Re-covering my Cornford Hurricane.

chillidoggy

Photos in due course, the original Tolex came off easily.

EDIT:- Here's the original tatty old Hurricane. It was probably the first, or second one ever built, and belonged to the designer, Martin Kidd.

 

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20head%20project/004-1_zps5b62012e.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20head%20project/003-2_zps7b1809ec.jpg

 

chillidoggy

Started getting rid of the old glue today. I tried some white spirit on a rag, which was quite successful, and made a good fist of sanding down, although it needs a bit more. I've noticed a few dings and dents in the wood, so I'll fill them before I start re-covering. Interestingly, Cornford describe the cabinet as being made from solid pine, but in fact it's only solid by virtue of the fact that it's bits of pine glued together, rather than solid timber.

I thought I'd invest in a new handle and corners, so I did a quick search but as per usual Allparts didn't have either in stock. Actually they only had Marshall handles in stock, so I don't know what's going on there. I shall probably get them from another source in that case.

chillidoggy

Right. New corners and handle have arrived, ordered them from Flight Case Factory in the end, I gave up on Allprats, although I might have to order some white piping from them if I decide to go the whole hog and put some new grille cloth in. Unless anyone know where I can get some elsewhere?

equalsql

Any chance of some pics? It would be good to see how things progress. 

benvall

You could try solsounds.com for piping. I got mine from Sol. P&P is a bit pricey but service is good.
Here is a 2x12 I made used grill cloth and tolex from solsounds

http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag145/benvallins/2x12cab_zps35872ebf.jpg

chillidoggy

Cheers, I'll have a look at Sol.

That looks like a good job you've done, there! I'll be posting some pics later.

chillidoggy

OK, here some pics of the stripped and sanded cabinet. I'm pondering whether to fill in the bit at the top where the amp controls used to be, and I'm 85% sure I will have a look in B&Q to see if I can find a bit the right size to fit the slot. That way, it will look like a proper 1x12, because they're a similar, if slightly larger-sized cab than the original Hurricane. Once I've done that, I'll be sweet-talking and grovelling to Mrs C in the hope that she'll give me a hand with the Tolex job.

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20cab%20re-cover/008_zps49a249d1.jpg

 

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20cab%20re-cover/001_zpsa93703a4.jpg

 

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20cab%20re-cover/005_zps763e3c76.jpg

 

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20cab%20re-cover/003_zpse9303996.jpg

 

TheDarkLord

Y'now, the pine cabinet looks so good that I would be tempted to stain it and leave it as it is rather than cover it.  Good luck with the project though.

benvall

chillidoggy;111694" said:

Cheers, I'll have a look at Sol.That looks like a good job you've done, there! I'll be posting some pics later.

Thanks, you'll notice the picture I'd from a distance. Close up it doesn't look that good, plus I did want to put piping on the baffle but I miss judged the size and had to install it without piping.

Nice pics, I'll keep and eye on your progress good luck.

chillidoggy

This is what I love about Christmas - the chance to get some of the stuff done that I've had no time to do all year. Mrs C is pottering around wrapping pressies, and no doubt putting out more poxy decorations, and I've been happily working away with various little projects. Bliss!

Anyway, I decided to fill the slot with a piece of pine, epoxy-glued it in, and got some wood repair filler, that goes off rock hard. I've also filled numerous dents and dings, some of which were caused when I came out of a rehearsal into a pitch-black car park, fell over, and chucked it up the road. The amp was undamaged, but the cab was a bit the worse for wear. As was I.

 

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20cab%20re-cover/0032_zpsdd5f94dc.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20cab%20re-cover/0022_zpsd98a4da4.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20cab%20re-cover/0012_zps540126f4.jpg

 

 

More news as I get further into it, but as she's out most of tomorrow, I could well get all the sanding down done, ready for re-Tolexing.

 

hywelg

Piping is cheapest from Sid Chaplin His grille cloths are pretty nice too, ask for samples.
Cabinet string is cheapest from Vyse Amps He does tolex and grille cloth but is quite expensive.
Tolex usually from Solsound though they seem to out of stock of most of it.

Cabinet Hardware
http://www.bluearan.co.uk/index.php?id=ADH4023BLK&browsemode=category
http://www.adamhall.com/en/Cabinet_Corners_p2.html
http://www.flightcasehardware.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=60_74_76
http://www.swanflight.com/flightcase-hardware-corners/cabinet-corners.html
http://www.proaudiostash.co.uk/products/flight-case-hardware/2441.shtml#
http://modulusamplification.com/CABINET-ACCESSORIES-C142130.aspx?sid=12886

Tolex

http://www.solsound.com/products.php?page=2&cat=Grill%20Cloth%20/%20Piping%20/%20Tolex&sub=Tolex&subsub=
http://www.allparts.uk.com/collections/tolex-mojotone
http://www.tubeampdoctor.com/en/shop_Coverings_Coverings_Tolex/
http://www.guitarampcab.com/skins.html  not sure they'll sell it separately tho'

hywelg

Oh and for a baffle with tadpole piping, allow 3mm gap all round wood to wood. Back panels with just tolex a little less, 2mm is tight.

chillidoggy

Blimey!

The only thing I don't have is white piping, as in true forum style, I'm still prevaricating as to whether to put the new style grille cloth on it, or retain the metal grille from the original Hurricane.

I already have the correct oxblood Tolex, and can get the proper Cornford grille cloth if I choose to do so. Straight Edge Fabrications still have some Cornford stuff from when they used to manufacture them.

But that's a helpful list if ever I saw one hywelg.

hywelg

PM me if you just want a piece of white piping long enough to do that cab. I have plenty, I bought some to do a DrZ replica for a mate. I mostly use gold for my own cabs.

chillidoggy

I've just had a message from my mate to say he's ordered some piping to do his cab, and mine, but thanks for the kind offer. He's going to do fit the proper Cornford cloth grille (actually it's more like plastic than cloth), so I shall wait and see how he gets on, and hopefully learn from any mistakes he makes.

chillidoggy

Well, in true style, I bought a new smoothing plane yesterday, set it up this morning, started shaving down the insert, and cut my finger. I did manage to get some work done, though. Hopefully some pics a bit later.

chillidoggy

With some more planning, filling, and sanding, I managed to get the wood insert slot filler into the shape I wanted, so it won't show when it's covered with the new Tolex. I've also sanded down some more of the filled dents.

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20cab%20re-cover/0013_zps472f5262-1.jpg

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20cab%20re-cover/0023_zpsf1245fc6.jpg

 http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20cab%20re-cover/0033_zps111abc1b-1.jpg

 

 

 

 

The original Tolex on the pine wood of the cab came off faster than a Thanet bird's knickers, but getting it off of these two buggers -

 

 http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee189/chillidoggy/Cornford%20cab%20re-cover/0042_zps78edbec1-1.jpg

- was an absolute pain in the arse. They're the two panels that fit along the back of the cab, leaving a gap in the middle, thus making it an open back. They look like fibreboard, and I had to get a small blowtorch on them to scrape the Tolex off. I've had a go at getting some of the glue off, but they probably need a bit of sanding. I've got to be careful, because I don't want to damage them. The white piping has arrived, but if I want to fit the later cloth grille I've got to get a wooden board made up to fix it to. Still haven't decided about that yet.

 

hywelg

chillidoggy said:

The white piping has arrived, but if I want to fit the later cloth grille I've got to get a wooden board made up to fix it to. Still haven't decided about that yet.

Some Fender amps have the grille cloth fixed to a frame rather than a board. Simple 60-70mm wide strips of 12mm ply accurately cut and then stapled together at the corners, with maybe a triangular fillet in two of the corners. Grille cloth then stapled to that. Make sure you follow the thread lines when fixing, put staples every couple of inches first off then fill in the gaps with more staples after all sides are tacked. A staple gun, even a cheap one is a must. Keep checking the threads run parallel to the sides whilst doing it.

Fixed to the baffle with velcro, you can use the glue on stuff but best to staple it as well. Best not to use big pads of the stuff, it can make pulling it off difficult. 2" x 1" pads are plenty big enough if you get them aligned correctly.

chillidoggy

Unfortunately I don't have the equipment to make a square frame, and the original cabs have a board with a hole in the centre for the speaker, so it'll have to be the latter if I do it. Thanks for the advice on the grille cloth fixing though, I'll take that into account, it's critical the grill lines are straight, otherwise it'll look terrible.

chillidoggy

It's Tolex day today, Mrs C has agreed to assist (take charge of) the operation. Hopefully there won't be too many arguments about how to do the corners, or indeed any of it, but that's wishful thinking. Piccys later, assuming Operation Cornfed Cab goes to plan.

hywelg

Hot air gun will help you stretch and mould the tolex round the corners.