Project AR-3a's - Part2 Surrounds

[Grayhouse]

As many of you know I refoamed my 3a woofers. This was my first refoam job and I was really amazed at how easy it was. I decided to go with the shimless method because I didn't want to mess up the dust caps. I was really concerned if I would be able to center the voice coil, but these 3a woofers are really well built. Once I had the foam glued and dried to the cone it just naturally wanted to center itself once the foam is droped on the basket. I dought if I would ever get this lucky again on another pair of woofers using the same method. I am wondering about one thing. The original surrounds looked to have been coated in some type of rubber cement. Should I attemp to duplicate this and if so what type of cement should I use?

Here's a pic of what the woofer looked like before refoaming.

http://img311.imageshack.us/img311/335/ar3awr28aw.jpg

Here's a pic of the finished woofer. Sorry, no pics of the job itself. I was to nervous to be fiddling with a camera for each step being that it was my first refoam job.

http://img311.imageshack.us/img311/4986/ar3awrrefoam21da.jpg

And here's a pic of them in the cabs. Yep, looking very presentable now

http://img311.imageshack.us/img311/8684/ar3acabs1b4gh.jpg

One last pic after I finished cleaning the grills. The grills were perfect, but they were very yellow and kinda dingy. I think the people who had them were heavy smokers. The smell that came off these things when they were wet was almost unbareable, but they sure did come out pretty in the end.

http://img311.imageshack.us/img311/810/ar3acabs1a1yc.jpg

[bolly]

lookin sweet Grayhouse! :thmbsp: I refoamed a couple AR drivers myself this week, a 7" and an 11". :yes:

[dbwinger]

I think you did a great job on the woofer refoaming. They look really clean and professional. I would leave the foam alone and not apply any additional coating to them.

[luvvinvinyl]

I would speculate that the indivual who coated the surrounds was trying to prolong the foam, past its useful life. Not up to the task of refoaming, unlike you.

Great job! Nice to see those AR's restored so beautifully.

[Aage]

Would you please describe how you cleaned the fabric on the grilles?

[Grayhouse]

lookin sweet Grayhouse! :thmbsp: I refoamed a couple AR drivers myself this week, a 7" and an 11". :yes:
They sound great bolly. I had some trouble at first situating them in the room and getting the level controls just perfect. Now the more I listen to 'em the more I like 'em. Listening to Fleetwood Mac's Tusk right now from the next room and they sound excellent. I'd say the bottom end is about equal to that of my altec 14's, maybe a tad tighter on the really low notes. I read about your AR-9 troubles. Ya gotta work that shouder so you can get those beasts runnin :yes:

[Chip - HP]

Nice job :thmbsp: ... it inspires me to refoam 2 pair of AR2ax's ... did you deox the controls while you had them open? ...

[Grayhouse]

Would you please describe how you cleaned the fabric on the grilles?
I used Oxy Clean, Aage. Mix a scoop-full in hot water in a spay bottle and then let it cool down completely. You don't want to spay hot water on the fabric or it'll shrink like mad. I sprayed enough on to just soke the fabric, but not satureate it. Let it sit for about 5min and then blotted it up with a clean cotton cloth. On some spots I had to rubb a little bit with a wet cloth. If your gonna do it on the frame like I did make sure have enough staples holding the cloth to the frame because while it's wet it's gonna want to shrink a bit, but it will go back to it's original demensions once dry...well for the most part it will thats why you want to make sure it's well anchored to the frame before you start. Also I cut a sheet of acetate that I used to slip between the frame and the fabric before I sprayed the fabric. This way I would have a flat surface to apply preasure to as I pressed down with the blotting otherwise I would bear even more stress on the stapled end weaves. The frames did warp a bit from the wet fabric, but once they fully dried they came back to there original shape. Just remember as the TV ad says "It's the power of oxygen" :thmbsp:

[yungin's-dad]

Looks as though you used shims on the VC. How was that? I've never used the shims before, but would like to try once. Really nice job GH.

Congrats,

Ron

[Grayhouse]

Looks as though you used shims on the VC. How was that? I've never used the shims before, but would like to try once. Really nice job GH.

Congrats,

Ron
I wouldn't know Ron. I didn't use shims. I didn't want to mess up the original dustcaps if I could help it.

[bigphil]

those are some stunning boxes + grilles.... almost a modern retro look... I'm jealous, good job on the refoam as well

[Aage]

I used Oxy Clean, Aage. Mix a scoop-full in hot water in a spay bottle and then let it cool down completely. You don't want to spay hot water on the fabric or it'll shrink like mad. I sprayed enough on to just soke the fabric, but not satureate it. Let it sit for about 5min and then blotted it up with a clean cotton cloth. On some spots I had to rubb a little bit with a wet cloth. If your gonna do it on the frame like I did make sure have enough staples holding the cloth to the frame because while it's wet it's gonna want to shrink a bit, but it will go back to it's original demensions once dry...well for the most part it will thats why you want to make sure it's well anchored to the frame before you start. Also I cut a sheet of acetate that I used to slip between the frame and the fabric before I sprayed the fabric. This way I would have a flat surface to apply preasure to as I pressed down with the blotting otherwise I would bear even more stress on the stapled end weaves. The frames did warp a bit from the wet fabric, but once they fully dried they came back to there original shape. Just remember as the TV ad says "It's the power of oxygen" :thmbsp:

Wow, sounds like a lot of work but they came out just great. Gonna try that on my pair of AR4x.

Thanks for the description!

[Kencat]

Grayhouse,

I'm looking at those pictures of your AR3a's and the cabinet sidewalls look major thick - 1" ? They look like they weigh a ton !

What would you estimate or know them to be, cabinet-thickness-wise? What are the overall dimensions ? If one were to be building a set of speakers, it looks like this would be a good start at emulating - the proverbial "brick shithouse" if you will.

Btw, I see what you mean about about these weighing a lot more than than your recently acquired Mach 2s. They look it !

They do look GREAT,

Ken C.

[Grayhouse]

Grayhouse,

I'm looking at those pictures of your AR3a's and the cabinet sidewalls look major thick - 1" ? They look like they weigh a ton !

What would you estimate or know them to be, cabinet-thickness-wise? What are the overall dimensions ? If one were to be building a set of speakers, it looks like this would be a good start at emulating - the proverbial "brick shithouse" if you will.

Btw, I see what you mean about about these weighing a lot more than than your recently acquired Mach 2s. They look it !

They do look GREAT,

Ken C.
You aint kiddin about them being built. They weigh 54 very deceptive pounds. Demintions are 25" x 14" x 11 1/2". The front trim pieces are 1 1/4" x 3/4" solid hardwood. The cabs themselves are 3/4" MDF. The interior contains no less than 6 crossbraces made of 3/4" x 1 1/2" birch. They are literally battleships desguised as fine furiture desguised as speakers. They just don't make 'em like this today and if they did you would pay through the teeth for 'em. The pictures really don't do them justice. They just ooze an understated class that is breathtaking. I know it sounds strange, but when you are lucky enough to own a pair of AR-3's or 3a's in this kinda condition it becomes a feast for the eyes as well as the ears. I still can't belive how fortunate I was. My altecs are beatifull and in excellent condition, but still, they look like speakers...nothing more, nothing less, but my AR's look like fine jewels that you never tire of staring at. A quiet refinement that they just don't make anymore :)

[MarkAnderson]

Grayhouse, I don't know what to say. Those are postively stunning. - Mark

[jcmjrt]

The 3as came out great. I'm surprised at how well the grill cloth cleaned up. Now that you've got the 3as looking so good, what are you doing with the AR-3s? I'd like to know what you think of the difference in sound between the two.