DIY JR149 Foam Grills

I don't know why I picked today to do this, but I decided to make some foam grills for my JR149 speakers. The originals had rotted away probably long before I acquired them. So, if this is what they look like now, we can fix that:



I picked up some Kwik Kut air condition foam filter 15"x24" from True Value and some velcro from Big Lots. This foam is maybe 1/4" to 3/8" thick.



One of my speakers still had the original velcro



And one didn't



Take the "finger" portion of the velcro and cut it to length. Then I cut it in half to get two strips. You could buy extra velcro and not split it, but I'm cheap.



I put the velcro about 1/2 from the black strip. Clean the metal where it's going and stick it on.



Next, get the foam and lay it out. Use something straight and a sharp razor blade. I cut the foam 12-1/2" wide and kept the length of 24". Tuck one end under the black strip and make sure it's stuck to the velcro. Then stretch it around the speaker and tuck the other end under the black strip. Smooth out the foam top to bottom and that's it.

:thmbsp:They look awesome nice job

Had a pair. Unfortunately, one was lost during a move. Better mids, wider dispersion and smoother than the vaunted and costlier LS 35A. The only minus I can think of is the limited power handling. All in all, a superb compact speaker.

Well, I got board and started thinking they would look better if they were black. Had a can of Krylon flat black spray paint laying around and thought why not. Tested it on a scrap piece and all seem well. Just remember, foam and volatile material don't mix well (i.e. will melt the foam). Spray on in light coats and let it dry before coats. Also, let it dry out/air out before putting it on the speaker. You don't want the out-gasses from the paint, affecting your foam surrounds.

I know they make spray paint for plastics. That might be a better choice should you venture to do this.

those look awesome !! good job.

Thanks. Much better looking than the bare metal.

Nice!