Rehabing a cabinet.

CL400Peavey · #1 12-02-2011, 11:03 AM

I have a Peavey 810 TX cab and despite the fact that it weighs more than my car I love it. That being said the rat fur carpeting on it is old and kind of busted up on the back, both where there should be a kick plate and on the side from sliding into a vehicle. It doesn't effect the performance at all, but I'm particular about me gear.

So here is my thought:

What if I stripped all the carpet off the cabinet, removed the hard ware and sprayed it down with some truck bed liner? (then put the hardware back on of course)

I have seen this option offered on newer cabs, and I thought it was a pretty cool option but I have some questions about it too.

Does anyone have any experience doing this at home? If so any tips or tricks would be great (i.e. does all the spraying need to be done in one go, do I have to elevate the cab to get the back sides and bottom all at once.)

Also does this effect the performance of the cab, and how well does the finish hold up? I was also thinking about replacing the tilt back casters with something a little more beefy while I'm at it.

Thoughts and input would be great, I'm really interested in doing this but I dont know if I'm off my rocker on it all.

will33 · #2 12-02-2011, 11:33 AM

Yes and it's a great idea. The truckbed liner makes a great covering. Use heavy grit paper on the sander and make sure all the old glue is gone....bare wood. Then go around with woodfiller or bondo and cover any and all imperfections in the wood including the edge grain on the plywood so none of that stuff shows through later. Stay with the heavy grit paper to leave the surface a little rough feeling, it helps the liner grab and adhere to the wood. I prefer to use a heavy textured roller over spraying. Practice on a piece of scrap first. Keep rolling slowly until it kinda pulls up on it a bit as it's getting tacky. This leaves a sort of pebbly, more "tolex looking" finish and helps hide any little imperfections that may want to show through. Do this in 2 coats allowing the first one to dry completely before adding the second. Keep a little of the leftover coating in a little sealed jar. It's easy to touch up little dings and scratches later using a little paintbrush like the kind an artist uses or kids use to paint pictures.

will33 · #3 12-02-2011, 11:37 AM

To your other questions it doesn't affect the cab negatively at all and it's really tough, durable stuff. The roller gives it a finish somewhat like tolex/vinyl covering. The only place I don't like it is under a strap handle or any handle that doesn't have a cup behind it, can skin knuckles. In those places use a sponge brush or something to make it smooth just behind the handle.

CL400Peavey · #4 12-02-2011, 11:38 AM

How about doing it in stages, sides and top then bottom? should I be doing it all in one go to avoid seams that will later crack?

will33 · #5 12-02-2011, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CL400Peavey

How about doing it in stages, sides and top then bottom? should I be doing it all in one go to avoid seams that will later crack?

You can do that. It adheres to itself and blends in fine as long as everything is clean. I set mine up on buckets or milk crates and do most of it at one time, then come back a couple days later or the next weekend and do whatever side was on the stands. You can't even notice it wasn't all done in one shot. Just make sure everything is clean and dry before you apply the stuff.

CL400Peavey · #6 12-02-2011, 12:12 PM

Sweet! I really want to do this, it will truly make my 810 a tank!

lbwdog · #7 12-02-2011, 12:22 PM

I'd suggest Duratex.......

will33 · #8 12-02-2011, 12:26 PM

It's really not hard at all. The 3 main things are doing a good job filling and sanding to hide any imperfections.....practicing on a little piece of scrap to get the whole roller speed/tackiness time/finish thing figured out, that's most important on the second coat but comes out better if you do it to both coats....and making sure surfaces are clean and dry. The rest is just time and elbow grease, couple beers and some good music to work by helps with that.

will33 · #9 12-02-2011, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lbwdog

I'd suggest Duratex.......

Yes. Duratex is a brand of truckbed liner we have at autoparts stores here that works well for this. There's other stuff like "Line-X" or "Rhino lining" but some of that stuff requires a special spraygun system, much more complicated and expensive for the DIY'er. Duratex works great with just a roller and a backyard/garage to work in.

CL400Peavey · #10 12-02-2011, 12:43 PM

Did you leave your hardware on and work around/over it or did you take it off and re-attach it over the liner? I'm talking about kick back handles and casters and the like.

will33 · #11 12-02-2011, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CL400Peavey

Did you leave your hardware on and work around/over it or did you take it off and re-attach it over the liner? I'm talking about kick back handles and casters and the like.

Take everything off so it's just a wood box. Can leave the lining on the inside but remove everything else including speakers so you don't accidently get that stuff on them. Put all the hardware back on over the stuff when it's done. You can make a judgement call on the jackplate. That needs a good seal so the cab doesn't leak. You could mask it off so it keeps it's flat seal against the box or take it off too and use a little gasket/felt strips/weatherstripping/caulk....something to give it a good seal when you put it back on. I'd take it off and reseal it. It's easier to do the work when there's nothing on the surface getting in the way and it won't get beat up during the process.

Mask off the baffle where it meets the inside edge of the wall to get a clean line there and use a little brush to work it in the inside corners.

Either mask off the entire baffle and the inside of the hole where the jack plate goes or just run a vacuum over the lining before you put it all back together. Don't want sawdust in there finding it's way into the speakers.

will33 · #12 12-02-2011, 02:12 PM

I didn't do the baffle on mine but you can if you want for a uniform look. Then you mark around the speakers while they're still in there, then take them out and mask off that ring you have around the holes. Come back as a last step and fill that in with a little brush so it has a flat smooth surface to seal against. You could do the jackplate that way too, the rest of the hardware can mount over the pebbly finish. I'd take the masking off while it's still wet and re-do it for the second coat. I don't think it'd come off clean after it's dry, it's hard, tough stuff when it's done.

moles · #13 12-02-2011, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by will33

Yes. Duratex is a brand of truckbed liner we have at autoparts stores here that works well for this. There's other stuff like "Line-X" or "Rhino lining" but some of that stuff requires a special spraygun system, much more complicated and expensive for the DIY'er. Duratex works great with just a roller and a backyard/garage to work in.

I'm not sure if maybe you're thinking of another product...
Duratex was specifically formulated for speaker cabinets, road cases etc. It's main advantage is it's adherence to wood.
AFAIK it's not sold in stores (mail order only) and NOT sold as a truck bed liner.

will33 · #14 12-02-2011, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moles

I'm not sure if maybe you're thinking of another product...
Duratex was specifically formulated for speaker cabinets, road cases etc. It's main advantage is it's adherence to wood.
AFAIK it's not sold in stores (mail order only) and NOT sold as a truck bed liner.

May be "Dura" something else then. It's truckbed liner and works great on cabs....no problems adhering to wood, roller puts a nice finish on it when it's tacky, tough as nails, etc.