Refoaming Advent's Masonite Ring Woofer???
- Thread starter gyusher
- Start date
judgeschreber
Well-Known Member
No need to remove the masonite ring. And yes, it's a total pain to get it cleaned up properly.
When you install the new foam, do the inside part first, and after it is totally dry, put a bead on the outside edge of the foam and the bottom of the masonite ring (it's tricky and awkward, but try to do it without having having them get stuck together). Then, spread the beads with the q-tip type thing that probably came with the re-foaming kit, still trying to avoid getting the two surfaces stuck together.
Then, after ten minutes or so, when both surfaces are tacky (I'm assuming you're using one of the re-foaming kits you get off of ebay with the white glue), press the two surfaces together. Test for voice coil rub immediately after pressing them together. If it rubs, you can still pull the new foam away from the masonite, and try again...
When you install the new foam, do the inside part first, and after it is totally dry, put a bead on the outside edge of the foam and the bottom of the masonite ring (it's tricky and awkward, but try to do it without having having them get stuck together). Then, spread the beads with the q-tip type thing that probably came with the re-foaming kit, still trying to avoid getting the two surfaces stuck together.
Then, after ten minutes or so, when both surfaces are tacky (I'm assuming you're using one of the re-foaming kits you get off of ebay with the white glue), press the two surfaces together. Test for voice coil rub immediately after pressing them together. If it rubs, you can still pull the new foam away from the masonite, and try again...
Thanks. . . I've refoamed dozens maybe hundreds but never one of these. I know I've done at least 50 Advent woofers but the all steel version. I'll Get-R-Done. . .
This pair is without a doubt the nicest ones I have ever seen and I've seen my share.
Know any tricks to brightening up the grills??? They are fine but one has a slight stain and one has a small wrinkle. Normally I'd call them exceptional but since the boxes are so good I want them perfect too. . .
Thanks for the tip. . .BTW.
This pair is without a doubt the nicest ones I have ever seen and I've seen my share.
Know any tricks to brightening up the grills??? They are fine but one has a slight stain and one has a small wrinkle. Normally I'd call them exceptional but since the boxes are so good I want them perfect too. . .
Thanks for the tip. . .BTW.
archie2
Addicted Member
An easy way to refoam Advents with the masonite ring, after you clean off the old foam, is: Put a THIN bead of glue (I use Aleene's Tacky) on top of the inner surround lip. Invert the surround and place on cone. Using your fingures lift the cone up from underneath while pressing down on surround. Let stand until tacky then press surfaces together. Let dry for about an hour. Put bead of glue on top of outer surround lip. Press cone all the way down, the outer ring will fall into place against the bottom of the masonite ring. Flip woofer over and press surfaces together, let stand until tacky. Flip woofer topside again and center cone. One more flip to press and you're done. Works like a charm. Just let it dry overnight.
I use a kitchen knife that I broke off and bent to reach behind the Masonite and scrape it off. then I apply adhesive solvent, let it work a bit and scrape it off and neutralize it with water.
I use contact cement as glue, so I apply it with a long artist's brush through the openings in the basket and to the mating edge on the rim, let it dry and then carefully press them together.
I'm your flipside. I've done probably dozens of Advents and perhaps 2 of the sets were the metal basket ones. I always seem to cut the backs of my fingers on the basket edges when I'm smoothing them down too; maybe I should start wearing leather glove for that part of the procedure??
I use contact cement as glue, so I apply it with a long artist's brush through the openings in the basket and to the mating edge on the rim, let it dry and then carefully press them together.
I'm your flipside. I've done probably dozens of Advents and perhaps 2 of the sets were the metal basket ones. I always seem to cut the backs of my fingers on the basket edges when I'm smoothing them down too; maybe I should start wearing leather glove for that part of the procedure??
Doug G.
Lunatic Member
I have done several masonites and I refoam the same as Archie except I put the first bead of glue onto the lip of the cone instead of the surround. It doesn't really matter though.
I use lacquer thinner to remove the old surround and glue. It does take a bit of rubbing :^) If the glue is on thick, I use Zip-Strip finish remover. It really works good.
There is absolutely no need to cut the dust cap or use shims for this procedure. The spider is still there, after all, so the one end of the VC is already centered and the assembly pretty much finds its own center as the surround is brought against the masonite. You still want to check to be sure it's OK however.
Except for the oxidized plating, that woofer looks like it's in really good condition. I bet that is still the original surround on there.
With that serial number, your speaker you show in the picture is a fairly late one. Probably made in early 1976.
EDIT: Be sure to get rid of that old mortite sealer and replace with new.
Doug
I use lacquer thinner to remove the old surround and glue. It does take a bit of rubbing :^) If the glue is on thick, I use Zip-Strip finish remover. It really works good.
There is absolutely no need to cut the dust cap or use shims for this procedure. The spider is still there, after all, so the one end of the VC is already centered and the assembly pretty much finds its own center as the surround is brought against the masonite. You still want to check to be sure it's OK however.
Except for the oxidized plating, that woofer looks like it's in really good condition. I bet that is still the original surround on there.
With that serial number, your speaker you show in the picture is a fairly late one. Probably made in early 1976.
EDIT: Be sure to get rid of that old mortite sealer and replace with new.
Doug
I see the 75/76 date in several places. The only kinda bad thing is the serial numbers are xxx250/xxx332 or there about. Not conseq but close enough. . .
Speaking of the spider. . .it looks like it was built yesterday. . . I know their history as they belonged to a friend of mine's 90 year old father or grandfather. They sat covered for years. He went to a nursing home just recently. I would believe him if he said they were never used. . . he must have been about my age when he bought them. . . Now thats scary.
alexkerhead
To High For Infinity
Odd, mine use fiberglass stuffing(?)
Someone else might have replaced the fiberglass with foam later on, or they are a later version.
These are some of the easiest speakers to refoam. I have done several metal framed woofers, and these are a piece of cake compared to regular woofers, although they look difficult to start with, just use your fingers to rub all the old stuff off and then clean with a damp rag. if there is anything left, use an exacto knife to carefully remove left over residue. The reason these are easy, is because they pretty much line their own voice coil up. no need to remove the dust caps.
here is a pic of the ones I did before and after.
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They still have the warrenty cards and description on the backs. . . even the bottoms don't have a scratch on them. They are certainly keepers. I liked how all my other Advents sounded. Too bad these are Utility models, if they were the nice pretty Large Walnuts in this condition that would be something.
These have a thin sheer black grill cloth under the more traditional Advent grill cloth. I know they are original but I have never seen that either.
Speaking of the masonite ring; I remember reading where they (Advent) use a 12in driver with a 10in cone, something about the bigger motor, made the math right or something . . can't remember exactly what they said now.
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I'm thinking of a powdered carpet cleaning compound that I have seen. . .but don't know where.
I also thought about removing the cloth. . . nah too much sugar for a dime. . .
Doug G.
Lunatic Member
The main reason for using a 12" frame and 10" cone was to get the excursion Henry wanted at a low cost. The 10" frames then wouldn't allow enough.
They could have fabricated a custom frame (which they later did with the all-metal woofers used in "The New Advent Loudspeaker" but the 12" frame/masonite was a lot cheaper.
Doug
They could have fabricated a custom frame (which they later did with the all-metal woofers used in "The New Advent Loudspeaker" but the 12" frame/masonite was a lot cheaper.
Doug
I knew a guy once that owned a speaker factory (Sound Source) he built speakers for "Sharp" among others plus he had his own line as well. One 12in 3 way (SS-2412 iirc) that retailed for right at 500 bucks each. This was 1980. Occasionally you saw these speakers blown out of semi vans in some audio dealers parking lot for 100 bucks each. I remember my friend telling me they had around 50 bucks in that speaker. dealer cost was like 112.00 bucks.
Anyway that 12in was not a bad speaker. Real walnut veneer, dome tweeter, cast frame woofer that cost them 11.00 bucks when bought in truck load quanitys.
My purpose for this trip is that Advent had to have used millions of drivers. . . I wonder how many pennies they saved by having a special woofer??
Anyway that 12in was not a bad speaker. Real walnut veneer, dome tweeter, cast frame woofer that cost them 11.00 bucks when bought in truck load quanitys.
My purpose for this trip is that Advent had to have used millions of drivers. . . I wonder how many pennies they saved by having a special woofer??
EricC
Super Member
My mother cleaned the grills on their advents with a garden hose and it looks great. She did lay them in the sun for a day to make sure they were dry before putting them back on the speaker.
Hope everything has gone well, and I'm sorry I didn't contribute earlier. I've re-foamed my circa 1971 Masonite Advents three times now. The original foam lasted 16 years. Never gets any easier, but at least the work is familiar. Had a little rub in the voice coil last time, but I only heard it when playing test tones. Never bothered to fix it. Hope I didn't really bollix it up.
Greg
Greg
