recovering cabinets

[AsterL]

Has anyone come across any good guides for recovering cab?

[Lfalex v1.1]

One good tip;
Remove the original covering as carefully as possible, and use that as a guide template for sizing/preparing your new covering.
Getting all the old adhesive off so you get a clean start is helpful.
Use woodfiller to make good any dents/chips in the cab itself.

You may or may not need to remove the drivers. Many baffles are simply sprayed black. You might need to take out any rear panels with connectors/ horn attenuators to work around them, and they may need unsoldering for removal.

HTH.
Alex

[Ou7shined]

Try some vitamin C. That always works for me when I'm recovering.

[Monckyman]

Once you`ve filled any holes or bumps, where there is going to be a visible seam in the tolex,spray the cab black,this will help make the joins less visible.
MM

[daz]

[quote name='Monckyman' post='1340220' date='Aug 15 2011, 12:23 AM']Once you`ve filled any holes or bumps, where there is going to be a visible seam in the tolex,spray the cab black,this will help make the joins less visible.
MM[/quote]

Unless your gonna cover it with green naugahyde as per my own plan.

[Monckyman]

Ah!
Green matching paint then!

[whizzzy]

One of the main things to consider is what you are intending to use to re-cover the cab.

As earlier posts have indicated the preparation if the cab is paramount and this especially applies if you intend to use Tolex or Vynide as any lumps or dips on the cab surface will show though. (It's quite similar to wallpapering really).

If you are covering the cab in Tolex or Vynide then I would suggest to use PVA glue as the adhesive, something like Unibond . It's much cleaner to work with and if you get some on the surface of the cloth (which invariably happens) then it wipes off easily with a damp rag. The other advantage using PVA adhesive is that once its stuck, its stuck and it won't tear and lift easily if the cab is caught on a sharp corner. Another advantage using PVA is that it gives you time to work and if something isn't quite right then you've a few minutes to play around and sort out air bubbles or wrinkles unlike contact adhesive which once the cloth comes in contact with the cab surface it sticks and doesn't allow you any movement. The downside with this however is the converse in that it does take time to bond (about an hour is usual depending upon temperature) and so whilst it is drying you need to make provision for holding the cloth in place, especially if it is wrapped around corners or baffle edges. I use strips of wood and quick clamps and also gaffa tape to hold cloth in place whilst the glue dries.

Another tip when using Tolex or Vynide is to work with it in the sun on a warm summers day as it makes it much more flexible and even allows a limited amount of stretching in case you dont have the seems joining quite right.

If you are using carpet / felt for the covering then you may find that a contact adhesive is more appropriate and for this I've found Thixofix to be best in conjunction with a spray contact adhesive. Both surfaces have to be coated, use the Thixofix on the cab and use the spray adhesive on the carpet but go easy with the spray adhesive as if you apply too much it will soak through the carpet material and will be visible on the surface of the cab when it is finished. When using this type of adhesive you need to work outside because of the fumes it gives off and I have found that working on a cooler day gives you a little more working time.

A good way to cover the cab is to use one piece of material to wrap around the sides, top and bottom and make the join on the bottom of the cab. Then depending upon the design of the cab (whether its a screw on back or fully sealed) you wrap the cloth around the side onto the back in order to allow about 8 - 10 cm of cloth to be stuck to the back of the cab, but don't glue it yet and also allow extra length so it can be cut off and a join created at the later stage. Glue the panel of cloth on the back if the cab, again slightly bigger than is needed so that when the side piece is folded over it overlaps the piece on the back. Using a steel rule and I've found a scalple or modelling knife works best you cut thought the two pieces of cloth so that when the excess is removed from both pieces it leaves you with a very neat join which then needs a little amount of glue to fix it, but make sure the glue is applied all along the edge of the cloth otherwise this is where it will start lifting. If the join is made well you will hardly notice it. Obviously all necessary precautions should be taken when using sharp tools and blades.

Also if you are recovering an existing cab then make a few notes and take photos of how the manufacturer originally covered the cab in terms of joins and seems before you remove the old covering. Also take note how they finished the corners.

Re-covering a cab is very satisfying when a good job has been done but it's one of those things that comes with experience and the more times you do it the better you get. If you play in a band you could always offer to do the guitarists cab first.

[AsterL]

Thanks for the brilliant advice guys, I'll be posting a build when the project goes ahead. I'll keep at few orages at hand as well Ou7shined.

I also found a brilliant guide linked here: [url="http://jam4jmessageboard.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=2378719"]Recovering[/url] shows a lot of the main techniques (at least I gather!)

[Delberthot]

stay out of the black and in the red, nothing in this game for two in a bed