Common speaker grill problem – broken speaker posts
Jul 20, 2014 20:15:12 GMT -5
sebastianr likes this
Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2014 20:15:12 GMT -5
A possible solution to a common speaker grill problem – broken speaker grill posts.
I have indicated in other posts that I am getting ready to set up a secondary theater in my master bedroom. I had a couple of spare Polk CS400i center speakers. I just bought another on on ebay last week, so I could have LCR with the same speaker. Unfortunately with Polks circa 2000 it is common for a post or two for the preformed plastic speaker covers be broken off (broken piece still in the hole). If there are enough posts on the grill one or two broken posts is not an issue. However, the CS400i, has only four posts, so one broken post is an issue and could be a potential rattle source.
I decided I was going fix the post. I did not want to do too sophisticated a fix, like fashioning a new post, which likely would require drilling a hole out of the the original speaker grill form, which would be a bit risky. A straight gluing, especially super glue, would not likely hold well. I considered using an epoxy glue, or gorilla glue. Again, with small pieces of plastic it is not easy simply glue the broken plastic pieces together unless the break is a very clean break, even then, then the penetration of the glue is not usually very good.
I came up with a solution that so far seems to work well. I wanted to use epoxy glue in a way that would increase the surface area for the application of the glue, and find a way to better hold the glue the pieces together to give the glue the best chance to set well. I decided to use a Locktite Epoxy Plastic Glue that comes in a small double tube applicator (for about $6).
What I did was take a very thin drill bit an drill a hole down the middle of the broken post piece and drill a small hole where the broken post piece broke from, making sure the holes drill were shallow holes. The difficulty is in getting the two holes to line up properly. I then took a nail from some nails I already had (3D Steel Bright Finish Nails), and cut the head and point off, using the nail as an internal post to hold the pieces together coating the nail with the epoxy as I reattached the broken post (putting epoxy on the post and post base as well). After 20 minutes the newly glued post seemed solidly held together. After a couple of hours I was able to put the speaker cover back on the speaker as well as safely removing the speaker cover again. FYI, the epoxy is will still cure over 24 hours.
My fix is not necessarily stronger than post was originally, but certainly stronger that a quick “super glue” application. Frankly, the original posts do not take much load before breaking to begin with. Generally, a broken post is the result of someone not carefully removing the speaker cover.
Hopefully, this tip may help others out there a similar issues.
I have indicated in other posts that I am getting ready to set up a secondary theater in my master bedroom. I had a couple of spare Polk CS400i center speakers. I just bought another on on ebay last week, so I could have LCR with the same speaker. Unfortunately with Polks circa 2000 it is common for a post or two for the preformed plastic speaker covers be broken off (broken piece still in the hole). If there are enough posts on the grill one or two broken posts is not an issue. However, the CS400i, has only four posts, so one broken post is an issue and could be a potential rattle source.
I decided I was going fix the post. I did not want to do too sophisticated a fix, like fashioning a new post, which likely would require drilling a hole out of the the original speaker grill form, which would be a bit risky. A straight gluing, especially super glue, would not likely hold well. I considered using an epoxy glue, or gorilla glue. Again, with small pieces of plastic it is not easy simply glue the broken plastic pieces together unless the break is a very clean break, even then, then the penetration of the glue is not usually very good.
I came up with a solution that so far seems to work well. I wanted to use epoxy glue in a way that would increase the surface area for the application of the glue, and find a way to better hold the glue the pieces together to give the glue the best chance to set well. I decided to use a Locktite Epoxy Plastic Glue that comes in a small double tube applicator (for about $6).
What I did was take a very thin drill bit an drill a hole down the middle of the broken post piece and drill a small hole where the broken post piece broke from, making sure the holes drill were shallow holes. The difficulty is in getting the two holes to line up properly. I then took a nail from some nails I already had (3D Steel Bright Finish Nails), and cut the head and point off, using the nail as an internal post to hold the pieces together coating the nail with the epoxy as I reattached the broken post (putting epoxy on the post and post base as well). After 20 minutes the newly glued post seemed solidly held together. After a couple of hours I was able to put the speaker cover back on the speaker as well as safely removing the speaker cover again. FYI, the epoxy is will still cure over 24 hours.
My fix is not necessarily stronger than post was originally, but certainly stronger that a quick “super glue” application. Frankly, the original posts do not take much load before breaking to begin with. Generally, a broken post is the result of someone not carefully removing the speaker cover.
Hopefully, this tip may help others out there a similar issues.
