JBL Walnut Cabinets - WXA

[saeman]

WHO KNOWS - How JBL finished their walnut speaker cabinets that were labeled WXA for oiled walnut. Did they merely throw some oil over the bare veneer and rub it out or did they stain it first or did they use a tinted wash for color matching, or what??

I thought someone out there might know the answer or might know who to contact at JBL to get an answer. There are many techniques used by DIY'ers but how did JBL do it.

There's little that can be done to duplicate 30 years of patina but an answer might allow us to better duplicate their efforts when we refinish these old cabinets.

http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/images/smilies/bouncy.gif Rick http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/images/smilies/smile.gif

[oldisgood]

http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/jbl/reference/general/finish.htm
Contains a discussion of maintaining the JBL factory finish, but should also work if you have just reconditioned the wood. Does it help?

[majick47]

Recently I stripped down a pair of L200b that had been painted black, not a pretty sight. In the end it was necessary to go beyond the original oil finish level to eliminate scratches. At this point they were down to the bare veneer and I oiled the cabinets useing JBLs original formula of 3/4 boiled linseed oil and 1/4 pure gum terpentine. The results were excellent and the color and patina came out very close to another pair of L200b with the original finish intact.

[Rolf]

WHO KNOWS - How JBL finished their walnut speaker cabinets that were labeled WXA for oiled walnut. Did they merely throw some oil over the bare veneer and rub it out or did they stain it first or did they use a tinted wash for color matching, or what??

I thought someone out there might know the answer or might know who to contact at JBL to get an answer. There are many techniques used by DIY'ers but how did JBL do it.

There's little that can be done to duplicate 30 years of patina but an answer might allow us to better duplicate their efforts when we refinish these old cabinets.

http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/images/smilies/bouncy.gif Rick http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/images/smilies/smile.gif

I am not sure this is the answer you are looking for, but if you start all over with new veneer, just oil, dry it, sand (2000), oil, dry it, sand ... stop sanding, continue with oil and dry, and many hours later, maybe you get the 30 year finish.

Rolf