New finish for SDA 2A

cascius

Hi everyone,

I've been lurking but not very active. Nonetheless I've been thinking about tweaking the look of my SDAs.

I've always liked the finish found on these speakers:

Source with more photos: techtalk.parts-express.com/forum/speaker-project-gallery/41070-deewan-s-various-speaker-builds

So I just spent some time Photoshopping what mine might look like with a similar finish:

I also added a thin racing line to thin up the profile of the SDAs.

Another thought was to remove the front cover and bottom "lip" and do something like this: (I don't think i like it as much though...)




I just ordered some sample 8x11 Laminates to see what the actual material would look like. In the meantime I wanted to see what you all think about this idea?

Thanks!

- Olivier

PS: Here's the current look:

Nightfall

I like it aside from the white stripe but that's just my opinion. Keep us updated, cool stuff!

What would the same design in brown look like?

cascius

So you think something more along those lines?

Nightfall

That looks better to me, if they were mine, but they're not. You're the one that has to look at them everyday, do what you like best. Either way it's pretty cool.

F1nut

Without the racing stripe and have the grain on the top run side to side, not front to back.

aprazer402

I really like the color and the pattern, not so sure about the sheen, high gloss might be too much, if it came in a more satin finish it might be nicer. Really too hard to tell in photos. I've seen a couple of others use Formica, Wilsonart, (laminates) on speaker enclosures here before and they seemed nice. Always wondered why more people didn't remove the vinyl and use laminate instead of wood veneers more on the small vintage Polk monitor's. You can easily take it off and start over. No staining of wood and easy to clean.

cascius

Yeah, this would be a Wilsonart laminate. Whats pretty cool is that they send you free samples. I ordered 5 or so different types. Ill post a photo once i receive them in 2 weeks.

I don't have the tools nor the time to do a real veneer, but would love to.

Faustin

I agree with F! in regards to the stripe and the diretion of the grain. Real wood veneer is actually very easy to apply and you do not really need any specialty tools. Scissors, tape measure, razor knife, sand paper.

codycatalist

I would spike those suckers while you are at it. I think that would look awesome.

cascius

Thanks! They are already spiked though

I might want to look for oversized spikes compare to my current ones. I think my current ones are just 1 or 1 1/2 inch tall.

Any suggestions for bigger spikes?

F1nut

Adona multi-element spikes.

codycatalist

F1 is the guy to talk to about spikes, granted I believe his were custom made.

F1nut

Spikes, steaks... he knows that which he fears.

I love steaks, the bloodier the better.

F1nut

codycatalist wrote: »

F1 is the guy to talk to about spikes, granted I believe his were custom made.

I have multiple brands of spikes as well as the custom made.

pitdogg2

DSkip wrote: »

F1nut wrote: »

I love steaks, the bloodier the better.

Sorry, I meant stake... big difference, but still bloody.

with a silver tip for save measure...

msg

I think I just heard the coffin door creak
[Jesse Hisses]

msg

Cascius - when are you planning on starting this?
I just started tearing down a set of 11Ts to play with and considering my first veneer project.

Agree on the comments for grain and satin finish. I'm not completely averse to the stripe. Maybe a little thinner? Maybe experiment with it, and pull it if it doesn't turn out how you envisioned?

Nice Photoshop work, btw.

So, laminate then, not veneer?

msg

btw, just checked out that guy's speaker builds you linked - some of those are pretty nice! not the first ones, though, lol. I hope my project comes out better than that.

Those centers he did on the first page seem nice. I wonder how they sound.

F1nut

msg wrote: »

I think I just heard the coffin door creak
[Jesse Hisses]

Yep, the sun is down and I'm erect.

FestYboy

Any little blue pills involved?

Nightfall

F1nut wrote: »

msg wrote: »

I think I just heard the coffin door creak
[Jesse Hisses]

Yep, the sun is down and I'm erect.

That is... highly off putting.

F1nut

FestYboy wrote: »

Any little blue pills involved?

You might think so being I'm thousands of years old, but no.

[Deleted User]

Why does it seem like more and more SDA owners are wanting to make their prized speakers look like the Monitor line or just about every other speaker made?? The grill cloth on the sides is one of the things that makes SDA's stand out to me. It's also helping the sound by trapping resonance going across the baffle wanting to wrap around the cabinet.

If you really want to do your stripe you will need to buy an extra specialty router called a seam router. And I'd recommend using vertical grade Wilsonart laminate. It's a little easier to work with and it leaves smaller edges where it meets another surface that's laminated. Wilsonart spray glue is also an outstanding choice to go with if you have a glue pot. They used to sell it in a rolled-on formula but I don't know if they still do or not.

txcoastal1

WAF... That's why

F1nut

I love the look of the classic SDA.

BlueBirdMusic

Classic is always the best!!

The message around the rim of the can on the right is the perfect answer for "why":

"OK" SODA SAYS, "DON'T BE FOOLED INTO THINKING THERE HAS TO BE A REASON FOR EVERYTHING."

I didn't have a New Coke can, but this OK Cola was created in 1993 by the same marketing guy who rolled out "New Coke" in 1985. It was created to target the Generation X demographic. It lasted a couple of years.

Ironic that he resigned/fired after the New Coke fiasco, and then rehired several years later.

codycatalist

Slapaho wrote: »

Why does it seem like more and more SDA owners are wanting to make their prized speakers look like the Monitor line or just about every other speaker made?? The grill cloth on the sides is one of the things that makes SDA's stand out to me. It's also helping the sound by trapping resonance going across the baffle wanting to wrap around the cabinet.

If you really want to do your stripe you will need to buy an extra specialty router called a seam router. And I'd recommend using vertical grade Wilsonart laminate. It's a little easier to work with and it leaves smaller edges where it meets another surface that's laminated. Wilsonart spray glue is also an outstanding choice to go with if you have a glue pot. They used to sell it in a rolled-on formula but I don't know if they still do or not.

I agree I LOVE the look of the SDAs but in this instance it is the studio models with no wrap around cloth. I wish my studio's had them and the end caps, to me it looks worlds better but I still wouldn't change a thing about the looks of my SDAs unless I did custom outriggers with big ol' spikes.

westmassguy

My two cents, make them look however YOU want them to. They're yours, they don't belong to Polk anymore. Let's face it, if they're fully restored electronically, cosmetics are secondary (except for WAF of course). You'll never recoup what you invested on a full restoration if you ever sell them, so might as well make them look the way you want.

cascius

Yeah, thanks for all the feedback. I've received the samples and at this point I'm not sure I will go ahead and try to change the finish of my sda 2s.

I might try a smaller project first when I have some time and see if I like the finish.

I'll try to post some pictures of the samples once I have some time.

CH46E

I think they look great with the photoshoped finish. I like the sheen on the color.

I kind of wanted to make my 12bs with a matte finish with black walnut. But i relly like what you did there!

CH46E

I just ordered sone samples. Im thinking the color you pattern you picked would benkiller on the SRS2.

Thanks for posting the company info. !!