L-112 Refinish and detail

[gyusher]

I have read a few threads concerning some refinishing of JBL speakers.
I have a near mint pair of L-112s that I intend to keep a mighty long time. Actually I have two pairs. . .One pair I bought new in 1982 and the ones I want to detail out and refinish I just bought about a month ago. . .Not eBay but a private party, complete with original boxes, manuels etc. They were refoamed (woofers) by a JBL service center shortly after I bought them. The guy did a super job, no glue to be seen but the aquaplas coating has yellowed with age and I want to freshen them up to look as close to new as I can.
I am a Application Specialist in a National Lab for a major paint mfgr (Sherwin Williams Co.). I have worked in the furniture finishing industry for over 30 years so the cabinets will be no problem. I would like to know what kind of black paint JBL used on the front and back of this speaker??
Also how to freshen up the "White" woofer to remove the yellowing from cigeratte smoke and age.
I would appreciate any tips you can give me about this project. I intend to take them out of my system and put them in the garage for a winter project.
I know nothing about electronics so unless you can give me very clear instructions I need to stay with cosmetics at this time.
I want to make them look like brand new inside and out.
Any one tried this before? Is there a thread relating to my project?
Thanks____________Guy

[boputnam]

WHOA!!

Forget about YOUR needs! We need somebody JUST LIKE YOU to solve the "JBL Blue Riddle" - kinda our Holy Grail. If you do that, Audiobeer will sort out ALL your cabinetry needs... :yes:

Look - I may be goofy, but I ain't joshin'!!

But, to your question(s):

For the WhiteFaceWoofer syndrome, what I've done, is take the woofer into the paint store and had them match a portion of the woofer I felt was OEM, and then lightly spot-painted the rest to match. What I've found (I think Earl, too...) is that each woofer by now has it's own unique aged color. I can't know if you can get back to OEM color.

For the black, I've had disappointing luck with flat black - finding it really isn't what JBL used. You could just re-black the entire thing, and who'd be the wiser?

For the WOOD surfaces, Audiobeer is our mentor, but your experience will certainly add to the mix... :coolness:

Wanna be a Saint? Figger' out that JBL Blue Riddle for us, and you will be deified!

[Don C]

I have had good results on white JBL woofers by just wiping off the cone with a wet cloth. One 123A-3 had a coffee stain on it that looked awful, that stain came off completely with a wet cloth. The white coating seems to hold up to water pretty well, I wouldn't soak it completely, but a wet cloth doesn't hurt it.

[boputnam]

Yea, Don...

But on some, there's a sparklie substance, that even being a geo I can't decipher what it is. It seems soluble in water. So while the spot is indeed removed, in some cases for me so has the sparklie material.

I suspect it's gypsum (Ca2SO4), but that shouldn't be soluble in water at STP. Maybe it simply is loosened, and physically wipes off...

[gyusher]

If its paint related I can find it. . .Our lab does many national Audio Makers. . .EAW. .is one. . .I can use their black. . .That black is some good stuff. . .Water base that sticks to anything and will cover the crack of dawn. . .
I have used Krylon (owned by SW) semi-flat black black with great results but I was curious about what black they used. . .I can most likely find that out too. . .
What do you want to know about JBLs blue??? Whats the Blue riddle??
Is there a thread to it??? I will check.
I will fool around with the woofer. . .I might be able to use a spray bottle with bleach and water to brighten it up. . . .Maybe I can carefully clean it up. . .They are perfect except for yellowing from age. . . . .We also do some gypsum type coatings (secret stuff) I will ask the chemist who has that project.

[Robh3606]

"What do you want to know about JBLs blue??? Whats the Blue riddle?? Is there a thread to it??? I will check."

What is the color match for it??? What paint???

Just look through the thread

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=952


Rob:)

[boputnam]

Originally posted by gyusher
What do you want to know about JBLs blue??? Whats the Blue riddle?? I have no idea, but there are many here who would love to have the option of replicating the look of the baffles on the Studio Monitor Series cabinets (if you've not seen them...)

[Maron Horonzakz]

Using a photo of that JBL blue will not do . There is allways a color shift . The actual speaker cabinet will be needed to create a good blue hue match.

[boputnam]

Originally posted by Maron Horonzakz
Using a photo of that JBL blue will not do. It's working for ME!! I can almost hear 'em, right now! :rotfl:

Maybe this afternoon I can leave early enough to drag the 4301B's off to the paint store, as so long have promised, for a little color match session. With gyusher's help, maybe the color coding will be something he can intepret universally...??? :hmm:

[Maron Horonzakz]

That would help. Just dont strain you,r GONADS. carrying that speaker around.

[gyusher]

We might have it on one of the computers at work. . .You know what they say. . ."Ask Sherwin Williams" well you did and now its up to me to answer. However if you have a small part they can "Shoot" it and get a match, then the next thing is finding the right quality of paint for the job. . .
I might get kucky and find it on one of the color computers. . . .It will be Monday though unless one of their 6400 stores has it. . . .I will read the thread you linked me to as well.
I did study the black today and I am going to use the same black that Eastern Acoustic Works uses. . This is a soft sheen about 10-15 gloss that is tough as nails and will stick to anything Water base to boot. . .I wont put the texture on them though. The texture offers non marking when you slide this Pro Gear around.

[gyusher]

I saw the blue thread. . . .LOL. . .That blue has a texture to it as well. . .I will check Monday with our Chemist who does the Audio gear paint. . .I am sure I can find something. I am confident I know the paint for the texture look and all the film propertys you want. I might need the color "corordinates" from when they shoot it. . .Just ask them for the "L" "A" "B" numbers using "Cie-Lab" or the equivalent on "FMC-2" I can find it from those numbers. Ask them to shoot the standard and give you those numbers. . .I can find the color or one within close enough tolerances to be a match. . . .Guy

[Audiobeer]

Originally posted by boputnam
I have no idea, but there are many here who would love to have the option of replicating the look of the baffles on the Studio Monitor Series cabinets (if you've not seen them...)


My God Bo.......Your living room looks just like the one I see in my dreams with Jenna laying in front of the Plasma screen! :confused:

[rcpmac]

I would research using bleach before trying it on your cone. Bleach always degrades the fiber that is used on. Just my opinion.

[gyusher]

I will reduce the bleach mixture about 3 parts water to one part bleach and try it on some Pioneer woofers I have that are white. . .I think I will also try to spray behind with water to dilute whatever might be left. But before the bleach I will try less agressive methods and I might be pleased with those measures. As it stands I have not done anything but look at them. . .I might be surprised at how easy they clean up.

[gyusher]

Heres another pic of my 112s before refoaming. . Nice shape but I want to detail them to like new. . .

[gyusher]

Actually thats the amp I drive the 112s with. .I put it in the wrong post. . .A enhanced Forte' Model 3 now 282watts at clipping in 8ohms. . .No increase in voltage just more power supply and bigger caps. . .The thing will play for about 5 minutes whan I turn it off. . .This is my 112s

[gyusher]

This is undressed. . .