How to attach grill fabric?

[jimmantwo]

I am installing new fabric onto a phonograph grill and need some advice. I was thinking of stretching the fabric over a board and then placing the grill with adhesive onto the fabric/board. I am considering using a contact adhesive on the back of the grill. Any suggestions appreciated especially regarding adhesives.

[epigramophone]

I have used your proposed method successfully on several machines.

Get your wife/girlfriend/mother etc to iron the new material and ensure that the weave is square to the grille. Go easy with the adhesive. I have no idea what brands of contact adhesive are available in the USA, but here in the UK I use UHU. It comes in a tube and is available in either liquid or gel form. In my experience the gel is easier to control.

[FloridaClay]

I also use exactly the method you describe, "jimmantwo," and have been pretty pleased with the results.

Clay

[Dave D]

I do pretty much the same thing, but I have mastered the use of an iron without any other supervision needed. LOL
Dave

[HisMastersVoice]

My method is:

1) Iron larger than needed piece of cloth
2) Lay cloth on flat surface
3) Brush back of grill lightly with hide glue
4) Set grille on cloth
5) Let dry for several hours
6) Use X-Acto knife to cut off excess

I haven't found a need to stretch the fabric per se, as the glue will naturally pull the fabric tighter as it dries and contracts. Making sure it's ironed and perfectly flat is the key. Hide glue is also somewhat reversible if you make a mistake. A little steam and off it comes!

[FloridaClay]

My method is:

1) Iron larger than needed piece of cloth
2) Lay cloth on flat surface
3) Brush back of grill lightly with hide glue
4) Set grille on cloth
5) Let dry for several hours
6) Use X-Acto knife to cut off excess

I haven't found a need to stretch the fabric per se, as the glue will naturally pull the fabric tighter as it dries and contracts. Making sure it's ironed and perfectly flat is the key. Hide glue is also somewhat reversible if you make a mistake. A little steam and off it comes!

I wonder, though, if having the coat of glue on the back of the cloth might not imped the sound transmission somewhat. If you put it on the back of the grille instead that is not an issue.

Clay

[HisMastersVoice]

I wonder, though, if having the coat of glue on the back of the cloth might not imped the sound transmission somewhat. If you put it on the back of the grille instead that is not an issue.

Clay

Clay,

I don't put glue on the cloth itself, I put it on the back of the grille.

3) Brush back of grill lightly with hide glue

[FloridaClay]

I wonder, though, if having the coat of glue on the back of the cloth might not imped the sound transmission somewhat. If you put it on the back of the grille instead that is not an issue.

Clay

Clay,

I don't put glue on the cloth itself, I put it on the back of the grille.

3) Brush back of grill lightly with hide glue

Must not have had enough coffee yet when I read it.

Clay

[De Soto Frank]

My method is:

1) Iron larger than needed piece of cloth
2) Lay cloth on flat surface
3) Brush back of grill lightly with hide glue
4) Set grille on cloth
5) Let dry for several hours
6) Use X-Acto knife to cut off excess

I haven't found a need to stretch the fabric per se, as the glue will naturally pull the fabric tighter as it dries and contracts. Making sure it's ironed and perfectly flat is the key. Hide glue is also somewhat reversible if you make a mistake. A little steam and off it comes!

I was thinking of this approach, with the exception of building a wooden perimeter frame larger than a grille, to serve as a "stretcher", carefully stretching and stapling the ironed grille-cloth to the frame, then applying hide-glue to the grille, and setting the frame & cloth down on top of the glued-grille ( probably raised on blocks), and letting all sit until the glue has gelled and set (probably overnight).

But I will defer to HMV, if he has not found it necessary to "Stretch" the fabric.


I'm a fan of hide-glue too.

De Soto Frank

[FloridaClay]

I just take a piece of fairly heavy cardboard cut from a box and attach the cloth to it with common push pins of the type used on cork bulletin boards, placing the side of the cloth you want to be toward the back of course. This gives sufficient tension and is easy to do.

Clay