Rehabbing my FUTURA VI CABINET

larryderouin

I'm VERTICAL and Breathing...most of the time.
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I finally got tired of looking at old Water Stains, peeling lacquer, worn stain, etc. on my Futura VI.

Gutted the Cabinet except for the speakers, and got out the Random Orbital. Sanded down to bare veneer with 150 and 220. Steamed out some gouges, and dents.

Had some Minwax Chestnut Polyshades, did a test spot. Very close to the original Walnut and it helped the grain pop a bit more than the original Walnut. WAF was 2 Thumbs up on Color so it's now Chestnut. It has 2 coats of stain on it, and 2 coats of Semi gloss Minwax Lacquer right now. Gonna put a couple more coats of Lacquer on it. Then some Butchers Wax and buff the living hell out of the top and sides.

BEFORE & AFTER PICS.....

This is right after I got it and had not cleaned it yet with Howards..
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This is about 10 minutes before the post....
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It's a bit dusty, and isn't finished yet. Should be done Saturday or so, IF everything goes as planned.

Larry
 
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That is going to look so elegant, Larry. Nice match with the stain. I'm at about the same stage with my 1960 Motorola Declaration (by Drexel). Its top was a mess - I tried Restor-a-finish but ended up sanding and re-staining like you. Sometimes you've just got to generate a bit of dust to get the results you want.

You're not doing all this just to give your 400 a nicer-looking stand, are you?
 
Hey Larry,
I could do a cabinet for the 400 in the same stain and help TheRed1 realize his worst fears.

Jokes aside, it looks great.
 
You've been a busy boy, Larry.

Post some pics of those speakers with the Coral drivers you were working on when I came over Saturday...

The Mid-Century Modern crowd will totally geek out!
 
The sander and I got tangled up on the top this morning and the one side of the speaker grill cloth got ripped. So I said "(*%&" it and took it all the way down to bare after pulling the speaker panels out, and the center top panel off. Everything is getting done. Burned out the motor on the Orbital and I've got 1 side and the legs to go.

Gonna take the grill cloth down to the local Fabric shop and see what we can come up with.

Rob: Heres the pics.

All: 1966 Kanazawa with 12" Woofer, 6" Mid and a horn tweeter. The Mid says Coral on it. I got these when I picked up the Sansui 1000A. I had put "natural" Color cotton Linen to replace the Rattan? grill cloth that was literally falling apart. When Rob came over I had determined that one of the tweeters wasn't working and was in the process of opening up the back of one (I had sealed with Acrylic Caulk Sealant not seeing "Sealant" on the title, in addition to the screws.) So I had to make up two new back panels. These are now playing on the 400. They sounded like ass on any of my Solid States, and sounded a lot better on the 1000a, but they really opened up on the 400. It's hard to describe. It's like they melt into the walls.

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EDIT 09-20-17: These cabs now have Bozak 12" with the dual tweeters coaxially.



Don; I made one about 3 weeks ago, and did it in Mahoghany. 1st attempt at making a cabinet. Definately needs some detailing.....one of these days. Damn, the 400 likes it and it's running at about 120 at the front of the top vent. Hasn't hiccuped yet. http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=307084

Larry
 
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Speakers are funny. I haven't decided if I get used to them or they sound better as the components in the crossovers get exercised and reformed. This is especially true of speakers that have been sitting a while. After 40 hours or so, they seem like entirely different things . . . or I've adjusted to them. See what i mean?
 
Oooh, another pair of Kanazawas. I have two different pairs, one of which has never been unwrapped. The ones I plan to use in my office sound wonderful.
 
I decided to strip the WHOLE THING out. Removed the speaker boards. So the only thing left is the shell and 2 sets of wire.

Fixed one of the back legs. It had a diagonal split that had left a 3" long section missing from the bottom end to almost the angle of the leg. Used a router with a straight bit, and fitted a 1/x3/4 piece of scrap, glue and brad, clamped for 48 hours. filled and sanded, then 2 coats of Polyshade in Chestnut. DONE.
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Next I hit all of the fabric shops in a 30 mile radius of my house. These people automatically pull out BLACK STRETCH POLYESTER when you mention speaker. So after the 3rd store, I cut a piece off the back and went around to see what's what. NOTHING that even came close to the original pattern, or color. So i went with some 100% Cotton Linen in what the manufacturer called tobacco. It's a bit thinner than the original cloth so after removing the drivers from the boards, I cut out the bad sections of the one and then using 3M #77 Adhesive, laid out the cloth evenly on a table top, sprayed the board, and laid the board straight down on the cloth. Press down, and ease the edges over, pulled out the slack, and they are done. Reinstalled the drivers. DONE.
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Removed the board that the tuner/preamp fits into. Sanded to 220 grit and 3 coats of English Brown Rattle can. DONE.
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Gotta get the old lady to cough up the $$ for a new orbital Sander so I can finish the cabinet. Also gonna get a air brush kit as the HVLP gun I have is a bit BIG for the tight stuff and even on the lowest settings gets too much product on the cabinet.



Larry
 
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Having battery problems with the camera. So it'll be a day or two before I get pictures. Did a couple of changes. Sanded all the interior areas and hit them with two coats of Rattle can Rustoleum Kona Brown (vertical surfaces around the TT and TUNER Mounts and the actual mounting boards.) All other surfaces were wiped down with 2 coats of Minwax English Chestnut Stain and it's sitting on the porch under plastic to keep the dust down. The Center top pice and the doors have yet to be done. One it's dry and buffed out, then Howards feed and wax, let dry and then Butchers Bowling Alley Wax. Satin finish and All Carnauba wax. I like it better than johnsons Paste wax.

Once I get the New battery packs for the camera, I'll post pics.

Larry
 
Finished!!!

Pulled the Plastic tent I made over it last night and gave it a good wipe down. 2 coats of Feed and Wax gave me a good base to set up for Waxing with the Butchers Next week. Stained the Center Top and let it sit in the sun to setup.

Installed the speaker boards and routed all wiring with cable clamps. Installed AMP and Tuner Preamp. Installed Turntable with Transport screws.

Wiped down the Top and gave it 2 coats of Feed and Wax. Let sit 1/2 hour between coats. Nice Satin gloss.

Moved it inside and put on Front doors. Plugged in and fired it up. It works. Sounds good with the new speaker cloth on it. When I pulled the spekers off the boards to check the surrounds I found they were all supple, and sticky (Butyl rubber). One of the woofers had a PAL NUT stuck on it. Looks like it had been ther since Factory assy. Didn't have any reason to check the speaker due to the nut. Removed the nut, reglued the foam centers onto the tweeters.

The only thing I haven't done yet is replace the X-OVER caps. they are on my next Mouser order.

It was fun, and a learning experience. This is the 1st piece of furniture I've refinished. It turned out decent, a couple of edges of veneer need replacing, but I think I can live with it for a while. I've got a '58 RCA SHF-5 downstairs that needs a cabinet rehab, so I guess that's next.

Larry
 
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Yeh,
I've gone away from using an orbital sander as a stripper. I can always find the sander marks now, no matter how I try not to look. Back to hand work.
 
I know. I could sand down the right top, (swirls), BUT, my shoulder has enough problem handling the Orbital, much less hand sanding. I just got out of a hot shower, after a cold soak in ice, it feels much better. small tear on the rotator cuff when I was 16, never had it worked on.

I really like the KONA Brown against the Gold tone faceplate. It just looks good together.

Larry
 
Please don't think I'm being critical of your work. I am not. That's fine workmanship and the boss should be very happy.

I'm just saying that for things the size of a cabinet for the 400, I'll bring them down by hand from now on.
 
Didn't think you were. Good points in what you are saying.

Thanks Don.

Larry
 
I've taught myself to be ambidexterous in everything but writing . . . mouse using, painting, sawing, scissors using, sanding, etc.
It helps a lot to not count entirely on one arm.
This started because I was getting carpal tunnel syndrome from using my right hand on the mouse so much.
It's hard to do at first, but as your trailing had strengthens and your brain gets used to you using the trailing hand as the lead hand it gets easier. Just my $0.02.
 
Pulled the Plastic tent I made over it last night and gave it a good wipe down. 2 coats of Feed and Wax gave me a good base to set up for Waxing with the Butchers Next week. Stained the Center Top and let it sit in the sun to setup.

Installed the speaker boards and routed all wiring with cable clamps. Installed AMP and Tuner Preamp. Installed Turntable with Transport screws.

Wiped down the Top and gave it 2 coats of Feed and Wax. Let sit 1/2 hour between coats. Nice Satin gloss.

Moved it inside and put on Front doors. Plugged in and fired it up. It works. Sounds good with the new speaker cloth on it. When I pulled the spekers off the boards to check the surrounds I found they were all supple, and sticky (Butyl rubber). One of the woofers had a PAL NUT stuck on it. Looks like it had been ther since Factory assy. Didn't have any reason to check the speaker due to the nut. Removed the nut, reglued the foam centers onto the tweeters.

The only thing I haven't done yet is replace the X-OVER caps. they are on my next Mouser order.

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Larry

I love the Folger's can around the midrange!

(admit it, you were thinking the same thing)

-D
 
:D ! No I wasn't thinking Folger's Can. More like Dinty Moore Beef Stew size. It looks kinda goofy, but it's full of Fiberglas Batt. Guess Isolatioin of the Midrange is accomplished.

Don. Being Left Handed is a CURSE of Sorts! Being the only one's in our Right Minds is Fun. Almost Nothing is inherently made for Lefties. I can use scissors with Right Hand, but when it comes down to heavy stuff I always go LEFT. Using my Right Mind vs. the Other one is Easy....Hehe. I could never do a lot of stuff right handed except slinging wrenches, until I had a stroke in 98. Then I had to force my mind to use the Right Hand, and at the same time rehabilitate the Left Hand and Arm. I'm pretty much back to normal except I can only raise my Left Arm above the shoulder by rotating the arm forward and then up. After I had the stroke, I went and volunteered on the sub in town. Making myself go up and down ladders, around machinery, under deck plates, etc., forcing my left side to take up the slack had me @95% use in 6 months. I gained the other 5% in another year. I think with me it's an ingrained thing where I'm rebellious about being forced to be right handed. I yanked the ruler out of Sister Jeanne Marie's hand when she tried to whack me with it the 1st day of school in 5th grade because I was using my left hand to write, and threatened to place it where the sun don't shine. Needless to say I ended up in another class and the BISHOP got the idea across to the nuns that Lefties were NOT to be FORCED to be RIGHT HANDED. (But I got restricted to my room for a month!).

Larry
 
Very nice job Larry ! I wish mine were Walnut. I would love to refinish it as you did but I dont even know what the wood or the finish is. Did yours come with the Elac turntable ?
 

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It came with a Elac Miracord 10F. However, the on/off switch went T.U. and it's now a parts unit for my Custom Electra VIII. The 50H was a flea market purchase. It's a fair lot better than the 10F. The 10F is no slouch, I just like the 50H better.


Larry
 
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