The problem is with the higher shutter speeds (like what I used in the first few shots) you don't see a lot of the reflection. Just just see a black, and isn't representative of what the speakers really look like. As an example, I turned one sideways any my friend sitting on the couch could clearly see details of himself in it. However, if I was to take a picture sitting from the same position at a lower shutter speed all you would see was black and glare. I just need to buckle down and find a tripod, lol
The pictures give a pretty good idea of how well the finish on your speakers turned out. You put in a lot of work and it shows.
I think they look great!
Best Regards,
TerryO
Second one turned out even better! Not to mention a slightly less juddery picture.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Who doesn't!
I agree, even with an HVLP you need a reasonable amount of sanding. With a roller you'd be shooting yourself in the foot to get out of walking a mile.
I guess my question is along the same lines: I've been brushing on the black glossy and have wet-sanded down with 400 and 600, so that it's smooth and swirly, with no glossy marks showing through any more (man, that sucked!)
I had bought brush-on lacquer and was now considering returning that for canned stuff...
Taking that as a given now, are the next steps simply to spray on a few-four coats of the clear stuff, and then sand with the 1000-2000, cutting compound, etc.?
Or, do I just go straight to the 2000-grit sanding and then the cutting compounds?
Attachments
Kareface, awesome job on the speakers! If you try it next time though, for the front baffle you might want to look into a pore filler/grain filler, especially for those woods like oak, which if my eyes aren't deceiving me is what you used for the front baffle? That will make it so that you can get that glass like finish on wood as well if that's what you're after. Looks awesome as is! just thought i'd mention how to get the similiar finish on a real wood instead of painted in keeping with the thread
Lots of other steps of course, but it's not overly dissimiliar to finishing a painted surface.
Lots of other steps of course, but it's not overly dissimiliar to finishing a painted surface.I guess my question is along the same lines: I've been brushing on the black glossy and have wet-sanded down with 400 and 600, so that it's smooth and swirly, with no glossy marks showing through any more (man, that sucked!)
I had bought brush-on lacquer and was now considering returning that for canned stuff...
Taking that as a given now, are the next steps simply to spray on a few-four coats of the clear stuff, and then sand with the 1000-2000, cutting compound, etc.?
Or, do I just go straight to the 2000-grit sanding and then the cutting compounds?
Hi Thinksnow,
I Know how you must feel , It;s agonizing
. I'm not trying to discourage you on making gloss finish, I think Gloss finish are nice , and would like to try it again in my next build, BUt I should say that sticking veneer on the speaking is way easier. We have similar project, a 2 way mtm I presume. Click the link http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/165376-my-latest-speaker-4-19-2010-a.html
Last edited:
I'm quite keen on staying the course as far as painting the black, but I do appreciate your suggestion...if I were starting from scratch, I'd do it.
For what it's worth, I am planning on laminating the sides and top with oak, and staining that to match the Mission-style furniture we have.
Okay, so I returned the brush-on varnish tonight and was picking up some spray on lacquer (Rust-Oleum Specialty Coating Lacquer) and I saw a pruduct that looked interesting- Rust-Oleum Appliance Epoxy Spray. Has anyone had any experience with this spray epoxy?
I may try it on the bases, just to see how it handles.
For what it's worth, I am planning on laminating the sides and top with oak, and staining that to match the Mission-style furniture we have.
Okay, so I returned the brush-on varnish tonight and was picking up some spray on lacquer (Rust-Oleum Specialty Coating Lacquer) and I saw a pruduct that looked interesting- Rust-Oleum Appliance Epoxy Spray. Has anyone had any experience with this spray epoxy?
I may try it on the bases, just to see how it handles.
First off, you have to wait a month for the paint to cure before you consider sanding the final coat or applying any type of polish.I guess my question is along the same lines: I've been brushing on the black glossy and have wet-sanded down with 400 and 600, so that it's smooth and swirly, with no glossy marks showing through any more (man, that sucked!)
I had bought brush-on lacquer and was now considering returning that for canned stuff...
Taking that as a given now, are the next steps simply to spray on a few-four coats of the clear stuff, and then sand with the 1000-2000, cutting compound, etc.?
Or, do I just go straight to the 2000-grit sanding and then the cutting compounds?
You appear to be using MDF, did you apply a primer? It's important that you seal all the little pores in the MDF. If you did use a primer, how many layers have you applied? It's really easy to sand or polish through the finish if you don't have a few layers to work with. If it looks like you've sanded through any points on the primer, keep applying layers and sanding until there isn't any bare spots after the sanding is finished. I prefer to apply 2 layers between standing. Once you have the primer down you'll want to apply a couple layers of lacquer, sand down with a higher grit paper (1600 will work) then apply 2 more and sand once again. Once you've applied the lacquer and it's clear you aren't sanding through the paint you should apply as many clear coats as you can. If you are doing this with cans I would suggest at least 4, if not more. Once again standing every 2 coats and you can sand with 2000p if you have it at this point. Don't sand the final coat, you have to wait for the paint to cure first.
Once you've got the final coat finished, wait a month before sanding the final coat, be very careful not to sand through the finish. It's important that you get the surface as smooth as possible, any little bumps will create noticeable defects in the reflection. After you're done sanding, apply the cutting compound. Don't use too much, you just need a little bit. If it looks like it's taking forever to polish away the fluid you're likely using too much. I did 4-6 applications and sanded by hand, but it'll very depending on the quality of the sanding job and the paint. Once you have a fairly reflective finish, apply the car polish to remove the swirls from the cutting fluid.
Very good eyes. I might do something a long those lines for the next speakers I plan to build (much nicer design) but I was more than satisfied with the results as they stand.Kareface, awesome job on the speakers! If you try it next time though, for the front baffle you might want to look into a pore filler/grain filler, especially for those woods like oak, which if my eyes aren't deceiving me is what you used for the front baffle? That will make it so that you can get that glass like finish on wood as well if that's what you're after. Looks awesome as is! just thought i'd mention how to get the similiar finish on a real wood instead of painted in keeping with the thread
Last edited:
Yeah, that I'd seen a number of times, but it's good to drive home again. I keep fighting myself against trying to do it all now and be done with it. Luckily, since I wasn't sure of the next steps, I didn't have that option!
I am using MDF, so I had used two coats of primer, sanded smooth, before brushing on any paint. I did sand through to wood on some of my earliest efforts, and definitely saw the result the next coat I put on, so I went back and hit those with primer before the following coat of paint. I actually took it all the way back down to wood after a particularly bad sanding job, when I figured it would be best to get everything back to one layer and build up uniformly. I was originally doing a coat of paint or primer, then sanding, but I have gone to two coats between sands.
THIS is exactly what I needed to hear/see. For some reason, I was thinking that I had to wait a month between the paint and putting any clear coat on.
The rest of the advice is greatly appreciated, too. For some reason, no matter how many times I read through the write-ups (yours or ShinOBIWAN’s), I couldn’t quite get the timing of the 1-month pause. Thank you again.
Good GOD man, what type of paint are you using???
Are you in Alaska?
Polyurethanes can cure within a day for final sanding then clear coating. Nobody would be willing to wait a month for their car to be buffed out! If you tried that with polyurethanes, you'd find they are VERY tough.
I was able to finish / final sand the next day with Target coatings / water-base Lacquer. Note it's not really lacquer, but behaves and looks like lacquer. Can be re sprayed in 2 hours if the temperature is ~75* F.
I'll agree that you should wait a couple of weeks before you seal the final sanded / buffed top coat with whatever you prefer, but there is no need to wait that long before applying the clear coats. Make sure you follow the directions and timing between clear coats, some have a burn in factor to previous coats like lacquer. EmTech 6000 Series Water-based Productions Lacquer
Others need sanding between every coat.
Be careful with wet sanding MDF. (its messy!! ) and will swell the unsealed MDF.
Ron
No one said anything about waiting weeks before applying clear coats. You have to wait weeks after you apply the clear coats before you sand or polish the final applied coat.
I was wrong, I misunderstood the premise and time line. The finish I use suggests a final cure period of 7 days prior to buffing out finish. Recoats can be as soon as 1 1/2 hours! Which I've done. 4 coats in one day.
You don't always have to wait more than a week to final buff / sand the last coat. Depends on many things, weather, chemicals, humidity, thickness of previous coats....ect.
Here's a link to some very nice Luthier work. Target Coatings, Inc. :: View topic - Custom Guitar Finished w/ EM6000
Beautiful electric guitar.
Ron
Recoats can be as soon as 1 1/2 hours! Which I've done. 4 coats in one day. You don't always have to wait more than a week to final buff / sand the last coat. Depends on many things, weather, chemicals, humidity, thickness of previous coats....ect.
Here's a link to some very nice Luthier work. Target Coatings, Inc. :: View topic - Custom Guitar Finished w/ EM6000
Beautiful electric guitar.
Ron
Last edited:
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.