I thought I would had lost interest watching the video because of you saying it’s long, but I found your knowledge and skill to be very valuable. Thanks for a great video.
Thank you immensely for the incredibly informative video. Having no previous experience applying veneer, I was apprehensive about how my X-LS Encore project would turn out. After viewing your video multiple times, I successfully completed the veneering. I'm thrilled to report that the bubinga veneer finish turned out beyond my expectations, and I couldn't be prouder of the craftsmanship I achieved. Your clear explanations and demonstrations were instrumental in achieving such a fantastic result. Once again, thank you.
Thanks for the great video! My NX-Studio kit just arrived so I’m trying to do as much studying as I can before starting. I’m curious, was it challenging to install the no rez inside after gluing everything together? I was thinking of gluing all panels, except one side panel, together, installing no rez, then gluing the remaining side panel on. Is that not advised?
I don't find it all that difficult to work through the woofer cutout when installing NoRez. Many have done it. The flatpack is designed to be glued up in one operation. Anything else and I suspect you'll run into problems and possibly a disappointing result. NoRez installation does not have to be pretty nor precise.
@@carbidetooth thanks for the advice! Seems like everyone says it’s best to glue everything together all at once. Guess I’m gonna need to buy more clamps coz I only have 4 right now!
U wanna be thorough, we wanna learn thorough. The more details u teach, the more valuable the lesson. Very enjoyable content, and if I didnt think so I would be honest 😂
I wouldn't recommend it. Solid timber is actually more resonant than both plywood and MDF. In addition, the resonant frequencies vary with species. Not impossible but would theoretically require additional and specific panel damping just to equal what composite panels naturally exhibit. Not to mention accommodation for wood movement within the structure which is significantly greater with solid timber.
Followed the series religiously! One tip: really let that glue dry before you fit the veneer or it WILL grab and moving it (if you have to) can be a messy trick. Do you 'pre-iron' straight grained wood veneers? Veneer Supply recommends that to keep wood from potentially splitting...? Also, do you wait the full three hours for glue to reach full strength before trimming with a router? Thanks so much for this series!
I've never experienced what you're describing with Heatlock glue, having always waited till the color is completely changed. Might you be thinking of contact adhesive? I suspect Veneer Supplies is referencing raw veneer with the ironing mentioned. Paper backed veneer is typically much flatter and more forgiving. For routing, I wait until the surface is cool to the touch and glue no longer "plastic". Final sanding would come later in my scheme of things.
@@carbidetooth Yeah, I was surprised. Even after I allowed the second set of skins to dry completely tack free when I pressed down to make sure I had proper trim margin all around it still wanted to grab, though not as aggressively and I was able to pull it off. Maybe it's a humidity thing as I am in the PNW...?
I just received a flat pack directly from GR R in Dec., 2023, and it's like a third party that took some of your comments to heart. The dowel mortise has play, the rabbits are half the thickness of the piece, but there are only 8 stiffeners (so the front baffle does NOT have them) and there are no recesses machines to help locate the stiffeners on the side panels. There does seem to be some overhang on the rabbited panels. Ordering them directly from Danny I assumed they were your panels, but evidently they are not. Luckily they are better than the other two examples you've provided.
Well, I'm glad they've gotten better. For clarity, the only way to get the goodness of my flat packs is order directly from me. My email address in in the video description of all my videos.
@@carbidetooth You gotta have some serious skills, tools and materials to finish off a speaker to look as sexy as something like a Kef R3 Meta or an SVS Ultra in piano gloss finish. That's one area where DIY speakers will never match prebuilt.
@@roybatty- To contrast, my argument would be that yours will look like every other one out there...just not my jam. Mass production is really good at some things, but personalization (bespoke?) isn't one of them. What I do in videos is aimed at the hobbyist who enjoys the process.
@@carbidetooth But in all honesty, you can use the word "bespoke" to an extent. The level of finish, detail and visual candy that some of these prebuilt speakers have it is almost a quality of being one of a kind when it is in your listening space. I.E. the grills, covers, cone liners, flowing lines, shapes, colors, patterns, metallic jewelry, bling, badges, etc. are truly eye candy on some high end prebuilts. I'm sure that there are some dudes out there with the artistic ability and the means to finish off a speaker that would look really nice, but that's going to be like .01% of the DIYers and I'm sure if you got out the magnifying glass you could find some inconsistencies that you would not find on a prebuilt😂
I like the idea. My overriding notion has always been accessibility to those with minimal tooling and experience. Maybe it's time to get away from that!
@@carbidetooth Well, you can try an embossed/gouge look on it for a 3D effect and/or perhaps a burned-in or branded look with a soldering iron. That may work well for all shades of wood.
Awesome as usual Peter. Lately I have been playing around with a Cricut to make some stencils and decals. Amazing little machines and reasonably priced. Never thought about doing something like this with my speakers. Now I have to try it. 😂 Thanks for showing.
I've never experienced that. I imagine it would take a lot more moisture than the glue is introducing. I do use high density MDF so core isn't pithy and absorptive like some MDF I've seen.
Thank you for an extensive and detailed tutorial. I love the attention to detail and how you pay attention to the small stuff. I have learned a lot from you.
Scott, most USA produced veneer is 1/40" or 1/45" for the actual veneer. The paper backing it's attached to is typically 10 mil. (.010) or 20 mil (.020). If I have a choice for a wrap like I show in this video, I like the more flexible 10 mil. as it's easier to get around a small radius. Combined thickness for veneer and backer is typically .020 -.030. Weird how different units of measure are used, but that's the way the industry has evolved.
Victor, expanding video description will yield a wealth of information, including this: www.amanatool.com/51204-solid-carbide-short-flat-pilot-for-dado-clean-out-dado-cleaning-flush-trim-1-4-dia-x-1-4-x-1-4-inch-shank-x-1-flute.html?ff=1&fp=8482
luc1d, you're not the first to wonder about that so I'll paste my prior response. I can think of several reasons why that would pose a problem. One would be forced to run the flush trimmer over glue on adjacent panels and then file that same glue. Also, there would be no glue on edge of veneer in adjacent panels, which I'd consider a critical area.
Hopefully I'm understanding your question via translator. I didn't finish these beyond what you see. My aim here is to demonstrate a woodworking and finishing technique. Also, perhaps some inspiration to those interested.
Hello, I just did my first veneer project, jbl 4412 speakers. I use peel and stick it went pretty well but a couple of my edges didn't get covered completely, the veneer was very sticky and I didn't want to chance breaking it. How do I repair this before finishing? Was thinking wood putty. Liked your video
PSA veneer can be unforgiving. If it's a simple flat face it can be carefully removed with a putty knife or similar. The longer it's on the surface the harder it will be to remove. Alternately, perhaps you could bevel edge and veneer that. I'm not a fan of wood filler in general as it's usually conspicuous when finishing. You might be able to veneer over what you have, but that's hard to judge from here.
This video is three years old now but I’m hoping you can answer my question. What type of tape do you use when you tape down the veneer before applying glue? Also I enjoyed the video and you answered my questions about using the router. I don’t think it was too long. Thanks
Yep, Sam, older video but technique is still the same. I typically use blue painter's masking tape. I've used conventional beige masking tape as well. The adhesive on the beige tape is a little more aggressive which can be a benefit if veneer is curled.
I have very big box 3-ways. Even with the bracing and my giant crossover I have figured on 6 sheets to get 100% coverage. Is that necessary? or could I get away with less by just covering the key areas? I already have $300 into crossover, a 4 pack takes me to $500+. They are only $1200 speakers. It's not really about the money, I don't mind spending it, I just don't want to waste it. Best No Rez video I have found, way more informative than Danny's. Thanks. (not knocking Danny, he does a good job)
100% coverage is not required for panel damping. Cover the biggest open areas between bracing and you'll be fine. Remember that NoRez is two things in one. Panel damping and box stuffing. One can accomplish same functionality using individual products as well.
@@carbidetooth Thanks, my main goal is to dampen and I don't want to alter the speaker too much, just clean em' up. The side panels are 36" × 20" so it is a must in my eyes. In the past I have used carpet padding and it seams to have a damping effect, but you either have to glue it or staple it. Listening to others, it may not even be effective for my purpose. What would be an optimal alternative? I like the idea of a single product with no gluing, that's why I like the no rez idea. It seems to me the benefits could outweigh the costs. Thanks again.
I am veneering the same MDF speakers in the vid with Heat Lock glue and down cutting trimming router bit, both from Veneer Supplies. The problem I am having is that while the router bit trims the wood veneer okay, but the result is that the residual paper backing from the veneer overhang gets glued to the side of the cabinet that the router bit travels along. And if I have taped off the finished veneer side with blue tape, a sliver of the blue tape gets embedded under the paper backing. It takes tons of time fiddling around with an Xacto tool and sanding block to get the edges flush. I don't wait very long after the veneer has been ironed to do the routing and maybe I need to wait longer? What in the world am I doing wrong? I am ready to go back to contact cement, which I hate using. Any help would be appreciated,
Let's see if we can figure it out, Mark. 1.You may be onto something when you mention the glue drying longer. I let it cool completely before trimming. If using masking tape to keep glue off already veneered surfaces, I remove it before trimming. 2. If you're not using the file I recommend with a file card to clean it, that will make final finishing of trimmed edges a bunch easier. It might just surprise you! 3. I suppose it's also possible you're applying excessive glue, but I can't say I've ever actually seen that. 4. A long shot, but I don't have experience with that particular spiral trimmer but assume it will work fine. My go-to for some years has been the Whiteside I link in the description.
Oh my, a response from you personally... I feel honored as I have learned everything i know about this DIY cabinet finishing from your detailed videos. Removing the protective tape before the trimming process is the first step which you pointed in your video which I missed. Secondly, a much long wait time before routing the edges I will try too. I will check out your recommended router bit as that might well be the problem with the residual paper backing clinging to the sides. Finally I am going to Woodcrafters tomorrow to get the file you recommend. Peter, you are a stellar asset to the DIY audio community and I am sure that I am but one of thousands who appreciate you making these terrific videos available to us. Thanks again for the reply, it is most appreciated.
In the event of a routing mishap that requires repairing the cabinet (not a hypothetical situation - darn), what wood filer type product would you recommend that would be best suited to having veneer glued to the surface? Bondo gets utilized a lot in videos I’ve seen but I am not clear if this is suitable for a surface that is going to have veneer glued to it.
Hi Peter! I finally got my cabinets completed and finished in a nice bubinga veneer. They're looking quite beautiful. Went to install the crossovers and realized the kit from GR Research only supplied screws for the drivers. Maybe this is a silly question, but what type and size screw do you usually use to mount the crossovers?
The screws I now send are #8 wood screw, washer head, 3/4" length. Glad you're getting them completed. Email me photos when complete if you're of a mind.
@@carbidetooth I'll definitely send some photos when they're finished. Almost there. One more question...... I just noticed the holes for the tube connectors seem way too small. I do have a reamer tool I could use to enlarge the holes a little but am afraid I might end up cracking the veneer. What would be your recommendation? I don't have access to a drill press, but if it's necessary I could probably pay someone to do it for me.
@@sparkeyjones6261 They're tight for sure but need to be. Tube Connectors have no directional barbs or taper; hence they rely on the ribs for retention. Finish can build up in holes, especially at the surface. I create a small "funnel" with a countersink and sometimes run a 7/16" drill slowly through them. Once started, I tap them home with a mallet and a block of wood. I'd advise against smacking them directly. If you have a tapered reamer, that can also work. If veneer is bonded well to substrate, I doubt you'll have problems. The flange on Tube Connectors should cover "funnel".
@@carbidetooth Thanks Peter, I was a little unsure if the fit was supposed to be quite that tight. It seems as though the plastic could crack if forced them all the way in. I'll use your suggestion of creating a "funnel" with the tapered reamer.
Thank you Peter for being so transparent in your teaching. Even spending several minutes at the end going over areas on the speaker that weren't "perfect" was a great learning experience for your viewers. Are you still selling the XL-S Encore kits?
Well Todd, if someone can learn from what I'm doing, then for me it's mission accomplished. I'm still offering flat packs, shoot me an email at address in video description and I can fill you in.
I don't know if it would or not...I've never tried. Bear in mind that the actual wood veneer thickness is the same, only the paper backer doubles in thickness. That would make it more visible at edges and increase installation difficulty in an application like this. More is not always better, and I'd say this is a good example of that. If I'm not mistaken, the thicker backer is used architecturally, like a wood wall in an office building.
