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Thread: Building grills, cloth or foam, recessed?

  1. #1
    Senior Member
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    Building grills, cloth or foam, recessed?

    I'm drawing up some plans for speaker boxes so I can have a cabinet-maker give me a price quote.

    What is the easiest or best way to construct speaker grills?

    1. Wooden frame covered in speaker cloth using a recessed baffel,
    2. Wooden frame covered speaker cloth using a non-recessed baffel,
    3. Recessed baffel and foam cut to spec?

    If I decide to go foam, is there foam that is sold that is 1 inch thick or so; my boxes will be 18" x 24"?

    Thanks...

  2. #2
    Senior Member sonofagun's Avatar
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    www.foamspeakergrilles.com

    Custom foam grilles can add quite a "wow" (as well as WAF) factor to your speakers.

  3. #3
    RIP 2009
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    If you decide to use cloth covered grilles, member "Zilch" here has original JBL blue grille cloth available.

    John

  4. #4
    Gary L
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    I would advise to give a great deal of thought here as the grills tend to take allot of beating along the way.

    Because you are designing from scratch, now is the time to make a frame that will have a few qualities for the future.

    Light weight but sturdy.

    easy to either recover with cloth or install new foam upon.

    fastening mechenism that is both durable and easy to attach and remove.

    Keep in mind that a frame made of wood is usually heavy and unstable as wood does what it will when exposed to changes in the weather and from having cloth streatched over it.

    Plastic tends to be pretty hard to work with for a frame.

    Aluminum such as like a window screen can be pretty strong and durable but again, can present some obsticles for covering with cloth or foam.

    It is very important that what ever you decide upon you make it and fasten it so there is no chance of rattles.

    The most durable and simple grills I have came on my original 9849-8D Altecs. They are just a 1/8th inch thick peg board type of material recessed into the face and covered with cloth. They fasten with velcro and stay put. It would be just a simple to have Sonofagun make foam to cover it.

    Hope this helps.

    Gary

  5. #5
    Senior Member sonofagun's Avatar
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    A 100% foam grille (without framing) minimizes diffraction problems. Contact me for advice on cabinet design if you want foam grilles.

  6. #6
    RE: Member when? subwoof's Avatar
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    simple but effective

    If you go to the home despot and snag some 3/4 clear pine, you can use a chop saw to cut pieces and bevel edges to make frames that are pretty close to the JBL originals.

    On the complex 43XX grills you will need to have some rip cuts to get the 1/2 X 3/4 X whatever for the top rails.

    With #4 coated finish nails and some yellow glue, they will stay together and ride out humidity swings with ease.

    The pine is easy to sand into the final contours and takes staples / contact cement very well.

    sub

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