How To Questions About Oiled Walnut Finish

[gsb001]

I just sanded the black studio finish off a pair of 4312A’s and they are down to the walnut veneer. Now I want to oil them.

I searched the forum threads and could not find a posting on how to do this. If anyone has link, please send to me.

I found and read the JBL “Maintaining JBL Furniture Finishes” pamphlet.
http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/jbl/reference/general/finish.htm

It has recipe of three parts boiled linseed oil and one part pure gum turpentine. Is this still the right and preferred way to apply the oiled finish?

I want to have the walnut finish. Where does the color pigmentation come from? Are there color choices of linseed oil or gum turpentine?

One more question please. I have a few spots where the veneer was sanded thru / off and the density board is showing. Is there a way to prep the board with primer before oiling to better blend with the veneer? I’m assuming if no prep is done – the board will show much darker.

Thanks
Steve

[Baron030]

Hi Steve

An oiled walnut finish does not have any pigments at all.
It’s just the natural color of the walnut wood showing through it.
Since, you have sanded through the veneer and exposed the interior wood.
Your only option may now be to re-veneer the enclosures, for them to really look right.
There are threads on this site explaining the procedures required to re-veneer an enclosure and some internet sources for the veneer.
And I do know of one local source for veneer right here in the western suburbs of Chicago and that is Owl Hardwoods. www.owlhardwood.com.

Baron030

[Fred Sanford]

I've just re-oiled all 14 of my black walnut JBL cabs with the recipe from the pamphlet, and they look great. Works for me.

je

[hjames]

Basically, you are saying you had speakers that someone painted black over the original wood finish, and now you've removed the black paint and its a nicely grained surface. http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/s...ad.php?t=21877
I'm assuming the cabinet is a kind of particle board with veneer over it. If you had sanded through the veneer you wouldn't have grain in that spot.

If its just exposed grain, you just want to oil that, (like Fred said) and over time, the oiled wood develops a patina ... My old L36s were like that - over 30 years a nice tone developed.

But no Pledge, and no polycoat!!

I just sanded the black studio finish off a pair of 4312A’s and they are down to the walnut veneer. Now I want to oil them.

I searched the forum threads and could not find a posting on how to do this. If anyone has link, please send to me.

I found and read the JBL “Maintaining JBL Furniture Finishes” pamphlet.
http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/jbl/reference/general/finish.htm

It has recipe of three parts boiled linseed oil and one part pure gum turpentine. Is this still the right and preferred way to apply the oiled finish?

I want to have the walnut finish. Where does the color pigmentation come from? Are there color choices of linseed oil or gum turpentine?

One more question please. I have a few spots where the veneer was sanded thru / off and the density board is showing. Is there a way to prep the board with primer before oiling to better blend with the veneer? I’m assuming if no prep is done – the board will show much darker.

Thanks
Steve

[sonofagun]

The boiled linseed/turpentine mix is an old recipe - there are many newer commercial oils available under various names: swedish oil, danish oil, watco (brand) and TUNG OIL (the best). These are applied and wiped off same as JBL pamphlet.

Easiest finish I ever used for walnut (should work on other similiar woods as well) was a coat or two of oil, let soak in, wipe dry/let dry 24 hours at least, then coat with a clear poly finish. When poly's dry use some very fine steel wool dipped in the oil and rub surface to a semi-gloss finish.

Lemon oil is good for maintaining natural oil finishes.

When in doubt, always test finishes on sample wood pieces first.

[gsb001]

Thanks for the notes guy's. Added picture.

I'm not going to redo the cabs with new veneer. Area's that rubbed thru will have to do. I was wondering if there was something to prime area to help blend.

To help fund my next speaker upgrade, I’m fixing and flipping three pair. All are in the same condition. All from a closed restaurant.

As new they were studio black. Then they were sprayed with a gray / black paint.

Man was I happy to see the wood. Beautiful finish on these older JBL's.
Steve

[KCCT82]

Hello gsb001,

I'm an oil painter so I deal with linseed oil and turpentine everyday. I wouldn't use the old recipe because lead is added to boiled oil to make it dry quicker. Just get the stuff listed above, I used Watco Natural Danish Oil a couple of weeks ago for the first time and it was great.

One coat was all I put on

[Mr. Widget]

Those Westlake clones are looking very nice!

I think you will find that in a few months they will need an additional coat, then maybe one more in a few years... but that usually does it.


Widget

[Triumph Don]

Hello gsb001,

I'm an oil painter so I deal with linseed oil and turpentine everyday. I wouldn't use the old recipe because lead is added to boiled oil to make it dry quicker. Just get the stuff listed above, I used Watco Natural Danish Oil a couple of weeks ago for the first time and it was great.

One coat was all I put on

Will this work with veneer as well as the solid wood, like on the L-300's?