SDA-1C refurb....finally got pics!

hearingimpared

Beautiful work!

F1nut

geoff727 wrote: »

Let's try these. I tried to get a decent reflection from the wall rug to show the finish and an illustration of the grain coming through the lacquer on the fronts at the same time.

Right and I'm just saying if you want a true glass surface without the pore pits showing you can fill the grain.

F1nut

george daniel wrote: »

for those of us who are woodworking "challenged",,could you explain what that means, as I've got some endcaps on 1C's that I either have to replace or refinish. TIA

My preferred method differs from Boywonder's. I fill the grain with a paste wood filler applied by brush or rag, then scrap off the excess, let dry 24 hrs., then sand smooth. Apply color, I prefer dye stains and then topcoat with lacquer. Unless the coats are applied very lightly, it takes more than seconds for the lacquer to dry, more like 5 to 15 minutes per coat. Anyway, after applying up to 20 coats, you should wait until the lacquer gets a good cure going (about a week) before the rubbing out process. I start with 320 serrated, then move to 400 wet/dry using soapy water as a lubricant, followed by 600, 800, 1000, 1200. At this point there shouldn't be any sanding scratches left, if there are you need to get them out. This is followed by applying 3M liquid Super Duty Rubbing Compound using a variable speed polishing machine and pad. Next, use 3M Mirco Fine Polishing Compound with a dedicated pad and then use 3M Foam Polishing Pad Glaze with the special foam pad to remove swirl marks. The result is the ultimate in high gloss, smooth as glass finishes.

BobMcG

geoff727 wrote: »

Don't tell this to my supervisor, but a couple days ago I called in sick, and I just sat at home and listened to music for pretty much the whole day.

Seriously, this is the path to ruin that SDAs can lead you down. Just plain evil is what they are.

geoff727

F1nut wrote: »

Right and I'm just saying if you want a true glass surface without the pore pits showing you can fill the grain.

Sounds like we basically do the same thing, except I wanted the texture of the wood to come through more so I didn't fill the grain.

F1nut

Roger that. Again, you did a nice job and hopefully will enjoy them for years to come.

Boywonder

geoff727-The monitors are coming along, a little slow, due to the rain in SoCal. Things have dried out enough now to continue the final lacquer coats this weekend, I need to put the satin coats down on top of the gloss, then wait a couple of days (probably 3-4), then do the sand, rubbing compound, polishing compound stuff discussed above. I probably will not wax because I am going for a non-gloss finish on these. BTW, the pores are also not filled in on the monitor 10's since I am not going for mirror-gloss. I put solens, new binding posts, and ditched/jumpered the polyswitches in the crossovers the other nite so I am gettting close.

I am afraid that it would be just my luck that I get blushing in the lacquer close to the end of this project due to humidity, so I am trying to be patient.

geoff727

F1nut wrote: »

Roger that. Again, you did a nice job and hopefully will enjoy them for years to come.

I would love to enjoy them for years to come. However, certain parties, who shall remain nameless, are already pressuring me to git rid of them!! Can you believe it? After all that work.
I just don't get it. Refurbing these is certainly much less expensive than a brand new pair of something, and much more rewarding. I quote....
"Why do you need all these speakers?" (I have 4 pairs of Polks, 2 pairs of Infinitys, and 1 pair of Missions. After all the refurbs, I'm only planning on keeping 3 or 4 pairs)
Me: "Well, it's not a matter of 'need'. It's a matter of enjoyment. Having a hobby. Something I love. Would you rather I do this or sit in front of the TV all night?"
"But what are you going to do with all of them? You can only listen to one pair at a time."
"I'm going to enjoy them. This pair for a few months, that pair for a few months, etc."
"This is just a foolish obsession."
"Well we ALL have our little 'obsessions'. Shall we talk about some of yours now?"

You all know the rest of the story.

Anyway, thanks for all the compliments! All those compliments certainly outweigh the "opinions" of some others!:)

Marty913

"Well we ALL have our little 'obsessions'. Shall we talk about some of yours now?"

I think you were probably OK up until this point.

redbullet

Super Job !

george daniel

F1nut wrote: »

My preferred method differs from Boywonder's. I fill the grain with a paste wood filler applied by brush or rag, then scrap off the excess, let dry 24 hrs., then sand smooth. Apply color, I prefer dye stains and then topcoat with lacquer. Unless the coats are applied very lightly, it takes more than seconds for the lacquer to dry, more like 5 to 15 minutes per coat. Anyway, after applying up to 20 coats, you should wait until the lacquer gets a good cure going (about a week) before the rubbing out process. I start with 320 serrated, then move to 400 wet/dry using soapy water as a lubricant, followed by 600, 800, 1000, 1200. At this point there shouldn't be any sanding scratches left, if there are you need to get them out. This is followed by applying 3M liquid Super Duty Rubbing Compound using a variable speed polishing machine and pad. Next, use 3M Mirco Fine Polishing Compound with a dedicated pad and then use 3M Foam Polishing Pad Glaze with the special foam pad to remove swirl marks. The result is the ultimate in high gloss, smooth as glass finishes.

Damn,, this isn't going to be easy,,truely, a labor of love. I think that I'm up for it,,thanks for the insight--I'll post some B&A pic's,,,, maybe

engtaz

Very very nice job. Laz would be proud of your color choice. Now how about your other speakers. This new job makes the other pair screen me next.

Congrats on a great job,
engtaz

jazzisnumberone

Awesome looking speakers!!!!

obieone

Sweet, Sweet, Sweet!!!

geoff727

What do you all think of this for the 2.3tl's...

Endcaps done in a dark walnut, and the addition of side strips like the other SRS's have.
I think that would look just amazing. In any case, they're going to have to wait in line behind the Infinities.
BTW, why were the 2.3's/2.3tl's the only SRS's without the side wood strips? I should have done the -1C's with the side strips. That really would have looked awesome. I just love the combination of black cloth, red wood, gold grille logos.

SpeedyFE

A true craftsman, congrats..

cambir

geoff, your "new" SDAs look incredible - nice work. If/when I decide to update my recently purchased 2Bs, maybe I'll have to hire you to do the work.

geoff727

Lasareath wrote: »

We're the first two Polkies with Padauk end caps!

Isn't that just the prettiest stuff ever? I love it. In fact, I've been into several high-end stores since I did the -1C's, and I no wood or finish that I've seen on any speaker lights me on fire like the padouk.

Lasareath wrote: »

Did you use an oil based lacquer or water based?

Water based.

Lasareath wrote: »

And where did you get the Padauk??

CrossCut Hardwoods in downtown Seattle.

Lasareath wrote: »

I just bought (4) more pieces 25" by 15" by 1.25" to use my new SRS 2's I'm getting.

Quit it. You're making me jealous!

Lasareath wrote: »

Also I was a little concerned that the lacquer would act as a glue and when the hanger bolts are tightened down that the ends caps would be impossible to remove without ripping the boards to pieces or taking chunks out of the speaker boxes.

On the top pieces, I used a square between the wood and enclosure of very thin, very compressible low-density foam so there's just an um-teenth of an inch between them. I should have done it to the bottoms too.

One of these days I'll jump into the 2.3tl's. Many projects in between now and then, though!
Sal, I'm glad you saw them, I thought you'd appreciate that wood.
Cambir, I'm sending you a Private Message.

geoff727

Well, here's the thing about that....
I had to have the endcaps cut for me. Since I'm living in an apartment right now, I just don't have access to any of the stuff that we need to do projects like this (very embarrassing). So, I selected the wood, my local woodworker buddy cut them for me, and I did the finish and attachment work.
What I wouldn't give to have my own garage right now.....
If it was up to me, I would have cut each one as a single piece, like you did. But he's a pretty experienced woodworker, and he insisted that they would stand the test of time better if they were each made of two horizontally laminated pieces. So, that's what I got. In some places you can see where the lamination is, and in other it's invisible.
Anyway, I'm glad you like them.

bikerboy

Hi Geoff,

Beautiful work on the speakers. I cant believe you did all that sanding and spraying in an apartment! I'm jealous of you for having such great speakers. Someday I will find a pair of i-c and have to do the kind of upgrades you have. I have thought of upgrading my 2-a but think I will wait and get a pair of the bigger sda. Great job!

geoff727

Any Seattle-area Polkies are more than welcome to drop in. Bring caps & resistors, a crossover board, your favorite music, and I'll supply the beer. How can you refuse an offer like that?:cool:

geoff727

Well, I guess if they crack at some point and I have to re-do them, then I shall have to give him a very hard time!! I think (but not certain) that the reason that the original SRS's encaps (made of solid wood) cracked and split was because of slightly different cuts/densities of the laminations.

In fact, I was thinking for the 2.3tl's, to definitely do the endcaps done as one piece, and even make them a quarter of an inch thicker so the wood "jumps out at you" a little more.

Boywonder

To minimize warping, cupping, etc. my experience is that it's best to glue-up 2"-3" wide pieces instead of using one solid (wide) piece of wood, although the early SRS oak endcaps were constructed this way and have not withstood the test of time well; an even more stable construction is veneered MDF, as Polk employed long ago.

Face cut oak is particularly hard to get stability with one wide piece. Quarter/rift sawn oak is a little better, but I would still make a glue-up anyway. Quarter sawn stock is generally hard to find wider than about 6-8" anyway.

The reason that tabletops (or early SRS endcaps) are glue-ups is for stability. Glue-ups have adjacent pieces with different grain, so that each piece will move a little due to humidity, moisture, etc. but the net effect is no big movement (warping/cupping) just even swelling.

I've done glue-ups with just PVA glue, and with biscuits, and have not had any failures so I can't say if additional mechanical fastening (dowels, biscuits, etc.) are really required. Doweling can be a complete pain in the ****, that's why we have biscuits.

Backpriming (finishing the backside) also helps reduce warping and cupping, since all sides absorb moisture equally.

I haven't made anything with padauk (yet!) so I have zero experience with it.

zingo

Amazing work Geoff. You are a master craftsman to no end. Thanks for keeping another pair of SDAs loud and proud.

geoff727

Zingo, I'll give you a call...

Boywonder, my woodworker, Scott, said that padouk is filled with carcinogens. When I went into his shop as he was working on them, everything (including him) was orange all over, and he had a hefty facemask on so he didn't breathe any of the dust!

scootchu

Very nice job. Someday I will trade my little Polks for a big set of SDA's.

dbnh

geoff727 wrote: »

Any Seattle-area Polkies are more than welcome to drop in. Bring caps & resistors, a crossover board, your favorite music, and I'll supply the beer. How can you refuse an offer like that?:cool:

Wish you were in NH. I'm a homebrewer, too, who could swap suds for soldering.

Polksaladanni

Wow! That wood naturally clears that way?

Funny my oak paneling in the house has "yellowed" to a color close to that.

I might as well look at cherry options now.

You did a very, very nice job inside anf out.

Their Buets.

Paul

geoff727

Polksaladanni wrote: »

Wow! That wood naturally clears that way?

Funny my oak paneling in the house has "yellowed" to a color close to that.

I might as well look at cherry options now.

You did a very, very nice job inside anf out.

Their Buets.

Paul

Paul,
Thanks for the compliment. The padouk wood, unfinished, is a very orange-y color. But finished with lacquer or acrylic, that deep red comes out. It really is magnificent wood.

gdb

One important thing to keep in mind is that wood moves,sometimes a lot. A 12 inch wide board can vary as much as 1/4" in width if humidity levels change. If fastening a wide panel of solid wood, (end caps) I would recommend fastening across the front edges with screws,tee nuts or other threaded insert fasteners. Across the rear edges make an elongated hole in the cabinet to allow the fasteners going into the cap to move front to back, and don't crank them down too tight either. This method will allow the minor but inevitable movement to happen without creating splits in solid panels or glue line failures in built up panels. My plan is to biscuit solid wood edging to 1 1/8 inch MDF that's been veneered. Hope this helps, and very nice job BTW!!!!:)
gdb