BillFitzmaurice.info

Hi All,

I FINALLY have time to finish up my XF 2112 cab. All of the wood work is done (by a friend, not me!) and now I need to finish up everything else. I have never worked with Tolex before even on a simple square cabinet so I think the slant to this cab is going to be a real challenge. I am assuming the way to apply Tolex to this cab is by having one sheet to cover the top, back, and bottom and then two separate sheets for the sides. I do have the removable panel in the back for the closed/open option. Cutting and folding the Tolex at the slanted corners looks like will most likely draw out rarely used choice words from me along with an occasional flying tool in the garage.

I was planning on using contact cement on both the cabinet and the Tolex. I have heard that some folks use the contact cement on the cabinet and a spray adhesive on the Tolex. What adhesive is the best?

I am NOT planning on adding any type of acoustic foam. None of my production cabinets have any foam installed. Is this imperative to do or can I just skip this?

I am planning on using metal corners on the top and bottom of the back and I guess on the bottom front they can be mounted if they are bent some??? It looks like the top front does not get corners?

I was planning on installing casters. Is this a bad idea or does it matter?

Opinions and guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Tom

Hi Tom,

If you are able to wrap the cab width ways, with your join at the bottom of the cab, you should fold the corners quite well. I might consider doing the lower back of the cab as a separate piece and make it intentionally look like a removable panel, much like the open back flap. If I remember, Tolex doesn't stretch and is very unforgiving on a bad cut unlike rat fur that you can drag into place. I would be tempted to get some non stretchable fabric with which to build a template first.

I used a spray adhesive last time, but don't have any experience of contact cement.

I would always add acoustic foam. When used as open backed, reflections inside the cab can cause filtering chaos and I would do it purely to have a more consistent output from the cabinet, reducing the variability when placing it in a live setting. As long as the casters don't rattle, I would add them but choose the lockable ones.

Chris.

BigT wrote: ↑Thu Dec 02, 2021 2:52 pm I am NOT planning on adding any type of acoustic foam. None of my production cabinets have any foam installed.

You can do it the right way, or you can do it the cheap way. Commercial cabs do it the cheap way.

We do it the right way.

Hey Bill and Chris,

Thanks for your responses.

Tom

Hi Tom,

You can see here what Kevin did with his round the back of the cab:

viewtopic.php?f=26&t=25893

Chris.