Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Diydc on November 29, 2009 at 5:35pm

Don`t think it is strictly something to do with the ring rather than the amount of energy it is able to transport in sound, well, better said , volume.
Steel is denser and thus needs more energy to get it swinging.....

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Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on November 29, 2009 at 7:11pm

Bear in mind the cone acts like a loudspeaker in how it moves the air to create the sound..and loudspeaker cones are made of paper...go figure!!!

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Permalink Reply by Eric Porter on November 29, 2009 at 7:21pm

It may be a tone issue as well. That ring from a steel cone may not be a desired effect in the end. Or it may be that most people prefer the tone from a tin or aluminum cone. Some even use brass. The density, weight, size, shape, tightness, and flexibility of the cone all play a factor in the final tone quality, as well as the other typical factors such as string length, string tension, bridge angle, sound well volume (as in "empty space")... man, this list can get long. In the end, it's all about user preference. So hey go ahead and experiment. I would love to hear what you come up with. Remember, "there are no rules" except the laws of physics, of course.. Try not to break any of those.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Hutchins on November 29, 2009 at 10:36pm

I can't wait to hear about your findings. Because aluminium is lighter , i suspect it may have a little more sustain than steel, but ... A piezeo, some reverb, a nice cedar box & a tonewood neck might produce some really sweet results with a steel cone.

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Permalink Reply by Tres Seaver on November 30, 2009 at 9:09am

I would guess that both the mass of the steel and its relatively higher stiffness would make it less likely than aluminum to get volume from the same amount of string energy. Metallurgy is black art though: the stiffness might actually be a win, especially if it let you spin the cone thinner without deforming it.

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Permalink Reply by Roger Morin on November 30, 2009 at 10:38am

Ok I know this is off topic but did you know that aluminum is reall that soft as a metal as everyone believes. You have to add alloys to make it soft. I worked in the aluminum industry for 29 years and my job for many years was actually the production of aluminum. Pure aluminum is so hard the an industrial grinder won't even touch it.

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Permalink Reply by Serge Bazinet on November 30, 2009 at 12:41pm

I appreciate everyone of your input

My idea originated from knowing the metal spinning business, it is much harder do find a shop that will hand spin steel in small lot than aluminum and would be more expensive

Aluminum will harden with age I wonder if the cone works as well when they are old

The small possibility if any to do an improved cone is interesting and challenging for me
One of the fist thing I am going to try is to make one like a bellow I can get the bottom of the groove to .010 thick, It could get it very easy to get it to vibrate

Well thanks again .

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