[auplater]

You're lucky that your speakers are all ok. 8) Mine are salvageable, but they do need some attention.

May I ask how you went about refinishing the cabinet? It looks very nice! I like the contrasting veneers. Did you stain them yourself? What did you use? And what did you use for a final lacquer? Are you happy with it?

Thanks for the look-see...

I decided to take a minimalist approach to this refinish, since the veneer was in great shape, and it had only slight water damage on the top (water rings, crazing) and lacquer loss and crazing on the bottom. Most of the lacquer was intact as well, so I decided to "recondition" it.

Using lacquer thinner, I stripped only the areas with moderate crackling/crazing down to the veneer, using multiple quick passes and 0000 steel wool, trying to blend the edges into the good areas of lacquer as best as possible. I then lightly stained the entire piece with mahogany Minwax diluted 1:1 with turpentine, and wiped down the excess after ~15 minutes, trying to match/enhance the different grains and textures as needed.

After this dried overnite, I applied boiled linseed oil, going heavier on the stripped areas than those with the original finish still intact. I was especially careful around the decals, since they are in good shape and I don't want to re-apply. This was wiped down and reapplied 3 times after 24 hour cure.

I then lightly burnished the whole unit with 0000 steel wool, especially trying to blend the stripped surfaces with the existing lacquer areas. A final layer of oil provided the finish you see, and awaits maybe a paste wax finish if I find the time, although I think I'm done for now. I like working with this oil, as it's less expensive than tung, danish, etc. (all of which I've used) and it seems to restore and enhance the depth and luster of underlying woods and finishes better than most.

I've built speakers for decades, and try to get that deep luster finish whenever possible.

{part of my home theatre system... DIY } <<soryy for the OT

[Image: http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y62/auplater/Neo2.jpg]
[Image: http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y62/aup...NEOP11.jpg]

(Feel free to move this post to the cabinet thread if necessary)

John L.