Repairing a Speaker Cone Using Hot Glue

Any time I can avoid a recone of a speaker, I do. Reconing a speaker can sometimes restrict the speaker from being able to reproduce all the same overtones and harmonics it once did. As a speaker ages, much like an aged acoustic guitar top, it becomes more flexible and more capable of reproducing the nuance in a musical performance. Heavy doping or a brand new, stiff cone can make a performance sound lifeless.
There are a lot of ideas out there about how a repair procedure should be done, but I do not agree with most of them. While some suggest using layers of paper towels or regular paper whetted with Elmer's white glue or yellow wood glue, I tend to think those glues dry way to brittle for this purpose as a long-lasting repair.
Others use silicone with good results, but silicone take a long time to cure - usually hours - while hot glue cures pretty much immediately, and after curing, silicone is nearly impossible to remove or manipulate further. Not so with hot glue.
Hot glue repairs are long-lasting, flexible, and if not overly-done, practically musically transparent.

[@fiddlix]

The best method I have seen yet for repairing minor cone breaks in a speaker.

[@craigmoline5522]

Speaker cones are designed to be rigid. Only the suspension (surround and the spider) is flexible or compliant. When a driver is referred to as being "broken in", it means the suspension, not the cone. Furthermore adding Mass (hot glue) to 1 portion of the cone will make it out of balance, cone movement must be linear and pistonic. Thinned Elmers and smallest, lightest piece of paper or fiber will add way less mass. Hot glue is heavy. And always repair from the backside when possible, especially on Vintage drivers. Hope this helps.

[@MegaTubescreamer]

nice job brad,damage like that only needs adequate reinforcment, that re-heat and graduating the edge around the tear is ideal . your repair is as strong as the rest of the cone ,flawless !

[@heatedcr]

1. shred cardboard into small fibers 2. mix them into flexible glue such as the hot glue you're using 3. reheat and spread on top of damaged areas or where aesthetics are of concern 4. use regular hot glue from underneath or non visible areas for additional strength as you did in the video 5. enjoy the fiber reinforced repair that blends and is aesthetically pleasing Tip: Use colored cardboard/poster board to match speaker color

[@JohnJames.]

Does rigidity effect the a speaker, I have a crease in a hertz Mille from the grille being pushed in

[@BretAmes]

Thank You so very much for this video. I took the Speakers out of my Yamaha G100 212ll and was building a separate Cab for them, when I accidentally slipped punched a hole in one of the 12 inch speakers while filing the board it was mounted to. I have just finished glueing the front face of the speaker. I'll do the back in a second. I have faith that this will work. And I won't have to let it dry for 24 hours or whatever, like I would have had to if I did it with PVA and paper or cloth. God Bless You Sir. :)

[@gasgiant7122]

Great video, do you think hot glue would be effective on Kef Bextrene speaker cones like a split from near the centre straight out to near the edge? They feel like very very thin plastic.

[@MK-xl9tt]

I use a coffee filter and diluted Elmer’s for the cones and black silicone gasket sealer for any repairs on the suspension area. Also coat the entire suspension with contact cement on old speaker to strengthen them back up.

[@grindinglicks]

I never tried hot glue, great idea. I’ve been using GE silicone which is also solid and pliable. I had seams in old speakers that came apart and used silicone to hold them together and never had one that failed.

[@jakeqwaninne8502]

DUDE !!!!, awesome, including watching the video, removal , repair, and reinstal,,,, that took less than an hour, now i don't have to cring when i stay on a higher note for more than a second, i would not have thought of hot glue, i could have just disconnected the speaker, but i'm worried about my amp loading up from lack of power that speaker was eating, and the ibanez speakers in the cab are kinda hard to come by any more, so thank you loads for sharing your knowledge, you have another subscriber, thanx

[@audiotechlabs4650]

This is a handy repair tip. I'm surprised the paper cone was not dried out more than it was. You got lucky! I had a Gibson "Hawk" from 1964 and I loved that amp! Great videos! Thankz

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks for the comment. Dry speaker cones are good...dry ROTTED ones not so good. I think most of the damaged vintage speaker cones I've run across are from users. They threw something in the back of the amp and punctured the speaker, or they tried to take the speaker out and put holes in the cone with the mounting screws, etc. The power cord getting shoved in the back of the amp is often responsible for damage.

[@gasgiant7122]

Btw, this reminds me, some manufacturers like Linn (isobarik speakers) using Kef B110 actually coat the speaker cones with PVA glue to make the dynamic weight a little more, so why not hot glue.

[@Kaibil66]

thank you so much for this video.....I fixed my subwoofer thanks to you. It worked great.

[@TheGuitologist]

Cool! Glad it helped.

[@Zelleram55]

I will have to try this method for repair. I have used the silicone method many times, and the Uncle Doug method of using contact cement around the edge to add strength to the surround of a flubbing speaker as it nmoves. Both with great success. I was down from St. Louis working in Louisville all this week. I think i got a Gem out of one of your locale Goodwills near my Hotel in Clarksville Indiana. I got a busted Hammond S6 organ for $20. It had 2 Jenson P10r's in it, along with an amp with 6v6's 5u4, a few 12ax7's and a ton of 12au7's. I checked out the antique mall down the street from there too. Saw a couple old radios there , a tube tester for $4 and a really old oscilloscope for $10. I left that stuff there for the next guy.

[@TheGuitologist]

Cool! Nice score on the Hammond.

[@johneygd]

Interesting, but how will a speaker sound if the whole cone a teared down?

[@jyotsnaramanath6086]

CAN WE DO THIS METHOD OF HOT GLUE TO MINI SPEAKERS MY SPEAKERS ARE TOREN CAN WE FIX LIKE THIS

[@Dan79istheman]

Hi Brad, I was dubious at first. But man, I like your method. Thanks again for sharing and for all your videos. There great. Regards Dan.

[@TheGuitologist]

If you're looking for an invisible repair, it's obviously not the way to go, but it does the job.

[@MrBrymstond]

I've done similar using rubberized crazy glue, but that stuff went all the way thru the paper. On the back side I just keep my finger moving so it doesn't cure with my finger attached and works great. I can't see why this method wouldn't work just as good. Depending on the environment where the speaker sat for a long time I found super brittle paper and used a concoction I came up with when I painted cars. I used urethane mixed with a flexible additive and a couple drops of hardener used on rubber bumpers and thinned it out and the speaker sounded great, but you have to let it heal totally. I sprayed it and it was thin enough to come thru the other side, just don't soak it. Don't use spray paint. Try it on a speaker you want to throw out to test it on before doing this on a speaker like this.

[@Bbendfender]

I have repaired many torn speaker cones. I have found some thin, black construction paper that is fairly thin and I use that for holes and tears in the speakers. Standard wood glue is used and I press the patch from the front and back to get out excess glue. Has worked great for me. I need to learn how to do YT videos.

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks for the comment! The only reason I stay away from wood glue is it dries hard and isn't as flexible as hot glue. I am sure most speaker repairs using it will still hold up, but I don't like the idea of having areas of the speaker that are hard next to other areas that are more pliable. I think that's a recipe for another tear.

[@gregchavez8159]

I've used that method for many years as well. However, I still think that this one may be superior. Thanks for the video! I have to the exact same repair on a vintage Oxford Fender 10' driver and I'm going to give this method a shot!

[@ajp33green]

My man! Thanks for the info.

[@krustybuzzard2477]

Are you using low temp or hi temp glue? Low temp is much softer

[@TheGuitologist]

Not sure. The sticks are flexible, if that helps. If I get a chance I'll dig out my gun and see if it lists the specs on the side.

[@countrylife5958]

why has nobody else questioned the sound of a woman moaning in the background either of pain or joy at time 6:30 in the video LOL

[@bornpvp3955]

wtf

[@scube8614]

Creepy

[@adriyanmusic]

😂 Oh yeaaaaah

[@greenmanalishi7913]

Pretty sure that was moans of "joy"

[@nicoledavis9550]

it didn't sound like she was in pain.....

[@AdamRainStopper]

Hot glue has the advantages you described, like being able to melt it again and move it around after it has cured, but there is a nitrocellulose adhesive that we get on the east coast called Duco Cement, and it works extremely well if you are quick and know how to apply it in a very thin layer. It actually dissolves some of the organic (wood or paper) surface it is applied to, and it will repair it almost without a seam if you use just the right amount. I can send you a tube if you don't have it out there. Basically, it's like repairing a broken plastic part by applying melted plastic.

[@TheGuitologist]

I have heard of the stuff but never used it. I may give it a shot. Thanks for the tip!

[@AdamRainStopper]

The Guitologist It's great for wood and paper, but it's also good for pretty much any application where you'd otherwise use super-glue, hot glue, or even white glue (with the exception of my hair).

[@TheGuitologist]

ha! I don't know, your hair looks epoxied to me. :D

[@AdamRainStopper]

The Guitologist When I was 13, I actually did my mohawk with 2-part epoxy. It was a little over a foot tall, black at the roots, red in the middle, back again at the tips. It was *sensational*. I only had to put the shit in once and then add a little at the roots as they grew in. Unfortunately, it broke off in one solid piece when I fell through the floor in an abandoned house I was exploring (and drinking in) with a couple friends. Turns out "condemned-unsafe" is actually accurate sometimes.

[@TheGuitologist]

Dangerous houses are more fun when you're 13. I'm lucky I'm not dead too...from the houses, not the hair.

[@flyurway]

If aesthetics is a concern, I'm surprised you didn't just make the repair from the back and leave it. From the front the repair would be nearly, if not totally invisible and being just paper I rather doubt that a repair from both sides is necessary.

[@nilserickson5722]

easily repaired from behind ... use elmers or any glue other than hotglue ... could have been invisible and better ... looks like crap ... like a goodwill technician "fixed" it

[@Chad_Fuckhammer]

will this work gluing shut a tear on the dust cap of a 12" stereo speaker?

[@richardcray2919]

Use rubber glue

[@johnkennethlasheras2245]

thank you...very much....

[@Ddkwski]

06:30 When you do a tutorial finish your video and go back to your serial killer shit hahaha

[@mikecarmon1317]

Brad, my name is Mike Carmon and i need some info. I watched a video where you had a vitage speaker cone replaced. What was the company you used?

[@TheGuitologist]

Speaker Workshop. Their website is recone.com. Tell Tom Colvin I sent you.

[@mikecarmon1317]

@@TheGuitologist thank you sir. I really enjoy your videos.

[@nausheenzubair1184]

Do you think cloth duct tape would work?

[@TheGuitologist]

Maybe a small piece in a pinch would stop a buzz and get you through a show or two. Duct tape is pretty thick and heavy, so I wouldn't want to use an more than a tiny sliver of it.

[@anthonylalonde6987]

Gaffers tape would be best

[@nausheenzubair1184]

@@anthonylalonde6987 Thank you.

[@kennethprice1370]

Damn spellcheck

[@contrabandjoe7974]

what about super glue? no heating required and its hard as steel in seconds

[@TheGuitologist]

You don't want 'hard as steel' on a speaker cone.

[@contrabandjoe7974]

so hobby glue retains flexibility? super glue is too strong?

[@TheGuitologist]

Super glue is really too rigid for the application, yes.

[@nor4277]

Anyone ever try clear silicone which stay felixable.

[@maynardcat]

I only use that as any glue that dries hard can tear the cone again due to flexing. I've used Permatex forma gasket sealant, it's black in color seals and stays pliable. I've used it on thin surrounds ready to break, I apply a coating on the bottom and the top of the surround, it gives it new strength, is flexible and lasts a long time, and unlike hard drying glues causes no stress on the soft paper cone.

[@DjDizzyWales]

@@maynardcat Brilliant Idea mate, this is accessible for most people

[@kennethprice1370]

Helmets and a co free filter

[@daleb5967]

A better approach would be using super glue and or polyurethane glue. Use the super glue to tack it with a small toothpick or paintbrush tail, then coat lightly with the poly glue like gorilla glue. It reduces the total adhesive mass/weight and doesn't unbalance the cone.

[@krustybuzzard2477]

they probably are high temp is kind of britle

[@TheGuitologist]

Good point on the glue, and something I didn't consider. I have two different glue guns and both use the same type sticks. They are commonly found at craft stores and Wal-Mart, etc.

[@krustybuzzard2477]

The Guitologist yes but the high temp mite be too brittle.the low temp is safe for kids and it stays very soft.mite be a little better than hot type if it moves like a speaker dord

[@Z00L..ChUpAcUpS]

I would of done that just at the back of the cone but hay it works so haho ✌️😉

[@kennethprice1370]

Elmers glue and a piece of coffee filter

[@thehappylittlefoxakabenji8154]

sounds about right to me if Elmer's glue is a wood working type adhesive !

[@djbadandy1]

i have fixed tons of cones with coffee filter, and clear nail polish! unless its on the suspension area, then ill use 10 year rtv with an acid brush.

[@heatedcr]

Set playback speed to 1.25x. You're welcome!

[@p.s8950]

i have had good luck using liquid skin for this type repair.

[@jefffree6990]

interesting - that stuff always smelled like nail polish when i used on my fingers