MOEB74 Posted November 7, 2017 Report Share Posted November 7, 2017 For the life of me, I cannot find the thread I think I had found earlier, where someone made some speaker stands? I think they were modeled after the AR stands? I did find the AR stand DIY but I thought there was a guy that tailored them to the Model Fives? Also, on the cabinets finish... Has anyone truly figured out what is on the cabinet? Lacquer? Should I use Restor-a-Finish or maybe lightly sand with some very fine Scotch Brite pads and then apply some WATCO oil in clear or walnut? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKent Posted November 8, 2017 Report Share Posted November 8, 2017 I am away right now so it’s difficult for me to search for your answer but I believe the finish is lacquer. If you strip the finish using lacquer thinner or paint remover, sand lightly, then refinish with either lacquer or Watco oil you will end up with a beautiful finish. There is a website that shows an English Restorer who did a beautiful job Kent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKent Posted November 8, 2017 Report Share Posted November 8, 2017 PS: Take a look at the thread “need advice on refinishing rough KLH model five” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOEB74 Posted November 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2017 Thanks. I have seen that thread, but thought Id ask still. I found it later one, but I was hoping more model 5 restorers would pop in. Im going to use a very fine sctoch brite pad to roughen up the surface and hopefully get the wood looking nice. According to Scotch Brite, the very fine pad is 360-400 grit...That would work, right? How do I apply the lacquer thinner? I think the last guy said it was taking forever.. Couldnt I just sand it off? Seems like that would make short order of the coating removal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKent Posted November 9, 2017 Report Share Posted November 9, 2017 You can sand but veneer is VERY unforgiving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOEB74 Posted November 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2017 okay.. It looks like the lacquer is impossible or I should say very hard and LLOONNGG process to remove the finish. no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKent Posted November 10, 2017 Report Share Posted November 10, 2017 It’s not hard. Sand just enough to get through the glossy shell then use lacquer thinner and steel wool or scotch brite to remove the rest of the lacquer. And you don’t have to get every last bit if you are applying new lacquer. Each new coat sort of melts the previous one. Also lacquer dries VERY fast (like 10 minutes) so it’s fast and easy and you don’t get much dust in the finish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOEB74 Posted November 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2017 Appreciate it. I received them yesterday and the finish is off, one is darker than the other. Any suggestions on how to deal with them? Should I hit them with some 220-320 or whatever then use the natural watco oil on the darker one then use the dark walnut watco on the lighter one to.match them up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKent Posted November 12, 2017 Report Share Posted November 12, 2017 That may work. Is the finish totally off? Do you plan to do an oil finish (no lacquer)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOEB74 Posted November 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2017 The finish is very nice, just one looks faded and the other well does not. There are almost zero scratches on them, covers looks very good, serials are close 003119 and 003126. I guess it sat in the sun.. Should I dope the mids? What about the cap? Just the woofer surrounds are doped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKent Posted November 13, 2017 Report Share Posted November 13, 2017 4 hours ago, MOEB74 said: Should I dope the mids? What about the cap? Just the woofer surrounds are doped. http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/library/klh/other/klh_schematicsservice/klh_service_bulletin_60.pdf How 'bout photos? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOEB74 Posted November 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2017 Sure, but not with them currently... But I think Im just going to stay with the dope'd woffer surrounds. Many say there is no point in doing the mids ( even RoyC says that ) and the caps are still debatable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOEB74 Posted November 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2017 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOEB74 Posted November 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2017 I do have some images of the coloration being off, maybe this would help for a better path to take? Edited: Not sure why they are sideways, they are upright on my PC... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKent Posted November 13, 2017 Report Share Posted November 13, 2017 Are you certain all the finish is off? The top one in the first pic looks glossy. If the finish is off, one method may be to use tinted Howard Restor-a-Finish. You could use Dark Walnut, or many of us like to use Mahogany to give a slight reddish warmth to the color. You can then finish them off with Watco. Regarding the sealant: I usually don't do the "12.5" (mid) drivers but the dust cap should be coated with either the butyl or thinned Aleene's Tacky Glue or even thinned Elmer's glue (the caps don't have to be flexible--just sealed). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOEB74 Posted November 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2017 Thanks. The color is most definitely off... Maybe I can see if I can get my wife to get a better shot.. Stand by. Edited: here is another shot from the sale ad I bought them from Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKent Posted November 13, 2017 Report Share Posted November 13, 2017 23 minutes ago, MOEB74 said: The color is most definitely off No--I didn't mean off-color. I meant if the finish has definitely been totally removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOEB74 Posted November 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2017 Oh that im not sure on... Do you recommend sanding or just using something like the Howards RAF or maybe that Formbly or something like that? Then go over them both with the Watco Med. Walnut? Suggestions on how to apply the finish/stripper? I think I want to use the synthetic steel wool since it seems a tad safer and I dont want to pull the drivers, so I'll be using plastic and taping that area off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKent Posted November 13, 2017 Report Share Posted November 13, 2017 I'm completely confused now. The speakers were originally finished with a hard coating. I'm guessing lacquer because the radios were lacquered. But it "may" be varnish. If the speakers look pretty good you could just go over them with Howard RAF but that will not remove the hard finish and you cannot use oil (like Watco) over a hard finish like lacquer or varnish. Many KLH Model Five (and the similar-looking Model Thirty Three) speakers have turned dull and orange from age and it greatly improves them if you totally strip the old finish off. But if yours look good maybe a quick wipe with RAF or even just leave them alone and enjoy. I've tried Formby's. Don't like it. Here are the 33s I refinished, to illustrate the improvement after stripping off the old lacquer. YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOEB74 Posted November 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2017 Sorry for the confusion, I like your speakers after the restore. Although a bit more gloss than Id like. All in all, I dont know whats going on with the speakers. One is dark and the other is light. I dont know what finish they are, I dont know whats on them. I dont know anything about them, hence me posting here seeing if anyone would chime in. Thanks anyway, I appreciate your input. Id like them to match as minimum. So I might just sand lightly to knock some of the finish off and then throw on some Watco oil. I dont really want to use more chemicals than I have to to remove the old finish, whatever that may be... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKent Posted November 13, 2017 Report Share Posted November 13, 2017 OK. But when you say "some" of the finish, that won't work. Hard finishes (lacquer, varnish) sit on top of the wood. Penetrating finishes (oil) soak in. If you don't remove ALL of the old finish the Watco oil will five a blotchy result and it won't sink in over the hard finish so it will be tacky. RAF can be used over a hard finish. Just wipe on/wipe off. If the difference in color bothers you, you could try using Natural on the dark one and Dark Walnut on the light one but I doubt they will ever match perfectly. A woodworker friend says "if you want it to match, use Formica". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOEB74 Posted November 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2017 Makes sense... I understand what you mean on the color matching as I dont want a 100% match, just more-so than the mismatch as they are now. I found some pictures from the original owner ( an old sale ad ) and you can see it more here ( the color variation ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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