Thick n Beefy

[bowtie427ss]

Lets argue about 1 piece sand cast 511 horns, i think they made em.

............... and i think Heath put a few in early Legatos.

Check out the thickness in several areas including the driver flange. I would love to handle this one in person, outside of the fins i see no indication of a weld or seam where this would have been cast in two halves and welded together. Kinda looks like the flange was welded on.

Whadda y'all think?

Altec Lansing Horn 400-1 w/ 401-18 Driver - eBay (item 390079325174 end time Sep-06-09 13:51:08 PDT)

[notloudenough]

I handled one earlier this year and they are one piece sand cast. A much thicker casting than the standard 511 too. I can't remember if the flange was welded on though. I seem to think it was cast also.

[bowtie427ss]

I also find it interesting that the "hanging points" appear to have been machined flat, and/or to a specific thickness.

[Audio_by_Goodwill]

I also find it interesting that the "hanging points" appear to have been machined flat, and/or to a specific thickness.

If you mean the 4 tabs near the mouth, I think it's the lighting and/or reflection. Mine are a uniform thickness, too, although I have to admit they do look a bit different, but I can't pin point why.

[Audio_by_Goodwill]

I don't think they're one piece. I think the seems were ground down smooth on the sides, although I can't explain the apparent lack of seems on the insides. Except to say that it's hard to tell with the graininess o the pictures. In looking at my 511's I see the driver flanges are machined flat. It's possible that they aren't machined, or left thicker on this horn. The front side of the driver flange looks a bit rough to me. The castings certainly do look a little different than mine...... the biggest being the center rib, on the back. Mine don't have that at all.

[bfish]

...I think the seems were ground down smooth on the sides...

No way. Having disassembled a pair of the 2-pc castings, I know that's not possible. Each cast half has a bit of a turned-out flange at the weld line, to give a wide enough mating surface to allow for 4 locating pins (2 front, 2 in driver flange). You don't have to get anywhere near grinding the entire weld off before they literally explode from the relief of welding stress.

[Davidg]

Yes Bowtie I think you are correct, I have seen cast 511's come up on e-bay exactly
like those before, I'd love to own a pair!! I also know for a fact that they made one piece
sand cast 811's because I own a pair of them. The vanes on the 811 are curved outward
in the front not flat or straight up and down like later 811 or 511's, I read somewhere
the cast 811's were prior 1952 but do not know if that is correct.
Also as Bfsh stated the welding stress is very "strong" and part of the reason they all ring
like a bell, I cut the flanges in the center on my 511's and on the end of my 811's and with
every cut they made a pop or snap as the stress was relieved! A pair of cast 511's would
be very cool to own!!

[Leland]

They look solid cast to me too. There are some lines on the left two vanes in the photos....but those could be mold parting lines. The outside show no sign of two halves welded together....or grinding down.

I think the labor intensive work to cast in one piece was probably phased out over time...and cheaper techniques were used....IMO

[Davidg]

Just to clear up my earlier post, I stated "I cut the flanges" When I should have said
"I cut the vanes" of both my 811 and 511's the 511's I cut on the weld line in the center
and the 811's because of the one piece casting I cut at the end of each vane tight
against the horn so it would be less visible when filled with caulk, I think one of the best
mods to reduce or eliminate the bell ring