my monitor 4's veneer project.

wispolkboy
wispolkboy Posts: 134
in Vintage Speakers
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.
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M7's 1982 Peerless tweeters
M5's X2 (1981 Peerless tweeters, 1988 with upgraded tweeters)
M4's X2 both with Peerless tweeters
M5Jr with SL1500 (in the garage, they sound great)
M4.6 series2 X2 with upgraded tweeters
SDA 2 with upgraded tweeters
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Comments

  • dromunds
    dromunds Posts: 9,618
    Sweet. You gonna pop that binding post cup out and put in new caps and resistors?
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  • wispolkboy
    wispolkboy Posts: 134
    I already put in a new clarity cap... They did not have any resistors, just one capacitor. No new posts. These are just basement workroom speakers.
    It's good experience in case I want to do the same to my 5s or 7s...
    M7's 1982 Peerless tweeters
    M5's X2 (1981 Peerless tweeters, 1988 with upgraded tweeters)
    M4's X2 both with Peerless tweeters
    M5Jr with SL1500 (in the garage, they sound great)
    M4.6 series2 X2 with upgraded tweeters
    SDA 2 with upgraded tweeters
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  • dromunds
    dromunds Posts: 9,618
    I love the Monitor 4 Peerless. I need to re-do the crossovers on mine.
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  • wispolkboy
    wispolkboy Posts: 134
    What year? I will be interested to know what you have in them for the crossovers... I had 1, 5.8uf. I put in a 5.6 clarity. No resistors...
    M7's 1982 Peerless tweeters
    M5's X2 (1981 Peerless tweeters, 1988 with upgraded tweeters)
    M4's X2 both with Peerless tweeters
    M5Jr with SL1500 (in the garage, they sound great)
    M4.6 series2 X2 with upgraded tweeters
    SDA 2 with upgraded tweeters
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  • dromunds
    dromunds Posts: 9,618
    I’ll have to take a look at the crossover, I have yet to open them up. Serial numbers 20279 and 20280
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  • Faustin
    Faustin Posts: 1,110
    Looking good. Polk 4's with Peerless were my first veneer job. Have since done 7's and RTA 12c's.
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  • wispolkboy
    wispolkboy Posts: 134
    Faustin wrote: »
    Looking good. Polk 4's with Peerless were my first veneer job. Have since done 7's and RTA 12c's.

    Thanks... I don't know what to finish them with.... Any ideas? Tung oil?
    M7's 1982 Peerless tweeters
    M5's X2 (1981 Peerless tweeters, 1988 with upgraded tweeters)
    M4's X2 both with Peerless tweeters
    M5Jr with SL1500 (in the garage, they sound great)
    M4.6 series2 X2 with upgraded tweeters
    SDA 2 with upgraded tweeters
    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • wispolkboy
    wispolkboy Posts: 134
    Faustin wrote: »
    Looking good. Polk 4's with Peerless were my first veneer job. Have since done 7's and RTA 12c's.

    Did you use contact Cement or wood glue?
    M7's 1982 Peerless tweeters
    M5's X2 (1981 Peerless tweeters, 1988 with upgraded tweeters)
    M4's X2 both with Peerless tweeters
    M5Jr with SL1500 (in the garage, they sound great)
    M4.6 series2 X2 with upgraded tweeters
    SDA 2 with upgraded tweeters
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 21,762
    edited January 2021
    .
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  • Faustin
    Faustin Posts: 1,110
    wispolkboy wrote: »
    Faustin wrote: »
    Looking good. Polk 4's with Peerless were my first veneer job. Have since done 7's and RTA 12c's.

    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
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  • wispolkboy
    wispolkboy Posts: 134
    Faustin wrote: »
    wispolkboy wrote: »
    Faustin wrote: »
    Looking good. Polk 4's with Peerless were my first veneer job. Have since done 7's and RTA 12c's.

    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!
    M7's 1982 Peerless tweeters
    M5's X2 (1981 Peerless tweeters, 1988 with upgraded tweeters)
    M4's X2 both with Peerless tweeters
    M5Jr with SL1500 (in the garage, they sound great)
    M4.6 series2 X2 with upgraded tweeters
    SDA 2 with upgraded tweeters
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  • JayMX
    JayMX Posts: 405
    wispolkboy wrote: »
    I noticed that the port tube is white or is that the polyfil?
    I own two pairs of 4‘s with Peerless. One pair has a white PVC port with walnut vinyl outside. The other is black with rosewood vinyl. Both will be getting the same treatment you just gave yours. I’ll be doing black walnut. Excellent work!
    3oigu1osxpzf.jpeg

    Current Collection: Monitor 4a (Peerless), Monitor 5b (SL2000), Modified Monitor 7b (Peerless), SDA CRS+ (SL2000), SDA SRS 2.3TL, R200'sRepair pile:(1) lonely RTA 11TL to become a center channel... someday...Pairs that have passed through: Monitor 4b (Peerless), Monitor 5a (Peerless), Monitor 5b (SL1000), Monitor 5b (SL2000) (2x pair), Monitor 7b (Peerless), Modified Monitor 7c’s (194’s), Monitor 10a (Peerless), Monitor 10b (4x pair), RTA8, RTA8TL, RTA 11T, RTA12c (194's), SDA CRS, SDA 2, SDA 2a, SDA 2b, SDA 1b, SDA 1c, SDA SRS 2 (2x pair), SDA SRS 3.1TL (198’s) (2x pair)...and more to come, it’s a sickness.
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  • wispolkboy
    wispolkboy Posts: 134
    edited January 2021
    JayMX wrote: »
    wispolkboy wrote: »
    I noticed that the port tube is white or is that the polyfil?
    I own two pairs of 4‘s with Peerless. One pair has a white PVC port with walnut vinyl outside. The other is black with rosewood vinyl. Both will be getting the same treatment you just gave yours. I’ll be doing black walnut. Excellent work!
    3oigu1osxpzf.jpeg

    I like the black walnut! What source are you using for your veneer
    M7's 1982 Peerless tweeters
    M5's X2 (1981 Peerless tweeters, 1988 with upgraded tweeters)
    M4's X2 both with Peerless tweeters
    M5Jr with SL1500 (in the garage, they sound great)
    M4.6 series2 X2 with upgraded tweeters
    SDA 2 with upgraded tweeters
    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • JayMX
    JayMX Posts: 405
    wispolkboy wrote: »
    What source are you using for your veneer
    MacBeath has a location here in Utah but they will ship. The quality and selection is always good.
    https://www.macbeath.com/
    Current Collection: Monitor 4a (Peerless), Monitor 5b (SL2000), Modified Monitor 7b (Peerless), SDA CRS+ (SL2000), SDA SRS 2.3TL, R200'sRepair pile:(1) lonely RTA 11TL to become a center channel... someday...Pairs that have passed through: Monitor 4b (Peerless), Monitor 5a (Peerless), Monitor 5b (SL1000), Monitor 5b (SL2000) (2x pair), Monitor 7b (Peerless), Modified Monitor 7c’s (194’s), Monitor 10a (Peerless), Monitor 10b (4x pair), RTA8, RTA8TL, RTA 11T, RTA12c (194's), SDA CRS, SDA 2, SDA 2a, SDA 2b, SDA 1b, SDA 1c, SDA SRS 2 (2x pair), SDA SRS 3.1TL (198’s) (2x pair)...and more to come, it’s a sickness.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 47,698
    wispolkboy wrote: »
    Faustin wrote: »
    Looking good. Polk 4's with Peerless were my first veneer job. Have since done 7's and RTA 12c's.

    Thanks... I don't know what to finish them with.... Any ideas? Tung oil?

    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.
    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

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  • Faustin
    Faustin Posts: 1,110
    "When you veneered your 4's I noticed that the port tube is white or is that the polyfil?
    Those look very nice!"

    The white that you see in thee photo is polyfil.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 47,698
    My previous post should have said, ....or simply top coated with oil.
    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

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  • wispolkboy
    wispolkboy Posts: 134
    F1nut wrote: »
    My previous post should have said, ....or simply top coated with oil.

    That's what I ended up doing... Just minwax rubbing oil
    M7's 1982 Peerless tweeters
    M5's X2 (1981 Peerless tweeters, 1988 with upgraded tweeters)
    M4's X2 both with Peerless tweeters
    M5Jr with SL1500 (in the garage, they sound great)
    M4.6 series2 X2 with upgraded tweeters
    SDA 2 with upgraded tweeters
    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • wispolkboy
    wispolkboy Posts: 134
    JayMX wrote: »
    wispolkboy wrote: »
    What source are you using for your veneer
    MacBeath has a location here in Utah but they will ship. The quality and selection is always good.
    https://www.macbeath.com/

    Thanks for the link!
    M7's 1982 Peerless tweeters
    M5's X2 (1981 Peerless tweeters, 1988 with upgraded tweeters)
    M4's X2 both with Peerless tweeters
    M5Jr with SL1500 (in the garage, they sound great)
    M4.6 series2 X2 with upgraded tweeters
    SDA 2 with upgraded tweeters
    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • pelhamplace
    pelhamplace Posts: 111
    They look great! Awesome job.
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  • wispolkboy
    wispolkboy Posts: 134
    @pelhamplace thank you, I appreciate it.
    M7's 1982 Peerless tweeters
    M5's X2 (1981 Peerless tweeters, 1988 with upgraded tweeters)
    M4's X2 both with Peerless tweeters
    M5Jr with SL1500 (in the garage, they sound great)
    M4.6 series2 X2 with upgraded tweeters
    SDA 2 with upgraded tweeters
    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
  • Gardenstater
    Gardenstater Posts: 3,177
    I think cherry is a beautiful wood and you did a really nice job! What did you end up doing at the front edge; did you rabbet it on the table saw or a router table prior to applying veneer where it abuts the baffle? What method of adhesion did you use for the veneer?

    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.
    George / NJ

    Polk 7B main speakers, std. mods+ (1979, orig owner)
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  • wispolkboy
    wispolkboy Posts: 134
    Gardenstater wrote: »
    I think cherry is a beautiful wood and you did a really nice job! What did you end up doing at the front edge; did you rabbet it on the table saw or a router table prior to applying veneer where it abuts the baffle? What method of adhesion did you use for the veneer?

    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.

    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.
    M7's 1982 Peerless tweeters
    M5's X2 (1981 Peerless tweeters, 1988 with upgraded tweeters)
    M4's X2 both with Peerless tweeters
    M5Jr with SL1500 (in the garage, they sound great)
    M4.6 series2 X2 with upgraded tweeters
    SDA 2 with upgraded tweeters
    · Share on TwitterShare on Facebook