Making PA Speaker Covers

[Sharkfinger]

The covers for our Peavey HiSys are now falling to pieces after many years of service. I've enquired about Roqsolid ones and they're reasonable for what they are but we're bearing in mind there are 2 speakers which doubles the price. With that in mind, I'm investigating the possibility of making some myself. My missus has kindly volunteered to run them up on her sewing machine.

The current covers are made from a tough, rubberised (on the outside) material. Anyone know where I can buy this stuff from? I've tried places like Maplin and Thomann already but the closest the come is cab covering, i.e. the carpet kind that you stick to your cab when you build it. Actually, I was thinking of using that stuff as a padded lining for covers I make.

Ideas, people.

Edit: Actually, if anyone knows where to get the kind of material Roqsolid make their covers out of, that might fly too.

Edited December 2, 2008 by Sharkfinger

[Merton]

My sister made one for my V-Type combo, it think she used a rubbery fake leather material (oooh err). It's doing a fine job 2 years later. Will ask her where she got it...

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

[quote name='Sharkfinger' post='342686' date='Dec 2 2008, 04:50 AM']The current covers are made from a tough, rubberised (on the outside) material. Anyone know where I can buy this stuff from?[/quote]The technical term for that stuff is reinforced vinyl fabric, and can usually be found in fabric stores, especially those that sell materials for upholstery.

[warwickhunt]

Find a local upholstery firm in the yellow pages, a friend of mine runs a company that re-covers sofas, chairs and the like (yes re-covers rather than dispose of the old and buy new... a rare thing these days hence her company is struggling) and years back she supplied my band with covers for our PA speakers. Shouldn't be 'that' expensive to get the material, if your wife has a decent machine to stitch them. I'd ask my friend if she had any but then you'd need to add on the postage costs so it may be better to source it locally. If you get stuck and just require the material I can enquire for you but I do know that they don't have the manpower available to divert from well paid work re-covering 3-piece suites to run up covers!

[Alien]

[url="http://colomar.com/Shavano/make_covers1.html"]Here's[/url] an online tutorial

Andy

[steve]

[quote name='Alien' post='343650' date='Dec 2 2008, 11:05 PM'][url="http://colomar.com/Shavano/make_covers1.html"]Here's[/url] an online tutorial

Andy[/quote]

denim..... hmmmmm

[yorks5stringer]

"Denim"

Maybe you could stone wash it first, or put cuts around the ports or even have a flared bottom?

[Sharkfinger]

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' post='343012' date='Dec 2 2008, 01:47 PM']The technical term for that stuff is reinforced vinyl fabric, and can usually be found in fabric stores, especially those that sell materials for upholstery.[/quote]

Will start tracking down some of that....

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='343205' date='Dec 2 2008, 04:53 PM']Find a local upholstery firm in the yellow pages, a friend of mine runs a company that re-covers sofas, chairs and the like (yes re-covers rather than dispose of the old and buy new... a rare thing these days hence her company is struggling) and years back she supplied my band with covers for our PA speakers. Shouldn't be 'that' expensive to get the material, if your wife has a decent machine to stitch them. I'd ask my friend if she had any but then you'd need to add on the postage costs so it may be better to source it locally. If you get stuck and just require the material I can enquire for you but I do know that they don't have the manpower available to divert from well paid work re-covering 3-piece suites to run up covers![/quote]

It would be great if you could at least ask her what the material is called, that would be much appreciated. I then would have a choice of using that or the reinforced vinyl fabric that Bill advised me of.

[OldGit]

I use Ikea bags..
50p each and waterproof.
Brilliant for smallish cabs, heads and combos. I leave the short handles on so other things can be piled into the covers and then carried to the off stage storage during playing ...

Use two layers with a layer of bubblewrap in between for protection. Cut to fit and for handles, etc , and gaffa tape the seams. On my active monitor cover there's a pocket for teh power and XLR cables it uses as well.

If the bags aren't big enough then DIY shop sell sheets of the same stuff (called "tarp" though not actual tarpaulin) for not much. One sheet would probably be enough for everything in the band Not as smart as hand made designer stonewashed and over dyed denim, of course

Edited December 15, 2008 by OldGit

[ezbass]

[quote name='OldGit' post='354810' date='Dec 15 2008, 09:40 AM']I use Ikea bags..
50p each and waterproof.[/quote]

Genius!

I need to get/construct a cover for my cab and was wondering what to use and where to get it. We already have a number of these bags and I know how strong they are, I'd just never thought of using them for covers. Nice one.

[Sharkfinger]

[quote name='OldGit' post='354810' date='Dec 15 2008, 09:40 AM']I use Ikea bags..
50p each and waterproof.
Brilliant for smallish cabs, heads and combos. I leave the short handles on so other things can be piled into the covers and then carried to the off stage storage during playing ...

Use two layers with a layer of bubblewrap in between for protection. Cut to fit and for handles, etc , and gaffa tape the seams. On my active monitor cover there's a pocket for teh power and XLR cables it uses as well.

If the bags aren't big enough then DIY shop sell sheets of the same stuff (called "tarp" though not actual tarpaulin) for not much. One sheet would probably be enough for everything in the band Not as smart as hand made designer stonewashed and over dyed denim, of course [/quote]

Great Idea. Will definately look into that.

Had a huge sheet in my garden and threw it away an few months ago. *sigh* Oh well, won't cost much to by some more.