Introducing: Project Resurrection, ‘der Phoenix’, maybe?

[briang]

Some misguided soul decided to paint some poor pair of JBL L96 in white. I saw them on ebay and they did not sell (no wonder) so I approached the seller offline after the auction ended with a lowball and it was accepted.

Project Goal: Bring back the wood look.

Plans: Strip paint, fill holes, sand veneer, refinish (ala Steve Gonzales' methods). Send drivers for repair (Midwest Speaker Repair, Saint Paul, MN), Re-cover the grilles (brown), put system back together and ENJOY!

Here are the introduction pictures: Note holes for hanging in side of cabinet, note the missing foam (and dead spyder/suspension too)...

[boputnam]

All-in-all, you are one lucky cowboy! Nice...

[briang]

Step 1: Remove drivers.
Step 2. Strip paint.

Here are some pictures in progress...

I'm very concerned that the white paint is deep into the grain and may never be completely sanded out (unless I sand through the veneer).

[briang]

With the cabinets cleaned of the paint, I used dowels with Elmer's wood glue to fill the holes (fit perfectly) and sanded the cabinets down a bit.

Of note, the sides of the cabinet appear to have veneer on both sides (in and out) must have been simpler for production to buy the wood that way...

[GordonW]

This is one case where judicious limited use of a chemical paint stripper may be the trick to removing the white paint from the grain. Hopefully, others with more experience with specific strippers will chime in to point toward which ones would be appropriate...

Regards,
Gordon.

[4313B]

This is one case where judicious limited use of a chemical paint stripper may be the trick to removing the white paint from the grain. Hopefully, others with more experience with specific strippers will chime in to point toward which ones would be appropriate...

I'd just build new, mirror imaged boxes...
They're awfully easy to make and much less hassle.

[Fisherdude]

This is one case where judicious limited use of a chemical paint stripper may be the trick to removing the white paint from the grain. Hopefully, others with more experience with specific strippers will chime in to point toward which ones would be appropriate...

Regards,
Gordon.

I do a bit of wood refinishing. There are several not-too-nasty strippers available, such as citrus-based. I would try one of these, plus a stiff plastic bristle scrub brush, used gently so as not to risk damaging the veneer while it's soft from the stripper.

Might be worth a try.

Clay

[briang]

I do a bit of wood refinishing. There are several not-too-nasty strippers available, such as citrus-based. I would try one of these, plus a stiff plastic bristle scrub brush, used gently so as not to risk damaging the veneer while it's soft from the stripper.

Might be worth a try.

Clay

Thanks, I'll see what I can do.

Giskard, I've no wood working tools as yet (router, table saw, etc), but I like your idea.

[briang]

The project is complete. However as I went I took less and less pictures. My concern over paint in the grain was realized, I spent many pained hours sanding and picking the paint from the grain using a utility knife blade...tedious but it kept me busy and in the garage (which I call the Men's crisis center).



I'll post final pictures tomorrow or Monday.



Right now I'm listening to them. I think they sound great, but obviously they don't go quite as deep as my L-112s.



Midwest Speaker Repair of St. Paul, MN repaired the woofers. JBL authorized. One woofer had a discontinuity and had to be reconed, so I decided to have BOTH reconed! Midwest also recovered the grilles in a factory like brown.



I added dynomat (selectively) to the interior walls (because I had it and like to experiment), I've no idea if it will really make any difference other than reducing interior cabinet volume about ~0.5%.



They sound nice.



I followed Steve G's refinishing methods.



Again, pictures to follow soon.

[briang]

As promised, pictures...

[DMMD]

Yeah BABY! How many coats of DEFT on there Brian?

[briang]

Yeah BABY! How many coats of DEFT on there Brian?

Um, six or so, tough to tell with rattle cans, but I did about six coats, the first two looked like they just soaked in. I then coated enough to ensure a nice dull lustre --this also helped assure that orange peel is absent.

[johnaec]

Amazing!

John

[briang]

Amazing!

John

Thanks!

[Titanium Dome]

What a save! Looks great.