Grill cloth frustrations

[66merc]

OK, so either I try to get it tight onto the baffle board and inevitably end up with the pattern crooked or I let it be a little loose and the pattern is straight but the thing just looks kind of loose and dumpy.

I've tried shrinking it with a heat gun and that does help some but not enough.

Any pointers for this?

66merc

[Bruce / Mission Amps]

OK, so either I try to get it tight onto the baffle board and inevitably end up with the pattern crooked or I let it be a little loose and the pattern is straight but the thing just looks kind of loose and dumpy.

I've tried shrinking it with a heat gun and that does help some but not enough.

Any pointers for this?

66mercWhat kind of grille cloth is it? Heating is very rarely needed if it is done right from the start.

[tubeswell]

Try using a quick-drying glue, and staple the rear of the baffle on one side (at the end of the 'grain' pattern) of the grille cloth only, making sure you have got the pattern in the grille lined up straight, then when it is nice and dry, do the same on the opposite side, having it tight enough not to sag, but not too tight that it stretches. Staple the 'corners' first and then the middle bits, so you can line it up more easily with one hand. Then do the top and the bottom the same (without stretching it). I use plenty of staples and Weldbond glue (Canook stuff)

[Enzo]

Wow...

I certainly don't think I am good at it, but I recently reclothed an old Fender 3x12 cab. Plenty of real estate out there on that one to get the lines crooked, but it turned out pretty nice.

In another life I have about 30 years in coin operated amusements, including pool tables, and i have recoverd the slates in enough of those things. I approached the grille cloth as if it were felt for a billiard slate. That said, in that industry there are a lot of ways guys do that job. I learned one way.

I stapled the top at the center, followed the grain to the other end and stretched the cloth tight, and stapled the center there. I then stretched the cloth to the sides and tacked the centers there. Pick an edge, I start at the top. I pulled the cloth to each corner so the lines followed the edge and tacked the corners. Then the opposite corners. Now there are eight loose segments around the edge. I took each one, started at its center, pulled the cloth so the line across the top was even and tacked it, then worked from there to either end of that segment, tacking every inch or so with staples. At each one I made sure the cloth was taut and the lines even. Do that eight times and you are all the way around.

Worked for me, but maybe I was lucky. I don't look, forward to someone asking me to do another. I generally avoid cosmetics work. I am sure open to other methods that work.

[PRNDL]

A lot of it depends on the type of grill cloth, since some stretches easily and others are stiff .. for example: silverface vs. tweed grill cloth.

Begin by folding along one line. Then staple that edge down. This sets it up to be straight with that line.

Also, staple into the edge of the baffle board on three sides and to the back of the top side.

It's a slow, steady process. Put in a few staples at a time, move your thumb and forefinger, look at the front and stretch it into place, then staple a few more. Does that make sense (it's hard to describe in words)?

Here's a photo from this web page
http://www.naturdoctor.com/Chapters/Rodgers/BaffleBoards.html
http://www.naturdoctor.com/Chapters/Rodgers/Photos/BaffleBoards/PrincetonReverb2.JPG

[66merc]

Thanks for the replies, folks.

I have been using three types of grill cloth. All are "woven". Oxblood, silver/black and a tan sort of color. I really can't tell you what "style" they are.

PRNDL, one thing I notice is that I need to wrap the grill cloth on all sides of the baffle since they are mounted from front in my amps. It seems to make it harder. I see in your picture that two of your sides don't have the cloth wrapped around them. You must be mounting the baffle from behind.

Oh well, I'm sure i'll get better as I do more.

66merc

[PRNDL]

You must be mounting the baffle from behind.
Yes.

BTW - That's a replacement baffle board for a Fender amp made by Larry Rodgers.

[bluesbubba]

A lot of it depends on the type of grill cloth, since some stretches easily and others are stiff .. for example: silverface vs. tweed grill cloth.

Begin by folding along one line. Then staple that edge down. This sets it up to be straight with that line.

Also, staple into the edge of the baffle board on three sides and to the back of the top side.

It's a slow, steady process. Put in a few staples at a time, move your thumb and forefinger, look at the front and stretch it into place, then staple a few more. Does that make sense (it's hard to describe in words)?

Here's a photo from this web page
http://www.naturdoctor.com/Chapters/Rodgers/BaffleBoards.html
http://www.naturdoctor.com/Chapters/Rodgers/Photos/BaffleBoards/PrincetonReverb2.JPG

Do you know what grill cloth they use for the Blackface Bassman Amp & Cabs. Mine is the real deal - about 40 years old and it looks like it is aged to a brownish yellowy color. I think they make an aged grill cloth to fit that fits this description but I want to be sure it's the right one before I order. Thanks for the help in advance

[PRNDL]

Do you know what grill cloth they use for the Blackface Bassman Amp & Cabs. Mine is the real deal - about 40 years old and it looks like it is aged to a brownish yellowy color. I think they make an aged grill cloth to fit that fits this description but I want to be sure it's the right one before I order.

The two sources I know of are Mojo and Larry Rodgers.

http://www.mojomusicalsupply.com
http://www.naturdoctor.com/Chapters/Rodgers/BaffleBoards.html

Mojo sells the grillcloth, but it's not aged.

Larry sells replacement baffle boards with aged grill cloth that looks fantastic. You may want to consider this since 40 years is a long time for plywood.

[PRNDL]

I just finished installing grill cloth into two amps. One was a black weave, and the other was brown with a yellow stripe (common in Fender tweeds).

The one with the stripe was much easier to work with. It folded on both edges and was easy to pull tight without much effort.

The black swirl was much harder. It went on easy enough, but didn't have the clear lines to line up. It was a little off, but not really noticeable.

This is the 1 watt Tweed Mini Champ
http://www.naturdoctor.com/Chapters/Amps/Photos/MiniChamp/MiniChamp.JPG

This is the 2 watt Dyno Tweed
http://www.naturdoctor.com/Chapters/Amps/Photos/Dyno/Front.JPG