Renewing cloth surround

[ktuuri]

Hi Everyone:
After lurking for quite a while, I thought it was about time I posted.
I have been wanting to get into a SET friendly speaker for a while now, and picked up a pair of Coral 8TX-70 drivers based on the Beta series.
One is in mint shape with a nice soft cloth surround and cone movement is as it should be.
The other is in very nice shape as well but the cloth surround is noticeably harder and will affect cone movement to a certain degree.
A friend who is very experienced with vintage drives has told me he and others have brought back new life to cloth surrounds by using sewing machine oil on the cloth surround. Making it once again a softer surround with no ill affects.

Has anyone used this method and what are your thoughts on this?

Does anyone have another method that they have had good results with?


Thanks for any advise!

Ken

 

[ktuuri]

Come on guys!!
Someone must have some thoughts on if the sewing machine oil tweak has merit. Or prehaps some other method that might help!!

Do you think it might help more if I got Angelina Jolie to apply the oil. Do you think this might make it soft!!

 

[chrisb]

Come on guys!!
Someone must have some thoughts on if the sewing machine oil tweak has merit. Or prehaps some other method that might help!!

Do you think it might help more if I got Angelina Jolie to apply the oil. Do you think this might make it soft!!

well with that application method it wouldn't be a change in (what's the opposite of compliance?) that would be the major concern.

 

[planet10]

Ken,

I haven't tried sewing machine oil, but with probably 40 speakers with SSS (stiff surround syndrome) i'm up for trying anything. I've tried lots of solvents with no joy, but i have heard of a trick that i have yet to try... mixing the solvent with oil... the solvent dissolves whatever is causing the SSS and the oil carries it away.

dave

 

[rcavictim]

Armorall, or STP "Son of a Gun" softens up and helps restore old naugahyde and leather. Also could try some hand lotion that is mostly lanolin based, or possibly lanolin hand cleaner, that white cream stuff that has a mechanical echo when you tap the tub container.

 

[ktuuri]

Thanks for your input guys.
I can return them if I choose to, but they are nice drivers and can be great. But if I try something on the surround, then I can't bring them back. I was told that the spiders may (can) have gotten hard as well if the surround is.

My plan was to use some Hemp drives on open baffle and these fell in my lap.

Decisions, Decisions. It's nice to not have to worry about WAF, but sometimes it's helps to be told what to do. lol

Brown Soun's is now offering a nice line up of their Hemp Drivers.

http://www.abrown.com/sales.htm

 

[Bluto]

kturri -

I think likely people afraid to make recommendations because they're Coral's!

Were they a junk driver you'd have 50 suggestions.

I think Bob's suggestion of Lanolin likely safest.

Bluto

 

[ktuuri]

Thanks Bluto.
I can understand that.
I would hate to do anything on these if it wasn't a proven method. Had I picked them up cheap, I would perhaps explore some options.

But I didn't and the former owner told me to bring them back and that's what i'm doing.

But I have to say hopefully there might be some Corals in my Future.

Thanks Guys.

 

[jacobotz]

HERE'S A SOLUTION

Please go to simplyspeakers.com and get their foam guard treatment. Part # MI-1291

i have used it on all my speakers: Altec 515, Electro Voice, JBL D130, Stephens, B&W and many more.
For example in paper rugged suspensions, the first thing that you'll notice is that all the cone will move at the same time perfectly.In all the circumference like one piece.
It also won't harm your spider if it's very stiff. You can use it in your spiders
Also I used it in rubber suspensions and protects them from degradation.
On cloth surrounds, if it's very old, it will take a while (about a day) to regenerate it.
That happened on a quartet of altec 405, but the sound now it's amazing.
On a pair of Stephens FR12 I did not had to wait more than three or five minutes.
You won't belive what this can do to any of your speakers.
If you don't belive me,get yoursel a pair of cheap speakers and try it on one of them an compare the results. Just brush it and let it dry.
You'll notice the results instantly.
I hope that I have helped you.
Bye

 

[ktuuri]

Thanks for your info jacobotz.
Will have to try that in the future, good to know.