tom b. 57 Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 I would like to get my Clear Oak Belle to match my Oiled Oak Belle. Can anyone with experience clue me in on a procedure that is not too difficult for getting these babies to match? I have no experience working with wood and am looking for a simple method to get these looking as close to the same as possible. I don't know what all will be involved besides cleaning the cabinets well. Do I need to sand? Do I need to use any chemicals? What is the best product to use for a good deep clean on these? Do I use a stain? Is there a particular Oil I can rub into them that will give me the desired finish? Please help. Thank you, Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artto Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 Greg928 is our resident woodworking expert. I'm not sure how close of a match you're looking for, but it might be difficult with a natural product like wood, especially if they are years apart and/or have seen different conditions. I know Greg has recommended Fromby's products for cleaning and restoring. I just refinished three 25 year old Scandanavian Design teak bookcases with the cleaner and tung oil and they came out great!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twistedcrankcammer Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 I would like to get my Clear Oak Belle to match my Oiled Oak Belle. Can anyone with experience clue me in on a procedure that is not too difficult for getting these babies to match? I have no experience working with wood and am looking for a simple method to get these looking as close to the same as possible. I don't know what all will be involved besides cleaning the cabinets well. Do I need to sand? Do I need to use any chemicals? What is the best product to use for a good deep clean on these? Do I use a stain? Is there a particular Oil I can rub into them that will give me the desired finish? Please help. Thank you, Tom Tom b., You have only one of each, or one pair of each?? Roger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg928gts Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 Does one have lacquer on it and the other oil? I've never owned Belle's. Are the woofer grill covers removable? Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg928gts Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 Greg928 is our resident woodworking expert. But I'm not too knowledgable on refinishing. I usually give up and just re-veneer! Marshall "Groomlakearea51" would be a good guy to ask. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom b. 57 Posted September 13, 2009 Author Share Posted September 13, 2009 I would like to get my Clear Oak Belle to match my Oiled Oak Belle. Can anyone with experience clue me in on a procedure that is not too difficult for getting these babies to match? I have no experience working with wood and am looking for a simple method to get these looking as close to the same as possible. I don't know what all will be involved besides cleaning the cabinets well. Do I need to sand? Do I need to use any chemicals? What is the best product to use for a good deep clean on these? Do I use a stain? Is there a particular Oil I can rub into them that will give me the desired finish? Please help. Thank you, Tom Tom b., You have only one of each, or one pair of each?? Roger I have one of each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom b. 57 Posted September 13, 2009 Author Share Posted September 13, 2009 Does one have lacquer on it and the other oil? I've never owned Belle's. Are the woofer grill covers removable? Greg The Clear Oak Belle looks and feels like it is raw. The Oak Oiled is just that, oiled. It appears a couple of shades darker and the wood grain stands out much more than the clear one (darker and more prominent). The grill covers are not removable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twistedcrankcammer Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 Does one have lacquer on it and the other oil? I've never owned Belle's. Are the woofer grill covers removable? Greg The Clear Oak Belle looks and feels like it is raw. The Oak Oiled is just that, oiled. It appears a couple of shades darker and the wood grain stands out much more than the clear one (darker and more prominent). The grill covers are not removable. tom b., I used to make custom kitchen cabinets for a living. Greg is our resident veneer expert. To my thinking, if the clear has laquer, it might be easier to reveneer, but our resident refinish exper is Groomslakearea51 aka Marshall, and I would defer to him on the final word on refinishing Klipsch speakers Look him up in the search mode and shoot him an email. I am sure he will get back to you as soon as he can. Roger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg928gts Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 The Clear Oak Belle looks and feels like it is raw. The Oak Oiled is just that, oiled. It appears a couple of shades darker and the wood grain stands out much more than the clear one (darker and more prominent). The grill covers are not removable. I should have asked if there was still a model designation on the stickers of each. It would be unusual for the factory to send out an unfinished oak Belle. Oak is a tough wood to refinish in some ways because the grain is textured and deep, so it holds the lacquer, oil, dirt, etc... down in the bottom of the grain lines. If you've got to strip lacquer off, it would probably be best to use a chemical stripper. I would probably still sand it afterwards. I don't know if they make a chemical stripper for removing oil. I would be tempted to try it though. The objective would be to get both stripped and/or sanded so they looked about the same, and then apply a new finish. I don't think you'll be able to make one match the other without working on both. Not being able to remove the grill covers on the bass bins is going to complicate things a bit. I agree, if you can get ahold of Marshall, he'd be able to add good insight into this. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 The grill covers are removable. As I recall, they're tacked in with finish nails. When I refinished a pair for Mark, I was able to get them out and in, no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwwrs Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 I have the following thread saved for reworking cabinets. THX Marshall. http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/t/109693.aspx?PageIndex=1 Sorry, I'll eventually figure out how to post clickable URL's. Maybe. It may not apply to your situation, but I'll bet there are parts you can use. Randall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 Tom, The grills would be removable. On some Belles (mine happened to be that way), you will also have to remove the top section, risers, and possibly the bottom woofer cover. That exposes two screws left, right, top and bottom that are screwed into the grills. You can't miss them, they are aligned with the grills. The "tacks" are easy. Mine had no ""tacks". Carefully use a plastic putty knife to "pry" the tacked on grills out. You would, by necessity, want to change the clear to oil. Reason? The oil finish, regardless of how well you clean it with mineral spirits or lacquer thinner, may still retain some of the oil and a clear laquer finish may either not adhere correctly, or appear "different". You could try it, but because the oil also, over time, causes the wood to darken, they would likely not match. I "converted" a pair of oiled oak Forte's and it took forever to "leech" the oil out, but then again, they were shot with black lacquer so they would match and I got lucky..... Since you would, for all intents and purposes completely disassemble them, very careful sanding of the "clear" with 220, then 400 grit will remove most of the clear coat. As you are doing it, you will see massive quantities of white/yellowish dust. That's the clear coat coming off. Wipe it down at regular intervals with a slightly damp rag with mineral spirits, and look for "wet spots"..... Once you see a wet spot - stop - you have arrived at the veneer. Once the clear coat is off, do them with 400 grit and a random orbital, being very, very careful. No pressure, just let it move, etc. Then turn your attention to the oiled one. Using mineral spirits first, then lacquer thinner, keep wiping them down until the finish is "flat" or has no sheen. Then use 400 grit to give the veneer the same "finish" as the other one. Sit the component parts side by side..... Compare the two. One should be slightly lighter. Find a very light stain (Minwax - Golden Oak is a good start) and mix 75/25 with mineral spirits. Wipe only the bottom bass bin area until the hue on both matches. Then apply the mixture to the rest of the parts. Do not allow to dry; let sit for about 5 minutes only and then wipe off with mineral spirits. Keep doing that until both match in hue. Then oil both with Watco, Formby's, or whatever your favorite oil may be. Hope that is of some assistance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 I have the following thread saved for reworking cabinets. THX Marshall. http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/t/109693.aspx?PageIndex=1 Sorry, I'll eventually figure out how to post clickable URL's. Maybe. It may not apply to your situation, but I'll bet there are parts you can use. Randall Randall, it's so easy, even I can do it! Unless you're using a Mac Safari browser, that is. The forum does not work well with Safari (I use Firefox). So, highlight the text you want to be a link ,then click on the little "chain link" image above the message box in which you're writing. A box will pop up. Type in (or paste) the URL of the web page you want to link to into the box appropriately called "URL link," then hit "insert." It's easy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 The grills would be removable. On some Belles (mine happened to be that way), you will also have to remove the top section, risers, and possibly the bottom woofer cover. That exposes two screws left, right, top and bottom that are screwed into the grills. You can't miss them, they are aligned with the grills. The "tacks" are easy. Mine had no ""tacks". Carefully use a plastic putty knife to "pry" the tacked on grills out. Marshall, D'oh! That's the way mine were, too! I'm very forgetful...I'm actually surprised I remembered I had Belles! Sorry, I don't remember if there were actually any tacks...[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 The Belles are a "ROYAL" pain to take apart. LOLOL!! While getting ready to refinish the Belles (before I was so crudely interrupted by SWMBO projects...), I actually removed the grills to start with and put in two bolt/wingnut assemblies with a modified lower top section piece with pass through holes for the wingnuts ala' khorn style. They are sitting in the man cave, re-assembled with that modification in all of their "spray painted flat black" glory awaiting the next trip to the shop..... I am going to re-do the "wingnut" system though and make it more "presentable". I will probably also modify how the grills are put inside the bass bin. I'm thinking removal of the braces and placing the braces on the grills themselves at the correct angle. Probably will use a small velcro tab at the apex and on each side on the floor and the roof to allow easy removal, etc. Since I am going to keep these, I will likely do them in black laquer to match the k'horns in the man cave. Belles came in black lacquer, but it's seldom seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom b. 57 Posted September 14, 2009 Author Share Posted September 14, 2009 Thank you everyone for your input. Especially Marshall, for the very detailed procedure for refinishing these. Unfortunately, I have been scared off of the task and will live with them the way they are for now. I don't have a shop area or other area available to me for this project and quite frankly I don't want to start something I can't finish. I have an attention span deficit. LOL! I will wait till finances are better and hire someone that has experience to do the job. Thank you all again, Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwwrs Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 I have the following thread saved for reworking cabinets. THX Marshall. http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/t/109693.aspx?PageIndex=1 Sorry, I'll eventually figure out how to post clickable URL's. Maybe. It may not apply to your situation, but I'll bet there are parts you can use. Randall Randall, it's so easy, even I can do it! Unless you're using a Mac Safari browser, that is. The forum does not work well with Safari (I use Firefox). So, highlight the text you want to be a link ,then click on the little "chain link" image above the message box in which you're writing. A box will pop up. Type in (or paste) the URL of the web page you want to link to into the box appropriately called "URL link," then hit "insert." It's easy! Thanks FINI, here we go...TEST http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/t/110684.aspx and with another good how to thread. Again thx to Marshall aka groomslake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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