What are some really nice veneers and finishes to use for speakers?

[Martyn]

Having exhorted you to get a book, I realise that I don't have one myself! I learned what little I know by asking other woodworkers and surfing the 'net. So join your local club if there is one, check your local library's inventory, and cruise your local bookstore.

[JonW]

Having exhorted you to get a book, I realise that I don't have one myself! I learned what little I know by asking other woodworkers and surfing the 'net. So join your local club if there is one, check your local library's inventory, and cruise your local bookstore.

That's OK. I just wanted to look at the pictures, anyways.
:P

[JonW]

Jon,

I'm a very novice wood worker so I hope other pop in with suggestions. Brian gave some great advice a couple posts up. Anyway, I use DAP solvent based when ever possible. It is smelly though so outside in a well ventilated area is a prerequisite. I put two coats of contact cement on both the MDF and the veneer letting each coat dry throughly between coats. Carefully place the veneer on the surface. It won't move once it touches! Then use a veneer scraper to seal the two surfaces together using lots of pressure.

Here's a link to a lot of great veneer installation tips at the Oakwood website. http://www.oakwoodveneer.com/tips.html

The BFV veneer at Oakwood is excellent. I think you'll like it.

HTH

Jim

Thanks again, Jim. Getting perspective from another novice can be quite a good thing. I'll read through that web site. A couple more questions:

-You let the adhesive dry before putting the two pieces together? Well, then doesn't that mean the adhesive is hardened and won't stick any more?

-You used a scraper rather than a roller? Won't a scraper have the chance to scratch the veneer? And a roller would be more gentle to it, I'd think.

[Jim Holtz]

Thanks again, Jim. Getting perspective from another novice can be quite a good thing. I'll read through that web site. A couple more questions:

-You let the adhesive dry before putting the two pieces together? Well, then doesn't that mean the adhesive is hardened and won't stick any more?

-You used a scraper rather than a roller? Won't a scraper have the chance to scratch the veneer? And a roller would be more gentle to it, I'd think.

Hi Jon,

Contact cement is designed top stick when its dry, not when it's wet. Make no mistake, it does stick! :W Each manufacture will list the window of use on the can so it's hard to go wrong. Brian indicated and I agree with him 100% that you must let the cement dry completely before joining the two pieces.

The scraper they're describing is not sharp but does have a narrow edge which increases the pressure you can exert on the veneer. It won't scratch it. The tips section at Oakwood tells you how to create a scraper and how to use it for the best results.

bTW, you asked in a previous post if I had any suggestions for finishing the speakers after the veneering is done and I forgot to answer. I would recommend Crystalac 2001 as a finish. :T It's used on guitars and dries to a perfectly clear rock hard finish. It does require spraying but the results are beautiful, IMHO. I buy it from McFeelys on the web.

HTH


Jim

[JonW]

Contact cement is designed top stick when its dry, not when it's wet. Make no mistake, it does stick! :W Each manufacture will list the window of use on the can so it's hard to go wrong.

Hard to go wrong? Are you tempting me to prove you wrong? :

The scraper they're describing is not sharp but does have a narrow edge which increases the pressure you can exert on the veneer. It won't scratch it. The tips section at Oakwood tells you how to create a scraper and how to use it for the best results.

OK, just had a look. They recommend a piece of wood with a slightly sanded edge. Makes more sense than the sharp metal blade I had in mind.

bTW, you asked in a previous post if I had any suggestions for finishing the speakers after the veneering is done and I forgot to answer. I would recommend Crystalac 2001 as a finish. :T It's used on guitars and dries to a perfectly clear rock hard finish. It does require spraying but the results are beautiful, IMHO. I buy it from McFeelys on the web.

Sounds like a good type of finish, like over a guitar. OK, so something like this clear gloss:
http://www.mcfeelys.com/product.asp?pid=CLP-1900

What about a sprayer? The ones McFeely's has are quite expensive. What do you use?

[ThomasW]

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?Offerings_ID=10469&TabSelect=Details

Others have use the cheap Harbor Freight unit with good results

[BretH]

Here's my first attempt at veneering. 10 mil paper-backed light ash applied with the titebond/iron method. Have to say I am very pleased at how it came out and how relatively easy it was. The seams are almost invisible in room light but show up in the camera flash much more.

Image not available

Finish was a couple coats of tung oil, wipe-on, wipe-off.

[Jim Holtz]

Hard to go wrong? Are you tempting me to prove you wrong? :




OK, just had a look. They recommend a piece of wood with a slightly sanded edge. Makes more sense than the sharp metal blade I had in mind.



Sounds like a good type of finish, like over a guitar. OK, so something like this clear gloss:
http://www.mcfeelys.com/product.asp?pid=CLP-1900

What about a sprayer? The ones McFeely's has are quite expensive. What do you use?

Yes, that is exactly the Crystalac I used. A quart might be a stretch for a pair of floor standers but you'll have a lot of the gallon left over for other projects.

I bought a Wagner HVLP fine spray setup after quite a bit of research. It was about $100 at both Lowe's and Menard's. It is very easy to use and has extremely low over-spray which was a requirement for me. I'm happy with it.

I've attached a picture of the top of one of my cabinets that will give you a bit of an idea of what to expect.

Jim

[JonW]

Yes, that is exactly the Crystalac I used. A quart might be a stretch for a pair of floor standers but you'll have a lot of the gallon left over for other projects.

Yeah, well, I can only justify the cost of the sprayer if I tell myself I'll be using it for other projects.

I bought a Wagner HVLP fine spray setup after quite a bit of research. It was about $100 at both Lowe's and Menard's. It is very easy to use and has extremely low over-spray which was a requirement for me. I'm happy with it.

I just checked the web sites and see that there are various Wagner models. WHich one did you get?

I've attached a picture of the top of one of my cabinets that will give you a bit of an idea of what to expect.

Very nice! With the light reflecting from the window, you can still see some wood grain. So it's not a thick candied shell like on a guitar. But that could be nice as well. This might be a good route to go.

[JonW]

Bret-

Those look quite nice. Almost "cute."

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?O...Select=Details

Others have use the cheap Harbor Freight unit with good results

Minutes after seeing this post, I left my small town for a couple days. I passed by a city, so I went into a Rockler. They were out of those sprayers, though. I can always order one online or see which one Jim likes. Thanks.

[Jim Holtz]

Yeah, well, I can only justify the cost of the sprayer if I tell myself I'll be using it for other projects.



I just checked the web sites and see that there are various Wagner models. WHich one did you get?



Very nice! With the light reflecting from the window, you can still see some wood grain. So it's not a thick candied shell like on a guitar. But that could be nice as well. This might be a good route to go.

Hi Jon,

Here's a link to the Wagner website for the one I bought.

http://www.wagnerspraytech.com/Wagner/product.do?productCode=Fine_Spray

Here is a link to Gleem paint which has a lot more info.

http://www.gleempaint.com/fine-spray-hvlp-2400.html

This is the one I bought at Lowes for $100. If you search a bit, you can find it for around $90 on line.

HTH

Jim

[JonW]

OK, thanks for the specific sprayer to look for. :T


In terms of pretty finishes, I'll just throw out these pics. From Paul Reed Smith guitars. I think the blue is just stunning. I'm thinking maybe it's too much for speakers. (Or maybe not...?) But it's quite amazing.

Images not available

[opt-e]

Anyone know of any good Canadian sources for HVLP sprayers? The usual suspects Rona, Canadian Tire, and Home Depot don't seem to carry them (either that or I'm blind and can't find them on their websites ops: ).

[JonW]

The first time I tried finding them on the Home Depot site I also didn't come up with much. Maybe start by searching for Wagner and see if that helps.

[opt-e]

Thanks, Jon. I did run across a few spray guns on the Home Depot site, unfortunately it doesn't look like they carry any of the models which come with a compressor. Also, the ones I saw are "wide shot". Is a wide shot spray gun inappropriate for speaker cabinets?

[Brian Bunge]

I have the unit from Rockler that Thomas linked to. Unfortunately, I haven't used it yet as I just didn't want to deal with mixing lacquer, etc. It looks like Crystalac might be just what I'm looking for to get me to give the sprayer a try!

[JonW]

For what it's worth... I asked over here:

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=21258

About getting some of those guitar-like finishes. Some recommendations are to skip the sprayer and just use some wipe/brush on polyurethanes. I guess I still need more specifics before deciding to go one way or the other.

[BobEllis]

2 cents on that - if you are planning to do just this project, wipe on polys (just really thin regular poly) or even brush on is the way to go. You'll spend more time sanding and polishing than if you sprayed, but have a lot of money left over. If you want to build up a smooth glossy finish, wipe ons will take forever, they are very thin with low solids content.

However, if you'll use it again (regularly) a spray rig is a good investment. You'll save a lot of time if your gun works well.

To throw another idea or two into the mix, you might consider buying a decent HVLP conversion gun and renting a compressor until you are ready to buy one. Better guns will spray a smother coat, meaning less sanding. I've been using Harbor Freight guns, but just bought a Finishline3 Conversion gun ($127 including shipping). I'll have some cabinets ready for shooting in a couple weeks.

Once you have a compressor, you'll find all sorts of uses for it. I can't believe how often I use it now, from blowing dust out of everything to sanding and polishing.

My finish of choice is Pianolac. It sounds like Crystalac is a similar formula. Pianolac offers a sprayable filler/sealer and clear topcoat. It cures very hard and also polishes quite well. I've never tried Crystalac, so I can't offer a comparision. Pianolac also offers a black base coat for a piano black finish. www.Pianolac.com says that it sprays well with inexpensive HVLP turbine guns, albeit slowly.

[ThomasW]

I'll see if I can get Tom H. (ColoradoTom) to post pics and explain the quasi-french polish technique he's going to use on his M8-ta project. He's a furniture maker and also does guitars...

When he was over at my place to design crossovers he had a sample piece and it was amazing. It's a wipe-on finish, something like 1 part poly to 3-4 parts mineral spirits.

Regarding compressors, they're a wonderful thing to have. Over the years I moved from a small 20 gal portable to a 500 lb monster industrial 5 Hp 2 stage. It's in the garage, but I plumbed air lines into the basement shop. I use it for everything from sandblasting to blowing out the sprinkler system..... :T

[BobEllis]

My wiping poly experience was with store bought stuff - minwax IIRC.

Starting a "my compressor is bigger than yours" war? You win. ;x(

[ThomasW]

Starting a "my compressor is bigger than yours" war? You win

Oh trust me it's not a contest I would have prefered to have a lower cost and physically smaller option. But I'm really a metal worker at heart, and wanted to do my own sandbasting. As one can imagine sandblasting requires moving massive amounts of air at fairly high pressure, thus a large compressor. Mine is actually the smallest unit that will do the job.

[Jim Holtz]

2 cents on that - if you are planning to do just this project, wipe on polys (just really thin regular poly) or even brush on is the way to go. You'll spend more time sanding and polishing than if you sprayed, but have a lot of money left over. If you want to build up a smooth glossy finish, wipe ons will take forever, they are very thin with low solids content.

However, if you'll use it again (regularly) a spray rig is a good investment. You'll save a lot of time if your gun works well.

To throw another idea or two into the mix, you might consider buying a decent HVLP conversion gun and renting a compressor until you are ready to buy one. Better guns will spray a smother coat, meaning less sanding. I've been using Harbor Freight guns, but just bought a Finishline3 Conversion gun ($127 including shipping). I'll have some cabinets ready for shooting in a couple weeks.

Once you have a compressor, you'll find all sorts of uses for it. I can't believe how often I use it now, from blowing dust out of everything to sanding and polishing.

My finish of choice is Pianolac. It sounds like Crystalac is a similar formula. Pianolac offers a sprayable filler/sealer and clear topcoat. It cures very hard and also polishes quite well. I've never tried Crystalac, so I can't offer a comparison. Pianolac also offers a black base coat for a piano black finish. www.Pianolac.com says that it sprays well with inexpensive HVLP turbine guns, albeit slowly.

Hi Bob,


I looked at Pianolac too but it seemed to be more work than Crystalac so I went with Crystalac. OK, I admit it, I'm lazy.

Crystalac also has a black or white finish available in addition to water clear and dries rock hard so it can be sanded and buffed just like lacquer. I noticed Jon had some feedback that Crystalac required thinning to spray. That is not true. It sprays straight out of the can extremely well with my inexpensive Wagner HVLP setup. I really like Crystalac and would recommend it as a great alternative to lacquer.

Jim

[Jim Holtz]

I'll see if I can get Tom H. (ColoradoTom) to post pics and explain the quasi-french polish technique he's going to use on his M8-ta project. He's a furniture maker and also does guitars...

When he was over at my place to design crossovers he had a sample piece and it was amazing. It's a wipe-on finish, something like 1 part poly to 3-4 parts mineral spirits.

Regarding compressors, they're a wonderful thing to have. Over the years I moved from a small 20 gal portable to a 500 lb monster industrial 5 Hp 2 stage. It's in the garage, but I plumbed air lines into the basement shop. I use it for everything from sandblasting to blowing out the sprinkler system..... :T

I've had a 60 gallon upright in my garage for about 15 years and wouldn't know what to do with out it. When I was much, much younger, I was a mechanic and a real gear head. Cars were my hobby in those days. I still have and use most of my air tools.

One of my projects this Summer is to pipe air into my basement and set up a shop there so I can work during the winter months on speakers etc. I'm spraying my projects in the basement now anyway so once I get air piped in, I'll invest in a air powered HVLP gun to spray with. Crystalac is so much more family friendly to shoot in doors. Lacquer stinks!

Jim

[ThomasW]

I was a mechanic and a real gear head. Cars were my hobby in those days. I still have and use most of my air tools.

Yep, nothing like a good air powered impact wrench for changing a tire.... :T

[Brian Bunge]

I've used wipe-on polys exclusively and am ready to try something different. IMHO, minwax sucks. If you want some good wipe-on poly, see if there's a Wood You unfinished furniture store in your area. They have some really nice wipe-ons that are made for them by a company called Old Dad's. You can find them online at www.olddads.com

[ColoradoTom]

I'll see if I can get Tom H. (ColoradoTom) to post pics and explain the quasi-french polish technique he's going to use on his M8-ta project. He's a furniture maker and also does guitars...

When he was over at my place to design crossovers he had a sample piece and it was amazing. It's a wipe-on finish, something like 1 part poly to 3-4 parts mineral spirits.

Well, actually, I'm an amateur furniture maker with a couple of luthier friends, so...... as much as I'd LOVE it, I'm not a guitar maker!!!! Here's a link to something very similar to what I showed ThomasW.

http://joewoodworker.com/spitcoating.htm

Watching a true professional French Polish is really fun - the technique looks SO easy when done by someone that has a lot of experience!! Unless you have a lot of practice, edges can be a challange - and the M8ta seems like it's all egdes! I quickly moved on to easier options.

If interested I can send a high rez photo for posting. I start with several coats of Tung Oil lightly sanding between each coat until there was a solid base. On the example I showed ThomasW I had added about five "spitcoats" of oil-based Poly. Remember, for most non-professionals the quantity of time spent on preparing the surface and finishing typically correlates the the quality of the finish - I figure that I'll probably spend close to two weeks on just the finish work.

Tom

[JonW]

Thanks for the further thoughts, fellas.

An air compressor, eh? You guys are expensive to hang around with. You already talked me into a table saw, a router, a jig saw, a sander… I’ve been able to resist a compressor even with all the work I do on my cars. We’ll see...

For finishes, it looks like I’ve got the following options so far:
-Wipe on polyurethanes
-Wipe on nitrocellulose (e.g., Deft clear wood finish)
-Spray on CrystaLac or PianoLac (and buy a sprayer)
-ColoradoTom’s spitcoating

[JonW]

Well, actually, I'm an amateur furniture maker with a couple of luthier friends, so...... as much as I'd LOVE it, I'm not a guitar maker!!!! Here's a link to something very similar to what I showed ThomasW.

http://joewoodworker.com/spitcoating.htm

Watching a true professional French Polish is really fun - the technique looks SO easy when done by someone that has a lot of experience!! Unless you have a lot of practice, edges can be a challange - and the M8ta seems like it's all egdes! I quickly moved on to easier options.

If interested I can send a high rez photo for posting. I start with several coats of Tung Oil lightly sanding between each coat until there was a solid base. On the example I showed ThomasW I had added about five "spitcoats" of oil-based Poly. Remember, for most non-professionals the quantity of time spent on preparing the surface and finishing typically correlates the the quality of the finish - I figure that I'll probably spend close to two weeks on just the finish work.

Tom

Tom-
Thanks for the info. That's an excellent link. Looks like maybe it's a good option to try. If you have any more details, please send them along.

And what specific polyurethane would you recommend using for this spitcoating? I used some Zar Clear Gloss Polyurethane for my shelves and sub. It's OK, but maybe a little too dark.

[ThomasW]

Tom's spitcoating is one of the most impressive speaker finishes I've seen. I've seen finishes on speakers costing $115,000/pr (Dali Mega-lines) that didn't look as good.

[JonW]

Tom's spitcoating is one of the most impressive speaker finishes I've seen. I've seen finishes on speakers costing $115,000/pr (Dali Mega-lines) that didn't look as good.

That's an excellent endorsement. The one photo in the link he provided:

http://joewoodworker.com/projects/dining1.jpg

looks pretty good. Would you say that's representative?
The procedure sounds pretty straight forward. If I can get a recommendation for a specific polyurethane to use, maybe I'll give it a try.

[slayer]

What about this. Venneer the sides, top, back, and bottom. Stain to the color I want. Then have the front baffle sprayed a piano gloss black while having them clear over the entire speaker. Will clear gloss paint work over the stained wood? Or should I finish the veneer portion of the speaker first, then have the baffle finished with the rest masked off? I am after the same finish as the rosewood speakers on the first page of this thread. I want a deep clear over the finish. Looking like it's an inch thick.
I have completed several veneering projects over the years with great results. It's the gloss finish that I need help with. How do you get that thick gloss finish?

[ThomasW]

We'll see if he can host a larger pic of the walnut sample he showed me. Then talk about the specifics of what he did and product he uses.

I think the high gloss in the one in the link is a bit over the top, but that's just me....

[Dennis H]

For finishes, it looks like I’ve got the following options so far:
-Wipe on polyurethanes
-Wipe on nitrocellulose (e.g., Deft clear wood finish)
-Spray on CrystaLac or PianoLac (and buy a sprayer)
-ColoradoTom’s spitcoating

Don't forget spraying on Deft from rattle cans. One of my favorites for small projects where it's not worth getting the sprayer dirty. It takes a little practice but you can get a very good result.

[PMazz]

If you're doing a light veneer, only use a finish that will stay clear and not yellow. Poly is not one of them, unless you use the water-based Polys.

I've never heard of a wipe on lacquer. I'd guess you'd need quite a bit of retarder to keep it from drying while you apply it. Of course, that's the benefit when spraying, being able to build up 6 coats in a couple hours.

You may be able to rent spray equipment locally. If so, this may be your best bet if it's not something you'll be "into".

A deep finish is only achieved by applying a significant build of material. Sanding, buffing and polishing are then used to give that glass-like finish.

For french polishing, using something softer than paper towels may help. Believe it or not, feminine hygiene products are used with great success.... and little fanfare. A wad of cotton is also excellent.

Pete

[ColoradoTom]

Fellow DIY'ers:

I left my camera at a party last night and should be able to retrieve it tonight. As soon as I do, I will email ThomasW some high rez pictures and see if he can post them somewhere when others can view them.

Now.... these are my thoughts and opinions and this is free advice and probably worth less than what you are paying for it, so here goes!

#1 I use veneers or real wood in my projects. If I were to use just MDF/HDF and wanted to finish it I'd probably go with one of the "truck liner" options that have been mentioned in the past. Sounds easy and the results seem to look quite reasonable.

#2 If you are working with wood and have limited experience with finishing I'd look at Tung Oil. You basically flood the surface by brushing it on, wait a bit, and then wipe it off. It is ridiculously easy to do, hard to screw-up, and will get you 70 to 80% of the way to kickass professional looking finish. There are many fine furniture makers that use this as their dominate finish technique for their work. Unless you have friends that are fine furniture makers, most people would assume a Tung Oil finish was done by a professional and not a DIY'er. The major drawback is that each layer will take you about 24 hours of time and you'l typically need several layers (proably more that 4 to get the best results). Here's a link:

http://www.djmarks.com/stories/faq/What_is_the_mix_ratio_for_the_Linseed_Oil_Tung_Oil_and_Urethane_46687.asp

If you use the technique that David describes you will have a VERY professional looking finish that requires minimal knowledge and no tooling investment.

#3 Guitar finishes - well, if you think audiophiles are the only crazed, anal retentive group, then you need to visit some of the guitar forums. One of the reasons that lacquer and "french polishing" techniques are popular with guiter makers is that they allow very thin layers for the resulting finish. These thin finishes allow the guitar to keep it's "tone" while at the same time allow the instrument ot become an object of beauty. There are many discussions on the different types of guitar finishing techniques and the effect on the tone of the guitar. Slapping on a thick coat of poly on a fine acoustic instrument has the possibility/probability of ruining it's unique sound. (I understand that this probably isn't the case with solid bodied guitars like a Fender Strat, but mine still has a Nitro-Cellulose Lacquer finish and I would guess that most guitars both electric and acoustic of recent vintage have this type of finish because it's easy/fast to apply in a production shop and it's also easy to repair). Keep this in mind when you use a guitar as an example, some of the isssues that dictate the finish on an acoustic instrument may have nothing to do with what you are concerned with as a speaker builder.

#4 - My goal with the finish on my M8ta's is to try something different (always fun), try to make it as easy as possible, and try to make it look like the finish on my guitar collection. I do have a small compressor, but the ability to setup a spray booth isn't realistic at this time and that makes the lacquer option a NO for right now (although I've heard that there are brush on lacquers). So far the "spit" finish has come the closest in reaching all my criteria. I agree with ThomasW that taken to an extreme you end up with something that looks like a table top in a "Hooters" bar, but if you use a little common sense when applying the finish it can look pretty good and the technique is very easy to master. I've been applying the poly/mineral spirits mixture with a linen handkerchief and wipe it on slowly so that I don't create bubbles. In my tests I can typically apply new coats after about 8 hours of drying time and this allows two or more coats per day!! In the end I may be able to prep and finish a pair of M8ta's in less than a week and have a finish that is >90% of the "piano" finishes shown earlier in this post with only elbow grease and a couple of handkerchiefs as and investment - as my daughter would say "Way Cool!!"

Just some thoughts...............more to come later!

Tom

[ColoradoTom]

Got my camera back early and sent a very high rez photo to ThomasW. The test piece is a veneer of Santos Rosewood the comparison piece is a recent 50 year anniversary version of a 1954 Fender Strat with a high gloss lacquer finish. The Santos Rosewood was finished with two coats of Tung Oil followed by five coats of the "spit" finish (1 part poly to 3 parts mineral spirits). The Tung Oil will darken the rosewood and give it "character" IMHO. If you want to keep the rosewood (or any wood) a lighter color you can seal it with a coat of diluted blonde shellac as a first step and then follow with Tung Oil.

I choose not to stain wood and instead pick the species to match the color I want. If I need to modify a natural color I use dye. If you want to know why, go to a woodworking store and compare the results of using an amber dye and an amber colored stain. The stain lodges in the pores of the wood and emphasizes the grain structure while the dye will add a uniform color the the entire surface and highlight the figure of the wood.

The finish on the Santos Rosewood in the example was dulled to a semi-gloss with 0000 steel wool - prior to dulling the finish it looked too much like "Evil Twin's" head piece 8O

Later..............

Tom

[JonW]

I think the high gloss in the one in the link is a bit over the top, but that's just me....

I totally agree.

Don't forget spraying on Deft from rattle cans. One of my favorites for small projects where it's not worth getting the sprayer dirty. It takes a little practice but you can get a very good result.

I didn’t know the stuff came in spray cans. But if I’m going to do this, maybe it’s worth “investing” (i.e., buy another toy) in a sprayer. Although Colorado Tom’s finish is sounding pretty appealing at the moment.

If you're doing a light veneer, only use a finish that will stay clear and not yellow. Poly is not one of them, unless you use the water-based Polys.

Yeah, my limited experience, so far, has also beenthat oil-based poly does yellow the wood some. For my sub, it ended up looking better. For my shelves, it was OK. But for my upcoming veneered speakers, I’d maybe like to avoid that.

[JonW]

Colorado Tom-

What you're doing sounds quite similar to what I'm after. I'm looking forward to seeing those photos. And if you could provide any specifics, that would be super. Like what specific products you used, what mixture ratios, what steps you took all along the way, etc. Thanks.

-Jon

[ThomasW]

Here's a link to a pic of Tom's sample walnut spitfinsh next to a pretty cool guitar. NOTE to those on dial-up the pic is 2.7 megs!!!

[moreants]

I've used MDF and faux painted wood grain on it with craft paints. Came out quite well and was pretty easy. Coated with oil based semi gloss poly.

[ColoradoTom]

I've used mdf and faux painted woodgrain on it with craft paints. Came out quite well and was pretty easy. Coated with oil based semi gloss poly.

OK, I'm sorry, but this is REALLY good - I know this is a picture but this looks better than some REAL wood photos ;x(

Tom

[moreants]

OK, I'm sorry, but this is REALLY good - I know this is a picture but this looks better than some REAL wood photos ;x(

Tom

Thanks. Experimented with a red finish first. As you can see it didn't really work. Ended up going with a more neutral tone and am quite happy. Plus they don't clash with my "Sonus Fakers". :rollhead:

[dlneubec]

Colorado Tom,

The spitcoating concept really has my attention and I'd like to use it on a project I'm currently building. I'll probably go with several tung oil layers with the poly-mix over that. I do have a question or two, however.

First, when applying to a multi-sided object, like a speaker, do you apply to one side at a time, with that side laying flat up, or can you apply it to all sides (but the down side, obvisously)? If you do multiple sides at one session, are there any issues with drips on vertical planes when applying this finish? How do you handle roundover-type transitions from one side or plane to another, where one changes from horizontal to vertical surfaces?

I'm trying to figure out what process you wold use to handle finishing a multi-sided project and the transitions between sides.

Thanks,

[ColoradoTom]

Colorado Tom,

The spitcoating concept really has my attention and I'd like to use it on a project I'm currently building. I'll probably go with several tung oil layers with the poly-mix over that. I do have a question or two, however.

First, when applying to a multi-sided object, like a speaker, do you apply to one side at a time, with that side laying flat up, or can you apply it to all sides (but the down side, obvisously)? If you do multiple sides at one session, are there any issues with drips on vertical planes when applying this finish? How do you handle roundover-type transitions from one side or plane to another, where one changes from horizontal to vertical surfaces?

I'm trying to figure out what process you wold use to handle finishing a multi-sided project and the transitions between sides.

Thanks,

I've got a mock-up of the top portion of the M8ta, it's currently got a really poor piece of veneer on it, I will run a test on it over the next weekend and post the results. I really don't see too many problems as the poly is pretty well diluted and flows on in a similar way as wiping on the tung oil. You are applying a very thin coat and I had no build up on edges with the test piece shown in the picture.

Tom

[slayer]

Are you using Minwax Tung oil or is there a better brand?