my monitor 4's veneer project.

So I decided to remove the vinyl laminate on one of my sets of 4A’s and veneer them with cherry wood (paper backed).
I used a heat gun, razorblade and some gloves. I heated up about a 5”x5” area at time and just pulled. It was definitely a learning curve. I found that heating up as much area as possible worked the best and pulling from back to front because of the wrap around on the front edge. After I all vinyl was removed I checked for damaged corners and filled them with wood filler. The corners on my 4’s were not that bad considering their age. I have decided to use titebond original glue for the adhesion. I will apply the glue to both surfaces and let dry (x3) then position and use an iron to reconstitute the glue. I think this will give me the best opportunity to align the wood grain on sides and top. If anyone has done this method I would appreciate some feedback on it. the other thing I am considering is to make a rabbit cut on the front edge (where the black part meets the wood veneer) to allow for the thickness of the veneer. Help on this would also be appreciated. I was able to remove one of the polk audio badge without breaking it. the other badge, well the post that goes into the wood snapped off, looks like I will have to glue it on.




I used a heat gun, razorblade and some gloves. I heated up about a 5”x5” area at time and just pulled. It was definitely a learning curve. I found that heating up as much area as possible worked the best and pulling from back to front because of the wrap around on the front edge. After I all vinyl was removed I checked for damaged corners and filled them with wood filler. The corners on my 4’s were not that bad considering their age. I have decided to use titebond original glue for the adhesion. I will apply the glue to both surfaces and let dry (x3) then position and use an iron to reconstitute the glue. I think this will give me the best opportunity to align the wood grain on sides and top. If anyone has done this method I would appreciate some feedback on it. the other thing I am considering is to make a rabbit cut on the front edge (where the black part meets the wood veneer) to allow for the thickness of the veneer. Help on this would also be appreciated. I was able to remove one of the polk audio badge without breaking it. the other badge, well the post that goes into the wood snapped off, looks like I will have to glue it on.




Comments
It's good experience in case I want to do the same to my 5s or 7s...
Thanks... I don't know what to finish them with.... Any ideas? Tung oil?
Did you use contact Cement or wood glue?
I used PSA cherry veneer. If I remember correctly I used a natural stain and then applied several coats of hand rubbed satin polyurethane. Here is the thread:
https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/161050/4a-overhaul#latest
When you veneered your 4's I noticed that the port tube is white or is that the polyfil?
Those look very nice!
Monitor 4a (Peerless), Monitor 5a (Peerless), Monitor 7b (Peerless) (2x pair), Modified Monitor 7c’s (194’s), SDA CRS+ (SL2000), RTA12c (194's), SDA SRS 2 (SL2000), SDA SRS 3.1TL (198’s)
Repair pile: SRS 3.1TL (198’s) -for sale, SDA CRS, (1) lonely RTA 11TL to become a center channel... someday...
Pairs that have passed through:
Monitor 4b (Peerless), Monitor 5b (SL1000), Monitor 5b (SL2000) (2x pair), Monitor 10a (Peerless), Monitor 10c (3x pair), RTA8, RTA8TL, RTA 11T, SDA 2, SDA 2a, SDA 2b, SDA 1b, SDA 1c, SDA SRS 2
...and more to come, it’s a sickness.
I like the black walnut! What source are you using for your veneer
https://www.macbeath.com/
Monitor 4a (Peerless), Monitor 5a (Peerless), Monitor 7b (Peerless) (2x pair), Modified Monitor 7c’s (194’s), SDA CRS+ (SL2000), RTA12c (194's), SDA SRS 2 (SL2000), SDA SRS 3.1TL (198’s)
Repair pile: SRS 3.1TL (198’s) -for sale, SDA CRS, (1) lonely RTA 11TL to become a center channel... someday...
Pairs that have passed through:
Monitor 4b (Peerless), Monitor 5b (SL1000), Monitor 5b (SL2000) (2x pair), Monitor 10a (Peerless), Monitor 10c (3x pair), RTA8, RTA8TL, RTA 11T, SDA 2, SDA 2a, SDA 2b, SDA 1b, SDA 1c, SDA SRS 2
...and more to come, it’s a sickness.
Sorry I didn't see this earlier. Cherry tends to show blotchy when dyed/stained or simply top coated. However, it looks better (IMO) with some color added, so adding a dye to a spray on clear coat gives the best result as the color and finish are on top of the wood, not in the wood.
"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
Those look very nice!"
The white that you see in thee photo is polyfil.
"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
That's what I ended up doing... Just minwax rubbing oil
Thanks for the link!
As an aside, when I was a kid in high school I made a couple sand filled, cube shaped bookends out of 1/4" thick solid cherry (veneer lol?) over fir plywood, that the finish came out beautifully on. My 82 yr old mother has them in CO. I can't remember what stain I used but I do remember that the top coat was a satin lacquer, many coats.
Polk 7B main speakers, most mods comp. (1979, orig owner)
Martin Logan Dynamo sub w/6ft 14awg Power Cord
Crown D150 amp
Logitech Squeezebox Touch Streamer w/EDO applet
iFi nano iDSD DAC
iPurifier3
iDefender w/ iPower PS
Custom Steve Wilson 1m UPOCC Interconnect
iFi Mercury 0.5m OFHC continuous cast copper USB cable
Custom Ribbon Speaker Cables, 5ft long, 4N Copper, 14awg, ultra low inductance
Custom Vibration Isolation Speaker Stands and Sub Platform
Thanks,
I used titebond type 2 for the glue. I applied to the veneer and speakers (one side at a time), let the glue dry and then used an iron.
For the front, since this was a very early speaker '82, it was a right angle, not the beveled that polk went to in the mid 80s. I started the veneer on the front face, cutting out all four and making sure that the 45s were as tight as I could get it. The veneer was very thin, I think 1/40th of an inch. So I just left it as is. It stands out a little proud but not noticeable.