Okay boys and girls, I'm getting my Sequels this weekend!

[Tube60]

Okay boys and girls, I'm getting my Sequels this weekend! UPDATE!

Finally!
I never could arrange transport with friends' vehicles, so I broke down and I'm renting a minivan.
Thanks to all for the advice for transporting them!
Now I do have a question: my friend told me they haven't run for about ten years. They haven't been plugged in. My only obvious concern is the electrolytic capacitors, but how about the panels? They've not been exposed to direct sunlight. So if anybody has any thoughts, please let me know. We will be thoroughly vacuuming them before I leave. When I get home, I may consider doing the cold shower technique I've read about.
Thanks and regards,
Ross

 

[DTB300]

Vacuum them, like you stated, then play them and see what you have before considering the shower. Shower method works, but should only be done as last resort, due to the possiblility of making the panel worse or unusable.

Dan

 

[amey01]

Yes, give them a good (really good) vacuum before plugging them in, but don't do the shower thing until you have evaluated the performance and are prepared to replace the panels anyway.

 

[Tube60]

Okay!
They're sitting in my garage as I write!
Over the weekend, I replaced one of the panels and cleaned them up. I've got one more panel to replace, but the outer stator connection (blue lead) needs to be re-soldered before I install it. I noticed the 10" woofer's rubber surrounds and gaskets had separated from the baskets, because the glue had dried up, on both units. I effected a repair before I came home, using my favorite cure: Aleene's Tacky Glue! Thats the most effective adhesive I've ever used for such work. I learned that through more than one speaker re-surround job. And because they had gone through a house re-model, the power supply and crossover boards are covered in drywall dust. Any hints on cleaning them, beyond compressed air?
One of the replacement panels has a slight wrinkle in the membrane in the top left corner. I'll search the site for that. I think a careful heat-gun application will fix that.
And most curious of all, the black paint on the cabinet has turned soft, sticky, and almost punky. With the older Sequels, has anybody encountered this? The paint was coming off on my jeans and my hands like wet ink. The cabinets are a simple design and easy to get all the components off, so I don't mind refinishing them.
Anyway, in spite of the slight hiccups along the way, I've got them home and I look forward to a listening session once I get them cleaned up!

 

[aliveatfive]

Okay!
They're sitting in my garage as I write!
Over the weekend, I replaced one of the panels and cleaned them up. I've got one more panel to replace, but the outer stator connection (blue lead) needs to be re-soldered before I install it. I noticed the 10" woofer's rubber surrounds and gaskets had separated from the baskets, because the glue had dried up, on both units. I effected a repair before I came home, using my favorite cure: Aleene's Tacky Glue! Thats the most effective adhesive I've ever used for such work. I learned that through more than one speaker re-surround job. And because they had gone through a house re-model, the power supply and crossover boards are covered in drywall dust. Any hints on cleaning them, beyond compressed air?
One of the replacement panels has a slight wrinkle in the membrane in the top left corner. I'll search the site for that. I think a careful heat-gun application will fix that.
And most curious of all, the black paint on the cabinet has turned soft, sticky, and almost punky. With the older Sequels, has anybody encountered this? The paint was coming off on my jeans and my hands like wet ink. The cabinets are a simple design and easy to get all the components off, so I don't mind refinishing them.
Anyway, in spite of the slight hiccups along the way, I've got them home and I look forward to a listening session once I get them cleaned up!

The finish on those cabinets is a toxic paint called Nextel. It did do a very good job of damping the cabinets. If you remove the finish, do it very carefully. I'm not sure if a safe, equivalent type of paint is available, but check to find out.

 

[kach22i]

They sound like they are a mess, were they a victim of Katrina?

You don't sound dismayed, hang in there and give them a good restoration then.

 

[DTB300]

And because they had gone through a house re-model, the power supply and crossover boards are covered in drywall dust. Any hints on cleaning them, beyond compressed air?

I would do the air first and see how things sound. Then you can do the following: Spray on some Windex and and scrub with an old Toothbrush - Per Jim Power. I did this on my Sequel II boards.

Dan

 

[Tube60]

The finish on those cabinets is a toxic paint called Nextel. It did do a very good job of damping the cabinets. If you remove the finish, do it very carefully. I'm not sure if a safe, equivalent type of paint is available, but check to find out.

I've got a very good respirator for just such work. Does this paint have a reputation for falling apart over time?
I'll look into the auto paint industry for something. I'm thinking a spray-on chip guard followed by satin-black epoxy. That'll have good damping properties.

 

[Tube60]

I would do the air first and see how things sound. Then you can do the following: Spray on some Windex and and scrub with an old Toothbrush - Per Jim Power. I did this on my Sequel II boards.

Dan

Thanks for the advice! I was considering that too. Actually my favorite circuit board cleaner is Blue Magic auto carpet cleaner followed by a good hosing off. Doesn't leave a trace of anything behind, and even takes some of the rosin off as well. However I'm concerned about getting the transformers wet, so I'll get them aired down first like you advise.

 

[Tube60]

They sound like they are a mess, were they a victim of Katrina?
You don't sound dismayed, hang in there and give them a good restoration then.

Nah, they're really not that bad. I'm more concerned about the paint than anything else, because that'll require a complete strip-down. Mainly they're dusty and they've been sitting in storage for ten years, oh, and they got pee'd on by their cats a couple times.
I will say in my own defense that I would not have purchased these from a stranger. But my friend is a friend in need, so I got a really good deal and he doesn't have to worry about the repo-man for another month. I got the Sequels as part-trade for helping out him and his family basically. 'Nuff said!
However I'm looking forward to getting them up to snuff and probably some hotrodding along the way! And possibly some new SL3 panels.

 

[DTB300]

Thanks for the advice! I was considering that too. Actually my favorite circuit board cleaner is Blue Magic auto carpet cleaner followed by a good hosing off. Doesn't leave a trace of anything behind, and even takes some of the rosin off as well. However I'm concerned about getting the transformers wet, so I'll get them aired down first like you advise.

Spray the toothbrush first, not the board when working around the transformers. When working on the non-power board, spray away (don't soak it, just enough to help you clean it up), then brush-brush-brush. Yes, you make remove some of the board covering, but that is ok according to Jim.

I wiped mine clean after using the Windex, then let them sit in front of a fan for an hour or so to completely dry.

BTW, on my Sequel's I find the Armor-All wipes work great for cleaning up the cabinets.

Dan

 

[aliveatfive]

I've got a very good respirator for just such work. Does this paint have a reputation for falling apart over time?
I'll look into the auto paint industry for something. I'm thinking a spray-on chip guard followed by satin-black epoxy. That'll have good damping properties.

The stuff does tend to soften and bleed after time. How about a new finish to approximate the one on the Wilson speakers? Maybe Ferrari red? I wonder how much you'd change the acoustic properties of the box?

 

[kach22i]

BTW, on my Sequel's I find the Armor-All wipes work great for cleaning up the cabinets.

Armor All has silicone in it, silicone breaks down the very structure of plastics.

No one wants their plastic/rubber trim of their aircraft to fail at 200 mph at 20,000 feet. Try 303 Protectant, made for the aerospace industry, used by fine automobile collectors.

http://www.303products.com/tech/ind...&Product_ID=428&CFID=2575546&CFTOKEN=41911781

 

[Tube60]

The stuff does tend to soften and bleed after time. How about a new finish to approximate the one on the Wilson speakers? Maybe Ferrari red? I wonder how much you'd change the acoustic properties of the box?

I like the original black finish, but a chip-guard base coat with a satin black epoxy finish would help to dissipate standing waves, and would look very nice to boot. And I will refinish the side rails. They're golden oak and that's a little too 80's for me.

 

[DTB300]

Armor All has silicone in it, silicone breaks down the very structure of plastics.

I only use it on the sides of the cabinets, not on the stators. Works very well and I see no detriment or ill effects from it.

Dan

 

[Tube60]

Armor All has silicone in it, silicone breaks down the very structure of plastics.

No one wants their plastic/rubber trim of their aircraft to fail at 200 mph at 20,000 feet. Try 303 Protectant, made for the aerospace industry, used by fine automobile collectors.

http://www.303products.com/tech/ind...&Product_ID=428&CFID=2575546&CFTOKEN=41911781

I second the 303 Protectant! It's a great product. I stopped using Armor All years ago after I found out the hard way what it does to plastic, vinyl and leather. The interior of one of my Italian sports cars fell apart because of it. Mfr's response? "Prove it!" The silicones in Armor All and like products replace the water molecules in the molecular structure of polymers. Polymers like vinyl and plastic are not stable without the water, and thus start falling apart. Today's polymers like I've described are much more stable than they once were, "locking" their water component much more tightly, so it is harder for silicones to make them fall apart. But back in the day Armor All or something similar was the kiss of death for a car's interior. Another good product is The Tannery vinyl and leather protectant.
Hey! I just hijacked my own thread!

 

[Tube60]

I only use it on the sides of the cabinets, not on the stators. Works very well and I see no detriment or ill effects from it.
Dan

I think in that situation Armor All wipes would be fine as long as the paint coat is stable. Might try the 303 protectant though. I really like it!

 

[kach22i]

I only use it on the sides of the cabinets, not on the stators. Works very well and I see no detriment or ill effects from it.

Dan

I think Lacquer like the black Model T paint was made from insects or certain plants, all other paints and enamels are poly-something. The poly part means plastic or petroleum based. I do think armor all will do its damage to paint, though it may take longer. I don't pretend to be a chemist, just using simple reasoning here.

Don't spray anything near your strators, if Martin Logan wanted additional films to be there, they would of installed them at the factory.

 

[DTB300]

Don't spray anything near your strators, if Martin Logan wanted additional films to be there, they would of installed them at the factory.

That is why I use the wipes....No spray around my speakers

 

[Tube60]

Here's a photo of the beasties: