Astatic 575 m6 Teardrop...Replacement grill..?

This is the place to discuss any general CB radio related topics. Getting started, installations, operation etc.
MARKASTERIX
Super Member
Super Member
Posts: 248
Joined: 10 Sep 2008, 22:30

Re: Astatic 575 m6 Teardrop...Replacement grill..?

Post by MARKASTERIX »

Have fun the 636 ones are too big without trimming them with a small pair of cutters.
The Collector
Legend
Legend
Posts: 8666
Joined: 23 Jan 2010, 19:26
Location: Bristol-ish

Re: Astatic 575 m6 Teardrop...Replacement grill..?

Post by The Collector »

I noticed from the pics that they're the wrong angle on the sides too, sloping at first instead of pretty much a 90degrees edge, so it would need a play with to look okay and wouldn't look original unless you start pressing the mesh.
User avatar
gmham
Top Poster
Top Poster
Posts: 2260
Joined: 13 Aug 2009, 11:27
Call Sign: 108TM154

Re: Astatic 575 m6 Teardrop...Replacement grill..?

Post by gmham »

Here is a thread bump !!

Picked up a 575m6 that I want to get looking bright and fresh again, would benefit from either a new black grill or spray up the original. Anyone here sprayed up the original if so what’s the procedure .. Remove front body of mic, mask up and then rub down grill and a few coats of black metal paint ? Never done anything spraying before don’t want to ruin it !!
Yaesu FTDX10
Kenwood TS711e
Anytone D578UV Pro+

Moxon antenna for 10/20 mtrs

——
John - 108TM154 / 108CO154
The Collector
Legend
Legend
Posts: 8666
Joined: 23 Jan 2010, 19:26
Location: Bristol-ish

Re: Astatic 575 m6 Teardrop...Replacement grill..?

Post by The Collector »

I removed my Astatic's grille, got a wire brush on it (you won't get it very good with just wet & dry paper), then primed and coated it in gold.

I'm trying to remember how it comes off and I think it's possibly stuck in place with a polyurethane sealant (like Tigerseal) but I'm not 100%. If I recall I carefully prised it off using a saddlers pointed bradawl and any distortion in the grille's mesh was rectified before painting.

I did the whole mic' in white to match my gold & white Cobra though too as it was a bit dented and generally battered about, but came free with an approx. £12 radio I bought years back. I fitted a new off-white cable, gold-plated strain relief, gold-plated mic' plug and got Deb's Decals to make me a one-off gold & white Astatic sticker.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
gmham
Top Poster
Top Poster
Posts: 2260
Joined: 13 Aug 2009, 11:27
Call Sign: 108TM154

Re: Astatic 575 m6 Teardrop...Replacement grill..?

Post by gmham »

Brilliant remember that mic .. still got it ?!

Don’t think I will remove the grill as knowing me wouldn’t get it right in refitting it but will take your advice regards a wire brush will see if I can find one small enough like a tooth brush size. So you once rubbed down just give it a primer then a couple of light coats yep ?

Thanks mate do appreciate the advice, not diy minded at all here ! and as I have never actually used a spray can before so if anyone fancies doing the grill itself for me please step forward !!
Yaesu FTDX10
Kenwood TS711e
Anytone D578UV Pro+

Moxon antenna for 10/20 mtrs

——
John - 108TM154 / 108CO154
The Collector
Legend
Legend
Posts: 8666
Joined: 23 Jan 2010, 19:26
Location: Bristol-ish

Re: Astatic 575 m6 Teardrop...Replacement grill..?

Post by The Collector »

Just ensure you don't spray right into the mic' element :)

I take it from your avator/flag, you're quite a bit "oop north" or I'd have offered to give you a quick lesson round here in the art of "spray canning" as I call it.



If going black and not removing the grille, any spray passing through it shouldn't show up on the plastic body inside it, whereas a lighter colour would.

Mask off the plastic around the grille with a couple of layers of masking tape in case the wire brush scratches the body. As the mic' is a wrinkly plastic finish, a stickier masking tape will stick better than the "low-tac" stuff.

If you hold the front mic' half and grille upside-down as you wire-brush it, gravity will help stop most flakes of old paint from settling inside so easily. Blow through the grille afterwards to remove any excess stuff stuck inside. It's handy if you have a little air compressor or can of aerosol spray for getting crap out of computer keyboards. If you dont, the air pressure from the paint spray can might dislodge them and may cause them to settle back down on your new paint job. Not good ;)

I wont go into how to spray as there are probably hundreds of Youtube videos that'll help matters. I've been spraying since I was about 12, doing air rifles, bicycles (Raleigh Tomahawk was my first) and other bits. Good old Dads eh? They teach you loads of stuff.

I also put a few tips about spraying radio cases recently in the "Cobra 148 fake" topic which might help.

You can go gloss, satin or matt black depending on your taste and if you want the original look to it.

Aldi have some black spray cans on offer at the moment for £2.99 BTW. Weather should be okay for spraying this week temperature-wise I think in most places.

Edit - Yes, still got the white and gold Astatic, as well as the matching Cobra.
User avatar
gmham
Top Poster
Top Poster
Posts: 2260
Joined: 13 Aug 2009, 11:27
Call Sign: 108TM154

Re: Astatic 575 m6 Teardrop...Replacement grill..?

Post by gmham »

Your a gentleman sir again really do appreciate the excellent info provided. Once the mic arrives will see just how badly the front grill needs done . Yes up in dunfermline - fife here. Great about still owning the astatic !!
Yaesu FTDX10
Kenwood TS711e
Anytone D578UV Pro+

Moxon antenna for 10/20 mtrs

——
John - 108TM154 / 108CO154
The Collector
Legend
Legend
Posts: 8666
Joined: 23 Jan 2010, 19:26
Location: Bristol-ish

Re: Astatic 575 m6 Teardrop...Replacement grill..?

Post by The Collector »

No problem at all, glad to help.

You could always do an "ebay special" and just doodle all over the grille with a black marker pen...turning it a dark shade of purple ;)

You could also flick over it with a black car "touch up brush", but again, it's not ideal and may look a bit lumpy/naff/streaky if you're not careful.

Saying that, a bad spray job could look crap too, so use very light/distant passes with the can, leave 10 minutes between coats, recoat until happy. If the holes in the mesh disappear, you're spraying much too close :)

Perhaos have a practice on an old painted wooden or metal panel etc to get used to the can's spray pattern, (usually slightly oval-shaped, vertically) the distance to spray from and also the speed of the "pass" as you're spraying.
User avatar
gmham
Top Poster
Top Poster
Posts: 2260
Joined: 13 Aug 2009, 11:27
Call Sign: 108TM154

Re: Astatic 575 m6 Teardrop...Replacement grill..?

Post by gmham »

No worries as I say will see what it looks like when it arrives just from the pics front mesh looked a bit aged !
Yaesu FTDX10
Kenwood TS711e
Anytone D578UV Pro+

Moxon antenna for 10/20 mtrs

——
John - 108TM154 / 108CO154
User avatar
Stronty
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 2795
Joined: 24 Sep 2007, 17:48
Location: Up North

Re: Astatic 575 m6 Teardrop...Replacement grill..?

Post by Stronty »

@gmham:
Just remove the grille, basically pull it straight off, it wont take much if its old as the yellow glue holding it in place will be decrepit. If not you can prise it out with a dart or something thin, you can always reshape the grille easily, I use bamboo chopsticks both as prising and as reshaping things, You can sharpen them to a point or use the rounded ends to shape and pull.

The horrible foam underneath will be ancient and riddle with crap, bin it and find some new foam put in there, you find it in all sorts pf packing, memory modules, processors etc etc. all use useful thin foam.

Everything @The Collector says for the spraying
Can't help but love an Adams.

Image
User avatar
gmham
Top Poster
Top Poster
Posts: 2260
Joined: 13 Aug 2009, 11:27
Call Sign: 108TM154

Re: Astatic 575 m6 Teardrop...Replacement grill..?

Post by gmham »

Thanks so much for the great advice guys. The 575m6 arrived and to be honest the photos made it look a lot worse than it actually is as its actualy in great condition so much so that its very acceptable as it is. Must remember and hold onto this one as always seem to let them go and then regret it !
Yaesu FTDX10
Kenwood TS711e
Anytone D578UV Pro+

Moxon antenna for 10/20 mtrs

——
John - 108TM154 / 108CO154
The Collector
Legend
Legend
Posts: 8666
Joined: 23 Jan 2010, 19:26
Location: Bristol-ish

Re: Astatic 575 m6 Teardrop...Replacement grill..?

Post by The Collector »

Give you £120 for it???



Just testing ;)
Tim
Top Poster
Top Poster
Posts: 1415
Joined: 10 Jun 2016, 12:35
Call Sign: 26AT239
Location: Democratic Republic of Dartmoor

Re: Astatic 575 m6 Teardrop...Replacement grill..?

Post by Tim »

If you try to 'pull' the mesh grille off a teardrop you'll destroy the chances of re-attaching it, it is held in place from inside the shell by a 'melted' dob of plastic in each corner.
The Collector
Legend
Legend
Posts: 8666
Joined: 23 Jan 2010, 19:26
Location: Bristol-ish

Re: Astatic 575 m6 Teardrop...Replacement grill..?

Post by The Collector »

gmham wrote: 21 Sep 2020, 17:51 Thanks so much for the great advice guys. The 575m6 arrived and to be honest the photos made it look a lot worse than it actually is as its actualy in great condition so much so that its very acceptable as it is. Must remember and hold onto this one as always seem to let them go and then regret it !
Sometimes the light reflecting off the glossy black grille in pictures (especially if a flash is used) can make it look silver, as if the paint's missing. Glad you don't have to mess with it after all :)
User avatar
gmham
Top Poster
Top Poster
Posts: 2260
Joined: 13 Aug 2009, 11:27
Call Sign: 108TM154

Re: Astatic 575 m6 Teardrop...Replacement grill..?

Post by gmham »

Cheers mate yep well happy !
Yaesu FTDX10
Kenwood TS711e
Anytone D578UV Pro+

Moxon antenna for 10/20 mtrs

——
John - 108TM154 / 108CO154
Post Reply