(Stupid) question about rat fur maintenance

[Troglodyte1911]

I guess removing rat fur can be daunting for some, but I have had to strip some things down and refinish them and those projects might have caused some to have their (ahem) boy-parts shrink to the size of raisins. PITA? Yes. Difficult? Not really.

 

[Ric5]

Hi there! I’m looking at used amps and a turn off if rat fur style tolex that look like a wool shirt that went in the dryer too many times.

Any idea if it’s possible to restore that type of finish?

my way is to rip it off the cab and replace it with new rat fur ...

probably not the answer you are looking for.

 

[Liko]

Vacuum first. I use a fingernail brush and a little mild soap and water. Don’t soak it. Then shave it.

Cabs can be reskinned. Rat fur is not always easy to strip off. If you have a cat, they may be willing to help.

The cat's the one that made me have to do this to my own amp in the first place. Yeah, they'll eventually get through all the felt/carpet, but you'll want to rip it all off yourself before they manage it.

 

[anics]

i`m looking at my old Trace. I like it, retro.

 

[1958Bassman]

Roll through half of a lint roller tape on it, trimmers, yeah.

Taking that stuff off for a re-skin is a pain, the struggle is real. Getting a cab prepped for a roll or spray on after taking that suff off is a no-go for me. Until the day I can source a flame thrower I'm out. Even tolex removal too.

Peeling it off is the easy part- then, I have used a random orbital sander with coarse paper- if the glue is too soft, I'll start with a sheet of coarse paper without the sander, just on a sanding block. A belt sander can be used, too- it just needs paper that's not as coarse because it can do a lot of damage to the cabinet, although Bondo is a good material to make the repairs.

 

[agedhorse]

When it’s glued on properly, with a high quality glue, it’s very difficult to peal off.

 

[Clipped]

Has anyone tried getting all the fur off and then covering what is left (glue and all) with some sort of textured spray paint?

 

[chadds]

I maybe from the old days. We would have Showman and SVT cabs with whole sides missing tolex. The chrome corners would swivel loose and do serious damage to your hands. I have one a bedliner covered cab. It does serious damage to walls and molding inside. Can't do that when you want to be asked back to that reception, house concert, church etc.

 

[beans-on-toast]

Search for duratex on talkbass. There are a number of cabinet recovering projects illustrated.

DuraTex Speaker Cabinet Texture Coating 1 Quart Roller Grade Black Kit

 

[arbiterusa]

I use a tape roller, vacuum cleaner and a Wahl hair trimmer about twice a year when I’m gigging a lot. My rat fur cabs look brand new.

Say what you will about its looks, but the stuff is far, far more durable than tolex if you’re gigging. If you’re not, and just keep your stuff inside in one place, tolex is sure a lot easier on the eyes.

 

[arbiterusa]

Heavy duty, backed brand name Ozite.

And that’s important. Pretty sure they did the old SWR cabs in that. My Golights are done in something far cheaper and, although I maintain them, eventually there’s going to come a day of reckoning for them. If I’m still alive and working at that point, I’ll have them redone…in real Ozite this time.