How to properly tolex inside rounded corner?

[chunkitup]

I bit off more than I can chew. I made a front panel to the amp that has 6 rounded inside corners. 2 for the chassis cutout and 4 for an illuminated plexi panel in the middle. Never again unless someone can show me the way to tolex this puppy. Help!

[Tom Phillips]

Can you post photos? I'm having trouble visualizing what you have described.

[cmanningjr]

Would a heat gun or hair dryer work to help ”form” tbe tolex??

[chunkitup]

I finally got the pic off of the phone. Here is what I am working with. Also I tried to used a heat gun but that didnt work. Too much heat.

[Tom Phillips]

To give full coverage I think you will need to use a separate additional piece of Tolex under each corner. That is the method that Fender used around the rounded chassis cut out on the tweed amps.
The Tolex will bend easily but you cannot stretch it into place more than a very slight amount. This is because of the fabric backing. If you try to stretch it too much then it will eventually pull back and open up a gap in the seam.

[chunkitup]

I was hoping to hear better news, but that was the only conclusion me and a buddy came up with. I will have to look up the fender tweeds to get a look at the tolex.

[Tom Phillips]

... I will have to look up the fender tweeds to get a look at the tolex.

Attached is a photo of a 1954 Fender Deluxe cabinet with the chassis removed. It's covered in tweed of course but you can see how the inside corner piece is fitted and use the same approach to do your tolex job. By the way, the photo was taken in 2002 and the tweed is original. It's interesting to see the effects of 48 years of aging.
Regards,
Tom

[J M Fahey]

WOW!! Thanks a lot !!!

[Bill Moore]

Me too, thanks for that pic!

[J M Fahey]

What I'd love to know is what glue did Fender use in Tweeds and how did he apply and spread it without passing through the fabric threads, staining it.
Not a problem with Tolex, of course.
Forrest White mentioned "a brush" but that's only possible if you coat the wood surface only with a very even layer and then apply porous Tweed very carefully.
I know how to make that with modern adhesives, but would like to know the original 40's process.

[Tom Phillips]

What I'd love to know is what glue did Fender use in Tweeds and how did he apply and spread it without passing through the fabric threads, staining it.
Not a problem with Tolex, of course.
Forrest White mentioned "a brush" but that's only possible if you coat the wood surface only with a very even layer and then apply porous Tweed very carefully.
I know how to make that with modern adhesives, but would like to know the original 40's process.

Well we do know that the glue used did not stick really well. I always assumed that it was sprayed on hide glue. I'll ask around.

[J M Fahey]

What Forrest White says on his book, on Page 68/69, about his first day at the Fender Factory is roughly:
"the method and facilities to cover amp cabinets at Fender in 1964 were quite antiquated ... I was expected to cover cabinets for the Deluxe amplifier ... I use 1/4" plywood templates to cut material to size ... I apply the glue with a brush and try to get more of it on the material than on myself ... and hopoe I can apply the material (the cloth?) to the right place in the cabinet ... "
But if you brush hot hide glue on fabric (or any liquid) , it gets through ... yet that's what he clearly says ...
And it was clearly hand applied with the crudest technique.
Later ther used the Potdevin machines, which became the industry standard, even today, as shown in the Mesa Boogie Factory tour.
Mesa Boogie Factory Tour-Tolex Process & Final Assembly - YouTube
I was involved in setting up the Acoustic factory in Argentina in the 80's, after they went bankrupt in USA , and they used Potdevins.
In *Argentina*?
Well, they were quite short of money, China was still not on the horizon, the project was never finished because of lack of funds, plus they expected a Government grant which never materialized.
Oh well.
PS: spraying water based glues is the modern process but I want to know the crude 1954 way

[Tom Phillips]

Thanks for the detailed information Juan. I don't have the Forest White Book yet. I brushed a lot of glue onto Tolex doing amp cover jobs and never had a need to do Tweed until about 10 years ago. I learned right off that the glue would bleed through the tweed if I brushed it on. It was very uneven bleed through too. I switched to spray on for the tweed job and now use spray for Tolex work too.
Thanks again,
Tom

[chunkitup]

Finished!!!

Here is a few pics of my attempt to tolex the inside rounded and 1/2in roundover corners. The contact cement I used gave me a 1 hour play time which I needed. Thanks guys.

As I look at these pics again you can see the crappy router job. Oh well. It was the first time I ever did the cabinet work myself.

[Tom Phillips]

Looks good Pete. Excellent result. Especially for a first cab.
Is that one of your edge lit panels?
Tom