Vifa TP16WJ 6-1/2" Woofer (PE Buyout)

[critofur]

The Vifa TP16WJ-06-08 6-1/2" Woofer is a "buyout special" on sale (retail) at $24 ea. at parts express:

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=299-277

I've got some on the way and I haven't seen any measurements, so, I wanted to start an "official thread" for this driver, here it is. More to come after I get mine.

[critofur]

Didn't get to measure them yet but here's what I've observed so far:

They are Made in Denmark and were manufactured in 2003.

The dustcap is a fairly stiff coated cloth dustcap. (coated with something like black paint?)

On the first one I inspected the surround is not properly glued to the cone on a section of about 2 inches of the circumference, on the next couple I checked it seems to be properly attached, however.

[dave_gerecke]

Hello critofur, from looking at the pics and reading the description, it appears they use the same materials for the surround and the cone as they do on the P21WO 8" woofers that were made for years. This particular combination has a tendency to separate at the joint between the surround and the cone. I'm pretty sure that this happens because there aren't a lot of adhesives that really work with Polypropylene. I have actually been investigating this problem because I possess 4 P21WO's that need this fixed. I have to contact 3M and find out if the adhesive they make for polypropylene is compatible with rubber.

Peace,

Dave

P.S. Thanks for reminding me, I had forgotten to contact 3M!

[critofur]

Parts Express sells a glue for attaching surrounds, since so many cones are made of polyproplyene, I would think it should say "does not work on polyproplylene" if it didn't?

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=340-076

"Specially formulated for gluing surrounds to driver baskets and all types of cone materials."

When I worked at a speaker company we used a two step process to glue PP cone assemblies. First, we treated the cones with a secret substance, then CA glues would stick securely. I don't know what company, or what substance was in that brown bottle.

[dave_gerecke]

Hey critofur, Thanks for the link at Parts Express. I can't say that I had looked for something like that on their website.
I do know that the research I did seemed to indicate that polypropylene is pretty hard to glue too. This might explain why the surround separates from the cone over time.
I would guess that the unnamed chemical you were using was some sort of surface prep that reacted with the polypro that made it a surface the glue would stick to. I would have to do some research with the chemically minded at my work place to figure out what chemicals would do this without causing serious permanent damage to the cone.
Guess I might have to get a bottle of the glue from PE for the P21's that I have.

Peace,

Dave

[critofur]

It did not seem to do anything to the cone other than leave a very thin coating with a very slight change to the appearance - it did not seem to "eat" the plastic at all, not in the least.

[jimbob212005]

im anxious to see the results of the testing! i have 8 of these as well and I'm getting ready to build my cabinets, then i need to determine what frequency for my x-over and im all set!

[critofur]

Originally posted by jimbob212005
im anxious to see the results of the testing! i have 8 of these as well and I'm getting ready to build my cabinets, then i need to determine what frequency for my x-over and im all set!

You got a mic to measure them with? What sort of cabinet were yout thinking of?

Were you going to use four per speaker? Something like this:

http://www.customanalogue.com/elsino...nore_index.htm ?

Dave: http://superglue.supergluecorp.com/15104.html - if you look at that, it looks like the glue comes with some kind of pre-treatment liquid (says it works on PP)

EDIT: I looked up the materials safety data sheet on the primer and it contains: Heptane, Hexane, and Octane - don't know what else is in it.

http://www.mitsuichemicals.com/unip.htm
http://www.advpolymer.com/chlorinate...ropylene.shtml
http://www.np-g.com/e/news/news02050801.html

Ah, here we go, here's a source where you can actually BUY the polypropylene glue primer:

http://www.rshughes.com/products/079340_18397.html

Group buy anyone? If we split it up 5 - 10 ways, that'd still be plenty for each of us.

[dave_gerecke]

Cool. Thanks. I already sent them a request as to where I can get Plastic-Fuse in my area.

Peace,

Dave

[GWEE]

Critofur

have you or anyone else ever used them?