loose baffle

[mikhailwatt]

One corner of the baffle on my SE4123 is a bit loose. Any idea how to snug it up without removing the grill cloth, or adding non-original screws?

[OldSchoolDave]

Any idea how to snug it up without removing the grill cloth, or adding non-original screws?

Unless the baffle is so loose that you could push it out enough to get glue between it and the blocking, no.

I wouldn't think a few properly driven (and countersunk) screws from the back side of the blocking would hurt the value of the cab.

Second thought: Could you shim it tight, pushing that loose corner out a bit?

For those without a Hiwatt cab in front of them, here's a pic of the construction (don't worry about the two celestions, this is my "split" cab for use with Hiwatt and Marshall power):


Dave

[Mike B.]

My 2150's construction is a bit more complicated. As my grill cloth is a bit loose, I'm thinking about a project for the convention: taking the thing apart and re-tensioning the grill cloth. If I remember I'll bring a staple gun and some staples.... I mean the cabinet inside and out must be disassembled (and, of course, the speakers removed) to get that board out.

Mike

[mikhailwatt]

Is the baffle screwed to the battens from the front, or just glued? I could probably get some Titebond in there.

I was planning to re-stretch the cloth at some point. It's not bad, just a little saggy. Maybe sooner than later now... hmmm... can I manage do that plus re-cap the iWATT all this weekend?

[Dr.HI-TONE]

One trick for tightening the Grille cloth is to Lightly mist it with water and use a hair dryer to lightly heat and dry it. PLEASE be patient and carefull!

The grille cloth is a paper material so a VERY LIGHT misting is all it takes. Do not get it very wet..

As you dry it with gentle heat, it shrinks and tightens.

Remember it is better to not mist enough and only tighten a little than to get it too wet! You can always retrace the steps and make it a little tighter the next time through.

As our British brothers would say, "don't be a Cowboy!"

Patience is the key.

[Mike B.]

One trick for tightening the Grille cloth is to Lightly mist it with water and use a hair dryer to lightly heat and dry it. PLEASE be patient and carefull!

The grille cloth is a paper material so a VERY LIGHT misting is all it takes. Do not get it very wet..

As you dry it with gentle heat, it shrinks and tightens.

Remember it is better to not mist enough and only tighten a little than to get it too wet! You can always retrace the steps and make it a little tighter the next time through.

As our British brothers would say, "don't be a Cowboy!"

Patience is the key.

Perhaps we'll try this at the convention. It sure beats taking the whole thing apart!

Mike

[OldSchoolDave]

Is the baffle screwed to the battens from the front, or just glued?

Can't say for sure. The only screws I see in the full sized pic are through the battens into the sides of the cab .

That either means the baffle was front screwed into the battens (unlikely, given the grill cloth) or glued. Has anyone here dismantled a rear-loaded Hiwatt cab?

Dave

[mikhailwatt]

Has anyone here dismantled a rear-loaded Hiwatt cab?

Noel aka 57lpjr @ p/p posted pics of his disassembled cab, but they don't show enough to tell. Waiting for a reply from him.

I may be taking it apart -carefully- today to find out.

BTW - where did Hylight get those oddball 11/32" speaker mounting nuts? After futzing with a crescent wrench I finally went and found a nutdriver that fits.

[Dr.HI-TONE]

Noel sent me all of his pics. I just haven't had the time to load them onto this site.
I will email them to you.

[mikhailwatt]

He has something like 14 of them on a photobucket page. I didn't see one that showed exactly how the baffle attaches, though there do appear to be screw holes through the front.

[mikhailwatt]

I think the baffle might be screwed to the battens from the front, but in the area hidden behind the front cabinet lip. Problem is how to pull it out, as the battens seem to be screw and glued to the sides of the cab. I'd hate to tear them up while by prying them off. Hmmmmmmm......

EDIT: OK, HERE'S HOW THESE THINGS ARE PUT TOGETHER...

The battens are lightly glued and you can pry them off with little damage. A 4" metal sheetrock taper's knife and a hammer will do the trick, if you start carefully at one end. The batten pops off without too much trouble once you get it started. You'll need to remove the recessed handle boxes to access the side battens.

The baffle is screwed to (or through?) the grille cloth frame from the back, but the screw heads are hidden behind the battens. Actually, I'm not sure what purpose the battens serve... Most of the baffle screws were a little loose on mine - fortunately most of them still had some grip left when I tightened them. I might use a little loctite or something on the ones that are starting to strip out, to hopefully avoid repeating this procedure again later!

One mystery solved... one to go.

[OldSchoolDave]

The baffle is screwed to (or through?) the grille cloth frame from the back, but the screw heads are hidden behind the battens. Actually, I'm not sure what purpose the battens serve...

Good question. The belt-and-suspenders approach, perhaps?

So, the whole works was assembled from the back - using the wide bezel as a stop?

Dave

[mikhailwatt]

So, the whole works was assembled from the back - using the wide bezel as a stop?

Apparently, except the bezel/batten doesn't butt up tight to the baffle, at least on mine.

[mikhailwatt]

So, the whole works was assembled from the back - using the wide bezel as a stop?

Apparently, except the bezel/batten doesn't butt up tight to the baffle, at least on mine.

edit... now that everything's snugged up tight, the battens do butt up tight to the baffle, except for the bottom one, for whatever reason.

Oh, and a little 1/8" hardwood doweling glued into the back panel screw holes and redrilled does wonders for tightening up that loose back panel.

And kudos to Dr.HIWATT... that "mist & dry" trick works pretty well. Didn't get the entire sag out (one area where the cloth got pushed in and stretched) but it got a lot of it, and tightened up the rest nicely.