Crescendo Rehab for 3006, 3007, & 3008

[Chet72]

Greetings & salutations!

Wanted to take a moment to ask a few questions and get a little feedback on my current project. Just joined AK last night...

I've owned my Crescendo 3007s since 1993, when I bought them new. Apart from sporadic refoaming, they've served me very well. I added a few other matching speakers over the years - 3006 for rear duty, and a Kappa II center. Most recently, I picked up a pair of 3008s last week, which will (obviously) become my mains. 3007s will soon be doing rear duty, while I either sell the 3006s or use them in another room. Now on to the project -

I've attached a few pics of what I've been up to. The WAF was never great, but the system had formerly been in a dedicated theater room (old house). They will now be in the main living room, and the golden oak finish just clashes with everything else. I agree with my wife here - they're a bit dated looking, but I want to keep them (just can't part ways - love their sound), thus the refinishing project I've started.

I've stripped the oak veneer down to a point where only the grain remained. The look I'm going for is a deep gray body, with the grain accented with ebony fill. All tied together with a high gloss finish. I hope to have all the speakers looking subdued in hue, but elegant upon closer inspection. I must also add that I'm by no means a wood worker - this is my first undertaking of this magnitude.

The point I'm at now is fairly early - the cabs are empty, curing in the garage with their second coat of General Finishes gray gel stain. My plan is to next lightly sand with 400 grit, clean up, then add a thin layer of sanding sealer. This layer will be utilized to prevent the ebony dyed grain filler from spreading to the main bodies of the cabs - it should only fill in the grain pores & valleys. Once done with that, I'll add several layers of high gloss top coat, sanding with 2000 grit in between each. Finally, a buffing compound will be applied with my orbital buffer (normally used on my car) to achieve a mirror-like finish. If all goes well, ta-da! Great sounding vintage Infinity Crescendos, all customized in color and finish. Hopefully, they'll be as pretty as they are unique.

Now, I'd like to humbly request opinions & advice on the following questions. These address both the finishing process and functionality/connection options.

1. Do you think the sanding sealer is necessary and/or advisable?

2. Anyone have experience with using grain filler? The technique that seems most effective is to apply with a semi-pliable plastic trowel, using diagonal and circular motions to ensure it packs well into the grain and stays there. Then, wipe off with a squeegee in a diagonal direction to the grain once the filler becomes a little hazy. Wipe away any excess. Is this right? (It's a water based grain filler from Crystalac)

3. Should I lightly sand after applying the grain filler, or is this unnecessary/overkill?

4. What is the best way to apply several layers of the water based high-gloss top coat? My end goal is to achieve a piano black like mirror finish, like my SVS SB13 Ultra sub has. Just with the deep gray with black grain accented - kinda a furniture grade finish.

5. Should I apply the buffing compound with my orbital buffer, or by hand?

6. Connection-wise, I'm going to run the 3008s with my Emotiva XPA-2 amp. My initial thought was to simply bi-wire them, as I've done with the 3007s over the past decade. That XPA-2 is a beast, and my sub is substantial enough in the bass department. However, I could bi-amp them, using two available channels from my Adcom GFA-7607 on the highs & the Emotiva for the 10" woofers. I would only do so if a) it's really viable with the differences between the two amps, and b) if the consensus here is that the 3008s would definitely benefit THAT MUCH more by bi-amping with these amps.

7. If I don't bi-amp the mains, I'll definitely bi-amp the 3007s as the rears, again via the Adcom. That should make for a well matched (power-wise) setup with the mains - 300 watts at 8 ohms on the 3008s, 250 (really 125 x 2) watts total on the 3007s. I've already purchased a set of male to male RCA cables (Y-split at one end) from Blue Jeans Cables.

Please, I welcome any thoughts and suggestions. Thanks for looking, I'm glad to be (finally) be a member of AK.

Regards,
Chet

 

[stereofanboy]

You are a braver man than I. Make sure to show us the finished product, in situ so we can see what inspired the idea.

 

[Chet72]

You are a braver man than I. Make sure to show us the finished product, in situ so we can see what inspired the idea.

Braver? Perhaps foolish is the more correct term... we'll see. I'll be sure to post pics when done, for better or worse!

 

[geoff727]

Interesting approach. I follow your idea. A gray base, with black grain, and a high-gloss finish on top. Admittedly, I have never taken this approach, so I'm interested to hear and see your experiences.

Question 2. Yes, that sounds about right.

Sanding sealer/sanding after grain filling....I would test this on a spare test piece before finalizing your technique on the real thing. Try a couple approaches and see what works best.

Question 4. I have only done piano-gloss-type finishes with lacquer, because lacquer self-amalgamates. That is, the top layer 'becomes one' with the layers underneath. Poly doesn't do this; it's one layer on top of another. So if you sand through the top layer, you can see it as a kind of blister-like appearance and trying to buff that out doesn't work very well. But, and here's the big but, lacquer ain't easy without professional equipment. And trying to build it up in layers over a surface that isn't perfectly smooth or stable is an exercise in frustration. At least that's been my experience as an amateur. So, I would say, no matter what the gloss finish is going to be made out of, try to get your surface as absolutely smooth and free of imperfections as possible. This may take several coats of grain filler, with very light sanding in between with a flat sanding block. Very time-consuming.

Question 6. Orbital is good, but the right polishing compound and the right polishing cloth bonnet (that fits over the orbital's polishing head) are essential. Experimentation and patience is key. I've been refinishing some Infinity parts for a forum member in a piano finish, trying a certain polishing compound and not getting the results I want. My next compound will be a tried-and-true one that I like....pulverized walnut shell, believe it or not. I usually start with an orbital, and finish with hand-polishing.

Keep us posted, this sounds interesting!

Geoff

 

[geoff727]

BTW, General Finishes makes some nice stuff. I've used Arm-R-Seal top coat a number of times and been very happy, along with other stains.

 

[Chet72]

Interesting approach. I follow your idea. A gray base, with black grain, and a high-gloss finish on top. Admittedly, I have never taken this approach, so I'm interested to hear and see your experiences.

Question 2. Yes, that sounds about right.

Sanding sealer/sanding after grain filling....I would test this on a spare test piece before finalizing your technique on the real thing. Try a couple approaches and see what works best.

Question 4. I have only done piano-gloss-type finishes with lacquer, because lacquer self-amalgamates. That is, the top layer 'becomes one' with the layers underneath. Poly doesn't do this; it's one layer on top of another. So if you sand through the top layer, you can see it as a kind of blister-like appearance and trying to buff that out doesn't work very well. But, and here's the big but, lacquer ain't easy without professional equipment. And trying to build it up in layers over a surface that isn't perfectly smooth or stable is an exercise in frustration. At least that's been my experience as an amateur. So, I would say, no matter what the gloss finish is going to be made out of, try to get your surface as absolutely smooth and free of imperfections as possible. This may take several coats of grain filler, with very light sanding in between with a flat sanding block. Very time-consuming.

Question 6. Orbital is good, but the right polishing compound and the right polishing cloth bonnet (that fits over the orbital's polishing head) are essential. Experimentation and patience is key. I've been refinishing some Infinity parts for a forum member in a piano finish, trying a certain polishing compound and not getting the results I want. My next compound will be a tried-and-true one that I like....pulverized walnut shell, believe it or not. I usually start with an orbital, and finish with hand-polishing.

Keep us posted, this sounds interesting!

Geoff

Thanks, Geoff. Your input is appreciated, particularly bc it sounds like you've had plenty of experience in refinishing. All of your pointers are sound, I'll definitely need to double check what the top gloss coat consists of - if I recall correctly, I bought something that is typically used in finishing guitars and such.

Slow and steady wins the race, so I've got no problem doing this in stages and testing. Once I've got some progress & pics worthwhile to post, I'll do so. Thanks again...