Photos of my Sub Veneered, Still needs Staining

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  • Bing Fung
    Ultra Senior Member
    • Aug 2000
    • 6521

    Photos of my Sub Veneered, Still needs Staining

    I have just finished veneering my sub. It does need a sanding as the veneer is au-natural.
    I wanted a total black finish that would match my B&W's but this semi black finish like the link's sample photo, is all I can get with the circa 1865 stain I bought. Tell me what you think but I'm not sure I like it.



    More Photos of Bingo Sub

    Photos of Bingo Sub during testing




    Bing
    Bing
  • rudee
    Member
    • Oct 2000
    • 37

    #2
    Bing if your trying to get a "deep black" finish you might want to try what they call "ebonizing"
    Here is one technique: http://www.woodworkingtips.com/woodtips/wstip31.html
    Do a search for ebonizing wood and you should get more explanations on the process.
    I believe the black aniline dye they refer to is india ink and should be able to pick some up at an art supply shop.

    looks good
    rudee

    Comment

    • ThomasW
      Moderator Emeritus
      • Aug 2000
      • 10934

      #3
      Bing

      The sub looks great!!!

      As I said before aniline dye is the way to go for the look of "Ebony", and that's really what your trying to accomplish . The gel stains tend not to have the same penetrating power as a pure dye. But they are a lot less messy to use

      Rudee

      That's a fantastic link, thanks




      theAudioWorx
      Klone-Audio

      IB subwoofer FAQ page


      "Complicated equipment and light reflectors and various other items of hardware are enough, to my mind, to prevent the birdie from coming out." ...... Henri Cartier-Bresson

      Comment

      • Bing Fung
        Ultra Senior Member
        • Aug 2000
        • 6521

        #4
        Thanks Rudee, thats a great link, I will do some research on that aniline.

        Thomas, Now that I think about it, that's what you told me just recently wasn't it?
        Thanks!




        Bing
        Bing

        Comment

        • Lexman
          Super Senior Member
          • Jun 2000
          • 1777

          #5
          Great job Bing! I like it alot.

          Lex

          Comment

          • Bing Fung
            Ultra Senior Member
            • Aug 2000
            • 6521

            #6
            Thanks Lex, it may be a while before I finish it now...It seems I can't descide on how to finish it :?




            Bing
            Bing

            Comment

            • Lexman
              Super Senior Member
              • Jun 2000
              • 1777

              #7
              Bing, I think you should check the archives on my Velex finish. I think it's the finish of choice for a true furniture look. Take great pains with it and you will get a lustrous shine or satin finish (your choice), that you can apply lemon pledge to it and feel the smooth natural beauty of the wood.

              Basically, it's a hand applied tongue oil finish, repeatedly steel wooled lightly between like 8-10 coats.

              The beauty of the oak plywood I built mine of is incredible!

              Lex

              Comment

              • Bing Fung
                Ultra Senior Member
                • Aug 2000
                • 6521

                #8
                Lex, That, sounds like something I would like.




                Bing
                Bing

                Comment

                • KennyG
                  Moderator Emeritus
                  • Sep 2000
                  • 745

                  #9
                  That wood is already beautiful, why cover it? I've been working with waterbased clears that I spray with my automotive spray gun...three coats then a 220 sanding...three more coats then a 320 sanding, then one last coat, the wood comes through beautifully.

                  Comment

                  • Bing Fung
                    Ultra Senior Member
                    • Aug 2000
                    • 6521

                    #10
                    I know what you are saying Kenny, but I set out to have them match the rest of my speakers.




                    Bing
                    Bing

                    Comment

                    • John Holmes
                      Moderator Emeritus
                      • Aug 2000
                      • 2703

                      #11
                      Bing,
                      That is a wonderful job! It is very, very nice.




                      "I came here, to chew bubble gum and kickass. And I'm all out of bubble gum!!!" My DVD's
                      "I have come here, to chew bubblegum and kickass. And I'm all out of bubblegum!!!"

                      Comment

                      • Lexman
                        Super Senior Member
                        • Jun 2000
                        • 1777

                        #12
                        Technically Kenny, your not really covering the wood with Tongue oil. Even with 8-10 coats, your not talking about a built up surface. Tongue oil is a combination of fine oils and varnishes that combine to make one of the lightest finishing products known to man. Fact is, you don't even need a brush to put it on. Simply a soft cloth works wonderfully. There is a product that you can apply before the stain, if you only want a very light tint of stain.

                        Either way, tongue oil is the next best thing to a hand rubbed wax finish. I have done that before too, but not on the subs.

                        In short, I love the tongue oil finish. No build ups, just smooth even finish, that remains very very light.

                        Lex

                        Comment

                        • Bing Fung
                          Ultra Senior Member
                          • Aug 2000
                          • 6521

                          #13
                          Thanks John, I had a lot of fun designing and building it. I'll certainly have to do something like this again!

                          It's coming down to a Tung oil finish or the Aniline (ebonizing) finish.

                          I was at a local woodshop and the guy there recommended the aniline to retain grain detail and depth.

                          So I'm thinking of an Aniline finish that is dark enought to look black, but upon closer inspection still shows light and dark wood grain, covered with a satin clear urethane to fill the cracks for a glass smooth surface....
                          Thoughts? Moronic? Give my head a shake?




                          Bing
                          Bing

                          Comment

                          • Mike Temple
                            Junior Member
                            • Sep 2000
                            • 18

                            #14
                            Bing,

                            PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don't darken that wood if it looks half as good as the picture. I know that dark colors are the rage for speakers and it may even help make it look smaller, but this thing is BEAUTIFUL! Everyone that I know who starts out with a dark colored kitchen or furniture sooner or later always says " I wish I had gotten something lighter"

                            Tung oil is for fine furniture, which I would consider this sub. This thing is a DUY shjowcase, not something to be set in a dark corner and ignored. I know some of the pride as I just finished a EBS Shiva cube from the Adire site plans, and this is finished off in a granite paint scheme. After looking at the job you did it makes me want to do the same with mine.

                            Just another opinion

                            BTW you should be proud of such craftsmanship and I'll bet this thing is gonna rock!

                            Comment

                            • Bing Fung
                              Ultra Senior Member
                              • Aug 2000
                              • 6521

                              #15
                              Thanks Mike, it's response like yours that makes it hard to execute my plan of black :B I know it looks very nice natural, but it just does not match anything I have. And if I was to have a light colored sub, I would have rathered use Birch or maple veneer. Still, I'm listening, as I'm not totally sure how it will go. I'm just trying to learn as much as I can in fine furniture finishing techniques and using the sub until I can decide.

                              Thanks again for you kind comments, I'm quite happy with it's performance as it performs better than expected




                              Bing
                              Bing

                              Comment

                              • Lexman
                                Super Senior Member
                                • Jun 2000
                                • 1777

                                #16
                                Good point Mike, but in the end there are many variables.

                                1. What is the general tone of the surrounding woods?

                                2. Are you moving in a new direction of woods?
                                3. New house in the future with different trim?

                                4. What kind of wood is it? Oak? Birch? etc...
                                Staining an oak only serves to accentuate the grains if done properly. That's why you use the wood conditioner first. To avoid over saturation and DARK spots. The wood conditioner prep penetrates the most permeable grains and prevents browning out of the stains. I used Golden Oak on my subs, and the wood is very natural looking except for the grain, which is accentuated beautifully, adding character and richness.

                                Conversely, staining a wood dark with little or no grain structure will only screw things up. I recommend more natural finishes for woods lacking a defined grain structure.

                                Anyway, I love talking wood. If I had the time, I would build a lot more than I do. I love to work with it!

                                Lex

                                Comment

                                • Bing Fung
                                  Ultra Senior Member
                                  • Aug 2000
                                  • 6521

                                  #17
                                  Lex, should I be using that wood conditioner on my oak?

                                  Maybe I have a strange perception of this but, I see that this box can also look beautiful in black, if done correctly.....




                                  Bing
                                  Bing

                                  Comment

                                  • Lexman
                                    Super Senior Member
                                    • Jun 2000
                                    • 1777

                                    #18
                                    Bing, the way to do this is to FULLY test whatever finish you are going to apply. Be it black or whatever. I really think you should go with a wood finish, but then some people don't want the sub to stand out, just to sort of blend. But then the marishi finish would be very difficult I am sure.

                                    Again, if you decide to stain, I suggest buying "Min Wax" wood conditioner, and Formby's tongue oil along with the stain of your choice. Test one strip applying a coat of wood conditioner prior to applying stain. Test a second strip without wood conditioner, applyiong the stain directly to the wood. If you really want to get fancy with testing, apply two coats of stain on 1 strip of each, making 4 test strips. Allow adequite dry times for each strip and take them through the finish process exactly as you would if they were the sub. Then in the end, evaluate each strip, and determine which finish you like. For an expensive piece of woodwork, this is the only way to go!

                                    Incidentally, I used Golden Oak. I have also gotten good results combining 50% golden and 50% provential to create a new stain. That is what my house woodwork is finished in.

                                    Lex

                                    Comment

                                    • Bing Fung
                                      Ultra Senior Member
                                      • Aug 2000
                                      • 6521

                                      #19
                                      Good idea Lex... certainly I have enough materials remaining to test it out.

                                      Trouble in paradise...

                                      I have notice on a few disks that sometimes my sub will put out a soft click, clicking, is the driver reaching maximum excursion? or is the amp clipping?

                                      I have noticed it on the Toy Story 2 title fly in chapter 1 0:55, and slightly in U-571 when they are depth charging, view above water Ch 15 0:42 (slighly here, as I noticed it more on the B&W AS 3000 at the store as well). What's happening? Can this be fixed other than turning down the sub levels?

                                      Do I need more amplifier or do I need another sub? Is they problems with using dissimular subs? i.e. mine and say a 15"?

                                      At calibrated levels it's fine but when I want a hotter signal, extra loud level this arrises.




                                      Bing
                                      Bing

                                      Comment

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