L123A aquaplas woofer cleaning? Goof off?

Hi there,

I was wondering what people have done regarding cleaning their white aquaplas 123A woofers? Yes, I've searched around the forum, I found one interesting link that looked like it should have had a bunch of pictures, but nothing. As part of my L100 restoration project (http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?30368-Newbie-JBL-L100-restoration-and-upgrade) I wanted to try and clean them up.

So I tried a little Goof Off, applied carefully and sparingly using a cotton bud or Q-tip. It seemed to remove the brown staining from around the edge (why do they do that?) and seemed bring back some of the sparkle to the aquaplas finish.

Any recommendations on other cleaning methods? Is Goof Off a bad idea? I've attached a picture of what the clean bit looks like, difficult to photograph though, even with a camera with macro mode.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Eleesonic/...ercleaning.jpg

Goof Off is strong stuff. I only use it as a last resort. A good rule when using solvents is to use the most benign solvent first and if that doesn't do the trick then try something stronger. You can see from the picture that more than just removing the brown stain was the result of your experiment. The gentlest solvent is water (one of the few things I remember from chemistry). Naptha (lighter fluid) is another gentle solvent.

Hi. Not that I want to hijack this thread, but I wonder what to clean the cone of the 2235H and the 2121H with. After a while they loose the dark grey finish and become more light gray.

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Originally Posted by Rolf

Hi. Not that I want to hijack this thread, but I wonder what to clean the cone of the 2235H and the 2121H with. After a while they loose the dark grey finish and become more light gray.

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Less UV exposure?

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Originally Posted by leesonic

Hi there,

I was wondering what people have done regarding cleaning their white aquaplas 123A woofers? Yes, I've searched around the forum, I found one interesting link that looked like it should have had a bunch of pictures, but nothing. As part of my L100 restoration project (http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?30368-Newbie-JBL-L100-restoration-and-upgrade) I wanted to try and clean them up.

So I tried a little Goof Off, applied carefully and sparingly using a cotton bud or Q-tip. It seemed to remove the brown staining from around the edge (why do they do that?) and seemed bring back some of the sparkle to the aquaplas finish.

Any recommendations on other cleaning methods? Is Goof Off a bad idea? I've attached a picture of what the clean bit looks like, difficult to photograph though, even with a camera with macro mode.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Eleesonic/...ercleaning.jpg

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Hydrogen peroxide. About as much at one time as if you were using your breath to clean your glasses, plus a touch more.
Like steam. Just a little at a time.
I use a sponge wet with it and then wrung out.
Just let it touch the face of the cone. DON'T smear or wipe. Just let chemistry do it's thing.
Repeat as needed, it takes patience. DO NOT WET the cone, as in soak or dripping.
You will be amazed.
Takes out most plant pot rings on cabs too.
Anything that's organic or hasn't been set.
See how nice and shiny your clean spot is?
That's from dissolving adhesives that you might not want dissolved and re-flowed.
That's all that dark ring is anyway.
I leave it alone if it's nice and concentric. (if the hydrogen peroxide doesn't get it, sometimes yes, sometimes no)
Still, it will whiten the cone, at least for me it has.
Hydrogen peroxide will remove all sorts of stains and crap, including cat piss, from grille cloth.
I just fill a spray bottle and have at it with cloth.

Common sense rules apply. Remove all dust and dirt with a soft brush vacuum or gentle compressed air. In other words, clean mechanically first.

Hydrogen peroxide is my friend! :bouncy:

Thomas

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Originally Posted by brutal

Less UV exposure?

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Yes, I know about that. But it isn't easy. The speakers are located at the north wall, and on the west wall I have two windows. The sun is coming true these windows at about 1300 hours and to the rest of the day. (From about this time of the year to the late fall) I pull down roller blinds (light tight?), and in the summer I also use awnings. What I wonder about is there some "stuff" to use to get the darker Grey finish back?

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Originally Posted by Rolf

Yes, I know about that. But it isn't easy. The speakers are located at the north wall, and on the west wall I have two windows. The sun is coming true these windows at about 1300 hours and to the rest of the day. (From about this time of the year to the late fall) I pull down roller blinds (light tight?), and in the summer I also use awnings. What I wonder about is there some "stuff" to use to get the darker Grey finish back?

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Grilles?

Someone here had a thread going about this problem, a member was going to try some stuff from Japan.

Expensive and comes with brushes. I was interested, very much so, but cannot locate the thread at the moment.

I cannot imagine anybody knowing much more about the art and preservation of paper than the Japanese.

I would really like to see the results, other than the website's selling it before and after shots.

Thomas

I've had good luck using a damp sponge on Aquaplas. Damp, not wet. If I remember correctly, the treatment from Japan ended up softening and ruining the cones.

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Originally Posted by Don C

I've had good luck using a damp sponge on Aquaplas. Damp, not wet. If I remember correctly, the treatment from Japan ended up softening and ruining the cones.

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Yes, H2O is a wonderful thing :bouncy:

Our methods essentially identical

Drugstore hydrogen peroxide is actually 97% sterile H2O

But that 3% gives that 97% a whitening ability that even Billy Mays would be proud of

And does it via natural processes

Does a good job on my teeth too :p

Thomas

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Originally Posted by brutal

Less UV exposure?

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That should work, though it's not always possible to get less UV exposure.