Refinish a speaker - don't do it!

[Roc Rinaldi]

Here is my story.

I am trying to achieve seven forte IIs in oiled walnut for a 7.1 system. I found a pair of black forte IIs for sale. I then checked with a cabinet maker who said that he could re-veneer the speakers into oiled walnut and could match my other oiled walnut speakers. So I bought the black speakers.

I guess you know what's coming next. I had the speakers refinished and I supplied the cabinet maker with one of my oiled walnut speakers for a good color and wood grain match. It took him five weeks to refinish the speakers. The result: The speakers do not match in color. The grain isn't too bad but the color is definitely off. Luckily I only needed one speaker refinished and I have placed it in the least prominent location in the room.

Moral of the story: Don't expect to match 17 year old speakers with new refinishing. It doesn't work all that well.

I still need two more forte II speakers. I will try to find oiled walnut speakers rather than buying some other finish and trying to refinish them.

I've learned my lesson.

[DrWho]

You could always refinish all of your speakers...and then they'd all match perfectly []

[jacksonbart]

bottom notch

[ejfud]

Roc, Walnut changes color as it sits in the light and will get darker. Give it a few months.

[JoeRiff]

Yes, Walnut changes color in the sunlight. It will become less grey/black and more red/brown with exposure to UV rays. I'm not certain how Klipsch gets their Walnut so brown from the get-go, but a few months in the sun can give you the same effect. I learned this when I was trying (and failing) to match some replacement Walnut edgebanding to the existing Walnut on my Belles. Everything I could find on the market looked way to grey, so I finally found a venner shop that gave me the answer I was looking for. A few months in the window exposed to direct sunlight, and I had a perfect match.

[ejfud]

My gut feeling is they were using a different species of walnut back then as well.

[Fish]

Kind of a drag but an "acceptable" match should be possible given experience in staining/matching stains.

[dtel's wife]

Kind of a drag but an "acceptable" match should be possible given experience in staining/matching stains.

Fish,

I was thinking the same thing. Dtel usually leaves the staining and sealing to me on woodworking projects, probably because I will mix colors and "do practic runs" until I get a match. It takes a little patience to achieve an acceptable match, but it could be done. Although, if the other posters are correct....after aging the stain wouldn't match anyway![*-)]

[boom3]

Besides endorsing what the other posters have noted, I'd recommend looking at some of the antique radio sites, like Phil's Old Radios. These guys & gals are very fussy about matching stains between older and newer pieces of veneer, and will have some good pointers about doing that.

http://antiqueradio.org/

http://www.myvintagetv.com/

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.antiques.radio+phono/topics?hl=en

http://aligator222.tripod.com/radio/radio.html

[Roc Rinaldi]

You could always refinish all of your speakers...and then they'd all match perfectly []

You had to suggest this. This is exactly what the cabinet maker said to me upon discovering that the refinished speaker did not match.

He also said that in about 8 or 9 years the refinished speaker would begin to color match to the other ones. You know, like waiting for Godot. Right.

[Roc Rinaldi]

Roc, Walnut changes color as it sits in the light and will get darker. Give it a few months.

Thanks.

See my previous post.

[Roc Rinaldi]

Yes, Walnut changes color in the sunlight. It will become less grey/black and more red/brown with exposure to UV rays. I'm not certain how Klipsch gets their Walnut so brown from the get-go, but a few months in the sun can give you the same effect. I learned this when I was trying (and failing) to match some replacement Walnut edgebanding to the existing Walnut on my Belles. Everything I could find on the market looked way to grey, so I finally found a venner shop that gave me the answer I was looking for. A few months in the window exposed to direct sunlight, and I had a perfect match.

The cabinet maker also suggested this "sun" idea. I am not fond of placing my speakers in the sun at all.

The Klipsch wood has a definite reddish tint to it. The refinished speaker is more brown and darker.

Not to worry. All I have to do is wait about 10 years, if I live that long, and my speakers will match. I hope that, by then, my eyesight is still good enough to notice the matching speakers.

[Roc Rinaldi]

My gut feeling is they were using a different species of walnut back then as well.

I'm sure that woods all vary to some extent. I think it is very hard to match woods after 17 years or so.

The problem I have is that this cabinet maker told me that he could exactly match the woods, which he failed to do. I don't like surprises like this.

[Roc Rinaldi]

Kind of a drag but an "acceptable" match should be possible given experience in staining/matching stains.

This is also what I thought when I started the journey.

[Me Loves Khorns]

Put up some pics.

Paul

[Guest " "]

matching stain is a PIA.

it can be done...but it takes a lot of mixing, blending, testing on scrap, comparing, re-mixing, etc

[Fish]

I was thinking the same thing. Dtel usually leaves the staining and sealing to me on woodworking projects, probably because I will mix colors and "do practic runs" until I get a match. It takes a little patience to achieve an acceptable match, but it could be done. Although, if the other posters are correct....after aging the stain wouldn't match anyway![*-)]

You said the key words,mix/practice run and patience.

[oldtimer]

The thing is Roc, I thought the black ones were to be strategically placed so you got the sound you wanted for now while you kept searching for a walnut pair to pounce on later. At least you still have that...

[wstrickland1]

you have the cash, you have the desire, get them all refinished to match and let the good times roll

[dtel's wife]

you have the cash, you have the desire, get them all refinished to match and let the good times roll

Yes, what he said....but make sure you deal with someone who appreciates fine woodworking as much as you appreciate your speakers. I think the cost of having all speakers refinished by the same craftsmen would be money well spent.