Finally, some progress...

[tomzarbo]

Thank you, I have a way to go, but it's getting better. Kevin K gave me quite a few pointers. I still can't do a finish like him, but I still like to try.

[Jake]

Beautiful work Tom, always jealous of your finish work.

[tomzarbo]

Thanks Tom and Anunnaki, its going slow, but at least its going.

Beautiful work Jim. Thats the plan, dump a bunch of lacquer on and cut it down to smooth. I've done it a few times before, I'll need to becareful with the curves and angles, but if I need to reshoot, that's no problem.

With no MWAF I have time.

TomZ

[anunnaki]

Looking forward to seeing the finished product. Excellent work so far!! Bravo.

[tom_s]

Those are looking sweet, Tom. You sure are the king of the curves!

[jim85iroc]

You can get great results from a rattle can as long as you lay it on thick enough to wetsand and buff it. This is Minwax Polyurethane from a can:

[tomzarbo]

Looking good Tom!! Are you using a Nitrocellulose lacquer or an acrylic lacquer?

Thanks sir!

I'm using... Um, Rustoleum rattle can lacquer.

I haven't stepped up to a spray setup yet, probably never will. I usually go with wipe-on poly, but this veneer isn't always poly-friendly.

But I'm going to take it as a compliment that you might have thought it looked decent enough to pass for a real spray job.

TomZ

[DeZZar]

Looking good Tom!! Are you using a Nitrocellulose lacquer or an acrylic lacquer?

[tomzarbo]

Just a tiny bit of progress on these.
No huge rush as MWAF isn't happening for 2021, but these will be my main speakers for our family room, so I would like to get them finished soon-ish.





This was a full day of dozens of thin coats of clear lacquer... and a few hours into the second day as it was a bit hot/humid on Saturday. I needed to apply a few coats on Sunday to get the shine back up, so I did a light sanding to smooth things out before putting a half dozen thin coats on the next day.

Gotta love Lacquer for quick drying, and recoating anytime. Sure is stinky, though.

Next up: Getting the side panel inserts covered with faux leather and installed.

TomZ

[tomzarbo]

What do you fill the grain with?
Nice clock!

CrystaLac makes a grain filling product. Kevin K suggested it to me a few years ago and it really works well. Kind of looks like plain yogurt when you apply it. Dries clear and fills all the little grain openings that prevent that perfect glass smooth finish on wood.

It is a sharp clock, isn't it?

TomZ

[a4eaudio]

What do you fill the grain with?
Nice clock!

[tomzarbo]

Did a little filling here and there over the past few days and today some final sanding...



Applied a first coat of BLO and watched the magic happen!



My plan is for a super-smooth and shiny finish. These will be sealed, grain-filled, and sealed several times... then probably left for a few months until it warms up a bit. I can spray clear lacquer out in my garage, but it's got to be warm enough, and it won't be until probably March or maybe even April or so.

So I may just work out the crossovers and such before applying the final lacquer clear coats. That's not how I usually do it, but it may be necessary this time. I'd like at least a good month or so of listening to shake these down before MWAF this year.

The two larger holes at the rear are for PE's Monster Binding Post speaker terminal by the way. These were a good choice because they are far enough apart to straddle the port, which is right next to the rear of the cabinet due to packaging constraints.

TomZ

[tomzarbo]

[tomzarbo]

Just a bit of progress.



Belt, disc, and spindle sanding needed to remove my less-than-perfect bandsawing skills.



1/4" roundover on the sides that show. Drilled and tapped the holes for the rubber floor bumpers... The threads do hold fine in hardwood. This makes them slightly adjustable for my wobbly tile floor.



Now I have to get some wood filler for a few tiny boo-boos before I can start sealing these.

More to come...

TomZ

[tomzarbo]

Oh, okay.

I'd know you if I saw you, but I'm so bad with names it's ridiculous, especially with screen names. Sorry, didn't mean to talk in such basic terms, you've obviously done this a few times, I didn't realize.

I'm perfectly afraid of contact cement to be honest, I'm so clutzy, and with curves, I can see me goofing that up pretty quick. I used water-based contact cement and it did loosen, but the edges are still in tact, so that's good.

I haven't actually had any of my iron-on projects fail, so as a bonding process it must be really good, and really easy. I would have had a few issues if it were critical to do it exactly as the instructions say. I think you'll like it, it has a hands-on process that seems kind of theraputic and calming. I have to get some more glue delivered soon, but it doesn't like the cold, so they ship with a heat bag in the pkg. during cold seasons.

TomZ