Thanks fellas,
On the Zigmahornets, I used a clear, semi-gloss type varathane ( I think ) from Home Depot. I did 3 or 4 coats, sanding in between. I was fairly happy with the finish, though this time I'd like a little colour, so the actually look finished. And I'd like the finish a little smoother and glossier. So, several more coats will likely be in order, whatever it is I end up putting on there.
Chris, when you say "one step", do you mean one product, one application?
Or would multi coats of varathane, like I did in the Ziggies, be included in that?
I don't want to get too complex here, but I will if I have to, for these to look nice.
I'm all ears for suggestions.
Hey Don, that was an interesting characterization of the turn table differences, and it has to be absolutely the nicest, most diplomatic way anyone ever said, in essence, "we are sworn and mortal enemies."
Although, I note you said you have an Ittok on your deck. Clearly you have conflicting allegiances!
I, too, have that tone arm. I'd like to say I love it, but I don't really have anything but a Basic Plus to compare it with. But I'm sure it's good. I sent it to Audio Origami for the treatment and a thorough check out before installing it.
What ever you do, don't go to Audio Origami website by the way. That guy makes some tone arms that will intrude on your dreams.
;-)
Brenton
On the Zigmahornets, I used a clear, semi-gloss type varathane ( I think ) from Home Depot. I did 3 or 4 coats, sanding in between. I was fairly happy with the finish, though this time I'd like a little colour, so the actually look finished. And I'd like the finish a little smoother and glossier. So, several more coats will likely be in order, whatever it is I end up putting on there.
Chris, when you say "one step", do you mean one product, one application?
Or would multi coats of varathane, like I did in the Ziggies, be included in that?
I don't want to get too complex here, but I will if I have to, for these to look nice.
I'm all ears for suggestions.
Hey Don, that was an interesting characterization of the turn table differences, and it has to be absolutely the nicest, most diplomatic way anyone ever said, in essence, "we are sworn and mortal enemies."
Although, I note you said you have an Ittok on your deck. Clearly you have conflicting allegiances!
I, too, have that tone arm. I'd like to say I love it, but I don't really have anything but a Basic Plus to compare it with. But I'm sure it's good. I sent it to Audio Origami for the treatment and a thorough check out before installing it.
What ever you do, don't go to Audio Origami website by the way. That guy makes some tone arms that will intrude on your dreams.
;-)
Brenton
What type of veneer were the Ziggies? Some of the texture could result from large pore/grains like Oak, Beech, etc., in which case a pore filler and coloring could be applied before your clear top coats. You could even experiment on scraps with wetsanding with something like Watco oil based stains, and leaving as much of the swarf/sludge as you can in the pores, although that's likely to highlight, rather than minimize the pore pattern. I guess is depends on the look you're after.
Personally, I generally go for Maple, Cherry or Walnut, all of which have finer grain porosity than Oak, Beech or Mahogany.
yes to the first - I won't name brands, 'cause while I've only tried one, I think they're pretty much all the same - for me at least
as for the second, I've found that the polyurethanes don't dry sand out as smoothly or flow as well on subsequent coats as lacquer, regardless of porosity/texture of raw material.
if you really want to raise the hackles of a dyed in the wool Linnie, brag about your Rega RB250 and AudioNote (Goldring) cartridge on LP12
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Lacquer hey. Hmmmm.
The wood I've used here is baltic birch ply -- is what what you were asking? Same as I used on the Ziggies, though they were 1/2 inch, and the Saburos are 3/4 inch thick.
Good point about the varathane. On those ziggies I should have used a finer, wet sanding approach between coats, I guess.
The wood I've used here is baltic birch ply -- is what what you were asking? Same as I used on the Ziggies, though they were 1/2 inch, and the Saburos are 3/4 inch thick.
Good point about the varathane. On those ziggies I should have used a finer, wet sanding approach between coats, I guess.
The BB I've been using takes clear coats fairly nicely- for example makes for gorgeous drawer boxes with 3 coats (sanding between each), but can be problematic (i.e. splotchly/uneven) when trying to apply color to large surfaces without first applying a wash/seal coat / preconditioner.
Sorry, those were trade terms for something like shellac, or
which I've used with good results to reduce the variations of color that frequently occurs when applying colors to bookmatched veneers, or on doors that might include veneer panels and solid frames.
should be available at your local Rona
as with stains, I apply with T-shirt ragging - one for wet and one for dry wipe
I finished my Saburos in Danish Oil as follows:
1) Sand with 220 grit paper
2) Seal coat with a 50% mix of wax free shellac and denatured alcohol
3) Lightly sand with 350 paper
4) Apply first coat of oil as per instructions. I used Deft oil which allowed me to recoat in 3 hours
5) Apply second coat of oil sanding with 400 wet/dry sand paper. Be very careful if sanding on stained wood as you can sand through the stain. If you want it even smoother you can do a third coat sanding with 600 grit.
6) Wait about 24 hours and apply funiture wax.
The finish is smoother than I ever achived with varathane and sanding, took way less time to finish, and no dust and flies in the finish I don't have a spray booth otherwise I would probably have sprayed with lacquer as recommended by Chris.
You definitely want to do the sealer on birch otherwise you will get blotching. If you're staining, then you want to apply the sealer before staining. The attached picture shows the saburo with stained cherry veneer on the baffle. It was sealed, stained, oiled, and waxed as per above.
1) Sand with 220 grit paper
2) Seal coat with a 50% mix of wax free shellac and denatured alcohol
3) Lightly sand with 350 paper
4) Apply first coat of oil as per instructions. I used Deft oil which allowed me to recoat in 3 hours
5) Apply second coat of oil sanding with 400 wet/dry sand paper. Be very careful if sanding on stained wood as you can sand through the stain. If you want it even smoother you can do a third coat sanding with 600 grit.
6) Wait about 24 hours and apply funiture wax.
The finish is smoother than I ever achived with varathane and sanding, took way less time to finish, and no dust and flies in the finish
I don't have a spray booth otherwise I would probably have sprayed with lacquer as recommended by Chris.You definitely want to do the sealer on birch otherwise you will get blotching. If you're staining, then you want to apply the sealer before staining. The attached picture shows the saburo with stained cherry veneer on the baffle. It was sealed, stained, oiled, and waxed as per above.
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Yes, or something like the wood conditioner Chris suggested a couple of posts back.
Mine are making the finest music reproduction I've ever heard, but haven't got a finish yet...
I encourage everybody to do the job!!! To me they sound more balanced than the Sachikos I build last year...
Pine tree 18mm plywood
Definetly it doesnt matter if you use 19mm or 18mm... you just have to adjust the inner "wood maze" to the right proportions...
A toast to the creator of these very fine "instruments"
I encourage everybody to do the job!!! To me they sound more balanced than the Sachikos I build last year...
Pine tree 18mm plywood
Definetly it doesnt matter if you use 19mm or 18mm... you just have to adjust the inner "wood maze" to the right proportions...
A toast to the creator of these very fine "instruments"
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HiFi,
I'm delighted to hear this report. When I got the last side glued on the first cabinet, and stood it up, I thought it seemed a bit ... skinny. I wondered if I should have built one of the bigger brother versions!
My update for today is -- everything is glued in place, and the sanding has begun.
I'm delighted to hear this report. When I got the last side glued on the first cabinet, and stood it up, I thought it seemed a bit ... skinny. I wondered if I should have built one of the bigger brother versions!
My update for today is -- everything is glued in place, and the sanding has begun.
Natron what? Don't tell me, I'm sure I don't want to know.
Dave's units have quite a few changes; EnABL & basket mods. aside, there is damping at specific points; it takes down a break-up the 126 has at 7KHz & so on & so forth, while also killing a few other unwanted resonances.
FWIW, this was what someone wrote on A-gon regarding a pair of Saburos built for him under the Tybone moniker by Jeff Carder: AudiogoN Reviews: Cardersound Tybone Speaker
Dave's units have quite a few changes; EnABL & basket mods. aside, there is damping at specific points; it takes down a break-up the 126 has at 7KHz & so on & so forth, while also killing a few other unwanted resonances.
FWIW, this was what someone wrote on A-gon regarding a pair of Saburos built for him under the Tybone moniker by Jeff Carder: AudiogoN Reviews: Cardersound Tybone Speaker
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The entire receipe is outlined here: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/146275-enabl-how-fostex-fe127e-other-speakers.html
FE126e treatment is the same as FE127e
dave
I have been playing my Saburos with Planet10 EnABLed FE126eN drivers for about a month. It took the drivers quite awhile to break in, and they are probably still not completely broken in, but the sound just keeps getting better and better. About a week ago I switched from a SS amp to my newly built SimpleSE tube amp. I was very surprised how much difference this made to the dynamics and sound stage of the music.
Attached is an image of one of Dave's EnABLed drivers in my Saburos. Sorry for the picture quality.
Attached is an image of one of Dave's EnABLed drivers in my Saburos. Sorry for the picture quality.
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Scott, I read that review before, back when I was building my zigmas, and around the same time I was reading Dave Of Basses build thread -- I was sold on them then. That's a really great review. Thoughtful, funny, and full of details you can really latch onto.
HiFisucker, I'll be eager to hear if you agree with his review.
So today's update: 1 coat of Danish oil is on and drying.
I've fought off the temptation to play them, as the Fins might say, until the finish is finished ...
HiFisucker, I'll be eager to hear if you agree with his review.
So today's update: 1 coat of Danish oil is on and drying.
I've fought off the temptation to play them, as the Fins might say, until the finish is finished ...
For the sake of interest, one finish I recently picked up on (not that it makes any difference -if I have a forte [debatable] building things isn't it) is sanded spar varnish. I saw it in an article in Fine Woodworking. IIRC, the method goes something like this
-sand the surface to the level you wish per usual
-cut back a clear gloss spar varnish with turpentine about 75 - 25 proportion & quickly flood the surface of the piece
-sand it into the surface with 220 grit wet & dry until you produce a slurry
-wipe off varnish while still wet / before it gets sticky against the grain (need to be quick for large pieces, or have a friend helping, as you can't do surfaces in sections with this method)
-buff with a cloth every half hour or so for a couple of hours to make sure no wet spots appear on the surface, & blast any joints with compressed air (same reason)
-leave overnight at room temperature, then lightly sand 320 grit non-loading with the grain
-repeat process with unthinned varnish & progressively finer grits of wet & dry until you've at least three coats on. More you add the deeper the finish gets. You can add a wax top-coat or leave as-is.
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