refinishing '60 Mahogany Lacquer Khorns

[D-MAN]

I would think that enough time has passed for the bleeding red thing to be a moot point by now, but who knows...

Perhaps just a good oiling, then? Keep us posted!

DM

[Tom Mobley]

here's a shot from the cheapie digicam. it only does 640 x 480, but check the reflections of the cabinet behind and the Scott 222C on the bench above. This is with six coats of thinned wipe-on poly, about equal in build up to two regular painted-on coats. wet sanding with 600 grit and mineral spirits between coats really helps the finished surface.

I don't know what those white spots at left center are, not on the wood.

[Tom Mobley]

here's a try at getting some of the color and iridesence, not too good but all I can do with the cheapie camera.

[LarryC]

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On 9/13/2004 12:58:46 PM Tom Mobley wrote:

Larry,

I've currently got those back in, but it's still subject to testing. When I pull the woofer out during the refinish of the bass bin I'll do something one way or the other.

On the dark brown edges, they are painted that way from the factory. The bare cut edges of the lumber core was filled and painted to give a nice appearance. The front edge of the three plates of the upper section are painted the same way, although there's Mahogany veneer under the paint. The top of the plate above the riser is painted brown. The top surface of the lower plate is finished. The kickboard at the bottom of the front is similar, the visible top edge is painted the dark brown, the front is Mahogany. It appears to be a piece of the lumber core plywood, not a piece of solid wood. I had to have the brown paint special mixed, I couldn't find anything to match. It's too dark brown. The darkest dark brown Home Depot could mix in their Behr line wasn't dark enough.

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Tom,

On my laquered mahogany '62s, the non-visible back edges of the top home plate are painted brown just as you describe and your pictures show, but the visible side and front edges of (1) the top home plate, (2) upper bottom plate and (3) lower bottom plate are all mahogany veneered to match the rest, as is the top of the kickboard. Like yours, the top surfaces of the two lower plates above and below the spacer are veneered on mine.

I wonder why the factory would paint over good mahogany veneer on these visible edges? This probably shows my ignorance in wood refinishing, but I wonder if you couldn't remove the paint and save the veneer on those edges. I do like the similar appearance of those surfaces on mine.

Lookin' GREAT so far!

Larry

[Tom Mobley]

Larry,

On mine, the sides of the all three of the plates are not veneered. Only the front is, and that's on the top and bottom. The middle plate is not veneered, just painted.

[Tom Mobley]

and another...

[Tom Mobley]

other side, just as bad.

[sheltie dave]

Tom, if you wanted to, you could cut veneer strips of "ribbon mahogany," the closest modern match to yours, and use a heat activated glue to affix veneer to the visible side faces of the various trim panels, IF you wanted to see how it might look.

The trick is that the heat activated glue veneer can be reversed if you don't like it. You'll need to apply a hotter iron than what you used to initially bond the glue, and the veneer will peel right off. The bad news is sunlight can often heat the veneer you WANT to stay on just as easily, and you have to start all over.

Way to go on rescusitating these babes!

[Tom Mobley]

Dave,

At this point my intent is to return them to original appearance. I think the redness will come out over time, and I'm going to paint what was painted to begin with.

I'm using the Tite-Bond II on the Belle panels, ironing it on. I'm having some difficulty with the stuff bleeding through, turns a dark red color.

Did you look at Greg's site? The stuff didn't come off all that easy for him. As far as I know, once that stuff is heated a chemical change occurs that is not reversible.

[LarryC]

Tom,

You know, the upper side panels in your pics look almost exactly like mine! I'll bet that's close to how they looked originally.

Would the overall appearance be more integrated if the veneer on the front edge of the bottommost plate could be recovered to match the insert, the bass bin front, or hopefully both? I don't recall seeing this particular paint and veneer pattern before.

Larry

[Tom Mobley]

Probably would look more integrated. The front edge of the lower plate is already veneered under the paint. Trouble is, the sides are not veneered. It would look funny from the side, I think. Are the sides veneered and finished on yours? I can get 13/16" iron on veneer tape in Mahogany, no sweat. I'd have to do all the sides and the front of the intermediate plate. But there's a color match issue that's tough to get right. I don't have to deal with that at all if I go back to the original painted edges. I'll have to think it over. The top of the intermediate plate is painted too.

Larry, are your grills black or dark brown? Mine are dark brown. I recently ran across some brown fabric that a dead ringer for the original stuff. It's unbelieveable how close it is. I will be picking some up soon, would you interested in having some? If yours are brown, that is. There's also black that just the same. Only the color is different, the weave is the same. Let me know. It would be nice to have some spare around, just in case something unfortunate should happen.

[LarryC]

Tom,

Yes, all the side edges that can be seen when they're in the corners are veneered, including the ones above and below the side panels. The back edges that go against the wall are painted.

Are the vertical side edges on your bass bin painted? That's what it looks like on your pics. Mine are veneered.

My grills are black, but are not original. Thanks for the offer.

Larry

[Tom Mobley]

the front side edges of the bass bins are not veneered, just paint. Don't know why are different from yours, maybe mine were built during a local veneer shortage?

[sheltie dave]

Tom, I think Greg used the iron close to its max temperature, because what he put on was meant to stay put on. Most of the commercial heat catalyst glues need a differential of 20 degrees or more before they happily start lifting off.

It's all personal pleasure anyway- and yours look gorgeous with the care you are ministering to them

[LarryC]

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Don't know why are different from yours, maybe mine were built during a local veneer shortage?

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Hey KHorn58, are you around to comment on this? I'm puzzled, too, Tom. It's as though something happened part-way through manufacture and they finished up with painting those surfaces -- It's hard to imagine someone wanted it that way, but why would they let them out the door unless they were wanted at a reduced price? I wonder if Klipsch has any records on this?

Mostly, I wonder if you could find veneer that looks really close and cover all those edges? If you can do the rest, I'd suggest the top of the kick board too, if you can.

[formica]

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On 9/14/2004 4:55:02 PM larryclare wrote:

It's hard to imagine someone wanted it that way, but why would they let them out the door unless they were wanted at a reduced price?

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Wasn't there a late 50's / early 60's fashion of painted edges in a slightly darker colour?

My grandmother had a bedroom furniture set which was finished in a pale veneer and the front edges were painted in a slightly darker colour. I think it dated from the late 50's, when she moved. I'd have to check but my mom may still have the set.

I think it was supposed to conjure up the look/feel of expensive inlay. It didn't.

BTW... Tom, nice work as usual... no shortages of projects at home, huh?

Rob