coolhandjjl Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 I bought Dave's Eliptrac 400 in kit form a while back. I assembled it, did rough sanding, and got busy using it with the B&C DE750TN. Absolutely the best midrange combo I've ever encountered. I took the driver off last Friday and did final sanding, and priming. I used Kilz-2, a white latex primer suitable for any top coat. Being white, it also allowd me to see the high spots for additional sanding. I sanded down the 'humps' inside the horn from the seams and glue joints with a better ability to see what was going on. Anyone doing the kit may want to keep glue away from the inner edges. I did wipe out any squished out glue, but with the glue being harder then the MDF, it was a tough sanding job. It is as reasonably smooth as I could expect now. I put on one more coat of Kilz-2, and then a light sand with 220 grit. Then I used Rustoluem Filler Primer, a grey thicker-than-regular spray primer, so it helped fill in any tiny seams or other marks in the wood. A coule coats of that, and a light sand with 220 grit. Smooth as a baby's bottom. I'm letting them sit for a few days to fully cure with all those layers of paint on them. So I don't get bleed-through issues, I have some other Rustoleum spray primer in an iron oxide red color I'll go over the grey primer with. Top coat will be Rustoleum Multicolor Textured in Autumn Brown. The throat takes a bit of care, dry overspray tends to collect there, so it needs to be wiped out when fully dry. Since it's hard to get a good head-on spray angle in the throat, the texture seems to be a bit 'toothier' as a result when compared than to the flare area. Shouldn't be a problem with the texture style finish coat I'm planning to use. I did take the mount off, masked both the mating sides, masked a cricle where the driver goes, and sprayed that separatey. I just didn't know what to expect if I did it all bolted together, paint may crack in the wrong place, may crack roughly, not sure. Dave probably has a method that works best for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absolve2525 Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 We need some pics! What model speaker are you using them with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 thanks for posting on your process. some good procedure there can't wait to see the pics! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Morbius Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Any updates??? Paint should be dry by now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Any updates??? Paint should be dry by now. Leave him alone hes probably watching it dry that takes time and good effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZombieWoof Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 I did 9 of Dave's kits had the same issue with the waving effect @ the seams after sanding to counter it after the fact ,the idea is place down a thick & easily sanded primer I stayed away from anything water based due to avoiding any swelling of wood fibers & aviod time to dry between coats I used the BIN Zimmerman white solvent based shellac primer( alcohol based evaporates extremely fast )this stuff has a high Titanium content & the horn sucks it up but it doesn't take a lot of paint as the suspended particles stay on the surface of the horn ,alcohol based makes for no swelling of the MDF OR the glue , so no line of swelled glue either at the seams the stuff can be brushed on quite thickly & re-coated in just a hour ,I put on 4 to six coats depending on the horn & any imperfections all 9 horn were done in one days time with the Bin's cool stuff but you have to brush on quickly & not over brush It has a self flattening quality that sets up quickly & a re-brush ruins the effect. a little practice I had the re-coat process done assembly line style on the 9 horn took me about 5 minutes to do a coat on all 9 horns at a time 1/2 hour dry then & quick sand then start over again till I got a baby's bottom surface on each horn sands off just like dry wall mud it's that easy , did sand till the seams just appeared & that filled the waves nicely once the waves are gone a couple more coats let dry sand again just prep for the grey primer . let dry a day then 2 coats of primer sanding between again. I then used hammered effect dark charcoal Rustolium with the trigger top , the regular top can the spray pattern is not even with coverage this stuff goes on thick & then flattens out & minutes later it does a orange peel effect but it's smooth hence the hammered look what ever the solvent is in it , it's HOT meaning very volatile , you must let it dry 2 days between coats of the next coat will craze wildly & fast to the point of wrinkling up like you have put paint stripper on the finish some horns have 6 to 7 coats due crazing , it's easy to sand the craze down & re-coat just a P I A if your in a hurry Learned the hard way but I did 4 coats at least on all 9 horns & the surface is hard as nails with all the coats & sanding in between the surface is slightly smoother than the standard hammer look which is what I wanted any way as for the mounting level & the last section I painted with everything together during primer split the pieces & it separated fine , did that again with the final paint & again it separated fine soo well in fact you look down the horn throat & you can't see a line at all I had no problem with over spray in the throats as I did the throats last , did outside 1st & then work my way into throat last this paint has a wet look & as long as you can move that wet look along the surface as you move down the throat you're fine . any runs you wipe fast the quickly spray over as long as the wet look holds you're fine . the self flattening nature of the paint made all the spray flow together over spray would just melt into the surface of the paint . the trigger spray nozzle has a flat line spray pattern ( up/down 1/4" wide X 4 inches long) that with practice make aiming very precise . you can just walk the surface along as you spray . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZombieWoof Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 full view Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZombieWoof Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 back view Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZombieWoof Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 close up corner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZombieWoof Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 another Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZombieWoof Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 I must say the B&C 750 16 ohm driver is really very impressive I run as a 2 way with a Cornwall reinforced cabinet , the horn sits on top & the cab is just a bass bin I couldn't be happier ALK network Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZombieWoof Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 Sorry didn't mean to HiJack your thread my apologies Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 I think the driver is one of the sexist parts. But some good ole hand made horns is just as sexy, man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolhandjjl Posted August 3, 2013 Author Share Posted August 3, 2013 I'll try to get pics. Nice look with the shiny finish. Mine did not come out as perfectly smooth, but since my finish is textured matte, the humps do not show up unless I take a flashlight and position it inside along the surface of the curve. Ditto again on thick sandable primer. I could have sanded for a year on the bare MDF and still not gotten it smooth. I bought the 8 ohm version of the DE750TN, as I am bi/tri amping with a tube amp for the B&C and didn't want to get caught with an amp that wasn't 16 ohm ready. When I was testing all this out, my only tube power amp was a Peavey full range 50wpc tube power amp with EL84's. It won't drive 16 ohm speakers. I just bought a Dynaco ST35 to be my new mid-range amp with original transformers that are 8 and 16. Go figure. This really is a superb midrange set-up. No resonant peaks, no ringing, no honkiness, seems impossible to encounter lobing. Anyone considering this and is on the fence, jump in, the water's fine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZombieWoof Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 yeah , in my place dust is factor so a matt surface a non-starter (too many ranches & dirt roads nearby) at 1st I was looking at the B&C 85 but looking at the specs the 750 just spec'ed out better in my eyes I asked Al about it & he thought the 750 would preform better , so a leap of faith & ordered them from Al he drop shipped direct from B&C USA & FedEx damaged 2 of the drivers the magnets were chipped in various edges . B&C replaced the drivers & said keep the old ones , Al asked if he could have the drivers as they worked fine just the magnets were chipped Seeing how Al gave me a deal on the drivers & helped me with designing my smaller 12" woofer CS-1.5 type Clone speaker with a Eliptrac-400 I sent both to Al ,he put them in his Belles, he was surprised on the difference & said they sounded real nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David H Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 full view Those look as nice as my premium finish horns.Excellent work. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZombieWoof Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 full view Those look as nice as my premium finish horns.Excellent work. Dave ThanX Dave ,that means alot coming from you ! that horn of yours Dave & matched with the B&C 750 whatta combo [<)] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolhandjjl Posted August 5, 2013 Author Share Posted August 5, 2013 Here we go! You can start to see the humps in a couple of the pics because of the studio lighting, but in real room viewing, it looks smooth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolhandjjl Posted August 5, 2013 Author Share Posted August 5, 2013 more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolhandjjl Posted August 5, 2013 Author Share Posted August 5, 2013 and more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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