[Boatanchors] Speaker repair

[Gerry Steffens]

I have been repairing some old speakers.  In this case it is repairing torn
cones.

Some years ago I got a large medicine bottle of a glue-like substance to fix
torn speaker cones from a speaker repairman.  It works great.  It looks like
Elmer's white glue and is about the same consistency.  But, he told me it
has particulate matter (probably fiber glass) mixed in to help firm up the
repair.  It dries pretty much clear and DOES NOT HARDEN completely like glue
(nor is it tacky), such that one can repair the flexible suspension portion
of the cone if necessary.

I have glued together some really horrid looking, torn up cones and even
patched in some larger holes, returning the speakers to service without
noticeably affecting the sound.  While this probably would drive the
audiofools crazy and it most likely does affect the sound to some degree,
but for boatanchors and other old radios it does a great job, although the
repaired speaker cone is no prize-winning looker as the glue is very visible
as darker portions where it is applied.  Generally, I apply the product to
the tear and then line up the seam and let it dry.  Follow-up is a couple of
more coats, feathering it out to provide extra support for the damaged area.

It brushes on nicely and the brush cleans up with warm water.  I have not
yet attempted to thin it with water but if I get desperate I plan to try.
He told me he buys it in gallon quantities and it does dry out on him
sometimes.  He is no longer in business and I was too dumb to ask about it
before he quit.

Now the question.  What is it?  Has anyone ever heard of or seen such a
product?  If so where can I get more?

As long as the voice coil is not damaged and is mostly connected to the rest
of the cone (for position purposes), this stuff has almost always fixed up
any speaker I have used it on.

Thanks,
Gerry

Gerald Steffens P.E.
Radio Historian, collecting & restoring
E.H. Scott, McMurdo Silver, Hallicrafters,
National, Zenith Transoceanics & any other
interesting radios & classic Oldsmobiles