T2K Posted January 4, 2003 Share Posted January 4, 2003 While relaxing and reading this forum the other day I ran across a picture of someone's Cornwalls that had been re-stained. I believe they were designer models, if in fact Klipsch made those. The stain/speaker appeared in the photo to be a reddish Cherry color. I have been unable to find the pic again. Can anyone help? Thanks. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisK Posted January 4, 2003 Share Posted January 4, 2003 Keith, You may be talking about my speakers. Is this the picture you saw? Regards, Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted January 4, 2003 Share Posted January 4, 2003 Chris, those are beautiful! Did you describe the refinishing process here, somewhere? Sorry I missed it, if you did. A link? fini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisK Posted January 4, 2003 Share Posted January 4, 2003 fini, The speakers originally were owned by my roommate (circa 1976). Long story short, he shipped them to me about 2 years ago. The factory finish was raw. My buddy applied only Linseed Oil. They were stored under his house for about ten years and even had exterior house paint overspray on them. I took the hardware out of them and sanded...and sanded...and sanded. Then I oiled...and oiled. Finally they looked passable. But the Linseed Oil had yellowed the wood over time and my wife demanded a complete makeover before they would be allowed in the house. Enter "The Strip Joint" in Redondo Beach, California. For $60.00 they completely refinished them to my wifes specs. She picked the color. They look mahhhhvalous. I just got a new digital camera for Chanukah/Christmas (There's both at our house.). I will be doing a small photo essay of them soon. Regards, Chris PS I am already looking for another pair to finish the same way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted January 4, 2003 Author Share Posted January 4, 2003 Those are the ones Chris, and they are beauties! I've got sawdust in my blood. I just love beautiful wood, and Cherry is my favorite. I was hoping for some info on the stain but since you farmed that out I guess I'm outta luck. I'm about to refurb some late 70's non-Klipsch speakers and wanted to refinish the cabinets. Anyway, they look great. Thanks for responding. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornwaller Posted January 5, 2003 Share Posted January 5, 2003 Keith, If you have "saw dust in your blood" then my proposal will (should) be like falling off a sanded log. If available, go to your nearest Lowes or Home Depot and get their advice on products and techniques. If they steer you wrong they don't sell anymore product. You may also do a search for Homer Formby wood refinishing products and how-to instructions. This is not rocket science and you are more than capable of learning it yourself. Then armed with this info, go to a garage sale and buy something nice but ugly and practice to hone your skills. By the time your done you'll say "hell I can do that good on any kind of wood", whether it be in the shape of a table, door, or a Cornwall! Good Luck, Cornwaller (BTW Tongue Oil is the best, it don't stink like linseed) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted January 5, 2003 Author Share Posted January 5, 2003 The problem in achieving that exact 'tone' is that a person would have to have spare pieces of the same wood that they are working on, for test purposes. At least that is what I do. There are many variations of cherry stain. Some appear more 'red', as your picture comes across, some appear to lean toward 'black', as in Jackobian(sic). Some walnut stains are the same way. I have, in the past, used a gloss poly for sealer and knocked the shine down with 0000 steel wool. That gives the low sheen that your speakers appear to have. There was something about the tung oil that I didn't like. I just can't remember what that was right now. My question was asked simply in the hope of saving a coupla cans of test stain. Thanks for your advice. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornwaller Posted January 5, 2003 Share Posted January 5, 2003 Regarding the stain-saving. No stain is ever lost. Think of them as colors of a painters pallet. My last project in volved a color much the same as the "cherry" we're talking about. The original was on Walnut and I had to color match raw birch. When I first started I knew it would be a mother-effer, but after mixing and trying, it was possible to build-up the color I wanted directly on the finished piece. By the way I have been using MinWax stains for about 20 years and it does help to know their properties. Although their formulations have changed since then, they are forgiving as long as you don't use the water based versions. For the final finish I now prefer spray on satin polyurethane. It's made by Velspar. Cornwaller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisK Posted January 5, 2003 Share Posted January 5, 2003 The owner to the shop that refinished my speakers told me not to use any wax or oil on the new finish. Just wipe with a damp cloth. He claimed oils and waxes do very little other than attract dust and dirt. It's been a little over a year now and they still look brand new. On the hunt for another pair of raw, "Designer" Cornwall's, Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornwaller Posted January 5, 2003 Share Posted January 5, 2003 Hey Chris, Good for you! Those are the ones that seem to bring the lowest prices!!! You have discovered a secret....SHuuuushhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Cornwaller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDBRbuilder Posted January 5, 2003 Share Posted January 5, 2003 One may ask just why birch veneered plywood is so very damned popular...first of all it is relatively inexpensive when compared to other hardwood-veneered plywoods, second, and MOST importantly...it can be made to REPLICATE a number of different popular fine furniture hardwoods, just by how it gets stained...ie.,antiqued maple, cherry, and black walnut...for example! I often silently laugh at people who pay the extra price for plain cherry or maple-veneered plywood, then go about putting a dark reddish finish on it...when they could have saved a ton of money by doing the same thing to just plain birch to begin with...and it is highly likely that 99.9% of anybody looking at the stained birch would NEVER even KNOW it wasn't the more expensive wood veneer used for the project!!! If the birch is carefully selected, it can also replicate good black walnut, IF it is intended to be stained an extremely dark finish to begin with!! Mahogany also fits into this category as a wood that can be replicated by properly selected birch. Another thing that tickles me is the current favor towards cherry veneers that have the "sugar-sap lines" in them. Why does this tickle me? Simply because NO FINE FURNITURE BUILDER from the classical period...and for that matter up until just recently, would have been caught DEAD using cherry that had those streaks in it!!! They took PRIDE in their wood selection so as to ELIMINATE those streaks from showing in their selections for projects!! Just no accounting for some folks' tastes nowadays though...LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted January 5, 2003 Author Share Posted January 5, 2003 Valspar. They supplied/supply Klipsch. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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