Cabinet repair

AFEuphman
AFEuphman Posts: 55
edited March 2014 in Vintage Speakers
image.jpg
image.jpg
So, in preparation for adding rings and recapping/re-re inductoring my CRS+'s, I went looking for a "temp" pair of speakers. I stumbled on a pair of 5B's (and got a couple BA a40's that needed refoamed in the deal) for $85! It's amazing how one project begets another, isn't it?! Anyway, the 5B's sound great, but the corner of one of the cabinets has a chunk out of it. It doesn't "break the seal" or anything, but it doesn't look very good. Sooo...
Have any of you worked on the cabinets in a wood-filler, bondo-ish kind of way? I think I'd like to put light oak veneer over them, so it doesn't have to be beautiful... Just secure and shapeable. And veneerable.
I also ended up with an eBay find of a pair of BA a150's in light oak with that wheat grill cloth. I'd love to do that to these 5's. They are my "learning" pair.
Anyway, thanks in advance for your ideas! Polk on!
Post edited by AFEuphman on
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • AFEuphman
    AFEuphman Posts: 55
    edited March 2014
    Ugh, iPhones are ALMOST really cool...
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,554
    edited March 2014
    If you are going to veneer them, remove the vinyl first, use Bondo or wood epoxy (NOT wood filler) to repair the damaged area, then apply the veneer.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • AFEuphman
    AFEuphman Posts: 55
    edited March 2014
    Thanks for that. Glad I was on the right track. So, I can only imagine how much fun removing the vinyl will be...
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • drumiv
    drumiv Posts: 171
    edited March 2014
    I would add one thing to the bondo repair; use Minwax Wood Hardener on the area first, after removing any flaking wood chips from the area. Good luck.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • 11tsteve
    11tsteve Posts: 1,166
    edited March 2014
    I just stripped a set of 5JR and it wasn't as bad as I expected. At points, tedious, but well worth the effort. I used a heat gun at times, and when I wanted more quiet, I used an iron on medium with a dish towel between the iron and the vinyl. This would heat up a large area and allow a pretty good section to be peeled before the adhesive cooled.
    Polk Lsi9
    N.E.W. A-20 class A 20W
    NAD 1020 completely refurbished
    Keces DA-131 mk.II
    Analysis Plus Copper Oval, Douglass, Morrow SUB3, Huffman Digital
    Paradigm DSP-3100 v.2
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • AFEuphman
    AFEuphman Posts: 55
    edited March 2014
    Oh man, thanks so much for all the advice! Wood hardener, huh? That makes sense! It's definitely a little crumbly at the bad corner.

    Wish me luck y'all, I'm going in!!!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TennMan
    TennMan Posts: 1,266
    edited March 2014
    I knew Viagra and Cialis made wood hardener but I didn't know Minwax did. I guess we will be getting spam emails wanting to sell us some of that now.

    I just couldn't resist. LOL
    • SDA 2BTL · Sonicaps · Mills resistors · RDO-198s · New gaskets · H-nuts · Erse inductors · BH5 · Dynamat
    • Crossover upgrades by westmassguy
    • Marantz 1504 AVR (front speaker pre-outs to Adcom 555)
    • Adcom GFA-555 amp · Upgrades & speaker protection added by OldmanSRS
    • Pioneer DV-610AV DVD/CD player
    • SDA CRS+ · Hidden away in the closet
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,554
    edited March 2014
    I would advise not using the wood hardner as any liquid applied to particle board will likely cause swelling.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,287
    edited March 2014
    Last time I did a particle board repair I took a brush to the loose particles drilled small holes and put tooth picks creating a bonding form like you would do concrete and then built up bondo did some sanding. The repair sill stands strong.
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Moose68Bash
    Moose68Bash Posts: 3,843
    edited March 2014
    I have made a form out of plywood and covered the surfaces exposed to Bondo with waxed paper, to which Bondo will not adhere, attached the form around the area to be filled and then filled the void with Bondo. It takes a lot of preparation, but it has worked well for me in a number of applications -- none on speaker cabinets, however. It can be sanded to give a "perfect" surface.
    Family Room, Innuos Statement streamer (Roon Core) with Morrow Audio USB cable to McIntosh MC 2700 pre with DC2 Digital Audio Module; AQ Sky XLRs to CAT 600.2 dualmono amp, Morrow Elite Speaker Cables to NOLA Baby Grand Reference Gold 3 speakers. Power source for all components: Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One with dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel.

    Exercise Room, Innuos Streamer via Cat 6 cable connection to PS Audio PerfectWave MkII DAC w/Bridge II, AQ King Cobra RCAs to Perreaux PMF3150 amp (fully restored and upgraded by Jeffrey Jackson, Precision Audio Labs), Supra Rondo 4x2.5 Speaker Cables to SDA 1Cs (Vr3 Mods Xovers and other mods.), Dreadnaught with Supra Rondo 4x2.5 interconnect cables by Vr3 Mods. Power for each component from dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel, except Innuos Statement powered from Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • AFEuphman
    AFEuphman Posts: 55
    edited March 2014
    Using small dowel or toothpicks were something I contemplated, and using some kind of form was absolutely the next thing I thought about! I do like the IDEA of hardening up the exposed PB, but I don't want to weaken the area. To be honest, I've never even heard of wood hardener, but man, for this crumbly particleboard, it sure seems like the perfect thing.
    I head out on a Dixieland tour of West Virginia and Maryland with my Air Force band on Wednesday. As soon as I get back, I'm going to start stripping the vinyl. I'll keep you all apprised, and I'm sure I'll have more questions. Thanks so much for the help!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,554
    edited March 2014
    FORGET the Minwax wood hardener, wrong material for the job. IF you feel you absolutely have to use something, mix up a little bit of 5 minute epoxy and paint it on the damaged particle board, just enough to wet the loose fibers. Personally, I wouldn't bother.

    With the tootsie roll type wood epoxy you will not need to make a form. Just apply, rough shape it, let cure and sand flush. Great stuff.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • drumiv
    drumiv Posts: 171
    edited March 2014
    F1nut wrote: »
    I would advise not using the wood hardner as any liquid applied to particle board will likely cause swelling.
    No, won't swell. That's what it's made for. We've used it many times.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • westmassguy
    westmassguy Posts: 6,850
    edited March 2014
    Moose68Bash wrote: »
    I have made a form out of plywood and covered the surfaces exposed to Bondo with waxed paper, to which Bondo will not adhere, attached the form around the area to be filled and then filled the void with Bondo. It takes a lot of preparation, but it has worked well for me in a number of applications -- none on speaker cabinets, however. It can be sanded to give a "perfect" surface.
    Did a similar thing on a knocked off corner. Fine wire brush to remove the loose particles, then heavy foil tape to make the form. The resin in the Bondo, whether regular or Bondo for wood, will leach into the particle board just enough before it begins to cure.
    Home Theater/2 Channel:
    Front: SDA-2ATL forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/143984/my-2as-finally-finished-almost/p1
    Center: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/150760/my-center-channel-project/p1
    Surrounds & Rears: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/151647/my-surround-project/p1
    Sonicaps, Mills, RDO-194s-198s, Dynamat, Hurricane Nuts, Blackhole5
    Pioneer Elite VSX-72TXV, Carver PM-600, SVS PB2-Plus Subwoofer

    dhsspeakerservice.com/
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • PolkieMan
    PolkieMan Posts: 2,446
    edited March 2014
    I just got got finished repairing a much larger corner on a speaker and used regular Bondo it worked out very good.
    westmassguy wrote: »
    Did a similar thing on a knocked off corner. Fine wire brush to remove the loose particles, then heavy foil tape to make the form. The resin in the Bondo, whether regular or Bondo for wood, will leach into the particle board just enough before it begins to cure.
    POLK SDA 2.3 TLS BOUGHT NEW IN 1990, Gimpod/Sonic Caps/Mills RDO-198
    POLK CSI-A6 POLK MONITOR 70'S ONKYO TX NR-808 SONY CDP-333ES
    PIONEER PL-510A SONY BDP S5100
    POLK SDA 1C BOUGHT USED 2011,Gimpod/Sonic Caps/Mills RDO-194
    ONKYO HT RC-360 SONY BDP S590 TECHNICS SL BD-1
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter