The finish I used is 6 layers of polyurethane floor finish (oil based) over a nitro based dark antique stain (CBM 221). You got to test the combination as not all stains will work with the poly. The staining takes some practice/work too. be sure that the pores are open prior to applying the stain. Sanding tends to close the pores. A good clean will open it up allowing a darker stain.
I tested a lot of combinations to get this result. To bad I couldn't keep it.
There are many ways to stain plywood. However, depending on the plywood it can be difficult to get the desired results. This is when I would suggest a gel stain over a penetrating oil-based wood stain. The problem with penetrating oil-based wood stain is if you get it too dark you are pretty much screwed because it is soaked into the wood. However, gel stains sit on top of the wood. If you get a gel stain too dark you can lighten it up by buffing it with some #0000 steel wool after it dries.
Minwax Gel Stain - Wood & Metal Stain - Gel Stain Colors | Minwax
Minwax Gel Stain - Wood & Metal Stain - Gel Stain Colors | Minwax
On my 360hz tractrix i thinned red oil paint probably 50% thinner and re-applied over about a week period, untill desired depth /color was achieved, letting dry between coats, then 10 plus coats of oil based poly, let the poly cure for a month , then wet sand and buff with compound , all of this application was done while on the lathe so i could easily apply /sand /buff while spinning
Hi Louis,
I know you must be busy but please do update this thread (and get in touch) when you have a moment. I have not heard from you or seen an update in a long long time.
Quite a few people have spent time reading this thread that you started, and contributing to it so it is only fair that you let us all know where things stand. Even a line saying that you are busy or delayed out of professional courtesy will do...
Best wishes
Rakesh
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I finally had an update from Louis. And as I have met him in person, I never doubted that he was working to get things done ...
but as he explained, the aluminium plate that he ordered for the lathe over a month ago has yet to appear although he says that he has seen it in the flesh.
So soon the lathe will be operational. And things will start happening. Thanks god for this!
In addition, Louis tells me he has received a quote for the aluminium frames he has designed and he will be sending this to me shortly.
So yes, we are 6 months behind schedule but hey what's half a year when I have been working on this project on and off for over 5 years now.
Best regards
Rakesh
but as he explained, the aluminium plate that he ordered for the lathe over a month ago has yet to appear although he says that he has seen it in the flesh.
So soon the lathe will be operational. And things will start happening. Thanks god for this!
In addition, Louis tells me he has received a quote for the aluminium frames he has designed and he will be sending this to me shortly.
So yes, we are 6 months behind schedule but hey what's half a year when I have been working on this project on and off for over 5 years now.
Best regards
Rakesh
Received this pic from Louis a couple of days ago.
So Louis has told me that we will concentrate on completing the 110Hz tractrix horns.
We have also agreed to redesign the Frames as the quote came back over twice allocated budget for materials, so we are now looking at a single column design for the frame, nothing fancy that will simply do the job of supporting the fairly substantial horns.
I do not think the horns will be ready for the end of the month but am still hoping that they will be sometime within the next 6 weeks.
Rakesh
So Louis has told me that we will concentrate on completing the 110Hz tractrix horns.
We have also agreed to redesign the Frames as the quote came back over twice allocated budget for materials, so we are now looking at a single column design for the frame, nothing fancy that will simply do the job of supporting the fairly substantial horns.
I do not think the horns will be ready for the end of the month but am still hoping that they will be sometime within the next 6 weeks.
Rakesh
Attachments
Hi Louis,
It would be great to have an update as to any progress with the work on the horns. I have not heard from you in nearly a month now...
Out of courtesy, an update would be very very welcome.
Regards
Rakesh
It would be great to have an update as to any progress with the work on the horns. I have not heard from you in nearly a month now...
Out of courtesy, an update would be very very welcome.
Regards
Rakesh
Progress begins...
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Hi Gintaras,
Well, I am not too sure as Louis will typically not pick up the phone when he does not want to tell me he is falling behind...At the moment he is not answering my calls so I imagine he has not made much progress since he last posted here.
I must say that the pictures he has posted leave me even more impatient for a final product even if we are running dangerously close to having a year's delay on this.
I have never quite come across this kind of delay but then again Louis has never undertaken such a project prior to this so I am willing to trust him. I just wish he was more forthcoming with giving me updates of progress, the lack of which I personally find just not right...
I hope there is some more tangible news soon.
rgds
rakesh
Well, I am not too sure as Louis will typically not pick up the phone when he does not want to tell me he is falling behind...At the moment he is not answering my calls so I imagine he has not made much progress since he last posted here.
I must say that the pictures he has posted leave me even more impatient for a final product even if we are running dangerously close to having a year's delay on this.
I have never quite come across this kind of delay but then again Louis has never undertaken such a project prior to this so I am willing to trust him. I just wish he was more forthcoming with giving me updates of progress, the lack of which I personally find just not right...
I hope there is some more tangible news soon.
rgds
rakesh
After lots of delays there the first one is nearly done! just the largest ring left, and then a lot of sanding.
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Looking good, recently completed some 160hz full LC flares myself so i know what your up against. Moved on to 160hz elliptical LC flares now, now they are enormous!
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Hi Gintaras,
It is looking up...Patience is a rewarding virtue after all it would seem.
Louis got in touch and it all sounds promising as you can read below:
"Hi Rakesh.
...
I'm away at the moment, back on the 20th March. I have booked off a week when I return to finish the second horn, ready for spraying.
...
Like you I, need to get his project signed off. This year has been incredibly hard juggling 3/4 jobs, and I haven't given you or the project the time they deserve.
...
Have a great day,
Louis
Reading this, i imagine the horns will be finished and ready for collection sometime in April. It has been a long, arduous and at times depressing wait but it looks like this is the end of this long dark tunnel...
Cheers
Rakesh
It is looking up...Patience is a rewarding virtue after all it would seem.
Louis got in touch and it all sounds promising as you can read below:
"Hi Rakesh.
...
I'm away at the moment, back on the 20th March. I have booked off a week when I return to finish the second horn, ready for spraying.
...
Like you I, need to get his project signed off. This year has been incredibly hard juggling 3/4 jobs, and I haven't given you or the project the time they deserve.
...
Have a great day,
Louis
Reading this, i imagine the horns will be finished and ready for collection sometime in April. It has been a long, arduous and at times depressing wait but it looks like this is the end of this long dark tunnel...
Cheers
Rakesh
Delay v Dishonesty
Hi Louis,
It is one thing to be delayed, and not to deliver on work that was promised to be delivered over a year ago, which I could live with provided you kept me informed (which you haven't done) but it is another thing to be taken along for an unending ride that suggests that you are not being honest. Which one is it?
Please let me know...
--
Best regards
Rakesh
Hi Louis,
It is one thing to be delayed, and not to deliver on work that was promised to be delivered over a year ago, which I could live with provided you kept me informed (which you haven't done) but it is another thing to be taken along for an unending ride that suggests that you are not being honest. Which one is it?
Please let me know...
--
Best regards
Rakesh
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Hi Louis,
Unfortunately, you have failed to answer any of my calls, texts or e-mails.
It looks as if your company is still registered with Company House and as far as I can see you are still in business and have not filed for bankruptcy.
You have my property. That is my 110Hz unfinished large horns as well as two horns by StereoLab (one 400Hz and the other 250Hz). I want these back.
I would like to come and collect these as soon as possible from your work premises.
So please let's end this charade and let me know when I can come to collect my property.
I also post your details here so that other people may make up their own mind whether they want to deal with you in the context of this thread, your lack of professionalism, courtesy and simply failure to deliver on a written contract and repeated promises to make amends.
Louis-James Eastman
Studio Au
OUT OF THE WOODWORK
Vale Lane Workshop, Vale Lane,
Bedminster, Bristol, BS3 5RU
kind regards
Rakesh
Unfortunately, you have failed to answer any of my calls, texts or e-mails.
It looks as if your company is still registered with Company House and as far as I can see you are still in business and have not filed for bankruptcy.
You have my property. That is my 110Hz unfinished large horns as well as two horns by StereoLab (one 400Hz and the other 250Hz). I want these back.
I would like to come and collect these as soon as possible from your work premises.
So please let's end this charade and let me know when I can come to collect my property.
I also post your details here so that other people may make up their own mind whether they want to deal with you in the context of this thread, your lack of professionalism, courtesy and simply failure to deliver on a written contract and repeated promises to make amends.
Louis-James Eastman
Studio Au
OUT OF THE WOODWORK
Vale Lane Workshop, Vale Lane,
Bedminster, Bristol, BS3 5RU
kind regards
Rakesh
I have spoken to Louis. He has texted me apologising for not getting in touch and explaining that it has been very difficult getting the time to finish the horns.
I have suggested that I come up to pick up the horns even unfinished but he said it would be a shame not to make a final effort to finish the second one. He has assured me that by Tuesday 21st June next week, he will let me know whether he can definitely finish them or whether I should come to pick them up.
So with some luck, this whole affair will be resolved very soon.
Rakesh
I have suggested that I come up to pick up the horns even unfinished but he said it would be a shame not to make a final effort to finish the second one. He has assured me that by Tuesday 21st June next week, he will let me know whether he can definitely finish them or whether I should come to pick them up.
So with some luck, this whole affair will be resolved very soon.
Rakesh
Just a note on the finishing and cracking - I had a set of stacked MDF enclosures crack like wesayso's experience. The reason, at least in my case, is that I had a vertical panel (baffle) that spanned the stacked MDF slices just like it looks like wesayso did. When the humidity changed, all the stacked panels shrank in thickness, but not in width or length. So the baffle panel was clamped by the shrinking layers of the enclosure, causing those layers to crack. JLH's horn (and it appears the OP's horn) does not have this type of construction so would not have experienced this issue. However I imagine it changes its length slightly as humidity changes depending on how well it's sealed. I'd estimate I saw around a 3mm change in height on a ~600mm tall stack of MDF slices.
Good luck finishing your horns.
Good luck finishing your horns.
Very good points from Mr. Sheerin. Any time you do stacked construction you have two choices. You can design for and allow for shrinking and expanding, or you can completely seal it. With my horns I've always chosen to seal them. In addition, every layer has fasteners that tie it to the next two layers below it. With this combination I've never had a horn crack on me. In my experience MDF is more likely to crack than plywood if left untreated. However, both will crack if exposed to swings in humidity and temperature.
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