Best way to refinish walnut veneer speakers

[JKent]

Sorry for the cross-post, but I was afraid this would get buried over on the AR section, and I wanted to share some recommendations on what works best for refinishing those old speakers.

I've tried sanding, but veneer is thin and one mistake can be disastrous. Chemical strippers work, but they're pretty messy. I do NOT like the Formby's Furniture Refinisher. It claims that it does not strip off the old finish, but it does--just not very well! The chemical fumes are so strong you can only use it outside and even then you should wear a mask. I've tried it a couple of times and would never use it again.

OTOH: A product called Howard's Restor-A-Finish is GREAT (IMHO). It comes in a walnut color and you can wipe it on if the finish is not too bad, or rub it in with steel wool. I does soften and loosen the old finish a bit so I don't know how it is on varnish, but on vintage speakers and radios, or veneered cabinets on audio components, it works great. It evens out the finish, disguises scratches, and leaves a nice oil finish. You cannot use varnish, shellac, poly, etc over it but I have used oil over it and it works fine. It really brings the old cabinets back to life, and there is no danger of sanding through the veneer!

I have even used it after patching veneer with either small veneer pieces or Plastic Wood and it works well. On my monster KLH 12s, I had used a chemical stripper but there was still some residue of the finish. After cleaning off all the old stripper with mineral spirits and letting it dry, I used the Howard's. Worked great! Gave the same effect as wiping with walnut-color Watco Oil, but it also softened and evened the remnants of the old finish.

I bet it would work for tape residue. Apply with steel wool. It is also recommended for water marks.

Try it!

[Andy]

Thanks for those recommendations, there's many ways to go in refinishing. Sometimes it's hard to tell what the cabinet is actually finished with in the first place...just oiled, lacquer, polly. I myself hate chemical strippers, they're so strong they can disolve the glue that holds the veneer on ! Sanding only takes time, but no mess with fumes. Tung oil leaves a nice finish after hardens. I've never tried the Watco oil, but sounds pretty good.

As with antique radios, I always just restore the finish when possible. I recommend finding a copy of Bruce Johnsons "The Weekend Refinisher", paperback thats been in print for about 20 years, great straight forword info thats full of helpful ideas.

Andy

[tysontom]

>Thanks for those recommendations, there's many ways to go in

>refinishing. Sometimes it's hard to tell what the cabinet is

>actually finished with in the first place...just oiled,

>lacquer, polly. I myself hate chemical strippers, they're so

>strong they can disolve the glue that holds the veneer on !

>Sanding only takes time, but no mess with fumes. Tung oil

>leaves a nice finish after hardens. I've never tried the Watco

>oil, but sounds pretty good.

>

>As with antique radios, I always just restore the finish when

>possible. I recommend finding a copy of Bruce Johnsons

>"The Weekend Refinisher", paperback thats been in

>print for about 20 years, great straight forword info thats

>full of helpful ideas.

>

Andy,

Most of the older ARs and KLHs and so forth were finished in oiled-walnut veneer, which means they were finished with boiled-linseed oil (several coats) and then usually finished with a wax (at least in AR's case). Once it has been determined that the finish was oiled walnut and not lacquered walnut (there were a few KLHs finished this way, but not many), you can use a very fine-grit sandpaper (usually 600 grit) and lightly sand *with* the grain to clean the surface. An application of boiled-linseed oil or with excellent Watco Oil, with or without stain, allowing it to settle in for approximately 15-20 minutes, wiping off access, allowing to dry over a 24-hour period, then repeating the process about three times, will give very good results. I usually finish off by very lightly sanding with 600-grit, wiping down, then waxing with Watco finish wax to seal the pores. This leaves a very smooth, lustrous finish without being glossy. Avoid oils such as Tung Oil, which dry usually to a glossy shine, and which is almost like a poly finish once it has cured. You don't want that sort of finish for oiled walnut.

--Tom Tyson

[Guest rhollingsworth]

Thanks for your post, Tom, old as it is.

I'm glad to come across it.

I acquired a pair of 17s with pretty bad finishes, including some hefty gouges.

I saw what the fellow did at http://www.elitebypioneer.com/KLH/KLHrestore2.htm using Tung oil.

It doesn't necessarily look bad; it just doesn't look like a KLH any more.

Any particular wood filler you would recommend?

Thanks,

RH

[Guest rhollingsworth]

Oops, please pardon the Newbie.

All posters in this thread provide good info.

Thanks to all.

RH

[Rhubarb]

I too had great luck with Howard Restor-A-Finish on my Model Fives:

Before:

After:

Went over finish first with 000 steel wool and then applied Restor-A-Finish with 0000 steel wool. Followed application with two coats of Howard Feed-N-Wax. Takes no time and gives very nice results.

Does not give perfect results as a complete refinish would, but the results are very good considering only about two hours of work.

[JKent]

Went over finish first with 000 steel wool and then applied Restor-A-Finish with 0000 steel wool. Followed application with two coats of Howard Feed-N-Wax. Takes no time and gives very nice results.

Glad that worked out Rhubarb. What an improvement! Yes--Howard's wax is good. You can also use Watco Oil, Minwax Antique Oil, or Tung Oil over the Restor-a-finish, since that alone does not really provide much of a finish. I use Watco Oil on speakers that were originally oiled, and the Minwax Antique Oil (very similar to Tung Oil) on KLH radios that originally had a glossy finish. Of course you can wax on top of those finishes.

In cases where some sanding is necessary, Tom's method works very well. Or, to go a couple of steps further, try this:

http://www.assoc-restorers.com/r-articles/sal/smothoil.html

RH: I was frustrated by deep gouges and corner dings until CSP member "johnieo" recommended the following: Get Mixol pigment (available in some art supply stores) in tobacco brown. Add one drop to a mixture of 12-hour (NOT 5-minute) epoxy and use that as filler. For corners and edges you have to make a form of some sort. I usually make a "dam" of masking tape. Let it cure a couple of days then file/sand. It works great and the corners are super solid (unlike Plastic Wood, which will just chip off). If I find a photo I'll post it.

Kent

[boreas]

I was frustrated by deep gouges and corner dings until CSP member "johnieo" recommended the following: Get Mixol pigment (available in some art supply stores) in tobacco brown. Add one drop to a mixture of 12-hour (NOT 5-minute) epoxy and use that as filler. For corners and edges you have to make a form of some sort. I usually make a "dam" of masking tape. Let it cure a couple of days then file/sand. It works great and the corners are super solid (unlike Plastic Wood, which will just chip off). If I find a photo I'll post it.

Kent

Hi, Kent - Interesting idea about the tinted epoxy. It sounds like a sort of updated and simpler version of the old shellac sticks and alcohol flame technique. I'd be interested in any pictures you can provide of the results.

Thanks,

John