I picked up a cabinet (cheap) that has been in a fire. It's structurally solid, but cosmetically a mess.
The main problem is that some of the wood has burned away. It looks like your standard 13-ply birch (it's a Matamp 2x12), and in some places, two or even three layers have burned away.
Any suggestions on what to do with this?
Rip off the burned layers completely?
Use bondo or something to square off the burned areas?
Sand the burned areas smooth and just leave an uneven surface?
Thanks for any advice.
The main problem is that some of the wood has burned away. It looks like your standard 13-ply birch (it's a Matamp 2x12), and in some places, two or even three layers have burned away.
Any suggestions on what to do with this?
Rip off the burned layers completely?
Use bondo or something to square off the burned areas?
Sand the burned areas smooth and just leave an uneven surface?
Thanks for any advice.
Thanks for the replies - I'll get a couple pictures up later today.
Not silly... this is actually what I was thinking. Structurally, it's fine - I could probably throw the cabinet down the stairs without it coming apart. I could scrub the hell out of the tolex, clean up the hardware, and use it as is. But I don't think the wife would let me bring it in from the garage.
So I'd like to recover it without totally disguising its history - I just don't know exactly how I'd do that.
I was about to ask "How would I do that?" but I guess you'd need to see the photos first. Neat idea.
cernael said:
Not silly... this is actually what I was thinking. Structurally, it's fine - I could probably throw the cabinet down the stairs without it coming apart. I could scrub the hell out of the tolex, clean up the hardware, and use it as is. But I don't think the wife would let me bring it in from the garage.
So I'd like to recover it without totally disguising its history - I just don't know exactly how I'd do that.
thespeakerguy said:
I was about to ask "How would I do that?" but I guess you'd need to see the photos first. Neat idea.
a single layer of fiberglass is transparent
like on a surfboard.
There's retail stores with the supplies in most major metropolitan areas. In San Jose, it's called Tap Plastics. Buy local is good, the resins are expensive to ship.
on the idea of using a router. use a template guide bushing to cut perfect 3" diameter circles 1/4" deep. These are then filled with 3" diameter pieces of hardwood or plywood. Could be done in phases, could use contrasting woods, etc. This would end up looking like those weird eliptical patches used over knot holes in plywood, although you use circles as they are much easier to get dimensional accuracy
like on a surfboard.
There's retail stores with the supplies in most major metropolitan areas. In San Jose, it's called Tap Plastics. Buy local is good, the resins are expensive to ship.
on the idea of using a router. use a template guide bushing to cut perfect 3" diameter circles 1/4" deep. These are then filled with 3" diameter pieces of hardwood or plywood. Could be done in phases, could use contrasting woods, etc. This would end up looking like those weird eliptical patches used over knot holes in plywood, although you use circles as they are much easier to get dimensional accuracy
I like that idea.. I'll have to look into local sources.
Here are the photos of the badly burned areas:
The front and opposite side are unburned; the interior and all structural elements are sound. It's mostly the one corner (top right, looking from behind), and the back panel, which would be easy enough to replace.
Here are the photos of the badly burned areas:
The front and opposite side are unburned; the interior and all structural elements are sound. It's mostly the one corner (top right, looking from behind), and the back panel, which would be easy enough to replace.
I guess I want to do it for the sake of doing it.
I like my gear... well, "seasoned" with character - none of mine is showroom quality. This cab functions perfectly well as a box right now. I don't want to recover it fully, just enough to make it pass the wife test.
I know it's unusual. I guess I'll just forge ahead and see what happens. I find that projects like this one tend to tell you what to do, once you're knee deep into them.
I like my gear... well, "seasoned" with character - none of mine is showroom quality. This cab functions perfectly well as a box right now. I don't want to recover it fully, just enough to make it pass the wife test.
I know it's unusual. I guess I'll just forge ahead and see what happens. I find that projects like this one tend to tell you what to do, once you're knee deep into them.
Nordic said:
If you think it's a silly idea, that's your prerogative. If you've never assembled a really playable guitar from the pieces of three busted strat copies, or transformed a filthy old PA amp with cracked tubes and worthless capacitors into a sweet little marshall clone, maybe you don't get it. It's not your thing and that's okay by me. But I don't get what being poor has to do with it. I'm not taking it on because it was my only cab and was caught in a fire. I actively sought out junk for a few fun projects.
This is a perfectly functional cabinet that could probably take a good two or three thwacks from a sledge without giving. As a box that holds speakers in place and directs sound, it is excellent. It's just ugly as hell. I have no intention to restore it to show floor status - I'd just buy another or build one from scratch if I wanted that. I thought, with a little love and attention, this would be a cool looking conversation piece and a nice little cab I wouldn't mind throwing in the back of a pickup when I'm in a hurry.
I guess I get a sense of accomplishment from bringing someone else's once-loved junk back from the dead.
Lol, I suppose it came over more serious than it should have..
Trust me, I'm a big scrounger of old stuff especialy wood... I love liberateing good wood from old thrown away furniture.
The diffirence between wood and people is, wood's dirt is on the outside... nothing a good planeing doesn't cure...
PS, you should have seen my fisrt electric guitar.... I'm moveing back into the house soon, then I can take a picture.... same for my first guitar amp... but that I gave to a friend's little brother.
Trust me, I'm a big scrounger of old stuff especialy wood... I love liberateing good wood from old thrown away furniture.
The diffirence between wood and people is, wood's dirt is on the outside... nothing a good planeing doesn't cure...
PS, you should have seen my fisrt electric guitar.... I'm moveing back into the house soon, then I can take a picture.... same for my first guitar amp... but that I gave to a friend's little brother.
No worries, Nordic. 
And I didn't mean to come off as overly sensitive.. I mean.. it IS a charred mess, after all.
Talk about funky first guitars... mine was one of those small scale Toys R Us deals with the built-in speaker. I still have it - must be twenty years old now - completeley unplayable, action is like a whole inch off the frets, but I like to keep it on the wall for laughs.
And I didn't mean to come off as overly sensitive.. I mean.. it IS a charred mess, after all.Talk about funky first guitars... mine was one of those small scale Toys R Us deals with the built-in speaker. I still have it - must be twenty years old now - completeley unplayable, action is like a whole inch off the frets, but I like to keep it on the wall for laughs.
an idea that might pass the wife test as well as preserve the battle scars:
sand it all down to bare wood, leaving some of the discoloration, then a thick urethane finish to bring out the grain and the changes in color on the battle scars, as well as providing a nearly indestructible surface.
sand it all down to bare wood, leaving some of the discoloration, then a thick urethane finish to bring out the grain and the changes in color on the battle scars, as well as providing a nearly indestructible surface.
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