What should be used on cabinet wood?

[Gary C.]

For speakers like L112's.
Is Pledge good enough,or is something special required?

[Audiobeer]

I hate using any kind of polish on wood. It basicaly clogs the pores of the wood and in fact does not allow them to breath. It will lesson the life of the finish. A slightly damp cloth is all that is ever needed on a good finish. If you have to clean them use a damp cloth that was dampened with a bit of water and joy, dawn whatever. That's just my opinion and others may have thier tried and true methods. This is for the cabinets with a laquer, poly type finish. If it is an oiled would finish apply some more oil after cleaning as described above.

[Gary C.]

I'm assuming these are oiled wood.
What kind of oil,though?

[Audiobeer]

Do a search on these threads but linseed oil is what I would use. Others may have found something preferable. Do a search by typing in linseed oil and all kinds of threads will come up. Here's a tip from JBL.

http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/jbl/reference/general/finish.htm

[Gary C.]

Thank you.

[Audiobeer]

Here's another Gary if you haven't already found it. Good Luck to you!

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=4022&highlight=linseed+oil

[Steve Schell]

I have heard from piano refinishers over the years that common spray polishes like Pledge and Behold are very problematic and should not be used. The chief complaint is that these products contain silicones, which migrate through the finish and into the wood. If someone attempts to strip and refinish the item in the future, the silicone will cause horrendous fisheyes and prevent the new finish from adhering to the wood.

[Tom Loizeaux]

Lacquer finished wood can benifit from an occasional light treatment of paste wax and buffing.
Most speaker cabinets are not lacquer finished but are oil finished. Applying a very thin oil coat can clean, restore and replentish an oil finish. Tung oil is great, but it will harden, giving the wood a nice sheen. If you want to keep an open grain on oiled wood, you should use an oil that soaks in and slowly dries out. Usually linseed or real lemon oil is used for this.

Tom

[bbrown]

I recently used boiled linseed oil on a pair of L56 cabinets belonging to a friend. They hadn't been oiled since he got them in the early '80s. All I can say is "Wow!" Two or three coats and they are stunning. I wish I had taken pics.

If you use BLO, make sure you take care of the rags, or they will combust. Thinning the first coat with mineral spirits will help it penetrate a little more.

Bruce

[Gary C.]

Thanks for all the links and tips. :)

[Steelyfan]

Dear Audiobeer I post the pic of the waterstain here
I hope it is ok

Many thanks in advance for your help

[Audiobeer]

What are your intentions? Are you going to refinish the speaker cabinets or just the top of the one speaker? If you hope to just refinish the top it will not match. You can get if close but it won't be real close. That has some nice quarter sawn oak in the veneer. The reason it won't be real close is that in order to get to that stain, you'll have to sand through the natural patina. After you sand you'll want to do a combination clean and bleach. That is to remove any contaminets from the enviorment such as tobaco smoke, cannabis from your early years and pledge from when your life ended as you know it when the duster (Your wife) starting moved in and started setting freakin plants on the speakers. I like to use oxoloc acid which is a powder that is disolved in water. Follow directios. Use gloves if you like. Costs about $1.50 for a box and you will only use a forth of it. Use the rest mixed in with your mother in laws sugar for her tea. 1) Tape off rhe adjacent panels, 2.) Strip the top with a water soluble stripper like bix. 3) wash and remove tape as it will start breaking down. Reapply tape around adjacent panels. 4.) sand with an orbital or block sander being careful not to apply weight on the edges with 120 grit sandpaper. Once you have sanded evelny you should start seeing less and less of the water stain. Blow off the dust and now wet the top and apply oxolicc acid mix with a very plyable scrub brush. Wash of with a 1 part vinegar and 4 parts water. Let it dry and remove and reapply tape. Now after it drys switch to 160 sandpaper. Same technique but start focusing in on what might be left of the water spot. By now it's gone. Finish with 180 grit paper and not 220 for reasons of stain absortion and matching the other panels. Once you get to that point grab the back of your wifes head and drive it downwards toward the repair area like a dog that just crapped on your rug.............let her know this is not what you like to do with your weekends. This his how I trained mine. :D let me know when your at that point. (P.S. I love my wife and mother-in-law)