Should I take the chance on reconing myself

[fbi90909 5,000+ posts]

Pull all shims after you lay the CA and activator, so nothing shifts.

actually, you shouldn't pull any shims till the glue has hardened or cured. when i recone i would set the shims/paper first, test fit the soft part assembly, remove soft parts and readjust anything needed. then lay bead of w/e glue being used. then slip on soft parts and set with a light weight on top. no glue for the surround yet. after 6 hours i invert and tape the surround away from the basket. then lay glue for the surround, then place the surround in. after the surrounds on the glue i use clothes hanger clips all around the basket to pinch/clamp the surround ot the glue. note, the shims have not yet been removed. allow it to sit for 6-12hrs more than you can remove the shims, though i still wouldn't mess with the soft parts as in pushing it in or pulling on it until at least 24hrs for a full cure. after 25hrs i solder up the leads and testing away. never had any issues.

 

[da box king 10+ year member]

Thanks guys...this is getting me more confident..

Mike thanks for chiming in, everything is comin back to my memory...lol

and fbi...how did you pull the shims after the surround was down? If the spiders are down and activator is used then it seems like the coil should now move.

I have lots of time, so I don't plan on hurring this....just hope someone buys my good hdc3 first so I don't have to murder it

 

[da box king 10+ year member]

Will be trying a recone aswell on my 18s.. Seems like it will be easy enough.. Go for it

did dj give you a price qoute yet? I added up to about 300 total for 2

and does anyone recommend another glue....dj wants $30 a bottle for his but I do know its good shit

 

[fbi90909 5,000+ posts]

Thanks guys...this is getting me more confident..
Mike thanks for chiming in, everything is comin back to my memory...lol

and fbi...how did you pull the shims after the surround was down? If the spiders are down and activator is used then it seems like the coil should now move.

I have lots of time, so I don't plan on hurring this....just hope someone buys my good hdc3 first so I don't have to murder it

like this picture here.

glue the spider down first, then wait 6 hours, then glue the surround, wait 6-12 hours, then pull the shims and then glue the dust cap on. leave the dust cap for last, plus, how are you going to glue the dust cap in when the shims will be in the way?

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

if using activator the glue is hard in 45 seconds at the most, so no need to wait.

AQ recones come with the shims, so you'll be good to go. I've only used their glue and it works very well...

 

[bunkerking09 10+ year member]

reconing is teh eazy, do it

 

[da box king 10+ year member]

k so I put a bead of glue down for the spider landing and set it all in, and then I shim it?

and after I shim it right I should spray the spiders with activator?

 

[MikeyB 5,000+ posts]

actually, you shouldn't pull any shims till the glue has hardened or cured. when i recone i would set the shims/paper first, test fit the soft part assembly, remove soft parts and readjust anything needed. then lay bead of w/e glue being used. then slip on soft parts and set with a light weight on top. no glue for the surround yet. after 6 hours i invert and tape the surround away from the basket. then lay glue for the surround, then place the surround in. after the surrounds on the glue i use clothes hanger clips all around the basket to pinch/clamp the surround ot the glue. note, the shims have not yet been removed. allow it to sit for 6-12hrs more than you can remove the shims, though i still wouldn't mess with the soft parts as in pushing it in or pulling on it until at least 24hrs for a full cure. after 25hrs i solder up the leads and testing away. never had any issues.

The activator does just that....it Hardens the CA.....it sets but doesnt fully cure.

Little meticulous but I wont argue against your approach.

All that waiting and clipping isnt really necessary though. The 5 dollar bottle of activator will save quite a hassle.

If you lay the bead for the spider, work your way around and press the spider in the bead, lay another bead on top, and work your way around again using activator.....your not going to have a problem with the coil shifting.....its not going anywhere very easily.

I do the same thing with the surround.

 

[MikeyB 5,000+ posts]

like this picture here.

glue the spider down first, then wait 6 hours, then glue the surround, wait 6-12 hours, then pull the shims and then glue the dust cap on. leave the dust cap for last, plus, how are you going to glue the dust cap in when the shims will be in the way?

Really not necessary to wait 2 days for a recone. Activator is your friend.

k so I put a bead of glue down for the spider landing and set it all in, and then I shim it?
and after I shim it right I should spray the spiders with activator?

You can get CA at any local hobby shop, activator too. Its like 10-15 for a bottle of CA and then like 5 for the activator around here.

Before you even uncap the glue your going to drop the recone in for a test fit. Shim it out and plan your approach.

Then when your ready you can shim it out and lay the glue down.

 

[MikeyB 5,000+ posts]

Again though, you dont ever want to soak the CA with activator, your not spraying it on like spray paint or something. It will get very brittle if you use too much.

So just lightly spray it around, the CA just needs to smell it to harden up.

The less you use really the better because the less chance you have of overdoing it and compromising the glue.

 

[fbi90909 5,000+ posts]

see i never get to work with CA glue, i always use 2part high strength epoxy. i usually do my recones in the afternoon so that the following day after work i can play with a sub that's been sitting around curing.

i know that the activator starts the hardening process of the glue, though i've also heard that too much activator can break down the CA glue and weaken it.

edit: i didn't read your second post. lol

 

[da box king 10+ year member]

awesome...I think I'm set for now guys...I think I'm gonna try some of that ca glue

hopin to work out a deal for an 18" on here

 

[MikeyB 5,000+ posts]

see i never get to work with CA glue, i always use 2part high strength epoxy. i usually do my recones in the afternoon so that the following day after work i can play with a sub that's been sitting around curing.i know that the activator starts the hardening process of the glue, though i've also heard that too much activator can break down the CA glue and weaken it.

edit: i didn't read your second post. lol

Yeah gotta clamp if your using epoxy. Still works though //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[teen 10+ year member]

did you spray the spiders with activator after or before pullin the shims....makes sense to pull them after incase the coil moves

i never use activator. the CA glue i use holds within a few seconds and is pretty much hard in like 5 mins. i think full cure time is a few hours, but ive never had a problem pulling the shim after a few mins.

i have had coils rub before on recones when i left the shim in for like 2 hours. came back after the surround and spider were both basically set and thats just a waste of a recone. idk how it happened, i had the shims packed tight but i still had rubbing.

i guess everybody has there own little technique to doing it. the first one you do is a bit nerve racking, but i like reconing speakers now. ive done a handfull and wouldnt hesitate to do more.