Well I hate them so the quick question is this:
Is there an easy and durable way of turning them black without risking damage to the driver?
Is there an easy and durable way of turning them black without risking damage to the driver?
If you mean the domes in the centre, I use foaming cleanser from Electrolube. Cover the paper cone with Baco foil or a plastic bag/cling film. Spray it on, it foams up and lifts the dirt and staining. Then wipe dry with a soft cloth.
The only dependable way to ensure permanency is the process of anodisation using a black anodising dye.
Unfortunately, this is not possible once the aluminium cone has been incorporated in the structure of the driver! 😉
Lots of drivers with black anodised cones are available if you haven't already purchased the FW200 - and why would you have done if you hate silver aluminium cones?
A friend of mine has tried spraying the cones with the lightest amount of black he could.
Ill ask him how he got on.
Ill ask him how he got on.
Galu that driver does things I very much like in the particular application I have in mind.
So far I have failed to find another 8" that does the same regardless of cone material.
At the moment it is all theory so I haven't bought anything yet.
@Zeta4 Cheers mate!
So far I have failed to find another 8" that does the same regardless of cone material.
At the moment it is all theory so I haven't bought anything yet.
@Zeta4 Cheers mate!
There is a aluminum blackening chemical from Birchwood that is used to blacken aluminum gun parts. Look on ebay and google for other companies using a similar process. Remember, if the aluminum cone has a protective coating (likely) it must be removed. If the the cone is silver anodized--forget it !!!!! Good luck.
How about acoustically transparent black grill cloth? This way you won't take the chance to damage the drivers you like by altering the cone in any way.
That's the information I wished to elicit. Sorry if I offended you. Thanks for the added information. 🙂
Could be a possibility. Need to think deeply about that. It would mean a complete redesign of the visual aspect though.
There ought to be a more elegant solution to painting the silver cones to black. Perhaps another brand name, no?
I have researched this for you.
The problem is getting paint to stick to aluminium, so preparation of the aluminium surface is necessary.
The aluminium surface has to be
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Litre-Feno...1543185253&sr=8-19&keywords=aluminium+cleaner
https://www.amazon.co.uk/HYCOTE-XUK...4789&sr=8-1&keywords=aluminium+etching+primer
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hycote-Sat..._rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=Y757MAR1GSW0ATSVHYXN
The problem is getting paint to stick to aluminium, so preparation of the aluminium surface is necessary.
The aluminium surface has to be
- cleaned with a degreaser
- sprayed with an etching primer
- sprayed with the black top coat
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Litre-Feno...1543185253&sr=8-19&keywords=aluminium+cleaner
https://www.amazon.co.uk/HYCOTE-XUK...4789&sr=8-1&keywords=aluminium+etching+primer
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hycote-Sat..._rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=Y757MAR1GSW0ATSVHYXN
Cheers!
It is the acidic etching primer that worries me. Not so much on the cone but if I were to get some on the surround.
Suppose it is either a case of sucking it up and completely redesign or very, very careful masking!
Thanks to all who tried to help!!!
It is the acidic etching primer that worries me. Not so much on the cone but if I were to get some on the surround.
Suppose it is either a case of sucking it up and completely redesign or very, very careful masking!
Thanks to all who tried to help!!!
If the cone is anodised from factory, would you still need the etching primer 🙂? The paint wouldn't have to stick to aluminium but to the anodised layer after all.
Any of those solvents / cleaners / etching solutions will be detrimental to the surrounds plus all the handling of the cone will not turn out well unless coating process is carried out with upmost precision. The grill suggestion seems the most logical way to go IMHO.
In a nutshell, only black anodising is suitable on a loudspeaker cone,and it should have been made at the Factory (hint hint, they might custom do one pair for you) before speaker assembly, now it´s too late.
Any paint/varnish/whatever coating on the cone surface will add significative mass, and modify cone damping and resonance in an uncontrolled way, meaning it will *mess* the frequency response.
Not kidding, only kind of "paint" I might find acceptable is the very thin and light provided by black permanent felt marker ink.
No need for etching (or even degreasing, since it´s alcohol based), I wouldn´t paint an amp aluminum cabinet with it because it scratches easily but nobody scratches speaker cones, puts heavy sharp stuff on them, leave them out exposed to weather, etc. , so for aesthetic purposes only it may be a solution.
Dissolve it 3:1 in pure (94%) ethyl alcohol, (medical grade) , you do NOT want water or any contaminants or dyes there (as in burning or rubbing alcohol) , mask surfaces not to be painted and apply with an airbrush, which is the light delicate version of a spray paint gun.
Do not try to cover in a single layer, but apply a light mist all over it, let dry a few minutes, repeat, until desired blackness.
No need for jet black anyway, but uniform "black enough".
It will dry flat/satin , hardly shiny black.
Before painting do a durability test for your own peace of mind: take any piece of scrap aluminum, degrease it with a rag moistened with alcohol, write on it with some permanent ink marker and let it dry overnight, then rub it with thumb/paper/rough cloth ... you´ll see it is not easily removed.
Same will happen on cone surface which of course must not be touched ... like on *any* speaker.
Any paint/varnish/whatever coating on the cone surface will add significative mass, and modify cone damping and resonance in an uncontrolled way, meaning it will *mess* the frequency response.
Not kidding, only kind of "paint" I might find acceptable is the very thin and light provided by black permanent felt marker ink.
No need for etching (or even degreasing, since it´s alcohol based), I wouldn´t paint an amp aluminum cabinet with it because it scratches easily but nobody scratches speaker cones, puts heavy sharp stuff on them, leave them out exposed to weather, etc. , so for aesthetic purposes only it may be a solution.
Dissolve it 3:1 in pure (94%) ethyl alcohol, (medical grade) , you do NOT want water or any contaminants or dyes there (as in burning or rubbing alcohol) , mask surfaces not to be painted and apply with an airbrush, which is the light delicate version of a spray paint gun.
Do not try to cover in a single layer, but apply a light mist all over it, let dry a few minutes, repeat, until desired blackness.
No need for jet black anyway, but uniform "black enough".
It will dry flat/satin , hardly shiny black.
Before painting do a durability test for your own peace of mind: take any piece of scrap aluminum, degrease it with a rag moistened with alcohol, write on it with some permanent ink marker and let it dry overnight, then rub it with thumb/paper/rough cloth ... you´ll see it is not easily removed.
Same will happen on cone surface which of course must not be touched ... like on *any* speaker.
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