Matching the pin holes with others evenly spaced could lend some legitimacy to the driver. |
happy days are here again! congrats |
Thank you everyone for your responses. I did repair the pin hole with a dab of black silicone and wiped it smooth with the diaphragm surface. The paper cones on the woofers still appear to be stiff and the surrounds still appear to be springy and strong enough. One tweeter no longer worked, so both tweeters in both speakers were replaced with the Peerless by Tymphany tweeters recommended to replace the originals. The oak tops have been re-glued to the cabinets and new grill foam has been ordered to replace the worn and saggy original covers. That should complete the restoration of the Time Windows. I plan to test them this afternoon and if I can figure out how to upload a photo to the blog, I will do so. |
If you find a pin of the same diameter, you can put another 'mirror image' hole in the other speaker for balance.
Seriously, if it's a paper type cone, you can sand some wood, mix the sawdust with a little wood glue to create a filler paste. Then patch carefully. If need sand lightly and use a dark grey, black or suitably colored marker to blend in the color.
I would practice filling in pin holes in card stock to determine how much glue/dust ratio works best.
Although it sounds like a lot of fuss, if the cone is very smooth, then you don't want to add texture...so best to do as little as possible...you want to have the least amount of effect on resonance/mass/performance.
As mentioned, best to remove the speaker, apply a low stick tape to the back (scotch 811) of the cone, fill the front, lightly smooth/sand (only if needed).
Conversely, you can tape the front and fill the back if the woofer basket allows access. That might look cleaner.
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Pin hole, not a problem, but:
sounds like you keep your grill cloth on, so cosmetics not a problem. Got a wife, girlfriend, mother? A little nail polish will do it, comes with the tool you need. Like spray paint, a few thin coats not too thick to start. Lay it on it's back so it doesn't drip down the face of the cone while drying.
AGE deterioration? is paper cone still stiff? Is surround good and still springy, strong enough to keep the woofer centered properly? Voice coils can rub on the magnet if not centered.
I have re-coned my woofers from 1958 twice, I am about to check them soon. My old ones are paper cone's with cloth surround. I paid a pro do do it the first time, did it myself the second time.
Kits are available to restore most speakers, far less costly than replacing the woofer. Check on eBay, online, is OEM around?
I would replace them both so they have equal strength to the air.
I also replaced the surround of my vintage SUB, newer foam surround had rotted. |
No! You do not want to use anything that dries hard! The edges of the patch might form a stress riser, a place where the cone might fail.
Take the woofer out and apply some masking tape behind the perforation.
Tamp some black GE silicone into the hole leaving a slight bulge. Clean around the hole leaving a 5 mm patch. Denatured alcohol works great to lean up silicone. Let dry for 24 hours then remove the tape. Good as new. |
I suppose it would be too simple a thing to switch them and make judgment. We can't have sensible solutions in HiFi. :(
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A pin hole will help cool the woofer, although a whistling sound may occur. |
No. From years of experience and having owned literally hundreds of speakers; NO. A pinhole does NOTHING to the sound of a speaker. Carry on enjoying your speakers without ever worrying about it again! |
NO NO NO Get rid of them NOW!!!!! and get some Wilson Audio WAMM
Master Chronosonic and be a REAL BALLER on Audiogon, glue you don't need no stupid GLUE!!!! |
A dab of black speaker cement from Parts Express which is used to recone speakers will work and just enough to cover the hole. I have fixed a number of tears, cat claw holes and accidents with this stuff.
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No, it will not affect sound at all (assuming the pinhole doesn't grow into a quarter-sized hole).
FYI - I've build a few speakers (Siegfried Linkwitz's active Pluto design + a couple from kits) and about a few subwoofers (2 Marty Subs and 1 IB with dual 18-inch woofers) |
Put a hole in the other one, OF COURSE! ;)
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Thank you all for the responses. It truly is just a pin hole, so maybe just some glue to keep the hole from expanding. And thank you latik for the video of the time windows, very nice sound indeed. It looks like a sub-woofer has been added to the system. Definitely something I plan to do as well. Those who know Time Windows know that they have wonderful mid-range and highs but are somewhat lacking at the bottom end due, I suppose, to the relatively small woofers. I am optimistic that an external crossover and added sub-woofer will round out the sound of the system. |
A pin hole? If it is truly a pin hole, I'd leave it. |
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or a couple fiberglass hairs where is he supposed to obtain that?
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> K, for you only.. The last place you punched a hole in the wall. Look in there.. How about a walk through Home Depot. Look on the floor in the insulation department.. Toilet paper, just like a cut on your face from shaving. Dab with nail polish, dab on the the TP, depending on the color of the paper, is whether you use it FIRST or not.. LOL Brown TP White TP, you choose.. OK.. Only for you though K.. Regards.. |
A pinhole will affect the sound qualities, but mostly in the transient mix aspect of the resonant tail of harmonic structure.
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No effect on sound now, but patch it so it doesn’t grow. Don’t change the mass of the woofer. I mean, you have to but don’t do anything big that could significantly alter the driver mass. A dab of fingernail polish or tiny patch along with it is fine.
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If the hole is round with no edges (check both sides of driver) no issue unless it distracts visibly. Otherwise, if you feel some edge that may produce a tear later, any if the above will do, preferably wood glue or nail polish that matches with drive unit coulor. Just a small amount on a needle pin.
G |
It’s an easy enough repair. You can get some non-alkaline wood glue and seal the hole. Failing that some common or garden PVA glue will do.
Most wood glue is made of similar material to that of the paper cone itself so that won’t be a problem. You might want to first remove the driver and fill it from behind for the sake of cosmetics.
As it’s only a pin hole you won’t need to pad it with any tissue etc.
You could also leave it and keep using them as they are. A pinhole is unlikely to turn into a tear under anything like normal sound levels. It will work and sound fine, but then you might risk getting thrown out of the audiophile members club!
We tend to be like those car owners who can’t abide an otherwise imperceptible paint scratch along the bodywork. The kind that affects the owners state of mind far more than the vehicles performance (or even appearance).
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or a couple fiberglass hairs where is he supposed to obtain that? |
Not at all if it's repaired, or doesn't grow.. A little dab of silicone, or a couple fiberglass hairs and a little nail polish. A few way to repair, it..
That stuff is in most homes, in or around, ay?
Regards |
