Okay, hopefully this is my last installment before I get my Tempest drivers.
November 11-21, 2000 (these 3 upcoming photos are amended from my Nov. 1, 2000 post)
I applied about 6 coats of alternating clear LACQUER, wetsand with 400 grit and then 600 grit, black LACQUER, wetsand with 400 grit and 600 grit. Then I decided to try something that another HTFer, Julian Data, did to get a really nice finish. I renewed my efforts on the table top.
Photo 77 : Here are the new ingredients: 1500 grit wetsandpaper, Meguire's Show Car Glaze, Rubbing Compound, and tack cloth.
Photo 78 : I use the 1500 grit wetsandpaper to try to flatten the surface as much as possible.
Photo 79 : I then load up some rubbing compound on some wet down cloth.
Photo 80 : I apply the rubbing compound. I wasn't able to truly buff the rubbing compound as well as I should, so I found myself with lots of scratchy streaks. This part was a failing on my part, if I could have truly power buffed out the rubbing compound, I'm sure I would have gotten good results.
Photo 81 : I press on and apply some of the Meguire's Show Car Glaze on a cloth.
Photo 82 : I apply the glaze on the table top. but once I was done, I saw a nice shiny finish, but underneath there are still the scratchy streaks.
So since I wasn't too crazy about the scratches, I decided to punt and go back to wetsanding with the 1500 grit, got the surface as flat as I could, and then I applied 2 thick coats of clear lacquer. Here are the final results:
Photo 83 : No camera flash, here is the reflection of my garage door opener on the ceiling.
Photo 84 : No camera flash, here is the reflection of a table lamp I was using while working at night.
The top isn't anywhere perfect, but I can live with it. Using the 1500 grit did help in getting it a tad more smoother and shinier, so it wasn't wasted effort.
So here's what I learned: Never, ever, use ENAMEL paint underneath any LACQUER paint. It's a road paved with bad intentions. You must absolutely have good air flow when you spray LACQUER paint, that stuff will give you a headache if you inhale too much of it. Also, I'll be letting the table top's painted surface "harden" for 3 months before I wax it to get the final shine of the surface.
Also, I must confess: I've played the game of golf, but I've never cussed as much as I did when I saw what ENAMEL paint does when it interacts with LACQUER paint. I was cussing under my breath for quite a few days as I work to try and salvage the top. But I felt better once I moved to use the other side. It did go better once I figured out what I was doing.
Hopefully my Tempest drivers will show up soon so I can finish my Sunosubs!
----------
November 26, 2000
Okay, here's some updated photos of what I've been doing. Still no Tempest Drivers, most likely I'll get them on December 1st.
These are miscellaneous bits and pieces that needed to be done.
Photo 85 : I drill the hole for the roller caster for the each of the 3 legs.
Photo 86 : Here's all 3 legs with their roller caster inserted in the newly drilled hole.
Photo 87 : I spray paint the leg mounts in black to keep the whole bottom endcap the same color.
Photo 88 : I received a flared port kit from Adire Audio, but it's too long with the added section, totalling 30" of length.
Photo 89 : To get 24" of port length (23" of true port length), I needed to cut off 6" off one of the sections. I measure off the length and wrapped a piece of paper as a guide for me to cut the tube.
Photo 90 : Here's the sawed off section.
Photo 91 : Here's what it'll look like inside the sonotube later on.
Now here are the photos for the bottom endcap preparation from routing out the port hole, drilling in needed screw holes, and painting the endcap. I decided to preserve as much MDF surface area, so the port hole will be just a bit larger than the width of the 4" unflared port section. I plan to assemble the port from the inside of the endcap.
Photo 92 : On the inner bottom endcap, I make some circles in the best spot for the port to give me an idea where everything is laid out.
Photo 93 : On the outer bottom endcap, I put the outer flared port in position and use that to find the center that I'll need for route out the port hole.
Photo 94 : I carefully line up both layers and drill the pilot hole all the way through so I have the center hole for the inner endcap too.
Photo 95 : Here's the port hole for the outer endcap layer, I made it around 5" wide and will be sanding out some flare in the MDF for the port to fit in the hole snugly.
Photo 96 : Here's the port hole for the inner endcap layer, I made it just over 4" wide so the port will fit snugly and preserve MDF surface area.
Photo 97 : After some sanding and elbow grease, I flare out the outer layer's port hole.
Photo 98 : Testing for fit of the flared port kit opening.
Photo 99 : I placed the leg mounts in position, and marked where the screws needed to be, and then I drilled holes for all the leg mounts as a marker for the holes later on.
Photo 100 : Using the flare to make the holes for it.
Photo 101 : Finish with drilling holes for the flare.
Photo 102 : Now it's time to glue the layers together.
Photo 103 : Now both layers are one.
Photo 104 : I make sure the layers are glued tightly by placing lots of weight on the bottom endcap.
Photo 105 : It's time to paint. Here's the start of the priming the inner side of the endcap.
Photo 106 : I prime the outer side of the endcap.
Photo 107 : I start painting the inner side with black lacquer spray paint. I apply 2 coats with drying time between coats.
Photo 108 : I then flip the endcap over and paint the outer side with the same black lacquer spray paint. This is the first of many layers.
Photo 109 : I wetsand with 400 and 600 grit for the first 2 layers of paint, and then I used 1500 grit for the next couple of layers of paint.
Photo 110 : I then apply a coat of clear lacquer (shown), and then wetsand with 1500 grit again, and finally just lathered on 2 thick coats of black lacquer paint for the final coat.
Photo 111 : No camera flash, here's a shot of the shine. Not awesome, but for the bottom endcap that will rarely be seen, it's good enough.
Photo 112 : With camera flash, here's another shot of the paint job.
Photo 113 : No camera flash, one last parting shot of the paint, not great, not terrible.
Okay, now I'm at the point where I sit and wait for the Tempest driver once again. I need the driver so I can drill in the mounting screws. Once that happens, I can nail in and caulk the bottom endcap to the sonotube and really get Sunosub III completed.
Stay tuned!
PatCave; HT Pix;Gear;DIY Projects;DVDs; LDs
November 11-21, 2000 (these 3 upcoming photos are amended from my Nov. 1, 2000 post)
I applied about 6 coats of alternating clear LACQUER, wetsand with 400 grit and then 600 grit, black LACQUER, wetsand with 400 grit and 600 grit. Then I decided to try something that another HTFer, Julian Data, did to get a really nice finish. I renewed my efforts on the table top.
Photo 77 : Here are the new ingredients: 1500 grit wetsandpaper, Meguire's Show Car Glaze, Rubbing Compound, and tack cloth.
Photo 78 : I use the 1500 grit wetsandpaper to try to flatten the surface as much as possible.
Photo 79 : I then load up some rubbing compound on some wet down cloth.
Photo 80 : I apply the rubbing compound. I wasn't able to truly buff the rubbing compound as well as I should, so I found myself with lots of scratchy streaks. This part was a failing on my part, if I could have truly power buffed out the rubbing compound, I'm sure I would have gotten good results.
Photo 81 : I press on and apply some of the Meguire's Show Car Glaze on a cloth.
Photo 82 : I apply the glaze on the table top. but once I was done, I saw a nice shiny finish, but underneath there are still the scratchy streaks.
So since I wasn't too crazy about the scratches, I decided to punt and go back to wetsanding with the 1500 grit, got the surface as flat as I could, and then I applied 2 thick coats of clear lacquer. Here are the final results:
Photo 83 : No camera flash, here is the reflection of my garage door opener on the ceiling.
Photo 84 : No camera flash, here is the reflection of a table lamp I was using while working at night.
The top isn't anywhere perfect, but I can live with it. Using the 1500 grit did help in getting it a tad more smoother and shinier, so it wasn't wasted effort.
So here's what I learned: Never, ever, use ENAMEL paint underneath any LACQUER paint. It's a road paved with bad intentions. You must absolutely have good air flow when you spray LACQUER paint, that stuff will give you a headache if you inhale too much of it. Also, I'll be letting the table top's painted surface "harden" for 3 months before I wax it to get the final shine of the surface.
Also, I must confess: I've played the game of golf, but I've never cussed as much as I did when I saw what ENAMEL paint does when it interacts with LACQUER paint. I was cussing under my breath for quite a few days as I work to try and salvage the top. But I felt better once I moved to use the other side. It did go better once I figured out what I was doing.
Hopefully my Tempest drivers will show up soon so I can finish my Sunosubs!
----------
November 26, 2000
Okay, here's some updated photos of what I've been doing. Still no Tempest Drivers, most likely I'll get them on December 1st.
These are miscellaneous bits and pieces that needed to be done.
Photo 85 : I drill the hole for the roller caster for the each of the 3 legs.
Photo 86 : Here's all 3 legs with their roller caster inserted in the newly drilled hole.
Photo 87 : I spray paint the leg mounts in black to keep the whole bottom endcap the same color.
Photo 88 : I received a flared port kit from Adire Audio, but it's too long with the added section, totalling 30" of length.
Photo 89 : To get 24" of port length (23" of true port length), I needed to cut off 6" off one of the sections. I measure off the length and wrapped a piece of paper as a guide for me to cut the tube.
Photo 90 : Here's the sawed off section.
Photo 91 : Here's what it'll look like inside the sonotube later on.
Now here are the photos for the bottom endcap preparation from routing out the port hole, drilling in needed screw holes, and painting the endcap. I decided to preserve as much MDF surface area, so the port hole will be just a bit larger than the width of the 4" unflared port section. I plan to assemble the port from the inside of the endcap.
Photo 92 : On the inner bottom endcap, I make some circles in the best spot for the port to give me an idea where everything is laid out.
Photo 93 : On the outer bottom endcap, I put the outer flared port in position and use that to find the center that I'll need for route out the port hole.
Photo 94 : I carefully line up both layers and drill the pilot hole all the way through so I have the center hole for the inner endcap too.
Photo 95 : Here's the port hole for the outer endcap layer, I made it around 5" wide and will be sanding out some flare in the MDF for the port to fit in the hole snugly.
Photo 96 : Here's the port hole for the inner endcap layer, I made it just over 4" wide so the port will fit snugly and preserve MDF surface area.
Photo 97 : After some sanding and elbow grease, I flare out the outer layer's port hole.
Photo 98 : Testing for fit of the flared port kit opening.
Photo 99 : I placed the leg mounts in position, and marked where the screws needed to be, and then I drilled holes for all the leg mounts as a marker for the holes later on.
Photo 100 : Using the flare to make the holes for it.
Photo 101 : Finish with drilling holes for the flare.
Photo 102 : Now it's time to glue the layers together.
Photo 103 : Now both layers are one.
Photo 104 : I make sure the layers are glued tightly by placing lots of weight on the bottom endcap.
Photo 105 : It's time to paint. Here's the start of the priming the inner side of the endcap.
Photo 106 : I prime the outer side of the endcap.
Photo 107 : I start painting the inner side with black lacquer spray paint. I apply 2 coats with drying time between coats.
Photo 108 : I then flip the endcap over and paint the outer side with the same black lacquer spray paint. This is the first of many layers.
Photo 109 : I wetsand with 400 and 600 grit for the first 2 layers of paint, and then I used 1500 grit for the next couple of layers of paint.
Photo 110 : I then apply a coat of clear lacquer (shown), and then wetsand with 1500 grit again, and finally just lathered on 2 thick coats of black lacquer paint for the final coat.
Photo 111 : No camera flash, here's a shot of the shine. Not awesome, but for the bottom endcap that will rarely be seen, it's good enough.
Photo 112 : With camera flash, here's another shot of the paint job.
Photo 113 : No camera flash, one last parting shot of the paint, not great, not terrible.
Okay, now I'm at the point where I sit and wait for the Tempest driver once again. I need the driver so I can drill in the mounting screws. Once that happens, I can nail in and caulk the bottom endcap to the sonotube and really get Sunosub III completed.
Stay tuned!
PatCave; HT Pix;Gear;DIY Projects;DVDs; LDs
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