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Re: Tolex Alternatives - Fabric Store Vinyl?

5/13/2003 12:51 AM
Bob Predaina	Re: Tolex Alternatives - Fabric Store Vinyl? thanks for the recommendations, guys. While I was at the store I talked to the sales girl about vinyls, and there appear to be 4 types. I only remember 3 of them. ALPINE is the really heavy stuff. Its got a woven backing. It can be fairly soft or fairly stiff. Although the stiff stuff seemed like it would be on par with Tolex for scuff resistance, I was converned that it would be too stiff/thick for getting smooth seams around corners. MARINE is not as heavy as Alpine, but it also has the woven backing. Depending upon the roll, it can be fairly soft or fairly stiff. Some of it looks pliable enough to form well, but as formability improves, scuff resistance goes down. FRONTIER (IIRC) is the stuff with the swirly cotton-type backing. Its typically shinier than the others. My impression was that the cotton backing would make it rather difficult to glue. I was thinking that the offerings with the woven backs would be more glue-able. Unfortunately they all seem to have padding. I think that any amount of padding will make things difficult. Then there are flammable vs. non-flammable versions of each type of vinyl. Would anyone dare to use flammable vinyl on an amp head? I guess you'd have to use a metal heatshield if you were going to put it near the tubes. While I was staring at the Marine Vinyl, thinking about how difficult it would be to make my own piping, a lightbulb went on over my head -- I have a friend who's son is in the boat upholstery business. I'm going to ask him about sources for car-top vinyl without the padding. Maybe he'll have some good sources. (I do seem to remember hearing about "tolex" being a trade-name for General Tire or somebody like that.

5/13/2003 12:51 AM

Bob Predaina

Re: Tolex Alternatives - Fabric Store Vinyl?

thanks for the recommendations, guys.

While I was at the store I talked to the sales girl about vinyls, and there appear to be 4 types. I only remember 3 of them.

ALPINE is the really heavy stuff. Its got a woven backing. It can be fairly soft or fairly stiff. Although the stiff stuff seemed like it would be on par with Tolex for scuff resistance, I was converned that it would be too stiff/thick for getting smooth seams around corners.

MARINE is not as heavy as Alpine, but it also has the woven backing. Depending upon the roll, it can be fairly soft or fairly stiff. Some of it looks pliable enough to form well, but as formability improves, scuff resistance goes down.

FRONTIER (IIRC) is the stuff with the swirly cotton-type backing. Its typically shinier than the others. My impression was that the cotton backing would make it rather difficult to glue. I was thinking that the offerings with the woven backs would be more glue-able. Unfortunately they all seem to have padding. I think that any amount of padding will make things difficult.

Then there are flammable vs. non-flammable versions of each type of vinyl. Would anyone dare to use flammable vinyl on an amp head? I guess you'd have to use a metal heatshield if you were going to put it near the tubes.

While I was staring at the Marine Vinyl, thinking about how difficult it would be to make my own piping, a lightbulb went on over my head -- I have a friend who's son is in the boat upholstery business. I'm going to ask him about sources for car-top vinyl without the padding. Maybe he'll have some good sources. (I do seem to remember hearing about "tolex" being a trade-name for General Tire or somebody like that.

6/8/2003 8:03 PM
Mike	I found some rubber piping at my local hardware store. They carried white, brown and black in the big size like the Marshall cabs have. $.29 a foot! You might give your local store a look-see. Mike

6/9/2003 1:19 AM
PH	A bass player friend of mine who ocasionally makes cabs for his heads and speakers uses the faux tolex like fabric from a fabric store has had fairly good results. The cool thing is that it's cheap, down the street, available in an array of colors and designs and if you don't like it after a while just do it all over. He does use corner hardware and tries to pick the thicker material..I have to say his projects look pretty nice. PH

6/9/2003 1:19 AM

A bass player friend of mine who ocasionally makes cabs for his heads and speakers uses the faux tolex like fabric from a fabric store has had fairly good results.

The cool thing is that it's cheap, down the street, available in an array of colors and designs and if you don't like it after a while just do it all over.

He does use corner hardware and tries to pick the thicker material..I have to say his projects look pretty nice.

PH

6/16/2003 1:04 PM
PhilipMorrison	Guys Good alternative source however, some of these materials may not hold up in the long run. Just find something with a similar 'hardness' to tolex. Recently used some marine grade burgandy vinyl from one of these places and it made a beautiful head & cabinet. Problem was when I sat the head on the cabinet for some length of time the feet on the head made impressions in the top of the cabinet. The vinyl was just too soft. Looks darn good though! Wouldn't much matter for a combo unless you were going to set stuff on it.. Never saw this with 'real' tolex. Good Fortune Philip Morrison

6/16/2003 1:04 PM

PhilipMorrison

Guys

Good alternative source however, some of these materials may not hold up in the long run. Just find something with a similar 'hardness' to tolex.

Recently used some marine grade burgandy vinyl from one of these places and it made a beautiful head & cabinet. Problem was when I sat the head on the cabinet for some length of time the feet on the head made impressions in the top of the cabinet. The vinyl was just too soft. Looks darn good though!
Wouldn't much matter for a combo unless you were going to set stuff on it..

Never saw this with 'real' tolex.

Good Fortune

Philip Morrison

6/18/2003 4:26 PM
Cgiff	Guys, I have done exhaustive searches on the net for tolex material. I can't find the root manufacturer or distributer, keep coming back to musical supply shops. A number of years back I did get some hard tolex material at an automotive styling shop. This was back when vinyl car-roofs were in. I wonder if tolex is for the musical instrument market and it is called something else for different markets. I even tried upholstery supply, distributors. etc. I finally purchased my material from Ampwares, Mark had a sale earlier in the year of $11 yard for 5 or more yards. best price around! http://www.ampwares.com I've tried the naugahyde material (from material shops) on an amp, it looks ok, but it really isn't durable enough. It does work for amp and cab covers. As for piping. I have searched for that stuff as well . I went to several fabric shops and ended up with a fine corded cloth piping which looks very similar to the vinyl coverd stuff. I just stapled it along the edge of the grill cloth and it looks fine. Really finishes things off. I was going to try and fold some clear vinyl over it but it isn't necessary. I purchased 4 meters for about $10 cdn. There are a variety of colors and textures available. I bought a yellow gold, nearly bought an oxblood colour to match the strands in the grill cloth. Might do that next time. Cgiff

6/18/2003 4:26 PM

Cgiff

Guys, I have done exhaustive searches on the net for tolex material. I can't find the root manufacturer or distributer, keep coming back to musical supply shops. A number of years back I did get some hard tolex material at an automotive styling shop. This was back when vinyl car-roofs were in. I wonder if tolex is for the musical instrument market and it is called something else for different markets. I even tried upholstery supply, distributors. etc.
I finally purchased my material from Ampwares, Mark had a sale earlier in the year of $11 yard for 5 or more yards. best price around! http://www.ampwares.com
I've tried the naugahyde material (from material shops) on an amp, it looks ok, but it really isn't durable enough. It does work for amp and cab covers.
As for piping. I have searched for that stuff as well . I went to several fabric shops and ended up with a fine corded cloth piping which looks very similar to the vinyl coverd stuff. I just stapled it along the edge of the grill cloth and it looks fine. Really finishes things off. I was going to try and fold some clear vinyl over it but it isn't necessary. I purchased 4 meters for about $10 cdn. There are a variety of colors and textures available. I bought a yellow gold, nearly bought an oxblood colour to match the strands in the grill cloth. Might do that next time.
Cgiff

6/18/2003 10:24 PM
Daver	Try http://www.kayline.com Then click on Music Industry Products. You may be able to get info from them. They are a manufacturer, not a retailer, but may be able to steer you in the right direction. HTH. Daver

6/19/2003 3:50 PM
Patrick	Piping I found a great source for gold, silver and white piping. It's called welt in the auto upholstery industry and I found the same stuff that's sold as gold and silver tinsel piping. It's identical. I'm at work so I don't have all of the details but I belive it was around $0.30 a yard. Quite the bargain. The downside was a minimum order of $30 but now I have enough piping for many projects. Sorry, I can't remember the name of the store/web site at all. I'll look for part numbers and link later and will try to post it. Haven't found any durable tolex type material from these sources. I've run into similar situations with it not being tough enough. -Patrick

6/19/2003 3:50 PM

Patrick

Piping

I found a great source for gold, silver and white piping. It's called welt in the auto upholstery industry and I found the same stuff that's sold as gold and silver tinsel piping. It's identical. I'm at work so I don't have all of the details but I belive it was around $0.30 a yard. Quite the bargain. The downside was a minimum order of $30 but now I have enough piping for many projects. Sorry, I can't remember the name of the store/web site at all. I'll look for part numbers and link later and will try to post it.

Haven't found any durable tolex type material from these sources. I've run into similar situations with it not being tough enough.

-Patrick

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