Few questions about Cornwall's

[colterphoto1]

Hello. While I am new to Klipsch, I am not to furniture. Do not use sandpaper-period. Use fine steel wool.

Careful with that steel wool. Plug up all areas that could lead to the magnets.

ScotchBrite pads.

[Jay Registrar]

Well I'm assuming that all drivers and crossovers are removed prior to refinishing. Someone prior said that in their opinion, Klipsch didn't use a good quality birch veneer. That is putting it mildly. But even if it was furniture grade veneer, in my opinion, you do not want to use sandpaper. It puts scratches in the wood that might not be visable at first, but will be later when finished. Sandpaper is faster than steel wool, but as granma said-haste makes waste. If you are going to put a coat of anything on after the stain, I would recommend Deft (spelling??). I learned this stuff from a man in Virginia who refinished furniture for museums in Williamsburg, etc. I think his name was Dilbert Frey.

[WMcD]

I can't quite agree with Jay.

I think the steel wool thing started in recent years with Homer Forbey refinishing products. I used the steel wool and HF product,as the product came in a kit, which removed the old finish on some end tables. It worked well. But one reason for using steel wool in that application was probably that any other scrubber would have been dissolved by the remover. A steel wool pad is also a metal sponge. Necessary in that application.

Steel wool was also probably good because,as Jay says, it is so fine as to not create scratches in the underlying wood. But in that application we're already dealing with finished furnature. Using very fine sand with the grain is not going to damage anything if you're starting with a beat up unit.

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I have no reason to suspect that Klipsch birch ply is substandard. Any hard data one way or the other is welcome.

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There is an ongoing worry that anyone refinishing birch ply on Klipsch speakers will inevitably sand through the top veneer. I think not. At least if you use a sanding block,ordinary very fine sandpaper, and use ordinary care. Now, if you take out the powr belt sander and put in medium or coarser, and go wild, you are inviting disaster.

I can't say for a fact that Klipsch birch veneer ply is the same as what we get at HD; you'd think that HD is more problematic. But I've worked with HD or other sourced birch ply in many, many projects over the years from a starting point. It is fair to say that I've worked with 50, 4x8 foot panels and cutting them down, then sanding and finishing . No sand through.

= = =

Deft is a brush-on lacquer. It dries fast. I've used it once, It is my understanding that high school shop classes used it because it would set up fast and then a new set of student projects could come through. It is good to build up a finish, fast. But then you've go to clean brushes with acetone or throw them away.

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I would suggest the use of families of finishing product found at HD, like Minwax. The sealers do seem to work well to prevent blotching. As mentioned, by others, you can stain birch and make it look pretty, but it is never real walnut.

I also like wipe on varnish, also called "oils". Generally, set up the project someplace out of the way. Put on one coat every night for a week with a small throw away cloth. Wipe down with a Scotchbrite before doing it again the next night. It builds a good finish. Twenty minutes of work every night in a week results in a finish which can't be accomplished in all the labors of two days.

Gil

[boom3]

Colter suggested Scotch Brite, which is a good idea. Bronze wool is also available through Home Depot. I'd take the guts out of the cabs first (opportunity to refresh the crossover caps) and then refinish. When I use steel wool on anything, I go over the surface with a strong magnet wrapped in a thin cloth or paper towel. Amazing that the magnet will find particles tack rags don't.

[HarryO]

You can get finishing quality Scotch Brites at a local automotive refinish store. It comes in a couple of grades. The white being the finest and choice for "scuffing" between coats.

If you want you CAN use sandpaper. Use a finishing sander with Maguires sandpaper. It has a very uniform grit and doesn't leave the inadvertant scratches. Use 300 grit or finer and you can save hours of hand time with no unwanted scratching.

I've being doing quite a few cabinet projects lately. I also have a female friend that refinishes vintage furniture for a living. I've found through her suggestions NOT to use Minwax products for a superior finish. I've been using Old Master penetrating gel on birch and it is NOT blotchy and really brings out the grain on the veneer. The clear doesn't soak as bad as the Minwax and reduces the work time considerably. My second choice is Varathane. Again a very even stain and nicer clears if you want to use clearcoats.

I sent Arfandbark some A B C comparison pics of the different stains. I'll try to find them. Even the camera shows the difference in the stains. Arf may have the pics still if I don't. The minwax was definitely on the bottom of the food chain. Not even close.

[meagain]

Well I'm assuming that all drivers and
crossovers are removed prior to refinishing. Someone prior said that in
their opinion, Klipsch didn't use a good quality birch veneer. That is
putting it mildly. But even if it was furniture grade veneer, in my
opinion, you do not want to use sandpaper. It puts scratches in the
wood that might not be visable at first, but will be later when
finished. Sandpaper is faster than steel wool, but as granma said-haste
makes waste. If you are going to put a coat of anything on after the
stain, I would recommend Deft (spelling??). I learned this stuff from a
man in Virginia who refinished furniture for museums in Williamsburg,
etc. I think his name was Dilbert Frey.

I think sandpaper
is fine to use IF one ratchets down the paper to superfine like using
wet/dry 600-700 at the end for instance. I like the wet/dry fine
papers and using the oil with them or superfine scotchbrite or 0000
steel wool at the end. I did Walnut Cornwalls like this and they feel
like silk (though some might not want that, preferring some texture/wood feel).

Boom - Interesting idea on the magnet concept if using steel wool, etc.

I still contend the birch used by Klipsch was paint-grade. [:#]

[meagain]

Harry - Would love to see your sample pics. I know there are recommendations floating around on the net of using gel stains on blotch prone wood. When I've played around with them before (on a maple piece), I found them difficult to work with. They sat on top of the wood more for me (though I guess that's the point) and I just found them tricky and odd. We made a rack system with MDF and I want to try a gel stain on that cuz my gut is telling me it might be apprpriate for that. But - you didn't have any issues with the gels? Maybe I was doing something wrong.

[HarryO]

I looked and I've deleted the comparison pics. I do have some pics I took this morning of my Wallrus with the Old Master gel stain. It shows pretty good detail of the grain and even staining. You can PM your email address or I can reply through my email address below and I'll send you the pics if you like. I can't get the pics downsized to post.

Arfandbark may still have the pics but he won't awake until sometime around "The crack of noon" or so.

HarryO

hbailey1@earthlink.net

The only problem I encountered using the gels was when I used the "recommended sealers". With the Old Master I even sanded down a couple of motorboards I had already stained with the different stains and stained right over without stripping or sealing. Nice even staining without wood bleach or anything. I was just experimenting with new technics for different effects. I came up with some really cool fireburst looks and some really unusual but beautiful finishes.

[JJkizak]

I refinished mine with Minwax stain and Polyurethane over the product called "Band-It" which is iron on laminated wood. I forgot to fill up the grain with something but it worked out ok. with 7 coats of poly and sanding with 1200 wet I then buffed it with a foam automotive buffer to glass finish. (just like a car) After about six months the grain retracted but it still looked nice so I haven't messed with it. I knew how to paint a car but not refinish furniture. Pictures in the home theatre thread somewhere.

JJK

[Jay Registrar]

The key was the 0000 steel wool. Don't get me wrong, sandpaper has it place, but veneer is not one of them.

[colterphoto1]

AND use a sanding block, never barehanded with sandpaper as it can cause gouges and round off corners.