installing grill cloth...

[Rogue]

I installed some grill cloth on my speaker baffle last night. It's not bad, but I'd like it to be better.

I'm going to do another baffle and have enough material left over to do it as opposed to redoing this one. I can live with this one, so I'll just do another and see if I can get it better.

I'm using this stuff....

https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/S-G314

Pretty simple straight forward stuff.

The corners turned out a bit rough, there's a slight wave to the texture, and it's not particularly smooth around the edge of baffle.

I've watched some videos and read what I could, but I'm just curious as to other people's techniques they've found success with before I attempt the second one.

So far this seems to be the most unforgiving part of my amp build.

Any tips?

[Bill Moore]

I have trouble getting the lines straight!
I have the best luck tacking the bottom, paying attention to the line. I then tack, (staple), a 1x2 to the top, and use that to tension the cloth. I then staple the cloth to the top of the baffle, attempting to keep the line straight at the top. After pulling the sides around, (and aligning), I staple the top, and bottom to the back of the baffle, (and trim as necessary). I've not mastered the art yet! (Notice the bobble starting around the reverb control!)

[elk]

Would it make any difference if you started with the top? The reason I ask is because if you can then the 'bobble' would be on the bottom and maybe less noticeable?

[Bill Moore]

I guess you could tension from either, I go to the top so I can try to get it straight. The baffle is stightly rounded where the bobble is, and I never saw the problem with this amp until I had installed it! The next one, I did the same procedure, but used a straight piece of wood to lay against the baffle, and periodically check my self, (I pulled and restapled a few times to get it right.)

[Rogue]

Thanks Bill. Is that 1x2 a long piece that covers the length of the baffle?

I thought about doing something like that, but then wasn't sure how to get the sides tensioned up that way.

What techniques do you use for the corners? Two cuts parallel to each edge at the end of the board?

I've got black grill cloth over ivory tolex....every flaw is exposed.

[Bill Moore]

The 1x2 is the length of the baffle, (or longer). The corners I cut, and fold the side over. Once the top-bottom is tensioned, and stapled, all that is needed is to tighen the sides enough to remove any slack.

[rp]

Canvas pliers helped me out a lot, if you are getting arthritis in your hands they're a must. Careful though, they apply enough leverage to rip grill cloth.

http://www.dickblick.com/products/riche ... as-pliers/

[Rogue]

The 1x2 is the length of the baffle, (or longer). The corners I cut, and fold the side over. Once the top-bottom is tensioned, and stapled, all that is needed is to tighen the sides enough to remove any slack.

I'm going to try it again this weekend. I've cut another baffle...I'll just use whichever looks best.

I'm not clear on your corner technique. I totally jacked up my first one. I cut it the wrong way and had frayed edges. The next ones I did turned out better, but none were just right. The one that worked best had the top edge cut the length of the side of the baffle. I folded that over the corner. Then wrapped the side around the back so that it overlapped the other piece. This was the cleanest, but the area it overlapped had a double thickness.

Is there a demonstration of corner techniques? I watched the uncle doug video and that's about it.

[Structo]

Of course!

It's the internet.

You just have to experiment with the folding and corners.
You don't want a big wad of fabric under the corner of course.

Cut from the corner but not into the edge or face, fold over and staple.

Sometimes four hands are needed.

I've seen where guys staple a temporary piece of wood across the bottom of the cloth and use that to pull tight, staple and trim.