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How to repair a puncture hole in a speaker?


shooto

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so I punctured one of my speakers with a screwdriver...clean hole about a 1/4" in diameter, mostly in the doped edge of the cone (a tiny bit in the non-doped paper of the cone...it doesn't appear to sound rattle-y like a hole would but I'd like to patch it all the same....what's the best way?

 

(I also thought about just leaving it to get more rock 'n roll out of it, ala Lemmy-style, but want to patch it)

 

thanks!

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In the flat area I always use a littel elmers glue and tissue paper. If its on the surround area where it flexes, I use some 100% silicone calk you buy at the hardware store. They even sell it in black. Works good lasts a long time for both repair types. I have some I repaired 25 tears ago and work and sound fine.

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Sorry DR X, Thats was I consider a lesson in how it should Not be done.

 

The trick is to only apply adhesive where its needed. You could have used 1/10 the amount of material. Silicone in the accordian area and carefully brushed it on with a Q tip.

 

If you use wood glue in the edges it will either stiffen up and prevent the cone from moving killing the sound or even eventually crack. This is why the silicon is a good option and the less applied the better.

 

You could use a Q tip and apply the wood glue to the tears in the accordian, but no tissue paper unless there are paper chunks missing and you have to recreate them. You only need to overlap the existing paper a few milimeters and you dint need to apply the tissue to both sides. Apply the thin coating of silicon to the entire accordian to prevent further deterioration and coat ot black so it looks like it was professionally repaired.

 

Keep in mind, the more material you add, the deader the speaker sounds. With that much tissue glue and paint where there was no damage, its a tone killer upper frequency responce and an ugly mess to boot.

 

They do make some spray rubber that could probibly be used for the surround is the rest of the cone is carefully coverd. And there is pro speaker surround stuff that can be used, But the product slips my mind at the moment.

 

Sorry to jump your case like that DR X but first hand experience made me say it.

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I punctured a speaker ages ago by being careless.. I used elmers glue and it worked fine. I have also heard that fingernail polish works good too.

 

I learned a valuable lesson that day though.. HOLD/CUP your screwdriver tight to it will not slip and damage the speaker...:poke:

 

I needed money so I eventually sold the speaker to an associate for like $30..

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Which is better for tone..1 ply or 2 ply..And does quilted add anything to the tone..lol.

No. Sunburst, maybe. But I think it's just like guitars. If you refinish a speaker you lose value. If it isn't the right color to begin with you're better off getting one that is.:poke::lol:

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Sorry DR X, Thats was I consider a lesson in how it should Not be done.

 

Funny how the speaker has held up for several years, and sounds pretty good. I've also had numerous folks email me and thank me for the technique after they used it and saved their own speakers. So it looks like it's you that is wrong.

 

 

 

Sorry to jump your case like that DR X but first hand experience made me say it.

 

You don't sound sorry to me. I've got a little experience myself.

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Sure it works, I've done the same thing applying just as much material and the paint thing too, but learned using a small amount and only applying it to the cracks works better to preserve tone much better.

 

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+1. As a pro soundman I've done plenty of field cone repairs over the years, and I've found the less I use (as long as I use enough) the better off I am soundwise for fidelity.

You CAN use more than enough, but there's really no reason too, and it just deadens the speakers tone a bit and looks sort of unprofessional.

I also only use silicone because it's able to flex with the cone.

I use the same silicone on dustcaps when they come off of speakers and never had a problem.

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  • 9 years later...
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I’m monitoring all suggestions here as my speakers are 65 yrs old (GE S1201A’s) and I want to do a good job on them before putting them in period cabinets I have  

The methods I’ve heard of before this forum lean heavily on the coffee filter (2-3 thicknesses if needed) or silk... using a rubbery type adhesive that will not get stiff over time. 

Thx for yer time and suggedtions

Marantazasaurus Will 

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