Repair a hole in the front of speaker cone?

Myth_103 · #1 02-04-2011, 02:26 AM

A bandmate decided it'd be a good idea to bump something into my cabinet in our practice space. That something went straight through the front of my speaker. I'd say the hole is about the size of a quarter. What's my best bet in repairing that? Could any light glues work? How much would it cost for a company to repair it?

**mikeddd** · #2 02-04-2011, 03:29 AM

You could get it reconed, but I never believed in the quality/durability of reconing. Sorry, but just buy a new one. Said bandmate should offer to pay for the driver, IMO. Stuff happens and I'm sure it wasn't on purpose, but he did break your stuff.

Sartori · #3 02-04-2011, 03:44 AM

Make your friend pay for it. He broke it.

EpiRipper · #4 02-04-2011, 04:26 AM

For a quick fix, if the cone material is still there, you can smear some silicone sealer (automotive silicone gasket does the job well and it's black in colour) over both sides of the hole to seal it (front and back). You don't want to lay it on too thick though. It's a cheap remedy I learnt years ago. It won't last forever, but it will keep you going until a replacement can be bought.
PS. This trick works well on tears in the cone, but it is only a band-aid fix.

lbwdog · #5 02-04-2011, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myth_103

I'd say the hole is about the size of a quarter. What's my best bet in repairing that? Could any light glues work? How much would it cost for a company to repair it?

Hard to say seeing you haven't bothered to tell us what brand, type, or size driver you have.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeddd

You could get it reconed, but I never believed in the quality/durability of reconing.

A good recone will be as good as a new driver.
My old friend Glen in Memphis can fix you right up.
http://www.merchantcircle.com/blogs/...s.901-725-9620

jakrees747 · #6 02-04-2011, 04:52 AM

A few people have sworn to me the effectiveness of fixing a cigarette cigarette paper to the cone with rubber cement like you get for puncture repairs or copydex

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copydex

ive had no experience of the effectivness of this, but at least three people have claimed their speakers have been as good as new after and work for ages.

can anyone confirm this?

lbwdog · #7 02-04-2011, 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jakrees747

ive had no experience of the effectivness of this, but at least three people have claimed their speakers have been as good as new after and work for ages.
can anyone confirm this?

Don't know about "good as new" but, depending on the size of hole, I wouldn't count on it other than for a "quick fix" till i could get a recone or replacement driver.

Nev375 · #8 02-04-2011, 05:24 AM

Did your cab not have a grille to protect the speakers against such mishaps?

billfitzmaurice · #9 02-04-2011, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nev375

Did your cab not have a grille to protect the speakers against such mishaps?

+1. An ounce of prevention...
The driver can be patched with a bit of business card stock, adhered with contact cement.

tdvt · #10 02-04-2011, 06:29 AM

Many years back, we would repair tears in cones with paper & clear nail polish (lacquer). They would last indefinitely though bass guitar is probably the most demanding on speakers.

If it's a large hole & a quality driver, get it reconed. There is nothing sub-standard about a recone if you use the original manufacturers parts. You are basically replacing the wearing parts. Unless the frame is tweaked or the magnet has shifted on the frame, there is no reason to replace them.

I have had many drivers reconed & they still work fine.

beans-on-toast · #11 02-04-2011, 06:38 AM

You can use very small amount of a rubber based glue like speaker service cement or a flexible cyanoacrylate like Loctite 410.

For a paper cone, align the tear, apply a small amount of glue, reinforce with a patch if necessary, a bit wider than the tear, of a material like nylon or silk, apply glue on top, let dry to tacky, apply another layer of glue, etc. Better to use as little glue as possible at a time.

Clark Dark · #12 02-04-2011, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jakrees747

A few people have sworn to me the effectiveness of fixing a cigarette cigarette paper to the cone with rubber cement like you get for puncture repairs or copydex

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copydex

ive had no experience of the effectivness of this, but at least three people have claimed their speakers have been as good as new after and work for ages.

can anyone confirm this?

Zig Zag or Big Bambu ?

BZadlo · #13 02-24-2011, 12:17 AM

This stuff works great: http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=340-076

I've used it on a number of speakers and never had it come apart.
Works well if you smear a little around the edges of the tear, apply a thin flexible cloth/mesh and then coat over the top again (nice and thin).
I doubt you'd even be able to hear the difference.
You won't be able to even see the repair if you take the speaker out and work on the back.

Marty Forrer · #14 02-24-2011, 12:29 AM

Heh heh.... back in '66 I poked holes in my speaker cones (Goodmans 15"s) with a screwdriver to make them distort.

1n3 · #15 02-24-2011, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beans-on-toast

You can use very small amount of a rubber based glue like speaker service cement or a flexible cyanoacrylate like Loctite 410.

For a paper cone, align the tear, apply a small amount of glue, reinforce with a patch if necessary, a bit wider than the tear, of a material like nylon or silk, apply glue on top, let dry to tacky, apply another layer of glue, etc. Better to use as little glue as possible at a time.

This. Rubber cement and a piece of panty hose is the old R&R repair I know. Worked well. Silk might be stronger.