Blackmesa Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 Looks like I'm too late to do any good, but I hope you used bondo, not wood filler. The bondo is much harder and will last a lot longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwc Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 Hey Texi, Nice work so far. I was the one recently posting how I made my Cornwall grills. Looks like you have the same approach as I. Did you end up going with the 3/16 inch or the 1/8? Do you have a picture of the Duracrest fabric? jc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texican58 Posted March 9, 2005 Author Share Posted March 9, 2005 I used the 1/8" vs. the 3/16". I do believe that the 3/16" might be a good idea due to how thin & fragile the grilles can get in the bottom corners around the bass ports. consider also that there are numerous velcro strips applied at the bottom making for even more stressing of the Masonite in that area when grilles are pulled off. I don't have much $$ in them yet, so I may still go back and redo them w/ the 3/16" or even the 1/4" Masonite. I have the fabric (from Duracrest - #17) already cut out and ready to apply, but I'm waiting until I make the final decision on grille thickness. I'll take pix of the fabric tonight, but it is the same stuff that is on the conventional speakers. I can't tell the difference at all. Ralph's the guy at Dura Crest. I think they're in Melrose Park, IL. I don't have the phone number handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texican58 Posted March 9, 2005 Author Share Posted March 9, 2005 Blackmesa, The label on the can says bondo, but it also says wood filler. I'm having a hell of a time using this product and I'd love to find something that's smoother when applying and harder once dried. Any recommendations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 Mitch, good progress buddy. I agree with using the 3/16, as it's a little more stout and less prone to break when cutting the many port openings. What wood filler did you use? Looks a little lumpy and overfilled which leads to lots of sanding and possibly knocking your fillings loose. I do like the ledger board you clamped in place to aid in rebuilding the edges- good thinking. Do you have your veneer yet? Which approach will you take, the pre-backed or the double-glue and iron? I personally like the idea of the iron-on, since that's the edge approach in most cases anyway. I think this is a very interesting topic for many of us since it seems that so many people are currently in process with refinishing projects or will do so when weather improves. Keep us up to date with progress. Sorry the last deal fell through, but good college try there! Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texican58 Posted March 9, 2005 Author Share Posted March 9, 2005 ---------------- On 3/9/2005 9:26:51 AM colterphoto1 wrote: Mitch, good progress buddy. I agree with using the 3/16, as it's a little more stout and less prone to break when cutting the many port openings. What wood filler did you use? Looks a little lumpy and overfilled which leads to lots of sanding and possibly knocking your fillings loose. I do like the ledger board you clamped in place to aid in rebuilding the edges- good thinking. Do you have your veneer yet? Which approach will you take, the pre-backed or the double-glue and iron? I personally like the idea of the iron-on, since that's the edge approach in most cases anyway. I think this is a very interesting topic for many of us since it seems that so many people are currently in process with refinishing projects or will do so when weather improves. Keep us up to date with progress. Sorry the last deal fell through, but good college try there! Michael ---------------- Michael, I don't have the veneer yet. I'll get it soon. Greg gave me some good tips on what/where to buy. I will be going w/ the double-glue, iron-on type (like he used). I also emailed him to find out what bondo/filler he used. This stuff I'm using is waaaay too lumpy. I can't spread it. I need something that gives me some 'working' time so that I can create sharp, hard corners. I can't remember the name of this stuff, but suffice it to say that I'm abandoning its use, and going with something else as soon as I can identify it. As far as the grilles go, I'm leaning towards stepping it up even more than 3/16" and going with some 1/4" that I already have. One 4'x 8' sheet will do 3 grilles easily and I'm considering changing this speaker to a vertical. When it comes to selling a single, refurbished Cornwall, I think I'd have better luck selling a Vertical CW, vs a single Horizontal. Plenty of people would like to have a Vertical CW for their HT theater to complement existing CWs, LSs, or Horns. I'm not quite to that point yet, but I have all the equipment and material to do so when I make the desicion. Thanks for your input. Meanwhile, did you see that the 'barn' Scalas went for $475 to a one-time ebayer? She might have found a diamond in the rough...and then again a huge headache. later...Mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texican58 Posted March 9, 2005 Author Share Posted March 9, 2005 Just found out the right product to use. Auto-Parts store - regular bondo (gray paste and hardener). This stuff will adhere to wood just fine, is spreadable and shape-able, and can be worked. I'll be removing that crappy wood filler (where possible) tonight and using the bondo stuff. Since I have mucho experience using auto-body bondo, I'm very comfortable with working w/ this stuff. I can only offer that if you can avoid wood filler (minwax, Elmer's, etc.) do so. Bondo is the way to go! mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 One 4'x 8' sheet will do 3 grilles easily ---------------- if my math is correct, you should get 5 grills from a 4 x 8 sheet for the cornwall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texican58 Posted March 9, 2005 Author Share Posted March 9, 2005 Budman, I could've gotten 5. My issue was transporting the 4x8' sheet. I had the guy at Lowes simply slice this thing into 3 parts, knowing full well that when I got home, I'd be putting them on the table saw and 'exacting' them. But the math works....I could have gotten 5 out of it. Since I'm considering going w/ the 1/4" stuff, I think I will cut it so that 5 are possible. Thanks for noticing. mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texican58 Posted March 22, 2005 Author Share Posted March 22, 2005 New pix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texican58 Posted March 22, 2005 Author Share Posted March 22, 2005 New pix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS Button Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 Ouch!, that corner pricked my eye..Looks good, keep the pics coming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texican58 Posted March 22, 2005 Author Share Posted March 22, 2005 Another one... note the small 'chip' on the edge of the corner... ...gotta go over that AGAIN!!! ARGGGGGGGGGGH!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwc Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 Have you picked out your veneer? I am at the same stage on my Corn refinish project. I just finished sanding mine with 220 grit. However, I plan to paint them with Black Laquer. Wife choice. Have 8 klipsch speakers in my basement right now. All black. Can't make the persuation to do anything but black. Your corners look good. Did you stick with the wood filler? I ended up useing elmers glue first then filler on top. I know strange combo. I also cut out small peices of birch veneer purchased from Michael's craft store. I then glued those to the defects. This way, I could make the corners very sharp. jc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texican58 Posted March 22, 2005 Author Share Posted March 22, 2005 Before and After... The before w/ lots of wood filler... (prior to me getting wise and going to bondo) And after using the bondo (Auto Parts store...$5) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texican58 Posted March 22, 2005 Author Share Posted March 22, 2005 Interesting idea w/ the veneer cutouts. I went w/ the auto-bondo idea and it works wonderfully. It sands nicely and creates a good, rigid corner and edge. Meanwhile, I'm having one helluvatime trying to post these pix. I had no problem before but tonight i'm brain-dead. Can't make up my mind on the veneer. I did find some cherry (certainlywood.com) that would look good (16"w x 144" long), but that doesn'g give me enough left over to do the edges. My only other option is to buy 3 fletches of Walnut (matches my other CWs), but the 3rd fletch is strictly for the bottom and edges. I just don't want to waste that much veneer just to do the edges and bottom, so....I might just paint the bottom black and go w/ two fletches (9"w x 117" long). That will give me enough waste to do the edges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS Button Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 This is starting to look good. Why did we round the corners again, before the wood bondo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texican58 Posted March 23, 2005 Author Share Posted March 23, 2005 ---------------- On 3/22/2005 10:57:30 PM BS Button wrote: This is starting to look good. Why did we round the corners again, before the wood bondo? ---------------- Actually, I didn't round the corners. They were already 'rounded' due to abuse. My issue was with squaring them up again... therefore, the need to bondo all edges and corners so that the veneering will lay flat without air holes/pockets and have a good surface to bond with. I'm ordering veneer today. This project will be updated with new pics soon. mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael hurd Posted March 29, 2005 Share Posted March 29, 2005 Looks like great work so far, I know that you tried the wood filler, it just does't spread as nice? I recommended a premium lightweight bodyfiller, due to it's fast curing time, as well as being easier to sand. To make the corners square, keep checking as you sand with a square. If you are power sanding, take some time to block it by hand, before the venner stage. Using a long board sander, sand on a 30 degree ( roughly ) angle to the grain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texican58 Posted April 10, 2005 Author Share Posted April 10, 2005 ---------------- On 3/29/2005 12:44:03 AM michael hurd wrote: Looks like great work so far, I know that you tried the wood filler, it just does't spread as nice? I recommended a premium lightweight bodyfiller, due to it's fast curing time, as well as being easier to sand. To make the corners square, keep checking as you sand with a square. If you are power sanding, take some time to block it by hand, before the venner stage. Using a long board sander, sand on a 30 degree ( roughly ) angle to the grain. ---------------- Took you advice w/ the block sander. Using an orbital, you can actually sand too deeply on the edges, creating a 'sunken' area on the sides (it happened to me). I built it back up to flush by adding more bondo and then block-sanded using 120 moving up to 220 for the final sanding. I have this baby ready now. Waiting on Walnut (2 fletches 9" wide x 117" long). I'll bookmatch it and hope for the best. The thing that scares me the most is trimming the overlapped veneer once I get to that point. I was hoping that a cutting bit on a router would do the job, but I'm not good w/ routers. I might have to use the traditional approach of an X-acto knife to do this work, but I can only hope that this turns out well. My last task will be building the base to match my other two, but that's not a biggie. I'll probably just paint the base a flat black. 117" of veneer will give me enough to do the top 16", two sides 36" + 36", and the bottom 16" (16+16+36+36 = 104"). There may not be enough left over to do the stands. Thanks for the input....mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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