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Thread: Seeking restoration tips for 4430

  1. #1
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    Seeking restoration tips for 4430

    Hi all, I had the good fortune of getting my hands on a pair of 4430s recently, and I want to restore their appearance and performance as best I can. I’ve read many of the threads on this board, but still have questions about how to best do things.

    Over the next several paragraphs l will describe what I’m planning to do, and I will ask questions along the way. Please chime in with any ideas or suggestions that you may have. My skill level is medium to low, so I don’t expect them to look like new, just a whole lot better than they look right now. Here it goes…

    The cabinets have scratches, some deep, and dings all over them. I’m not planning to apply new veneer to the cabinet, but I was thinking of using ‘Restore-a-finish’ to clean them up and hopefully hide most of the smaller imperfections. Depending on how this goes, I may take sand paper to the veneer and try refinishing the top and sides. With the drivers removed, I’m planning to tape the control plate, top and sides, then spray paint the front and back baffles, and bottom a flat black. I will use wood filler and sand where needed on the front. Can anyone recommendation a good durable spray paint? Something durable and scrubbable? If anybody knows how to remove the controls plate on the 4430 without damaging the plate please do tell.

    The grill cloth is in good condition, but approximately 8” of it has separated from the frame. What is the best way to reattach it? Contact cement, gorilla glue, other? Should I use wax paper between my fingers and the cloth as I hold it in place while the glue dries? Or is there a better technique? I guess I could staple the cloth back down if needed, but I would like to avoid going that route.

    Both 2235H woofers are working, but one was already re-coned, and that surround now needs replacing again. The other woofer appears to be original and in great shape. I’m taking re-coned woofer into a repair shop for an assessment. It bugs me a bit that the cones are different in the two woofers. If I need to re-cone the first woofer I may consider re-cone for both of them so they look and sound the same. Are those aftermarket kits as good as the originals? For anyone who has used a aftermarket cone kit, does it sound the same as the original?

    The 2421A drivers are original. I opened them up and no signs of cracking on the diaphragms. While in there I noticed the foam on the back plate is rotting. What material and where to get it? I will ask the speaker repair shop about this as well. The driver mouth is dirty, so I will remove the diaphragms and give the driver mouth a blast of air.

    The 2344 horns are not cracked or damaged, but they have some scuffs on them. I plan on lightly sanding the edges of the scuffs with 800 grit paper and spray painting them. Probably flat or semi gloss black. I read here about using an automotive paint that sticks to plastic, but can’t find that thread anymore. Should I use a primer first? I want a really durable finish so I can clean the horns from time to time and not damage the paint. I once disassembled, sanded and spray painted a pair of 2405s. They looked great at first but the paint chipped off easily. I’m hoping to avoid that this time.

    The controls will need a clean as I can hear issues as I rotate the dials. I will use Deoxit F5 as I do for electronics pots. Any idea how to best get the controls out for cleaning? Will going in from behind with a straw attached to the nozzle work? Are there openings in the pots to get the lubricant in? Also, can I clean the crossover switch the same way?

    Finally, the crossovers. I have no plans to touch them just yet. I will consider bypassing the crossover switch and replacing the caps at a later date. For now I want to keep it original, and will just change the binding posts for something that accepts banana plugs.

    All comments welcome and appreciated.

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  2. #2
    Senior Member macaroonie's Avatar
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    Quick response to your questions re tarting up your wood finish. ,
    I suggest scraping. The simplest way to do this is to smash some picture frame glass and find some bits that are gently convex. you then draw this over the surface at about 40 deg off vertical and it will pull all the muck and old finish residue off.
    Yup this might seem goofy but its an old school woodworking method , very controllable and non toxic. Once you start its very satisfying to see the real wood shining through.
    Don't use sandpaper , the residue just clogs the pores of the wood and results in a dull finish.
    Deep scratches can sometimes be recovered with a domestic iron and a tea towel with a little moisture.. Be careful with this.
    Another method is to use 240 grit in the area of the scratch and allow the dust to collect. then drop in thin CA and allow to harden , sand flat and scrape as before. The blem will almost disappear later when you finish with wax , Danish or whatever you like most.

    Don't worry , the scraping only takes off a tiny amount at a time. Just get some nice music on and enjoy the process.

    Spraying the horns could be tricky to get an even application , so many different shapes and angles of attack. I'd take them to a pro spray shop .

    M

  3. #3
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    I have never heard of that technique... sounds interesting!

    I use a cabinet scraper myself.

    https://www.finewoodworking.com/2019...a-card-scraper


    Regarding the woofers, I would do whatever I could to have a pair of OEM cones in there... Rick Cobb surrounds are fine, but you want the original JBL cones with aquaplas on the backs, mass rings, and original coils.


    Widget

  4. #4
    Administrator Robh3606's Avatar
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    Rick Cobb surrounds are fine,
    .

    I have done 5 drivers with his surrounds Work great!

    Rob
    "I could be arguing in my spare time"

  5. #5
    Senior Member grumpy's Avatar
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    Mass rings, yes (35g?). Aquaplas? 2245 perhaps. There was some discussion about using Aquaplas instead... but that was DIY... I think.

    Without the mass ring, it's a 2234 (if JBL or if the recone kit parameters are measurably similar)
    Last I heard, the JBL kits were available

  6. #6
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by grumpy View Post
    Mass rings, yes (35g?). Aquaplas? 2245 perhaps. There was some discussion about using Aquaplas instead... but that was DIY... I think.

    Without the mass ring, it's a 2234 (if JBL or if the recone kit parameters are measurably similar)
    Last I heard, the JBL kits were available
    I haven’t owned any 2235Hs in years, but didn’t they have about 2-3” of aquaplas on the rear near the top of the cone?

    I may be getting my drivers confused, but that is what I was referring to.


    Widget

  7. #7
    Senior Member grumpy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Widget View Post
    I haven’t owned any 2235Hs in years, but didn’t they have about 2-3” of aquaplas on the rear near the top of the cone?

    I may be getting my drivers confused, but that is what I was referring to.


    Widget
    Hmm. Not remembering that. Without pulling one, that's all I can say.

    '4313' did some custom Aquaplas-ed 2235s -instead- of the mass ring.
    2214Nd-1 definitely has some around the periphery of the cone.
    If I get -really- motivated, I'll pull out the screwdriver.

  8. #8
    Senior Member grumpy's Avatar
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    Groovecontrol - Do pull the crossovers and have a look at how the stock terminals are attached (and available space behind) before buying new ones.

    IIRC, there are mounting screws behind the 'foilcal', which can be removed with the judicious use of a heatgun and some patience
    (putting it back on takes a bit more patience).
    One control is an open rheostat, the other a vented L-pad... shouldn't be too hard to get cleaner in either one.

    2421A ... if they weren't driven hard, they may be fine. If they were, a full resto might include new diaphragms (D8R2421 might be tough to locate).
    D8R2425 was used later in ferrite motors, or Radian has a viable option that others here have found to be serviceable or even likeable.

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  9. #9
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    Hmm, I never heard of Aquaplas on the back of 2235H cones, nor do the genuine D8R2235 kits that were used to recone my 2225's to 2235H's feature it. Anyhow, it might explain the cone mass difference in the TS parameter list between 105 g for the 2234H and 150 g for the 2235H, minus 35 g for the mass ring, of course.

    Best regards!

  10. #10
    Administrator Robh3606's Avatar
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    No Aquaplas on the 5 2235's I have all OEM kits.

    Rob
    "I could be arguing in my spare time"

  11. #11
    Senior Member macaroonie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Widget View Post
    I have never heard of that technique... sounds interesting!


    Widget
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBLdVKmcPw8

  12. #12
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Robh3606 View Post
    No Aquaplas on the 5 2235's I have all OEM kits.

    Rob
    Short circuits in my brain, I guess!


    Widget

  13. #13
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    Genuine 2235 kit from a project about 12 years ago


  14. #14
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    I must have been thinking of the 1500AL cones... apologies for any confusion.


    Widget

  15. #15
    Senior Member grumpy's Avatar
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    You are forgiven


    re foam pads: http://www.audioheritage.org/vbullet...l=1#post430265

    thread was re ferrite version, but may work just as well in Alnico 1" exit compression drivers. Dimensions are given a post or two down, so easy to check.

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