Magnets to hold the grill frame?

[Mostro]

Hi guys, I´m currently making two twin 1x12" cabs, and thinking about how to attach the grill frame to the baffle. I don´t want to use screws, to get a clean look, so the option was to use some velcro. But that makes the grill hard to remove...
Yesterday I was in a store and saw this magnets, 25 x 3 mm, round, and bought a few. Did anyone ever use magnets to hold the grill frame? The only problems I can see would be rattles and/or insufficient "strength"...
What do you think?

[jjman]

I have some magnets and they can be very strong. They also make gizmos intended for grills.

http://www.parts-express.com/wizards/se ... rchCat=821

[img:240:240]http://www.parts-express.com/images/ite ... -367_s.jpg[/img]

[rp]

Haven't used them for grills but I've played around with neodymiums and they sure are strong. But, guitar amps can sure shake things up and they get whacked real hard going up stairs and all that. Maybe that's why I've never seen magnets holding the grills on them. If you're handy with a router try maybe 8 of those bar ones PE sells and report back, would be a fun experiment. Might be worse than velcro and never come off

[briane]

Use velcro all the time, just attach a pull tab.

Dont see how it can be hard to remove. just PULL!

takes about 5lbs of force.

[Kazooman]

I agree with Briane. I have a Dual Showman Reverb head that has the grille cloth attached with Velcro. There is a pull tab that gives you something to grab onto, so you don't need to pry around the edges to remove the grille. The grille stays put just fine (and this amp is LOUD!) while still being easy to remove.

[Structo]

A friend of mine used some of those small super magnets on a cover plate for a guitar.
He made the body and made a cover made from the same wood except it was only about an 1/8" or less thick.
The guitar was rear routed so you had to work on the electronics in the rear cavity.
Well he recessed the magnets into the wood on the body then glued on the magnets on the cover plate.
I think he used four magnets.
They were so strong that in order to remove the plate he had to remove the output jack and stick a screw driver in and pry the cover off.

It looked sweet as there were no visible fasteners, but he wished he had used weaker magnets..............doh!

[dorrisant]

Cabinet makers use rare earth magnets to keep doors shut...

They are very strong for their size. I don't see why they wouldn't work.

Tony

[dorrisant]

Sorry, double post.

[Mostro]

Thanks for the answers. I´ve seen cabs that have velcro and a "pull tab" to get the frame out. I´d like to avoid that pull tab, but of course with magnets it would still be required...
Anyway, wouldn´t it be cool to have the grill magnetically attached?
Or even better! Electromagnetically attached!! A 9V battery powered electro magnet at each corner, with a switch somewhere in the cab to turn it off, and the grill magically comes out! Super cool!!
Of course the battery would die at the worst possible moment, like in the middle of that extremely important concert...

Anyway, once I have the cabs ready, I think I´ll try the magnets. We´ll see.

[Structo]

You can skip the pull tab and just use a screwdriver to pry the cover loose.
As long as you don't do it too many times it shouldn't cause damage.

[Andy Le Blanc]

Magnets do work for a grill, but it depends on the shape of the grill.
if the grill can be pushed sideways, the magnets will "shear" and the grill will fall off.

[Zippy]

Thanks for the answers. I´ve seen cabs that have velcro and a "pull tab" to get the frame out. I´d like to avoid that pull tab, but of course with magnets it would still be required...
Anyway, wouldn´t it be cool to have the grill magnetically attached?
Or even better! Electromagnetically attached!! A 9V battery powered electro magnet at each corner, with a switch somewhere in the cab to turn it off, and the grill magically comes out! Super cool!!
Of course the battery would die at the worst possible moment, like in the middle of that extremely important concert...

Anyway, once I have the cabs ready, I think I´ll try the magnets. We´ll see.

Or...

Use the magnets and then, when it's time to remove them, use an electro-magnet of reverse polarity to overdrive the B-field and, POP!, off it comes!

(A 9V battery's life would be very short if required to generate a sufficiently strong field.)

[sonicmojo]

+1 for Velcro. Never had a problem. I usually use a couple of staples too since the tape backing doesn't always hold. Magnets would be nice but I would think you'd have to be fairly precise on the fitting and maybe recess them a little.

[LeftyStrat]

I've always liked what ampeg used in their '80 models. These aren't velcro, and are a little easier to remove:


http://www.fliptops.net/catalog/product ... cts_id=709

[Structo]

I've seen those fasteners on hi fi speaker cabs before.