Q2 resto starting soon, some questions

Bkphoto

Bkphoto

Super Member
Hey guys, I'm really excited about my new project...

first question is about the front, can I sand it..? it seems really thin...I'm not a fan of the original color...

the pots are smoked, the rust is really bad, thinking about going with 2 ohm resistors instead of the pots..."most" I have asked have theirs set a little to the right of center...

other questions to come plus if anyone has any suggestions please speak up...

just waiting for the snow to go, finally warm enough to crank up the soldering iron in the garage/workshop
 
Do they have an oil (rubbed oil) finish or is it a varnish/polyurethane/lacquer type finish?
Chemical stripper then lightly sand maybe?
Bleaching may be a possibility if you desire a lighter color.
It's always easier when redoing wood to go darker. Lighter is more difficult.
 
well the question is the thickness of the front veneer...it doesn't look like its thick enough to sand....wondering if there is anyone who has put an orbital sander on these with any success...
 
The veneer on my QLS is extra thin. But it's the rosewood option, which finish does your pair have? Mine are the older black baffle (early production #'s 79 and 80). Would you consider painting/staining them black?
 
its walnut in color...once I took the speakers out i saw how thin it is...its REALLY thin...I saw yours, the rosewood looks awesome...I'm going to first give it shot, if i can't I'll paint the baffle black, then stain the tops and sides...I was thinking staining them grey...
 
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As far as restoration of my QLS and Q2s, I wish I had rewired the speakers with heavier guage wiring as the original is very small gauge.
The idea being thicker gauge has less resistance and larger wire might make a significant difference for the mids and tweeters.
 
If your are on a tight buget the Audyn film Caps from part express have two of my favorite qualities. They are good and they are cheap. Just re caped a pair of DahlQuist dq10 and could not be happier.

You may beable to lighten the cabinets with some light sanding with fine steel wool. The finish most likely is all the way through the verneer which will make it hard to change. I would not use sand paper on them at all. Believe me if you break through the vernner you wish you never touched them. Looking forward to your progress. Good luck with the rebuild!
Jim
 
If you do sand, I would use a block sander and only sand in the direction of the wood grain. If you use a power sander you could go through the veneer before you realize it. When I did my RS 2.5s I used a block sander. It was tedious, but I was very happy with the results. I plan to block sand my Q2s using a rubber block, just have to be careful when you get near the edges and corners and don't use too much pressure and what little pressure you do use keep it evenly dispersed.

My pair of Q2s are nearing their turn to get worked on. I have to re-tinsel all the mid-domes, re-cap the crossover, clean the pots, and definitely re-finish the cabinets. I have a deep gouge or dent on the top of one cabinet that I'm not sure what to do with. I'll be watching your project to see what all you do.

Larry D.
 
idadude said:
If you do sand, I would use a block sander and only sand in the direction of the wood grain. If you use a power sander you could go through the veneer before you realize it. When I did my RS 2.5s I used a block sander. It was tedious, but I was very happy with the results. I plan to block sand my Q2s using a rubber block, just have to be careful when you get near the edges and corners and don't use too much pressure and what little pressure you do use keep it evenly dispersed.
Click to expand...

What he said x 2. An orbital will give you scratches right across the wood grain. Probably not what you want.
 
Yeah I'm doing everything, I've been looking for these for years so I'm going to take my time and do them right...wiring, caps, etc...as far as veneer isn't the top and sides solid wood...? i see grain on the inside...
 
huh...seems like an odd thing to do...

i sanded my IIIa's and RSe's without a problem...will go lightly obviously...
 
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Start gently, you can't do too much damage hand sanding with 400 grit. Keep your paper fresh by brushing off the dust with a stiff brush every minute or so of sanding.
 
I'm assuming the sanding is to remove all the little scratches and dings from years of "use". That veneer is far too thin to sand through the stain!
 
how would you get the color you want if you don't sand...? just piling on another color will look horrible..

plus get rid of scratches, etc...I understand the fronts are thin, but again, from what i can tell the sides, top and bottom can be sanded...if you look in the gap around the baffle you can see the grain of the sides and top...
 
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