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Cornwall I rebuild


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Howdy,

 

I've started a rebuild of a beat up pair of Cornwall I. I've got them sanded down and I'm doing edge and corner filling now. The crossovers are rebuilt with Crite's kit. I want to make these look as much like the California Black Walnut special edition speakers as possible.

 

To that end I've purchased some figured walnut veneer that looks similar to the black walnut look and some Wichelt linen for the grill covers.

 

My question is about the black paint/varnish used on the motor board, back, and base for the Cornwall III special editions.

 

Is this a flat black paint/varnish? Is it different on the different parts? Looking at pictures it appears that the motor board paint has a textured finish, possibly metallic. Is this the case? Does the back have the same or is it basic black? Flat, satin, glossy?

 

I like the look from the main website pictures and want to replicate that as much as possible.

 

Thanks for any help.

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1 hour ago, HDBRbuilder said:

PICS, PLEASE??  I built the vast majority of Cornwalls from 1977 thru fall of 1983, but without pics it is very hard to answer your questions.  Pics of the labels is handy to have, also!

I can post pics, but it is Cornwall III special edition that I'm trying to mimic. So, it is less about the past and more about the future.

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12 minutes ago, Staples said:

I can post pics, but it is Cornwall III special edition that I'm trying to mimic. So, it is less about the past and more about the future.

You're missing my point...you just say "Cornwall 1"and there are numerous varieties of the Cornwall 1...along with numerous styles.  Decorators came in TWO styles with numerous versions of the motorboard...finely-veneered ones also had numerous varieties of the motorboard...and some of the earlier ones had the grille-cloth attached directly to the motorboard prior to its installation into the cabinet...so pics answer many of the questions to begin with, see?

 

To be perfectly honest with you, it would be MUCH SIMPLER just to build complete new cabinets, instead of trying to mimic the Cornwall III using a rebuild of old cabinets...and it would be most likely MUCH CHEAPER, too!  EVERYTHING about the Cornwall III speaker is entirely different!

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HDBR builder, I'm not trying to be difficult with my response, but my point is I simply want paint/varnish suggestions for the motor board, base, and back that is being used today in models such as the Cornwall III, Heresy IIi, Forte III. They all look similar, to my eye, from pictures on the site.

 

I'm not changing components, I'm not moving the woofer up, I'm not moving components to front mounting, I'm not adding a terminal cup.

 

I have a standard Cornwall I from 1984, CBR. B-3 network. Serial 8404603. They were varnished, I believe, after they left the factory.

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24 minutes ago, Staples said:

HDBR builder, I'm not trying to be difficult with my response, but my point is I simply want paint/varnish suggestions for the motor board, base, and back that is being used today in models such as the Cornwall III, Heresy IIi, Forte III. They all look similar, to my eye, from pictures on the site.

 

I'm not changing components, I'm not moving the woofer up, I'm not moving components to front mounting, I'm not adding a terminal cup.

 

I have a standard Cornwall I from 1984, CBR. B-3 network. Serial 8404603. They were varnished, I believe, after they left the factory.

are you looking to have a textured surface on the baffle(s)?

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Yes. Is baffle the correct word? Where the components are screwed into.

 

And, if the back is the same as the baffle or different. I assume the black base is not textured, but is it glossy or flat. 

 

Just looking for advice, experience, or knowledge. Such as from someone who owns one or works on them.

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17 minutes ago, Staples said:

Yes. Is baffle the correct word? Where the components are screwed into.

They shot the baffle...motorboard...whatever you want to call it...with black laquer prior to its installation.  Once the speakers were sanded and ready for finish, they masked off the front edges and shot the inside edges again with black LAQUER...since the backs and motorboards were never surface sanded finely, the black laquer has a semi-gloss appearance when it dried...because much of it was sucked up by the wood...no sealer was used prior to the black being shot!  Does this answer your question?  Today's Cornwall has a non-removeable back panel, made from MDF...as is its motorboard...the motorboard uses T-nuts to accept machine screws to hold the drivers onto it.  Due to the nature of MDF, the laquer is not thinned down...and gives a semi-gloss appearance which is a bit more "shiny" when dry than what your Cornwall I panels will look like using the same stuff!  It is what it is!

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satin black 35 - 38 degree sheen will look good. Do you plan to paint the parts yourself or have a pro shop do the job? You can find textured paint in spray cans it won't look identical but close enough. If you cannot find textured paint in black satin just buy the least expensive color textured they have  use that and top coat it with black satin.

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17 hours ago, HDBRbuilder said:

Today's Cornwall has a non-removeable back panel, made from MDF...as is its motorboard...the motorboard uses T-nuts to accept machine screws to hold the drivers onto it.  Due to the nature of MDF, the laquer is not thinned down...and gives a semi-gloss appearance which is a bit more "shiny" when dry than what your Cornwall I panels will look like using the same stuff!  It is what it is!

You're suggesting that the lacquer is the same as when you built Cornwalls with plywood, but because it is MDF it creates a textured surface?

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15 hours ago, moray james said:

satin black 35 - 38 degree sheen will look good. Do you plan to paint the parts yourself or have a pro shop do the job? You can find textured paint in spray cans it won't look identical but close enough. If you cannot find textured paint in black satin just buy the least expensive color textured they have  use that and top coat it with black satin.

Moray, I'll be doing it myself. I'll try a few things out and compare.

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4 hours ago, Staples said:

You're suggesting that the lacquer is the same as when you built Cornwalls with plywood, but because it is MDF it creates a textured surface?

No...I was referring to the motorboard...the entire back of the speaker is shot in black and then the textured finish...or you can just the textured finish alone....but you will need to mix some black in with it so that the rear edges of the sides/top/bottom get good coverage.....I just spent a day last week watching all of this at the factory...did it the year before, and the year before and the year before......smooth surfaces of MDF do NOT react the same to spray paints as plywood surfaces do...plywood sucks up finish if there is no sealer used...your problem is that you are trying to mimic something using different materials...there is a reason that the MDF panels are textured-finished on the back...plywood does not need that because it is NOT MDF...but you appear to "just not get that..."  So good luck with your project!

 

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8 hours ago, HDBRbuilder said:

there is a reason that the MDF panels are textured-finished on the back...plywood does not need that because it is NOT MDF...but you appear to "just not get that..."  So good luck with your project!

I got that these are two different materials. What I was asking was how to mimic the textured surface because I want the textured surface. I am appreciative of the lessons and your time.

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3 minutes ago, Staples said:

I got that these are two different materials. What I was asking was how to mimic the textured surface because I want the textured surface. I am appreciative of the lessons and your time.

you have to get the textured paint...requires special spray gun tip

 

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a textured or splatter appearance can be done with a gravity feed cup gun, first apply a regular coat of paint and let set then open up the gun a little and experiment with the pressure a small amount enough so you are then blowing small droplets of paint which will provide the textured surface you are looking for when splattered over your initial smooth coat. You will need to practice on paper or other scrap until you can readily achieve this effect before you should attempt to paint your cabinets.

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Moray, for me, if it doesn't come out of a spray paint can it isn't going to happen. I don't have air spray equipment.

 

I'll experiment with some textured metallic paint in black, after laying down a base coat of satin black. I'll also try multicolored textured paint instead of metallic.

 

For the back, I'll probably use satin black. On the grill frame as well.

 

For the base, a glossy black enamel.

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1 hour ago, Staples said:

Moray, for me, if it doesn't come out of a spray paint can it isn't going to happen. I don't have air spray equipment.

 

I'll experiment with some textured metallic paint in black, after laying down a base coat of satin black. I'll also try multicolored textured paint instead of metallic.

 

For the back, I'll probably use satin black. On the grill frame as well.

 

For the base, a glossy black enamel.

There are all sorts of textured paints available in spray cans you can search and see what they look like on line. I have achieved a reasonable splattered texture effect using a spray can with an adjustable nozzle. You can experiment on scrap and see what you think. Best of luck.

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