KG4 cabinet problems

[tlouds]

The front panel of one of my KG4 cabinets is separating from the rest of the cabinet. At decent volume I can physically feel air pouring out like a drafty window and the lower frequencies get terribly distorted. Any solutions (I was thinking an acrylic caulk or something along those lines), or should I start building new ones?

[WMcD]

Can you give us a little more information about the nature of the failure? Pictures are good. I'm not familiar with the construction. Perhaps others will chime in.

I think there have been some other reports of similar failures. A call to the factory might well be in order. You might get some satisfaction. Comments, guys?

If you have to do it yourself: One inital thought is that it might be possible to break out the entire board so you can get whatever new adhesive onto to entire assembly. Liquid Nails works for me.

If the factory glue has failed as much as you describe, the rest might come apart easily. This could require disassembling the entire unit starting with pulling out the woofer. Of course this breaking out is at the risk of damaging the mdf (?) it is made of.

If you want to give it a shot without taking it apart: On other projects, I've had good luck using a hot glue gun as a caulk. The hot glue has some structural strength. It is possible to pump the hot stuff into a gap.

If you're thinking a building a new box, it would seem that you're more than capable of making a good repair which would be far less time consuming.

Of course, any repair course of action relies on your good judgment. So don't take my comments too seriously.

Gil

This message has been edited by William F. Gil McDermott on 01-02-2002 at 12:47 AM

[tlouds]

Gang: Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately pictures won't show the problem. It's not visable, rather audible and sensory. Does anybody make cabinet shells that I could drop the components into and rewire myself? I would hate to scrap these speakers or sell them for parts.

[Klipschguy]

I would reglue the front panel with a polyurethane type glue, like Probond from Home Depot. This type of glue is incredably strong and expands on setting to fill cracks and voids (unlike wood glue, which shrinks). Be careful to not get too much of this glue near the front edge of the baffle as it will expand to make ugly glue line where the esthetics matter (just be sure and wipe off the excess). Also, when using this glue, the surfaces are first dampened with water to facilitate bonding and setting. It would not be a bad idea to glue a couple of pieces of scrap wood just to get a feel for the product.

Hope this helps,

Andy

This message has been edited by Klipschguy on 01-13-2002 at 08:11 AM

[cagey4]

Sorry I didn't see this sooner. Here's my fix: Remove the speakers, measure the distance from the rear panel to the front(inside). Cut two lengths of dowel. On the front panel one dowel will fit between the horn and the top mid/bass driver, the other between the mid/bass drivers. The pilot-holes should be drilled in the routed areas for the drivers, that way they won't show when the speakers are screwed back in. Also drill a countersink hole for the screw head. On the back panel drill the holes above and below the passive radiator, make sure the dowel fits snug. One dowel will have to be at a slight diagonal so measure accordingly. Drill pilot holes in the dowel ends and attach. The panel should now be 'tight' to the front. Apply plenty of silicone caulk to the inside where the front meets the sides. Put the speakers back and you're done. You not only fixed the leak but improved the acoustic properties of the cabinet by reinforcing the panels against vibration. If this is all too much and you want to get rid of them, let me know. Good luck.