jimjimbo Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 I have a pair of raw oak klipsch speakers. Have never been finished, out of the box raw. So, I would like to put a medium dark finish on them, and rather than recommendations on colors etc, I would like more "technical" advice on how they should (or should) be sanded prior to stain, fine steel wool, orbital sander, etc, etc. Wood conditioner first, then (maybe) Watco or another product, then topcoats, etc. Any advice is very much appreciated. I have some experience with rehabbing beat up veneer to a certain degree, but I'm feeling like the raw wood needs a different approach. Appreciate your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason str Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 If the veneer is in real nice shape they may not even need sanding. If sanding is needed it would depend on the extent of the dent, scratch or mar in the wood veneer that needs attention, its thin so you cant get too agressive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muel Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 (edited) I hate blotchy stain! To get an idea how it will take stain you can wipe with some mineral spirits. Some people don't like sanding sealer but it will help you get a more even stain. A light sanding after the sanding sealer and then maybe try a gel stain. Any end grain of the plywood benefits from the sealer to keep the shade of stain more even. You mentioned Watco... doesn't get much easier than that. Edited September 12, 2014 by muel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjptkd Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 I've yet to do this myself but found this link awhile back: http://www.minwax.com/woodworking-videos/new-featured/three-step-wood-finishing-process Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muel Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 Whoops! I just notice you asked for "experts." I must recuse myself... I don't qualify. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason str Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 Just a heads up on the Minwax link provided, i would start with something finer than 120 grit on thin veneer. Yes by all means blotchy finish is a buzzkill, good prep work is everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heritage_Head Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 Start on the bottom. Play with that tell you get what you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taz Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 Not this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbox Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 If you had to sand, i might start with a sanding block, and hand sand with a fine grit. the veneer is quite thin. Be gentle. I'd test your skills on some test wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceptorman Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 Start on the bottom. Play with that tell you get what you want. I thought this was funny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pzannucci Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 Thin veneer, only use a sanding block, not a powered sander unless you are an expert though likely an expert would use a super fine grit orbital or finish sander. Belt sander typically rips right through the layer of veneer then you get to do the whole side over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaudeJ1 Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 Thin veneer, only use a sanding block, not a powered sander unless you are an expert though likely an expert would use a super fine grit orbital or finish sander. Belt sander typically rips right through the layer of veneer then you get to do the whole side over. Agreed. Belt sanders should be used for rough work, not fine work like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimjimbo Posted September 12, 2014 Author Share Posted September 12, 2014 I would never use a belt sander, even on my bottom.... Now, maybe on her bottom.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceptorman Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 I don't think her bottom needs sanded, I better not say what her bottom needs…..very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tk49 Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 Some great suggestions here. It all boils down to the condition of you veneer. If it's clean and free of dents and ding then sanding with 220 grit will remove the semi-rough surfaces. If using an random orbital sander still sand with the grain.When you think you done sanding look for the fine "pig tails" the orbital will leave behind, 320 grit should take care of those. Biggest concern in sanding veneers is being careful near the edges, that's were uneven pressure will go through first. If you have dents and dings try some water on them to raise the grain, circle with pencil so you can find all of them later when sanding. Watco is a great product and will take a top coat after a few days of dry time. One concern when working with stained wood and light sanding (by hand no orbital) after the first top coat is breaking through the stained surface, watch the corners, and never use anything coarser than 220. And yes, the bottom is always the preferred place to start. t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivervalleymgb Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 I assume that these are raw birch that were veneered with oak but nothing more? If any end grain is showing (like the raw birch) then new veneer is the way to go. If they are veneered and ready for finish, then just clean with a solvent and stain. The more "elbow work" you put into a finish, the better you will like the results. Check out youtube for lots of ideas on finishing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 Highly recommended. http://www.garrettwade.com/behlen-solar-lux-ngr-dye-stain/p/99P10.01/#CRC WMcD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longdrive03 Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 Some people recommend a filler for oak since it has a porous uneven grain but that is a personal decision. Amen on handsanding. If it is Klipsch installed veneer the oak is actually pretty thick. I just sanded down some oak Heresys to reveneer and hit them hard with 80 grit random orbit sanding and they stood up pretty well. If it is aftermarket veneer then it may be much thinner. An easy method I use is Minwax wipe on poly after the stain has dried thoroughly. Is hard to screw up. I get some white terry cloth/foam stain sponges from Harbor Freight, $ 10 poly from Wal-Mart, and use about 6 thin coats with fine grill sanding between finishing with 600 to 1000 grit. You can always touch up with more poly if it scratches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanm84 Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 Oak isn't typically a splotchy finish wood. I've stained hundreds of doors and thousands of feet of oak base molding and door/window trim. It is open grain but typically very even staining. I would never use an orbital or any other power sander on veneer. You can buy some sanding foam blocks and use them to get great results. Frankly, you could go to the Home Depot and get a chunk of oak baseboard and stain with different colors to dial in the color and pretty much see what you are going to get on your speakers. Of course, if you have any scratches, gouges, or missing veneer, the stain will show up differently. Oak is a great wood to work with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hydro_pyro Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 I would recommend using an air compressor blow-gun to remove any wood dust from the "pore streaks" before you do any staining or finishing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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