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Help identifying Klipsch Forte 1's Wood Type. Refinish Ideas?


Brandonfalley

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I purchased a pair of excellent Forte 1's with some typical water ring damage on the tops.

I would like to Refinish these but I am having trouble deciding what wood they are.

To me they look like Walnut or Cherry wood thoughts?

Also I would like to refinish them in a distressed oak like finish would this hurt the value. (I am fairly skilled with wood finishing and have produced server pieces of furniture but never refinished speakers.)

 

I also plan to rebuild the crossovers and upgrade the tweeters.

 

Also the paper tags are long gone so I can't look up the codes.

KlipschForte.jpg

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Definitely walnut veneer. I would just use Watco rejuvenating oil for the refinish too keep them walnut. Probably have to sand them down a little (or a lot, can't tell how badly damaged they are). Walnut finish is usually worth the most, so changing them to look like distressed oak will most likely hurt the value unless you find someone who likes that more.

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Sounds like I should keep them Walnut... The Wife probably won't like this but I'm also going to change the grill fabric so they will blend a little better with everything else I have. The damage is not bad at all on either. There isn't any wood warping only the top surface is a little rough; all other sides are in fantastic condition.  I think with some light sanding and refinish they should look like new.

I'm also planning to do the Crites Crossover's and Titanium diaphragms. They sound pretty great as the are I can't even imagine how fantastic they will sound after. Listening Booker T  and the M.Gs on vinyl I could swear I am standing right next the the Leslie if i close my eyes...     

Thanks for the response. This is my first venture into something in the Heritage linage of Klipish so I am pretty excited. 

 

Edited by Brandonfalley
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5 hours ago, Brandonfalley said:

There isn't any wood warping only the top surface is a little rough; all other sides are in fantastic condition.  I think with some light sanding and refinish they should look like new.

 

Keep in mind that the walnut veneer on those is pretty thin and was sanded prior to finishing the first time around, so be careful not to sand through it...so,FWIW, take your time and use very fine grit on a sanding block sanding WITH the grain...that way you won't tend to overdo it which is very easy to do if you use a powered sander.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thought I would do an update. I sanded the top of the pictured speaker above and reoiled it with Watco medium walnut. It turned out to match the color almost perfectly. (Although I would say the wood grain is a lot more defined and looks richer.

I am considering doing all sides to match. The original finish has a clear coat to protect it, what are everyone's thoughts on adding a clear coat after the watco? Any recommendations on products to use.

 

Also by the way I sanded with 200grt paper to take off the original finish and 400grt to make it super smooth and nice feeling. Im not sure if this is typical but the veneer is almost 1/8" thick and I didn't have to take off much to get down to the wood on the top.

 

 

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  • Brandonfalley changed the title to Help identifying Klipsch Forte 1's Wood Type. Refinish Ideas?

Looks good.

 

Let me suggest you continue using that product on the sides and bottom so you get consistent color.  I think you should remove the risers and do them separately.  You can put the boxes on their back and maybe put some paperback books underneath to get the boxes off the work table.

 

I believe you are not correct that the boxes came from the factory with a clear coat. Rather, they had a Watco-like linseed oil applied.  This is why so many suffer from planter run-off rings.  It provides little protection from water.

 

If you want a clear, or nearly so, protective coating I highly recommend a wipe-on varnish such as Minwax polyurethane wipe on.  Brushing on varnish is too prone to drips and sags particularly when the user wants to put down one or two coats in a day.

 

It is the wisdom of ages to put on five or so coats of wipe-on over a week.  Yeah, spend 20 minutes a night over a week. It is a shame that we have the mentality of going to HD Saturday morning an buying varnish, put on a thick coat in the afternoon, put burgers on the grill, and expect good results on Sunday morning.  

 

I had very good results on Bartley kits. The wipe on comes in a plastic  bottle allowing you to dampen your fabric applicator. Get some non-scratch Scotch-brite when you go to HD to get the wipe-on.  Or, a facial buff puff from Walgreens will do as well, maybe better.  You just want to remove dust nubs and break though a little of the surface.

 

When you’re done with the Watco, buff gently with the Scotch-brite and bat off  any dust with a an old, clean tee shirt.  Wipe on the Minwax with a paper towel or tee-shirt patch.  You will not see much result. Next night, buff gently with Scotch-brite. Bat of at off any dust.  Put down another wipe on. 

 

Next night, same.  Next night, same.  Next night the same. Etc.

 

At the end of the week you’ll have a wonderful protective finish.

 

WMcD

 

 

 

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