SDA Driver Seals: Original Foam vs. Mortite vs. Armaflex Foam

Toolfan66

Round it is..

Is the 1.875 center to center on the holes? Also will .250 holes be ok or do you need them to be a different size?

Colors? I probably can come close to matching any color you would like.

DarqueKnight

thejck wrote: »

How do u pull the old drivers off if you used mortite. They are a pia.

I made a small prying bar from a 8-1/2" piece of coathanger wire. I flattened the prying end a little bit (reduced thickness about half) to make it easier to get under the rim hole.

I still use the pry bar with my Armacelled drivers. Of course, the Armacell does not cause as tight a fit as the Mortite, but the Amacelled drivers don't always fall right out after unscrewing.

heiney9

thejck wrote: »

How do u pull the old drivers off if you used mortite. They are a pia.

Toolfan66 wrote: »

I pulled the crossover and pushed from the back side then worked my way up.. I don't miss mortite at all..

Mortite has been in place over 2 years now and I've taken the speakers apart twice, never a single issue. Actually the Mortite stays in place on the back of the drivers. Not sure why you are having issues.

H9

DarqueKnight

Toolfan66 wrote: »

Is the 1.875 center to center on the holes?

Yes.

Toolfan66 wrote: »

Also will .250 holes be ok or do you need them to be a different size?

I had to take one of the screws out and match the plate hole to my drill bits. The holes are 3/16". With the large flathead screws I am using, 1/4" holes would work.

Toolfan66 wrote: »

Colors? I probably can come close to matching any color you would like.

Black.

Toolfan66

Consider it done!!

DarqueKnight

Thanks. Send me a PM with cost and shipping.

thejck

heiney9 wrote: »

Mortite has been in place over 2 years now and I've taken the speakers apart twice, never a single issue. Actually the Mortite stays in place on the back of the drivers. Not sure why you are having issues.

H9

One of my braces had come loose and i had to pull a driver to get to it. I struggled with the driver and ended up having to use a screw driver to pry on it which nicked the wood slightly and I am not too trilled about it. I ended up using a screw that was able to grip the screw hole on the basket and use that to pry. I am not sure what damage this has caused and I have had a really frustrating day cause of it.

When I installed the mortite I pushed it onto the basket and then screwed it onto the wood. When I pulled it off half of it was on the basket and the rest on the wood. I even had used poly urethane on the wood before I installed the mortite to prevent it sticking.
I am using Larrys rings as well and maybe that is what is causing the sticking.

thejck

going to try this in the morning.
Isnt the Armacell only sticky on one side?
You said you cut the tape at a 1/4 inch did you end up getting 4 strips from each section or was there some cutting waste.

DarqueKnight wrote: »

I made a small prying bar from a 8-1/2" piece of coathanger wire. I flattened the prying end a little bit (reduced thickness about half) to make it easier to get under the rim hole.

I still use the pry bar with my Armacelled drivers. Of course, the Armacell does not cause as tight a fit as the Mortite, but the Amacelled drivers don't always fall right out after unscrewing.

DarqueKnight

thejck wrote: »

going to try this in the morning. Isnt the Armacell only sticky on one side?

Yes, the Armacell is only sticky on one side, but some of my drivers have a snug fit which requires some extra effort to remove them. I made the small end of the prying bar 3/8 inch long.

One clarification: I call this a "pry bar", but I don't use a prying action where the flat end is inserted in a driver's rim hole and the bar is pressed downward to pry the rim up. The flat end is inserted in the rim hole 1/8" to 1/4" and the tool is pulled outward.

thejck wrote: »

You said you cut the tape at a 1/4 inch did you end up getting 4 strips from each section or was there some cutting waste.

I cut 1/2 inch strips. The Armacell is 2 inches wide, so this allowed four 1/2 inch strips per section:

DarqueKnight wrote: »

Marks 1/2" apart were made on the Amaflex's backing at regular intervals. Ink and pencil marks did not easily adhere to Armaflex's yellow wax paper backing, therefore a fine point ink pen was used to punch holes and then the pen and straight edge (24" drafting T-square and 48" carpenter's level) were used to scribe cutting guide lines.

vmaxer

Old thread, great info.

xschop

11 years later, and still relevant. Enjoy reading Ray's findings.

nooshinjohn wrote: »

qwertycus wrote: »

replacing the plastic brackets with something more substantial, maybe machined from aluminum or steel?

Looks like a job for SUPERLARRY! (aka Toolforlifefan)


Put me down for six in natural brushed aluminum.:biggrin::cool:

First time reading this post. So someone was pondering alloy faceplates back in the day.

And F1 didn't blow a fuse lol

pitdogg2

Anything Ray did is always going to be relevant when it comes to SDA's.

skipshot12

Absolutely relevant 11 years later.

I’m going thru this right now and, all that came before saved me from the headaches of trial and error….
I thank you all.

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