Removing the aluminum dust cap on a Fostex FX120, can it be done effectively?

[jmillerdoc]

Hello,
I recently purchased a pair of FX120's and both of the dust caps arrived with defects in them as if they were punched in and then back out. One is rather bad, the other slight. I doubt it effects the sound but the one is unsightly and I can't live with it. I am wondering if these can be effectively removed and either replaced or left out and phase plugs added. I bet Dave from Planet 10 has some experience with this.

Jeff

[planet10]

I've not lost any of the aluminum dustcap drivers, so have not had to do surgery on one yet.

Get a fresh scalpel/craft knife blade and slice the cap into quarters thru the centre point. Then carefully start trimming the dustcap back. a set of needle nose pliers or hemostats might be useful to hold the free edge, but being magnetic you'd have to be extremely careful that they don't get sucked into the cone -- do hemostats come in stainless? A small set of scissors might also be useful.

the cone is quite shallow, and you'll have to be careful that in trying to pull off the dustcap you crease the cone. A number of radial cuts as close to the glue line as you can get should help prevent that.

dave