refoaming a woofer

[lhorton]

how easy is this and does it really work?

 

[jliedeka]

I was thinking about doing that myself. I have an old set of Bolivar 125s that need new surrounds. I think the kit costs around 12-15 dollars per speaker. That seems like it's worth a shot. It would be cheaper than a new woofer if it works.

Jim

 

[sparky77]

http://www.newfoam.com/

Check out this site, they have great kits that work well, and can customize the foam surround to fit the particular speaker if you previde accurate measurements.

 

[DD66000]

Its quite easy, as long as you have a steady hand and in a room with very good light.
Just last week I refoamed a pair of LE14A woofers, did it on the kitchen island counter, directly below a skylight.
After cutting off the old surrounds and gasket, if there is one, its just a matter of applying glue to the cone's edge (usually the back) and fitting the new surround to the cone and pressing the two together with your fingers.

Then you let it dry for 24 hours.

Then the next day you apply glue to the frame, lifting up the edge of the surround, as you work your way around, and press it into place. If there is a gasket, or ring, then you glue it on top of the edge of the surround and frame.
Again, let it dry for 24 hours.

 

[lhorton]

thanks

thanks dd66000.
I ordered a kit and will attempt this. I really hopt it works as the cerwin vegas i have had for 10 years are too good to get rid of. but if it doesnt work..i found a store that will redo the whole woofer for 60 apiece

 

[TLS Guy]

how easy is this and does it really work?

You need: -

A new foam surround.

A new dust cap.

Shims for the voice coil gap.

A new felt gasket for the front of the speaker if it has one.

Razor blades.

Acetone.

Rag to apply the acetone.

Loudspeaker adhesive for the foam and dust cap.

Carefully get the foam off the chassis and cone edge with the razor blade. Apply acetone liberally and get off all the old glue.

Carefully cut out the dust cap.

Put the shims all the way round the voice coil cap between the voice coil and the pole piece.

Apply the adhesive to the chassis and cone edge. Allow a few minutes for it to get sticky. Get the cone in the neutral position. Carefully apply the new surround, and keep it applied until the glue is set enough that the surround does not pull away.

Let the glue cure.

Pull out the shims and glue on the new dust cap.

Apply the felt gasket if the speaker has one.

Your done! Enjoy your repaired speaker.

 

[lhorton]

refoaming

thanks. the kit i ordered doesnt come with acetone so i will just pick some up

 

[DD66000]

thanks. the kit i ordered doesnt come with acetone so i will just pick some up

Its more important to get all the old surround material off the cone and frame than the glue. The new glue will stick just fine to the old. Usually, there will be very little, if any, old glue left anyway, after you've cut away the surround, and completely scraped it down.
I didn't use any acetone and my LE14As finished out great and sound great.

 

[BC Dave]

I hate foam, except while shaving

I realize that modern foam surrounds are much superior today to what they were in the past, but I would take a butyl rubber surround hands down over any foam surround. Foam surrounds just scream "planned obsolescence" to me. I've seen 30-year-old rubber surrounds that look like new. So, if one were to replace a foam surround with the proper size rubber one, would there be a sonic penalty? Has anyone done this with success?

 

[Rickster71]

I realize that modern foam surrounds are much superior today to what they were in the past, but I would take a butyl rubber surround hands down over any foam surround. Foam surrounds just scream "planned obsolescence" to me. I've seen 30-year-old rubber surrounds that look like new. So, if one were to replace a foam surround with the proper size rubber one, would there be a sonic penalty? Has anyone done this with success?

While all that is true about rubber surrounds and quality.
Using rubber on a driver that originally had a foam surround, would change the characteristics / sound of the driver too much. Possibly not for the better.
The speaker was engineered with a foam driver; so stick with foam.

 

[DD66000]

I realize that modern foam surrounds are much superior today to what they were in the past, but I would take a butyl rubber surround hands down over any foam surround. Foam surrounds just scream "planned obsolescence" to me. I've seen 30-year-old rubber surrounds that look like new. So, if one were to replace a foam surround with the proper size rubber one, would there be a sonic penalty? Has anyone done this with success?

I've got subs that have rubber surrounds, as that's how they were designed.
All my other speakers have foam.
My old L55s had lansaloy surrounds, which I just replaced. JBL decided in the late '70's that the lansaloy wasn't the best way to go, and changed to foam.

But how much of a change of compliance there would be, going from foam to rubber, could only be decided with test equipment. Plus how the rubber was mounted.
The old Lansaloy was mounted on the front of the cones, but all replacement foam surrounds are mounted on the back of the cones of the exact same speakers.