Refinising Heritage cabinets/Heresy circa 1980

[jnauck]

Hello,

I have a pair of Heresy series I that I bought in the mid 90s. They came in raw birch and my dad and I painted them black. They look really good-we used a bit of wood putty to sharpen up the front edges that had gotten a little worn with use. I have been thinking of reveneering the front, top and sides in a different veneer (preferrably a stained/oiled walnut or mahogany. Is there someone out there who works on reveneering speaker cabinets? Thanks

[Guest " "]

Hello,

I have a pair of Heresy series I that I bought in the mid 90s. They came in raw birch and my dad and I painted them black. They look really good-we used a bit of wood putty to sharpen up the front edges that had gotten a little worn with use. I have been thinking of reveneering the front, top and sides in a different veneer (preferrably a stained/oiled walnut or mahogany. Is there someone out there who works on reveneering speaker cabinets? Thanks

it may be less expensive to have new cabs made and finished to your prefernce.

[PrestonTom]

This would be a very do-able project. The veneer may not be all that expensive - check the internet, getting mail order is fine. Building new cabinets is actually more difficult.

There have been a number of threads of this topic. Check those out. I assume you are going to try this yourself. I am not sure what you level of skill is, but you might want to try some practice pieces first. My advice is to assume it will take longer and have more steps involved then you first thought.

Good Luck & send some photos of the process,

-Tom

[Fool For A Radio]

Mr. Nauck-

May I ask how you intend to remove the black paint? I have just acquired a set of HBB Heresy with shabby cabinets, but I don't think I'm handy enough to veneer them - I was thinking of staining or repainting.

CG

[Marvel]

If you want to re-veneer, it will be no problem to sand the cabinets down. All edges must be clean and square. Bondo actually works quite well for that job, as it sets up harder than wood putty/filler. Raw veneer is not too expensive, and can be applied with a contact cement or using the iron on method. Iron on uses PVA glue (titebond, etc.). A thin layer goes on the cabinet and a thin layer on the veneer. Use an iron to melt the glues together. The veneer can shift during this process. Leave some overhang on the edges, so you can trim off. Raw veneer is also thicker than the paper-backed variety.

Cleaning and staining is a bit more difficult as birch doesn't usually take stain very evenly. If you have already had to repair some dings, it might not be the best route to go.

Bruce

[Kriton]

Hmmm...actually I have found that the birch takes stain fine,

especially if the grain has been open forever, and the pores are

screaming for stain...I would like to go the reveneering route myself

on my pair of old beater H2's, but there is just something about that

whole process that just makes me want to take a drink...

I will tell you what I have done...I like black speakers, don't know

why, but especially in my theater I just dig black speakers, something

about not knowing they are there - distraction of pretty wood things

...don't know, but I like them alot -

NOW, while regular stain seems to have worked well in the non-black

projects, black stain on sanded birch looks like crap! Comes in

very brown-not quite black looking...just assume that any stain that

you use it iwll be lighter in birch than it should be -

I ended up getting some Behlen black wood DYE, they make other colors,

but this stuff was like ink man, and the blackest black you have ever

seen. The H1 i used it on shined up to a satin, and it looks

really fine - so that might be an option for you?

K

[Guest " "]

Gotta tell you....veneering old wood requires a lot of prep work. Triming the edges off can get hairy. Gluing or the hot iron method, neither is fun unless you really enjoy doing it.

Sanding, filling and preping for painting is easier...espeacilly if you use oil base primer and paint and thin both with about 10% mineral spirits.

when you consider cost of supplies, labor, and the out right mess this will make...making a set of cabs from scratch looks better and better. You can re-use the rear and front panels.

[Daddy Dee]

Gotta tell you....veneering old wood

requires a lot of prep work. Triming the edges off can get

hairy. Gluing or the hot iron method, neither is fun unless you

really enjoy doing it.

Sanding, filling and preping for painting is easier...espeacilly if

you use oil base primer and paint and thin both with about 10% mineral

spirits.

when you consider cost of supplies, labor, and the out right mess

this will make...making a set of cabs from scratch looks better and

better. You can re-use the rear and front panels.

Speakerfritz...

could you say more about thinning with 10% mineral spirits.

This means adding to a volume of paint by 10% mineral spirits?

What does this do that makes for a better outcome with the primer and paint?

[pmsummer]

There's a fellow in Maryland who does wonderful work reveneering audio

cabinets. He's over at the AudioKarma forum and goes by the name

Merrylander. He's a GREAT guy who also refurbs Yamaha hi-fi gear. Pull

the drivers and they'd be easy to ship (and alot safer w/o the

drivers). Go over to AK and check the Vintage Audio board and the

Dealers "for sale" board.

Or donate those old, beat up Heresies to http://adoptaklipsch.blogspot.com/. Local deliveries accepted. :-)

[Guest " "]

Gotta tell you....veneering old wood requires a lot of prep work. Triming the edges off can get hairy. Gluing or the hot iron method, neither is fun unless you really enjoy doing it.

Sanding, filling and preping for painting is easier...espeacilly if you use oil base primer and paint and thin both with about 10% mineral spirits.

when you consider cost of supplies, labor, and the out right mess this will make...making a set of cabs from scratch looks better and better. You can re-use the rear and front panels.

Speakerfritz...

could you say more about thinning with 10% mineral spirits.

This means adding to a volume of paint by 10% mineral spirits?

What does this do that makes for a better outcome with the primer and paint?

10% to 15%. On a gallon of primer or paint, we are talking about 9 to 13 oz's. Oil based primer and oil based pain provides the best effect.

if you look closely at lacquered LaScala's you can still see the grain, even though the cabinets are piano finish. Getting the primer and paint into the grain results in a very attractive finish. Thinning the primer and the finish allows it to penetrate deeper, strengthens the wood, and prevents the paint from chipping.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Even in Black k-horns, you can still see the grain.

[jnauck]

It's actually quite simple. My grandfather used to redo fine antiques and he taught me that the best way to take any kind of stain/paint/varnish is to use "0000" (super fine) steel wool and acetone. Just be careful not to be too reckless with it and tape off all exposed drivers and it the wood can be brought back to its original grain and color. If the corners are rounded and/or chipped up "Bondo" brand filler (the kind that people use on automotive panels) is the best possible way to patch wood-period. It is as strong or stronger than the original substrate.

[jnauck]

I hear that-birch never seems to take black stain very well. I think you're idea is very good. Thanks for your response.