Reference 3a -> x-over recap

[OldiesButGoodies]

Now to wait wait a couple of weeks of burn-in before judging (but they sound pretty damn good already!).  Going t work on the grills now (second attempt - first one was negatively impacted by the Lagunitas beer,  decided to redo it):

[schwarcw]

Nice PePe!  Where did you get the Jantzen caps?  Inquiring minds want to know

[OldiesButGoodies]

Parts Express,  and they were reasonable about price too.  for $40 bucks I had all 6 parts delivered in 3 days.

[gdv]

Nice job Pepe...

I love Parts Express...  Sometimes I feel like I have STOCK in their company with all the purchases I've made over the years!   

George

[OldiesButGoodies]

Thanks all - I am looking to veneer the sides and tops of these monitors. I can give them to a cabinet builder to do but that will be expensive,  so still weighing doing it my self.  I did do a pair of Epis once before and the main problem was trimming the edges.  I bought a tool/special knife at Home Depot,  but either it was (1) dull from the factory or (2) I used it without examining the grain properly. So:

• Has anyone here tried using a router to do trimming? Recommended vs the knife? 
• Do kitchen cabinet makers do veneering jobs like this or will they look at me funny? (could be both in my case  )
• Is there a decent internet resource on this topic that any of you recommend?
• If I do it and succeed in refinishing, what is the best way to approximate the high-end cabinet finish - the satin finish?  It feels to me that I really need to invest on a compressor and paint gun to get that level of finish,  but maybe I am off.
  

Thanks for your help - if you type the response here it will be recorded for internet eternity to be found by Google et al to help other geeks seeking to re-veneer their vintage cabinets.

OBG

[OldiesButGoodies]

Now in the veering process... will paint tomorrow...

3as veneer by JSifontes, on Flickr

[MacGeek]

Where do you get the veneer material?

[OldiesButGoodies]

MacG:

I could be patient and get it from the somewhere in the internet (Woodcraft.com),   but patience is not a strength.  Lowe's usually has a small amount of stock at their stores (Hone Depot does not).    It is iron-on red oak from Band-It.  I supplement the iron on stuff with contact cement.

Ppe

[bmwr75]

I need to learn how to veneer.

My tube amp restoration skills are going downhill  evidently.

[Reverend]

Very nice work Pepe. 

[OldiesButGoodies]

Came out really nice, if I do say so myself,  better than the EPIs I did a year back  Will post high res pics later today after they dry.  Thanks to Shawn for his advice on how to do this.  A key difference this time around: I used a router and a straight flust trim bit.  The router was not that expensive (I bought a 'flush trim' version at Harbor Freight for next to nothing),  but I did spend a few bucks for a high quality flust trim bit (not from Harbor Freight!). The router approach makes this almost stupid proof -  just make sure you protect the area where the bit roller will ride with masking tape (I did not on one pass - learned the hard way) And this time around I did not attempt to stain the red oak,  just went straight to spray lacquer (again, Shawn's advice - he is d man). 

On the down side,  the 3As are looking great,  new x-over, grills, etc. - so nothing else to update.  Need to find a new project!  Rev, bring me your grills,  I will git em looking new again!

Pepe

[Reverend]

Got the speaker grills and the glue you recommended, might give it a shot today.  Would be nice to redue the crossovers on my ALiii's.  Feel like giving that a shot?   

[OldiesButGoodies]

Serious - if you need help screwing up the grill work I will gladly join you and bring my trusty 3 foot aluminum ruler and a brand new single edge razor.  Just feed me any IPA beer you have and I am a re-grilling machine.

Will gladly redo the crossover caps in your ALs just let me know what caps you want from the PE repertoire (F1nut will not be happy if you chose Dayton audio, just so you know).

Pepe

[OldiesButGoodies]

Pictures after veneering.   The purple fringe in some of the pics is a camera defect of the Fuji X-10 (the orbs issue) - Fuji is recalling the sensors for replacement,  still waiting my turn to send it in.  Still have some work to do in the baffle-veneer interface,  it will probably look better if I paint the edge of the veneer black like the baffle:

[bmwr75]

Very nice Pepe!!