"The Widgets" update

[Wardsweb]

Originally Posted by demon

...snip... i would love to download your picture of the o77. is that possible? that would be great!
pps: cool motorcycle you got!

Not a problem. Click on the picture and the full size version will pop up. Right click on that picture and then click on "save pictures as" (actual save may differ depending on your browser).

[pos]

[demon]

statement: this is the most beautiful tweeter EVER!!
im stunned and stunned again by drivers that even look great on the backside.
(got the pic after updating my browser)

cheers,
mikey

[Wardsweb]

Veneer is done. Time for sanding.

[Krunchy]

Hello Wardsweb, the sapele looks gorgeous, cant wait to see it with a finish on, always one of my favorite woods. Speaking of finish, which route will you be taking, oil, lacquer or poly, (shellac)?

Mr. Widget, I loved the birds eye maple, another classic, those speakers are stuning, beautiful work!

Thanks guys!

[Wardsweb]

Originally Posted by Krunchy

Hello Wardsweb, the sapele looks gorgeous, cant wait to see it with a finish on, always one of my favorite woods. Speaking of finish, which route will you be taking, oil, lacquer or poly, (shellac)?

Thanks guys!

I am going to use Deft lacquer in a high gloss finish. I plan on finish sanding and buffing the final layer for an ultra high gloss.

[allen mueller]

Great job, that veneer looks fantastic. I just finished veneering some 4435's that i'm restoring using the same method but went with with the factory walnut look. Did you find the iron method tough at all on the curved surfaces?

Allen

[Wardsweb]

Originally Posted by allen mueller

Great job, that veneer looks fantastic. I just finished veneering some 4435's that i'm restoring using the same method but went with with the factory walnut look. Did you find the iron method tough at all on the curved surfaces?

Allen

Not at all. I started at the center front and worked my way out and then back and forth working my way to the back. This after I first sprayed the sheets with Super-Soft 2™ Veneer Softener, pressed them between two very large solid wood doors for a couple days. This let most of the moisture wick into the butcher paper I had sandwiched the sheet in. What was left was a sheet that was more like leather than wood. It was very supple and easily made the curve. You can make very tight turns too, as the one sheet starts at the front of the speaker and makes a pretty tight turn about 2" in, then the gentle curve to the back of the cabinet.

[JeffW]

I'd be interested in the construction details on those curved grills if you have anything handy or any tips.

[Wardsweb]

Originally Posted by JeffW

I'd be interested in the construction details on those curved grills if you have anything handy or any tips.

The perf is steel, 22 gauge, 1/4" hex x 0.285" on staggered centers. This makes it 77% open area. It has good spring for holding itself in the cabinet. I bought it online at http://perf-plus.com/prod1.htm. You can also find similar at http://mcnichols.com. I had them cut the sheet down for me.

The width is cut slightly larger than the opening to cause the bow in the metal. The grill cloth is held on with automotive trim I got from J.C. Whitney

[Fred Sanford]

Originally Posted by Wardsweb

Here is what I have up so far. I will add more as I complete the veneering and apply the high gloss finish.

http://wardsweb.org/audio/Widgets/

Great work, and thanks for sharing the pics & details.

je

P.S. Seeing the pictorial on Heather's Memorial ride really hit me hard, especially at this time of year- I'd only spent a couple of times with her before she passed, but she did have a real effect on me. She very simply refused to be pessimistic about people- everybody got the benefit of the doubt, and was treated immediately as a person with real value. A very good friend of mine was quite close to her, and her passing was a really difficult, yet intensely bonding time in our friendship. Thanks for the pics, and the kind words.

I never had the pleasure of knowing Heather, but from listening to the people at her cross,
I know I missed knowing a very special lady. She is well loved and will always be remembered.

[Mr. Widget]

Originally Posted by Wardsweb

Not at all. I started at the center front and worked my way out and then back and forth working my way to the back. This after I first sprayed the sheets with Super-Soft 2™ Veneer Softener, pressed them between two very large solid wood doors for a couple days. This let most of the moisture wick into the butcher paper I had sandwiched the sheet in. What was left was a sheet that was more like leather than wood. It was very supple and easily made the curve. You can make very tight turns too, as the one sheet starts at the front of the speaker and makes a pretty tight turn about 2" in, then the gentle curve to the back of the cabinet.

I thought I'd compare veneer techniques.

I approached veneering my Mark II cabinets a bit differently. There are many ways to skin a speaker. Before I tackled the sides I approached the tops. Since the sides are butted to the tops, this is true for both the original version that Luther has as well as the Mark II version that I have and I have veneered, I was concerned that the sides will likely expand and contract at different rates than the tops causing surface issues that could telegraph through to the top. To avoid this I crossbanded the tops with 1/16" maple veneer. Crossbanding is when you put a preliminary veneer layer with it's grain running perpendicularly to the facing veneer. I did this by rolling on white glue and clamping the hell out of it with a dozen or so pipe clamps and using a platen board and carefully placed battens. I trimmed this crossband veneer layer and then tackled the sides. For the sides, I placed the veneer in my vacuum bag veneer press and bonded it to 1/8" bending poplar. I then took the poplar and glued it to the curved sides of the speakers with battens and band clamps. The back of the speaker was veneered using a platen board and then band clams. The front beveled edges and the 5/16" returns on each side of the baffle were veneered using contact cement. After trimming and sanding all of the vertical faces I veneered the tops with the face grade veneer. I used the same technique as I had with the crossband layer.

Yep, lots of words and an even greater amount of time and effort, but the result is perfect and still looks as new almost three years later. For the finish, I fully prepped the the cabinets, sanded them out completely and filled any slight imperfections. My friend who I built these for had requested a specific finish he had seen elsewhere. It is a type of clear coat called conversion varnish... fairly toxic, but very nice looking on tight grained woods and is damned near bullet proof. I took the speaker cabinets to a professional finisher and had them sprayed with a satin conversion varnish. I might have done the spray work myself, but his work was exemplary and I didn't feel like learning how a new material behaves after spending that much effort and over $1000 on the veneer.


Widget

[BMWCCA]

Originally Posted by Fred Sanford

P.S. Seeing the pictorial on Heather's Memorial ride really hit me hard, especially at this time of year- I'd only spent a couple of times with her before she passed, but she did have a real effect on me. She very simply refused to be pessimistic about people- everybody got the benefit of the doubt, and was treated immediately as a person with real value. A very good friend of mine was quite close to her, and her passing was a really difficult, yet intensely bonding time in our friendship. Thanks for the pics, and the kind words.

In case anyone else has a hard a time putting that reference in perspective, given the eponymous nature of the link and one member here by that name who also rides, I believe this is the memorial to which Fred refers: http://wardsweb.org/busa/heather.html

I believe our own Heather (hjames) is alive and well but I'll let her speak for herself.

[Fred Sanford]

Originally Posted by BMWCCA

In case anyone else has a hard a time putting that reference in perspective, given the eponymous nature of the link and one member here by that name who also rides, I believe this is the memorial to which Fred refers: http://wardsweb.org/busa/heather.html

I believe our own Heather (hjames) is alive and well but I'll let her speak for herself.

Sorry, I wasn't thinking of that connection- yes, my reference was to Heather Howard. You'd all have liked her, the day I met her we went to see Les Paul at Fat Tuesday's, among other fun NYC sites. Damn shame, a real loss.

Sorry also for taking the thread on a tangent.

je

[Wardsweb]

Here is what I got done today. They speakers are sanded and the first cost of DEFT lacquer finish is on. The first coat always soaks in. I will sand and coat, sand and coat a few times to build up the finish and then sand and buff to get the mirror gloss shine.