My Polk RT1000p refinish

ViperZ
ViperZ Posts: 2,046
edited June 2013 in DIY, Mods & Tweaks
Original Polk RT1000p towers are very very ugly (sorry Polk), especially with that felt material stuff glued to the front.

After many years and a few moves that felt material looked like crap, the speakers had some dents in them, so I have decided to refinish the cabinets.

First, that multi-layer black paint finish on the sides is another piece of crap. Took me forever to remove it.

Anyway, here is the final result. Red Chestnut finish on the birch veneer.

Before (last year):
3246436850_e6a79e1c45.jpg

Today:
3574970028_d75d55a00e.jpg

3574162543_5da12f30c0.jpg

Now please convince me to start working on the CS400... :mad:
Panasonic PT-AE4000U projector for movies
Carada 106" Precision Series (Classic Cinema White)
Denon AVR-X3600H pre/pro
Outlaw 770 7-channel amplifier
B&W CDM1-SE fronts
B&W CDM-CNT center
B&W CDM1 rears on MoPADs
JBL SP8CII in-ceiling height speakers
Samsung DTB-H260F OTA HDTV tuner
DUAL NHT SubTwo subwoofers
Oppo BDP-93 Blu-Ray player
Belkin PF60 Power Center
Harmony 1100 RF remote with RF extender
Sony XBR-X950G 55" 4K HDR Smart TV + PS3 in the living room
Post edited by ViperZ on
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Comments

  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,303
    edited May 2009
    They look a thousand times better!!

    Great job, now get busy on the CS400 LOL
    Polk Audio SDA 2.3tl Fully Hot Rodded. 😎

    SVS SB16 X2

    Cary SLP-05/Ultimate Upgrade.
    Cary SA-500.1 ES Amps
    Cary DMS 800PV Network
    OPPO UDP 205/ModWright Modification
    VPI Scout TT / Dynavector 20x2
    Jolida JD9 Fully Modified

    VPI MW-1 Cyclone RCM

    MIT Shotgun 3 cables throughout / Except TT, and PC’s
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  • zarrdoss
    zarrdoss Posts: 2,562
    edited May 2009
    DAMN! nice job!
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  • danz1906
    danz1906 Posts: 5,144
    edited May 2009
    Nice Job!
    Linn AV5140 fronts
    Linn AV5120 Center
    Linn AV5140 Rears
    M&K MX-70 Sub for Music
    Odyssey Mono-Blocs
    SVS Ultra-13 Gloss Black:D
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,447
    edited May 2009
    whollly SHEEET!!! those look fantastic, and far more expensive looking than the originals.
    Way to go...
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited May 2009
    Amazing!
    Jake
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  • dpowell
    dpowell Posts: 3,068
    edited May 2009
    Those look amazing! Really rich color.
    ____________________________________________________________

    polkaudio Fully Modded SDA SRS 1.2TLs + Dreadnaught, LSiM706c, 4 X Polk Surrounds + 4 X ATMOS, SVS PB13 Ultra X 2, Pass Labs X1, Marantz 7704, Bob Carver Crimson Beauty 350 Tube Mono Blocks, Carver Sunfire Signature Cinema Grande 400x5, ADCOM GFA 7807, Panasonic UB420, Moon 380D DAC, EPSON Pro Cinema 6050
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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,315
    edited May 2009
    Very nice...go ahead and finish your center before you get outa the notion.

    I need to veneer my CRS's some day...I like the looks of your stain and wood combo...very rich.
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  • ViperZ
    ViperZ Posts: 2,046
    edited May 2009
    xcapri79 wrote: »
    Well done Viper! That is an inspiration for me to do the same with my "Black" RTi100's. What finish remover did use? Did you try several different types?

    Thank you very much for all the kind comments!
    (by the way, Maggies MGII and JBL subwoofer in the background were completely rebuilt too :rolleyes:)

    Regarding finish remover, it was mostly elbow grease. Well, 50-grit sand paper on a rotating grinder attachment to the hand drill. I'd have to say - a lot of sand paper. This type of finish is just a very thick (or multiple thin) layer of a black paint.

    On the other hand, CS400 uses simple vinyl finish on the sides, which is easy to remove (hopefully). CS400 also uses hard wood(?) for the front part of frame.

    If anyone knows how to remove a power port cover on CS400, please let me know. It seems that the screws are under some kind of felt material, which is glued in place. It would be a shame to rip out that stuff and not finding the screws.

    Bigger photos, which show the finish better:
    http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2453/3574970028_d75d55a00e_b.jpg
    http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3578/3574162543_5da12f30c0_b.jpg
    Panasonic PT-AE4000U projector for movies
    Carada 106" Precision Series (Classic Cinema White)
    Denon AVR-X3600H pre/pro
    Outlaw 770 7-channel amplifier
    B&W CDM1-SE fronts
    B&W CDM-CNT center
    B&W CDM1 rears on MoPADs
    JBL SP8CII in-ceiling height speakers
    Samsung DTB-H260F OTA HDTV tuner
    DUAL NHT SubTwo subwoofers
    Oppo BDP-93 Blu-Ray player
    Belkin PF60 Power Center
    Harmony 1100 RF remote with RF extender
    Sony XBR-X950G 55" 4K HDR Smart TV + PS3 in the living room
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited May 2009
    I can't even imaging taking the foamy stuff off those speakers... You have the skills and patients good sir.
    Jake
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  • Pauly
    Pauly Posts: 4,519
    edited May 2009
    Good job, they look OUTSTANDING
    Life without music would♭
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,746
    edited June 2009
    Now that is what I call a refinished. You did it RIGHT.

    Those look absolutely AWESOME!
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • polkie4life
    polkie4life Posts: 231
    edited June 2009
    Beautiful, just beautiful....

    Great satisfaction comes from great deeds.
    In terms of audio, i truly feel sorry for the visually impaired. How can they know what they like if they cant read google?


    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=86838
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,649
    edited June 2009
    They look very nice.
    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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  • ViperZ
    ViperZ Posts: 2,046
    edited June 2009
    Thank you!!

    Stained the CS400 today... Polyurethane tomorrow...

    I didn't like the way the tops of those RT1000p looked (not perfect!), so removed the tops (took me like 3 hours to do it carefully) and replaced the tops. Staining tomorrow.
    Panasonic PT-AE4000U projector for movies
    Carada 106" Precision Series (Classic Cinema White)
    Denon AVR-X3600H pre/pro
    Outlaw 770 7-channel amplifier
    B&W CDM1-SE fronts
    B&W CDM-CNT center
    B&W CDM1 rears on MoPADs
    JBL SP8CII in-ceiling height speakers
    Samsung DTB-H260F OTA HDTV tuner
    DUAL NHT SubTwo subwoofers
    Oppo BDP-93 Blu-Ray player
    Belkin PF60 Power Center
    Harmony 1100 RF remote with RF extender
    Sony XBR-X950G 55" 4K HDR Smart TV + PS3 in the living room
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  • ViperZ
    ViperZ Posts: 2,046
    edited June 2009
    All righty... I think I am done with these:

    3617980337_cd905bdb8b_b.jpg

    3617980325_9808d9be49_b.jpg

    3617980317_07cfb90b07_b.jpg

    3617980311_cc3843a6db_b.jpg

    3617980307_f3408c4136_b.jpg

    3574970028_d75d55a00e_b.jpg
    Panasonic PT-AE4000U projector for movies
    Carada 106" Precision Series (Classic Cinema White)
    Denon AVR-X3600H pre/pro
    Outlaw 770 7-channel amplifier
    B&W CDM1-SE fronts
    B&W CDM-CNT center
    B&W CDM1 rears on MoPADs
    JBL SP8CII in-ceiling height speakers
    Samsung DTB-H260F OTA HDTV tuner
    DUAL NHT SubTwo subwoofers
    Oppo BDP-93 Blu-Ray player
    Belkin PF60 Power Center
    Harmony 1100 RF remote with RF extender
    Sony XBR-X950G 55" 4K HDR Smart TV + PS3 in the living room
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  • Deepc6
    Deepc6 Posts: 21
    edited May 2012
    You removed the black a on the sides and foam in the front. Is/was it real wood underneath it?
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  • Dark
    Dark Posts: 1
    edited May 2012
    Amazing work! They look way better than the original judging by the pictures! How have they been holding up for the last 3 years?

    I had a similar issue with the look of mine as well (although they were the cherry cabinet which didn't go with anything else in our living room) and ended up going with black suede. I'd still like to refresh the bases a little but at least now they're presentable!

    383219_10150419246208111_512578110_8496594_1238036299_n.jpg
    -Ryan

    Receiver: Denon AVR2112CI
    Center: Polk CS350-LS
    Fronts: Polk RT1000P
    Rears: Polk RT1000P
    Sub: Polk PSW-404
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,507
    edited May 2012
    Nice work! I like the new finish better!
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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  • slider2828
    slider2828 Posts: 118
    edited May 2012
    Deepc6 wrote: »
    You removed the black a on the sides and foam in the front. Is/was it real wood underneath it?

    This.... ^^ They were real wood on the inside?
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  • ViperZ
    ViperZ Posts: 2,046
    edited September 2012
    slider2828 wrote: »
    This.... ^^ They were real wood on the inside?

    Never answered this question... No, they are not real wood underneath. I used birch veneer to refinish them - top, front and sides.
    Panasonic PT-AE4000U projector for movies
    Carada 106" Precision Series (Classic Cinema White)
    Denon AVR-X3600H pre/pro
    Outlaw 770 7-channel amplifier
    B&W CDM1-SE fronts
    B&W CDM-CNT center
    B&W CDM1 rears on MoPADs
    JBL SP8CII in-ceiling height speakers
    Samsung DTB-H260F OTA HDTV tuner
    DUAL NHT SubTwo subwoofers
    Oppo BDP-93 Blu-Ray player
    Belkin PF60 Power Center
    Harmony 1100 RF remote with RF extender
    Sony XBR-X950G 55" 4K HDR Smart TV + PS3 in the living room
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  • chris23120
    chris23120 Posts: 95
    edited April 2013
    Nice Job!
    Samsung UN55C6500 55" LED
    Onkyo TX-NR3007
    Polk Audio RT5000
    -RT3000 front
    -CS1000 center
    -FX1000 dipole
    Polk Audio PSW1000 5.1 sub
    Polk Audio microPRO 4000 x2 5.2 subs:biggrin:
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  • c_nitty
    c_nitty Posts: 38
    edited June 2013
    Hello new here just to get more feedback, I can get a complete set with the polk audio cs400,two fx500,and two rt100p for $300. I know they are very old but in good shape is this a good deal?
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