Re-tolexing a cabinet - Is it easy?.....

[rlord1974]

Hey:

I have a cabinet that I am thinking I would like to re-tolex. Actually, it's just a small area that needs to be re-tolexed. Here are the specifics.....

The cabinet has small gold piping across the top and bottom, running from front to rear, approximately 3 inches from either side of the cab. The tolex between the two strips of gold piping is the piece that I would like to replace.

Here's an example of a cab with similar piping across the top and bottom edge, a few inches from the side. This is not my cab, but same idea and with the two-tone tolex, is very illustrative of what I am trying to describe. I would be looking to replace the cream tolex between the two strips of gold piping (e.g., where the top handle is), but leave the black tolex and gold piping untouched.....

So, questions include:

1.) Would the piece I speak of be a completely separate piece of tolex than the tolex on the other side of the gold piping (i.e., does the gold piping actually delineate a break in the tolex)?

2.) How easy/difficult would it be to remove the area of tolex I describe? Would it be glued down to the wood?

3.) Would I have to remove the gold piping in order to remove the piece of tolex I describe? If so, would this potentially cause issues with/damage to the other tolex I DO NOT wish to remove?

4.) Assuming I get the old tolex piece off, how do I install a new piece? Glue?

5.) If the gold piping is damaged when removing the tolex piece I describe, is it easy to install new gold piping? How is this done?

Yes, I have never done this before. Is there a "Tolex School" I can attend?

Anyways, any help would be greatly appreciated. I know Greg ('gbsmusic') has done some great re-tolex work in the past - hopefully he'll chime in here!

Thanks, Gents (and Laura)!

 

[stoneage cabs]

Hope the answers below in bold are of help...

Hey:

I have a cabinet that I am thinking I would like to re-tolex. Actually, it's just a small area that needs to be re-tolexed. Here are the specifics.....

The cabinet has small gold piping across the top and bottom, running from front to rear, approximately 3 inches from either side of the cab. The tolex between the two strips of gold piping is the piece that I would like to replace.

Here's an example of a cab with similar piping across the top and bottom edge, a few inches from the side. This is not my cab, but same idea and with the two-tone tolex, is very illustrative of what I am trying to describe. I would be looking to replace the cream tolex between the two strips of gold piping (e.g., where the top handle is), but leave the black tolex and gold piping untouched.....

So, questions include:

1.) Would the piece I speak of be a completely separate piece of tolex than the tolex on the other side of the gold piping (i.e., does the gold piping actually delineate a break in the tolex)? Yes...they are two separate tolex pieces that meet at the seam.


2.) How easy/difficult would it be to remove the area of tolex I describe? Would it be glued down to the wood? Likely, glue was applied to both the wood & the tolex...getting the adhesive off the wood in the cab middle will be a pain, and you runa high risk of damaging the good (black0 tolex that you prefer to keep.

3.) Would I have to remove the gold piping in order to remove the piece of tolex I describe? YES....if so, would this potentially cause issues with/damage to the other tolex I DO NOT wish to remove?..see above, but yes.

4.) Assuming I get the old tolex piece off, how do I install a new piece? Glue? Yes, but all old glue must be removed beforehand.

5.) If the gold piping is damaged when removing the tolex piece I describe, is it easy to install new gold piping? How is this done?
Piping must be removed anyway, it is easily stapled.

Yes, I have never done this before. Is there a "Tolex School" I can attend?

Anyways, any help would be greatly appreciated. I know Greg ('gbsmusic') has done some great re-tolex work in the past - hopefully he'll chime in here!

Thanks, Gents (and Laura)!

 

[rlord1974]

Wow, I couldn't ask for a better response. Thanks so much, John!

Rob

 

[stoneage cabs]

Glad to help...

another thought...


even though you want the entire cab in black, not all black tolex appears the same. You may get in some tolex that has a different 'sheen'...or possibly a way different shade. May be better off retolexing the entire cab.

 

[rlord1974]

I hear you, John. That's a definite consideration. Thanks again.

 

[moronmountain]

Don't do it.......