Trump Tower build

[ultimateherts]

Does the sound comb over the top? Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk

[a3cervo]

Wow! very good woodworking, I really appreciate the step by step build logs and tips. Subscribed.

[PassingInterest]

Dan, I'm looking at that last photo and the reflection of the "G" is pretty impressive. Could you share your process and finishing materials for the sidewalls? Also, did you polish them? Thanks.

Thanks, Kevin! I hope you enjoyed MWAF. Sorry I couldn't make it. It would have been cool to hook up there.

I always worry that I am taking too many pictures and providing too much detail, so I don't have much to share on these Mahogany panels. I'll go into more detail with the next ones, which will be Red Oak. The finish I used was Minwax Oil Modified Water Based Polyurethane and yes, I polished the panels. Sorry for the lack of details, but stay tuned and I'll go into the finishing process later.

[PassingInterest]

ultimatemerts - I'm not sure what you mean.

a3cervo - Thank you for the kind words!

[PassingInterest]

Most of the Red Oak that I want to use on the next pair is not cupped so badly as these. If I start jointing and planing these as is, I will lose more thickness than I'd like. So, these will get ripped down the center before jointing and planing. If I needed this width, I could rejoin them after the other operations.




Back to the Mahogany panels - Clamping one panel at a time and using the router template to spread out the clamping pressure.

Tip: If you have trouble with your panel sliding around when you apply the clamps and you don't want to shoot any nails to mar the panels, you can sprinkle a little salt on the cabinet. The grains of salt will dig in and stop the panel from sliding, then dissolve before the glue sets up completely, without harming the glue any.




Mostly done with the cabinet.

[PassingInterest]

It can be difficult to remove the disc from the hole saw if you cut all the way through in one plunge. Instead, cut most of the way through, then flip it over and finish the cut from the other side. Just make sure you cut deep enough for the drill bit to leave a hole on the other side.




Removing this from the hole saw is easy.




The same is true for the thinner disks.

Tip: If you are scorching the wood and it is smoking and you are fighting the cut - stop and sharpen the teeth on your hole saw. I removed the hole saw from the drill press and held it in my hand and used a cut-off disc in a Dremel to sharpen each tooth. It cut effortlessly after that and no more smoke or scorched wood.

[PassingInterest]

I glued another half-inch on the feet to get the height I wanted and to make the bottom solid - no hole in the center.




Shaping the feet. I cut an 18 degree angle in a board and clamped it to the table to use as a guide for my makeshift shaping jig. Shaping was fast and easy this way.




Then a quick pass with some sandpaper at the drill press and I am ready to paint the feet.

[donradick]

Jeepers! Those sides look good on the box. I might have missed it, what did you end up using on the baffles?

Good tip on the hole saw. I've thrown a few away in disgust when they started smoking a lot.

[Kevin K.]

Thanks, Kevin! I hope you enjoyed MWAF. Sorry I couldn't make it. It would have been cool to hook up there.

I always worry that I am taking too many pictures and providing too much detail, so I don't have much to share on these Mahogany panels. I'll go into more detail with the next ones, which will be Red Oak. The finish I used was Minwax Oil Modified Water Based Polyurethane and yes, I polished the panels. Sorry for the lack of details, but stay tuned and I'll go into the finishing process later.

MWAF was a blast, sorry you couldn't attend, perhaps next year. No need to worry about taking too many pictures or providing too much detail, most members like pics. Besides, you've got more tricks up your sleeves than Houdini. There may not be a lot of guys making comments in your thread but based on the number of visits it's seen, I gander it's more than just Don and myself following along.

Like Don, I'm curious about the black paint you shot on the baffles. I can see the spray gun and what looks like a quart of paint in the photo but can't make it out.

[PassingInterest]

Foot-Grinder Rev A. (Wait for the second picture).




Rev. A.




Just sanding the discs that go on top of the base, directly over each foot.




I started to use Crystalac Black polyurethane paint, but I soon realized that I don't have enough. I thought I had another can. So I switched over to the EmTech product shown below. I intended to shoot two clear coats over it, but I like the way it looks without it. The paint and the clear product are waterborne lacquers. I added EmTech's Crosslinker to the paint, to make it stronger and more chemical resistant.




This is the finish I used on the Mahogany panels.

[Tompart]

I
love the design of these speakers and thank you so much for adding a step by step with pictures this will prove great for beginners

[ani_101]

What do you like better, the emtech or crytalac? I will start into spraying lacquer, so some tips would be appreciated.

[PassingInterest]

Thanks, Tompart! I try to gear my threads to help beginners.

What do you like better, the emtech or crytalac? I will start into spraying lacquer, so some tips would be appreciated.

The Crystalac is a waterborne polyurethane. Poly does not "burn-in" to previous layers like lacquer does. This is something to be aware of. Each layer of poly sits on top of the previous layer. So, if you want to polish the topcoat, you run the risk of sanding through the top layer. The end result will appear as though you have sort of "pools" where you sanded or polished through to the next layer. In woodworking, this is called "ghosting." In the automotive finishing world, it is referred to as "witness lines." A picture would help. I'll add one later, if I find one. The only solution is to spray another coat and start your final finishing over again. This is just something to be aware of. If you are careful, you won't have a problem.

Lacquer on the other hand, partially dissolves the surface of the previous layer of lacquer and the layers become one, no matter how many coats you apply, they all become one thick coat, all melded together.

Having said all that. I like them both. Whatever you spray, make sure you wear a filter cartridge respirator, so you don't wreck your lungs.

[PassingInterest]

Red Oak panels, ready to shape and sand.




My wife wants me to do a pair in Cedar. I'm not really sure about the look. I wouldn't have chosen it for this project. I thought I would use Ash. But of the three woods used, she is most excited about the Cedar. I'll give it a try.




Preparing to joint and plane the Cedar.




Cedar panel glue-up.




Spin and spray. I'm still applying coats of waterborne poly to seal the wood and make it smooth, before painting the feet black. I did the same thing for the mini hockey pucks, seen in the background on the left.

[PassingInterest]

Here is an example of "ghosting" or "witness lines," where I polished through the top coat, into the next coat of poly on a previous project.