Time to work on my $200 SDA SRS2's

Here's an update of the progress. That Strypeeze did a great job on the first round and now it's on to round two. Being that it's oak, it gets down into the "pores" a little and takes a little more to get out of there. After a little mild scraping on this round, I will use some old rags to get into the pores better. After that, clean them up, let them dry and prep them for a refinish. So far, so good.

Ok, F1 or anyone else...what was it recommended to do the tops and bottoms in once they are cleaned up to bring the life back in them? Tung oil or is there something else recommended? I know I've read it but for the life of me I can't remember.

Here are what they look like after the second coat removal and then cleaned off with mineral spirits per the directions. It did a damn fine job of getting the paint off of them I must say. Yep danger boy, they definitely need sanding as they feel a little rough all over. After they are dry (most likely tomorrow), I will do some light sanding then use some steel wool on them before I figure out what I'm going to put on them. There's a water ring on the top of one as I figure someone used it for a potted plant holder. Geez. Whatever I do to the tops, I'll most likely end up doing to the sides and bottom so they match up. I'll have to take the base plates off and do them eventually...just not today.

F1nut wrote: »

Do not steel wool them before finishing.

You did apply stripper to the entire area, right?

Make sure you wash them with mineral spirts a few times and let dry for a few days before doing anything else.

To remove the water ring, you'll have to treat the entire top with Oxalic acid. Follow the directions and let dry for a few days, at least.

Lightly sand everything then wipe with a tack cloth.

Apply a stain, color of your choice.

An easy, yet durable finish (much better than tung oil) is Minwax's wiping poly. Tack cloth right before applying the finish. After the finish has cured, rub out the finish with 0000 steel wool, buff with soft cotton cloth and you're done.

Yep, did the stripper on the entire topside and part of the underneath visible part. I'm a couple of times into it now on the mineral spirits on them and am allowing some dry time in between. After the third, I'm going to let them sit and air out a few days before anything else is done.

I've used the Minwax poly coats before with good results on coffee tables, end tables and dining tables I've built. As a matter of fact, it's time to strip down my dining table that I built 8 years ago and re-coat it. Good stuff. I might go with a darker walnut on the table this time since the kitchen cabinets are walnut and the table is a light oak color. Oh well, that's another story and project!

I agree. Are the side pieces solid wood or laminated? Are they glued on? I've read on some of the other threads that they are a **** to get off.

Edit: They look like laminated 1/4" mdf from looking at them from the top.

And I assume a complete **** to remove, right?

Any recommendation of a stain that could be used to replicate the color of the side panels to avoid having to redo them as well? They are already in perfect shape and if I could avoid having to remove them, that would be a bonus! If not, I can do that as well.

More updates. Today, I removed the bottom panels of the SRS2's to strip that small section of black paint like the tops had. The paint came off as well as the top and they have been cleaned with mineral spirits and are drying for a couple of days.

I also removed the side panels. You know, those glued on "bastages". It really wasn't too bad on removing them. The first, third and fourth were easy but the second one I did was a biotch to remove. I decided to try a flat dull scraper and wedge in between the speaker and the panel it self and tap it out with a hammer and that worked wonderfully well. On the second piece, there must have been either a bit more glue or I didn't get the scraper under the glue part as well as the other 3. So, I took the little pieces that came off and re-glued them back onto the panel and clamped them to dry overnight. I'm going to strip the finish off the other 3 for now and do the other in the morning unless I get a wild hair later.

In the next little bit, I am going to get some of the Minwax one step poly finish and get them rolling so maybe by the end of the week, I can have them back together. The 1C's sound good but, damn, I miss the extra bass! The Solen crossovers are ordered and Monday the RD0-194's are going to be ordered. By next weekend, I'll be able to hopefully get them all back together. That will give me a day or two to listen to them before I leave for CEDIA on Tuesday (ugh) and won't be back till the following Sunday.

Here are a few pics so far. I will update as the project rolls along.

The dull paint scraper worked very well.



Side panels off...top view



Side panels off....bottom view. You can tell which one sucked to get off.



Side view of cabinets with panels off



Bottom panels of speakers. Very bottom side is pretty rough of course. I'm going to either try some spikes on them or nail those pieces in like what's used on furniture.

Woo hoo!!! The new RD0-194's are on the way! Now, if those new caps and resistors make it in by the end of the week, I can get them done before I leave for CEDIA. My plan was to have them done and then wire them up face to face (maybe out of phase) and playing while I'm in Denver for 6 days. That would help to break in the caps AND the tweeters while I'm gone. That would be about 144 hours into the break in period.

Should have some pics of the side panels later today or tonight. The first coat of stain/poly is on them and are looking great. If anyone redoes theirs, the Minwax Poly Classic Oak is the color I used and looks great. Thanks F1 for the recommendation.