Groomlakearea51 Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 Ok... done!!! Many of Heresy's and Cornwalls that show up on Craig's List and eBay are either missing grills, or the grills have seen better days. What is a Heritage collector to do!!? The first thing you, your wife, and any guests who come over see your prized speaker collection are those grills. Ugly grills make for bad relations, low self esteem, and very low readings on the "WAF-O-Meter" (wife acceptance factor...). Over age, the glue that holds the cloth to the grill "blanks" or boards dries out and the cloth becomes loose and sags. In addition, and is the usual case.. fingers pushing on the cloth "dents" or stretches the cloth, cats & dogs living together.... etc. You get the picture.... My "collection" was and will always be no exception. So I have taken the time to put together a photo thread that shows a method for having nice new grills for your freshly restored or refinished Heresy's and/or Cornwalls. I did not address LaScalas, Belles or Klipschorns. In the case of LaScala's, the procedure is the same as for Heresy's & Cornwalls. Belles and Klipschorns pose completely different problems because the grill cloth is stapled with 50 bazillion staples to the motor boards and the side/bin boards. That's another story altogether.... As you will see in the thread, it's relatively easy to just replace the cloth and you don't need any special tools. You will only need to make a pair of cloth "clamps". I need to emphasize proper tools... To do grills when the original grill boards are missing or damaged (to do it right, anyways....), you must either have, or have access to the correct workshop tools. Without the right tools, it cannot be done correctly and you will ruin some expensive grill cloth before it's over. Not counting any wood templates, glue, etc., a new pair of Heresy grills will set you back about $50 worth of new Duracrest #17 black grill cloth. But.... if the grill blanks are missing, or have been damaged (usually they got wet somewhere in their career...), you will have to make the "blanks" or the boards that retain the grill cloth. And... to really do it right, you will actually need to cut a piece of 1/2" or 3/4" piece of birch to the exact dimensions a motor board, and the proper (and at least larger) dimensions of the driver "holes". In order to do that, you will pretty much need to have certain tools, most importantly an accurate table saw, and a router with a high quality carbide bit. Grill cloth? Duracrest apparently does not make the Heritage cloth anymore. However, the cloth can be obtained from Klipsch Parts (it was available the last time I called). It's sold by the linear yard. Linear yard means a piece of cloth 36" wide by whatever the "bolt" height is on the roll. I've seen it 72" tall, but usually it's 60". One linear yard will do one (1) Cornwall and one (1) Heresy, or a pair (2) of Heresy's with some left over (enough for one (1) Belle bin insert. To re-so your grills, you must calculate the amount you need vs how it's sold. I'm not sure of the latest price, but when I ordered some cloth about a year or three ago it was about $50+ a yard. Bob Crites (BEC) also has some black from Duracrest, so you can also contact him. I only have a few yards of black left and I need to keep it for some projects here. Note: brown is simply not available. The grill boards were made from "masonite" board, or an impregnated particle board, generally 1/8" thick. Some Cornwall grills were made from 3/16"; others 1/8" (I've seen both and have an example of each one in the shop). The board material is usually sold at your local lumber store. Buy the good quality kind, preferably the kind that's impregnated, or even better, buy a sheet of "laminate" board (that's what was used on Heresy-II's). You should also buy a can of high grade exterior semi-gloss latex enamel to seal the boards before assembly with cloth. You can use acrylic enamel, but it takes forever to dry, makes a mess, and the contact cement used will react with it and make a mess. You will need contact cement; I suggest Weldwood standard. They make a low odor kind also, but the kind in the red can works perfectly. The "templates", or for all intents and purposes, new motor board "blanks" are made from 1/2" or 3/4" birch plywood. I strongly suggest 3/4" birch. Do not use pine plywood.... A word on safety and health. Using a table saw is not so bad in terms of stuff flying all over the place. A router is another story.... Wear goggles (best practice) or impact resistant glasses when using a router. Use a small face mask, like one of those little breathing masks that they wear in the ER's at your local hospital. Reason: router dust from the board is extremely fine and does not do your sinuses or lungs any big favors..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 01 Assuming you will cut new grill boards.... You gotta' have a table saw... with a big feed table... bigger the better. Quality counts... If you don't have one, you can usually get a lumber yard or woodworker/ cabinet shop to cut the template boards and the grill blanks for you. Precise measurements are important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 02 If you have a table saw, make sure that the blade angle is set to "0". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 03 Blade height adjustment should be about 30-40% higher than the thickest piece you will cut. Consult the table saw instruction manual and the blade manufacturer's recommendations. Blade? You will want a blade specifically made for fine cuts in plywood. Use a sharp blade..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 04 Before you start cutting anything.... "register" the blade to the fence. That means if the exact distance from the side edge of the blade teeth to the fence is 12", then the rail indicator better read 12". They are adjustable, and they get out of adjustment..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 05 Tools and stuff.... You will need a router, cutting bits, contact cement, contact adhesive, jig saw with an extra fine cut blade (for the grill blanks) and a standard fine cut blade for any plywood templates that you might have to make. Good pair of scissors, and a "hair dryer" (not shown as we'll discuss that very dangerous piece of equipment later....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 07 The router bit should be a 1/2" shank, three fluted, "flush trim" bit. The heavier duty the better. If you do not have a router.... you can usually get a woodworker/ cabinet shop to cut the "holes" for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 08 Power tools... You need a good, heavy gauge, grounded extension cord. Too thin... as in cheap will damage the table saw motor and blow breakers.... Buy a good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 09 Get small 6" fabric rollers for your paint. They can also be used for veneer glue and for lacquer rolling in certain applications. Never use "foam" rollers with lacquer, contact cement or veneer glue... They can dissolve... Not a pretty scene.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 10 I mentioned a six inch roller. Make sure you have a paint pan.... You'll need it later... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 11 Regardless of whether or not you are going to use your old grill boards or make new ones, you must have these clamps to hold the cloth straight and slightly stretch the cloth during installation. There is NO way you will keep the cloth properly aligned without some system of holding the horizontal edges perfectly straight and aligned. You might get lucky.... once... but the cloth will be loose, or better said, not "tight" or taut across the board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 12 You will also need a hair dryer. A cheap one from Walmart is perfect. More later on how to use it.... It can ruin your work in about one second if you are not careful... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 13 Ok... let's make the cloth clamping frames. First thing to do is cut 4 x pieces of 3/4" birch approximately 2" less in length than the sides of the grill itself. They need to be about 4" wide. That's where the table saw comes in handy. The edges must be perfectly straight.... You can use a miter saw or a circular saw to cut the pieces to length. I use a miter saw because it makes straight cuts.... Then you will need 2 x pieces of 1/2" birch. Same deal.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 14 Assemble a clamp frame with 2 pieces of the 3/4" birch on the bottom and a piece of the 1/2" on the top. Align the boards so the edges are perfectly parallel. Clamp it to a bench. Drill pilot holes approximately 1/8" wide, evenly spaced along the boards through the top 1/4" piece. IMPORTANT PART... DRILL THE HOLES EXACTLY 3/4" FROM THE EDGE. IF THEY ARE NOT EXACT, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ALIGN THE CLOTH LATER.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 15 Remove the top two boards and install some 5/16" x 2.5" hanger bolts in the bottom board. Make sure you don't screw them in too far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 16 Take the top two boards, align the holes, and use a 1/2" drill and make bigger holes to allow them to pass over the hanger bolts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 17 You can use wingnuts and washers to "clamp" the cloth. More on that later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 18 If you have a spare motor board and spare grill boards, great!!! Because now you have the template necessary to apply the cloth.... If not, which is often the case.... keep reading... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 19 Let's say you have one crappy grill blank. You need to make new ones. In order to do it, you will need to make a "motor board". First thing to do is "register" the board size to the fence (side rail) and the saw blade. If you do not have anything except an empty cabinet, you will simply have to flip the cabinet on it's back, and trace out the "holes" on a piece of cardboard, and set the table saw to the measurements of the motor board (minus approximately 1/32" to allow for cloth thickness). You really need to have something as a template. With only a cabinet.... It can be done if you do it very carefully. You cut out the edges with a straight edge and blade, then the holes, and then trace the pattern to a piece of 1/2" or 3/4" birch plywood. The key is always going to be first, the dimension of the motor board, and second, the relationship of the holes to the motor board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 20 Regardless of whether or not you have a spare grill or not, the first thing you want to do is cut the template board. Reason is because even if you have a spare grill board, it's not thick enough to reliably use a router to cut more nice new ones. You will have to use it one time to make the template board. That's what you will use from that point on out to make grill boards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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