing. Almost anything that will remove grime will damage the cone.
Cheers
I don't see any damage to the cone, I see a disintegrated foam surround which you expect at this age. You can replace those after you clean the cones.
Does anyone know of a company that can recone some old mb quart speakers speakers from the mid 90’s ?
Here’s a stock photo of them
The mid cones are pretty dirty and I don’t believe that will hold up to being used if I install them in my wife’s mustang
Here’s a stock photo of them
The mid cones are pretty dirty and I don’t believe that will hold up to being used if I install them in my wife’s mustang