How are you guys tolexing oval ports?

[ER]

any tips? I can't seem to figure out a method for no gaps and a nice finish.

Thanks, ER

[phsyconoodler]

Use a heat gun to heat the tolex and stretch it around the hole.Staple it in place on the back which helps the glue hold.
Be careful not to heat too much or the tolex will melt.
It takes some practice to do successfully.

[Structo]

Don't you have to slice the tolex around the back of the oval after it is pulled to the back so it can conform to the radius?

In other words, the cuts would not show on the outside, just allow the material to make it turn better?

[phsyconoodler]

Yes,forgot to mention that.

[ER]

Heat then cut or cut then heat? How many cuts, and where, seem to work best?

I'm thinking at least 5 cuts along each radius end, then glue, heat, and staple. Does that seem reasonalble? I'm glad this is on the back of the cabinet so I don't have to look at it when it's done.

Thank you,

ER

[David Root]

I checked my oval hole Avatar 2x12 back and they use five fairly wide scalloped cuts, not V-cuts, in the 180 degree round transition at each end of the hole.

I have done a little repair and regluing of old Tolex, owning several old amps as I do, and psycho is right, it ain't easy! Also, using the right glue makes a big difference too. 3M make a range with slightly different properties, you spray it on both Tolex and wood and wait until it tacks up a bit before gluing it down. Sorry I don't recall the type or number, when I moved I had to get rid of it as the mover would not truck flammable stuff.

[jaysg]

I know it's a bit to ask, but could you guys with these put up some pics of the panels from the back side and along the oval edges. I think it will make it a lot more clear.

[BobW]

here a few pics from Caseys tolex tutorial

http://s238.photobucket.com/albums/ff24 ... d%20Areas/

[Structo]

I forgot about this one.
This is the back cover to my amp head.

[IMG:800:600]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b392/ ... G_0545.jpg[/img]

[IMG:800:600]http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b392/ ... G_0546.jpg[/img]

[phsyconoodler]

Don't use spray on glues.They suck the hind tit.
Use non-toxic brush on contact cement.

[David Root]

They do have some nasty solvent carriers in them, yes, but I found them to be effective.

[talbany]

The 3M spray Glue #77 you have to watch if you live in hot climate areas..Leave the amp in a car or in the trunk on a hot summer day it will go soft on you and might peel away.. I use Dupont Landau convertable top cover adhesive stands up to heat..You can get it in 5 gal cans for around 100 bucks shipped if your doing multiple amps lasts a while.. I put it in a spray gun (use mask) and spray it on both sides.. It takes me about 20 minutes to cover a narrow panel tweed and about 10 for a regular size head.. If your doing one-zies the contact cement like Psyco mentioned works fine.. FWIW the 77 glue is good for sticking label inside the cabs or when apply lightly works great on a toilet seat..

Tony

[Structo]

Heheheh, yeah I uses spray glue quite a bit in my trade.
I have found the 3M to be the best of the bunch but as Tony mentioned it can release if the temperature gets really hot. Read tube amp.

We use it when installing moisture invasion prevention systems when we do outside stucco.
Sometimes this may be a type of fabric other times just plain felt paper.

We were using a cheaper brand of spray contact type cement before and on a hot summer day many times we would come to work the next day and a lot of what we put on the walls would be on the ground so we had to start stapling it which kind of defeated what we were trying to due in the first place.

The 3M 77 would work better but some of it would still release.
It really depended how dry the stuff was before you stuck it on the wall.
If both the wall and the material we were gluing to it were past the tacky stage and were stuck together it seemed to work better (dry contact).

So I can see where the choice of an adhesive would be critical on tolex of a tube amp.
Gigging musicians expose their equipment to very harsh temperature extremes, from sub-zero to over one hundred degrees.

So I would be more tempted to use a cement that handles those extremes the best.

I have no idea how well the newer water based cements perform.

[ER]

Thanks guys-
I think I'm ready to takle this one...

I'll stay away from the 3M, we regularly hit the hunert-and-teens here in the north valley (117-118 and not a dry heat either).

I'm hoping that volcano in greenland will make for a bearable summer, or better yet that I'll be moving further north up by structo!

-ER

[dr. who]

I'm over in southern Humboldt. It doesn't get that hot over here. I don't know how you guys handle heat like that.