How To Restore Aluminum Finish Around Drivers

[vertical800]

I have a pair of le5-12 mids and the aluminum finish is a little tarnished but there are no scratches on them does anyone have any ideas on what i should use on them to restore the finish i am going to have them reconed after so i think i should do it now.

[hector.murray]

Some emory paper, or some 200 grit sandpaper rubbed with the grain of the satin finish should do what you are asking.

[Mr. Widget]

You can use sandpaper, but it tends to get blotchy looking. If you go to a better hardware store you can buy metal finishing pads. They are basically heavy duty Scotch Brite pads. They come in different levels of abrasion. I like 3M brand and use the burgundy one for aluminum touch up. The trick is to build a jig so that you can keep your passes straight. If you do it by hand with a pad or sand paper your abrasion lines will be wavy and it won't look right.

Widget

[Alex Lancaster]

If You have access to a bench belt sander and give them a quick pass, they will be great, I guess that´s the way they did them originally.

[subwoof]

STOP STOP STOP

DON'T use power tools as it will burn the aluminum!!!

(1) Buy some stick-down 1/2 sheets of sandpaper ( 150 grit )

(2) Stick it onto a sheet of plywood scrap ( or any very flat surface )

(3) Note the direction of the existing sanding and place the speaker facedown on the sandpaper

(4) PUSH DOWN and along the length of the sandpaper with the grain

(5) Make repeated passes until you get the finish back. Turn it 180 to compensate for wear.

This way you will NOT round off the edges and get straight lines.

This also works well for the LE14 but you need a pissload of sandpaper...

sub

[hector.murray]

Great input. I have a pair of 2122s that will get this type of attention today!

[vertical800]

thanks for all your good input and i was able to restore the finnish using 120 grit paper on 1 foot block going in one direction with the grain it turned out perfect thanks again from all of you for your help

[transducergeek]

I have used a good wire brush in this capacity, as others have said, keeping it straight is the key. Use an edge to run aganst or something so it won't wander off line.. I have found this method makes less "dust", but emory cloth is also fine, (Hughhh. no pun intended) RE