The latest generation of MLTL speakers
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cressy
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#16
absolutely gorgeous toppsy, a credit to the builder! i hope i can come even remotely close to those with the fe127 metronomes! just out of sheer envy, how do i get hold of some of that veneer! (missus wants me to skim and paint the metros in the same platinum silver as the amp, im not too sure myself!)
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Scottmoose
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#18
Hi Cressy,
Thanks for the compliments guys. I guess practice makes perfect.
The veneer came from John Boddy Timber in Boroughbridge, Yorkshire, just off the A1(M) at junction 48.
I think it is crown cut veneer. The American Cherry sheets I purchased were 40cm x 32cm and cost around £14 a sheet. May have been a little less.
Best to give them a call before to go to check on their stock levels.
The European Oak (crown cut) is only around 30cm wide.
http://www.john-boddy-timber.ltd.uk/index.html
If you are tempted to add some inlay banding don't buy it from these. They are expensive. As I found to my cost.
Try this place (mail order) for inlay bandings which I only discovered after I bought mine from John Boddy Timber. They are more expensive for the veneers though. However if you want Oak wider than 30cm they may be the best option.
http://www.originalmarquetry.co.uk/inlay_banding.htm
Best way I found to finish the veneer is after sanding apply one coat of spirit based sanding sealer then 2-coats of French Polish all applied with a cloth rolled into a tight ball.
Cheers
Colin
Thanks for the compliments guys. I guess practice makes perfect.
The veneer came from John Boddy Timber in Boroughbridge, Yorkshire, just off the A1(M) at junction 48.
I think it is crown cut veneer. The American Cherry sheets I purchased were 40cm x 32cm and cost around £14 a sheet. May have been a little less.
Best to give them a call before to go to check on their stock levels.
The European Oak (crown cut) is only around 30cm wide.
http://www.john-boddy-timber.ltd.uk/index.html
If you are tempted to add some inlay banding don't buy it from these. They are expensive. As I found to my cost.
Try this place (mail order) for inlay bandings which I only discovered after I bought mine from John Boddy Timber. They are more expensive for the veneers though. However if you want Oak wider than 30cm they may be the best option.
http://www.originalmarquetry.co.uk/inlay_banding.htm
Best way I found to finish the veneer is after sanding apply one coat of spirit based sanding sealer then 2-coats of French Polish all applied with a cloth rolled into a tight ball.
Cheers
Colin
#19
Well after a weeks rest and relaxation in Bulgaria by the hotel pools with a chilled beer or cocktail I have managed this last few days to finish one of the Oak covered MLTls.
I'm really pleased with it though the Oak veneer was a right B to use.
Finish is 2-coats of spirit based sanding sealer followed by 2-coats of shellac and polished with Liberon Medium Oak polish. These will have some rather nice gold plated solid brass isolation feet fitted as per one the attached pictures.
So that's 3-speakers down and one to go.
I'm really pleased with it though the Oak veneer was a right B to use.
Finish is 2-coats of spirit based sanding sealer followed by 2-coats of shellac and polished with Liberon Medium Oak polish. These will have some rather nice gold plated solid brass isolation feet fitted as per one the attached pictures.
So that's 3-speakers down and one to go.
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Dave the bass
- Amstrad Tower of Power
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#20
Have you ever considered a career in ultra high quality furniture building Colin 
Brilliant work boss.
DTB
PS. Welcome back BTW.
"The fat bourgeois and his doppelganger"
#22
Hi Dave. Yes, this is something I would dearly like to do but when I retire. Only problem, I'd need to find room for a proper workshop.Have you ever considered a career in ultra high quality furniture building Colin
I doubt the missus will tolerate me taking over the dining room / conservatory for much longer.
Would you believe it but when I showed my son the finished speaker he said.........very nice dad I like the colour and finish but without those lines around the edges for me please!! Don't ya just luv ya kids!
Next up will be a little 6em7 amp to drive the things proper.
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simon
- Thermionic Monk Status
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#23
Very nice Colin, very nice. Particularly like the oak veneer, it has a lovely grain. What was so difficult about using it? Was it because it was oak, or because it was a veneer - don't know I've never veneered anything.
#24
Simon,
It's simply because it was Oak veneer. Working with solid oak is a delight. The veneer splits very easy because of the loose nature the grain. The veneer is only 0.6mm thick and has no backing.
If you use iron-on glue, that comes on a 1m wide roll, the heat of the iron dries out all the moisture from the veneer so it very slightly shrinks the veneer. When it all cools down and the veneer then takes up some moisture from the air it can (and did in my case) try to expand back to it's original state. This has the effect of splitting the veneer along the grain and so you end up with gaps in the finish. It's also a pain to trim flush again due the nature of the grain.
The way i got around this was to use an industrial strength spray adhesive that is especially formulated for wood and veneers. But applied only to the birch carcass and then using the wife's pastry rolling pin to roller the veneer using as much pressure as you can. Downside. You only get one chance with this approach. Good side is that if you do get small bubbles in the finish the glue is very similar to the iron on stuff and will melt with the application of a domestic iron to the veneer. Just place a piece of paper between the iron and the wood. This will also work after you have applied the sanding sealer coats to the veneer, as you may find the spirit based sealer may lift the veneer where the grain is open.
The Cherry veneer being a lot tighter and denser garin than the oak was a delight to use and for this I used the iron-on sheet glue throughout.
Once you have mastered the technique it's quite easy to do and gives a very satifying finish.
It's simply because it was Oak veneer. Working with solid oak is a delight. The veneer splits very easy because of the loose nature the grain. The veneer is only 0.6mm thick and has no backing.
If you use iron-on glue, that comes on a 1m wide roll, the heat of the iron dries out all the moisture from the veneer so it very slightly shrinks the veneer. When it all cools down and the veneer then takes up some moisture from the air it can (and did in my case) try to expand back to it's original state. This has the effect of splitting the veneer along the grain and so you end up with gaps in the finish. It's also a pain to trim flush again due the nature of the grain.
The way i got around this was to use an industrial strength spray adhesive that is especially formulated for wood and veneers. But applied only to the birch carcass and then using the wife's pastry rolling pin to roller the veneer using as much pressure as you can. Downside. You only get one chance with this approach. Good side is that if you do get small bubbles in the finish the glue is very similar to the iron on stuff and will melt with the application of a domestic iron to the veneer. Just place a piece of paper between the iron and the wood. This will also work after you have applied the sanding sealer coats to the veneer, as you may find the spirit based sealer may lift the veneer where the grain is open.
The Cherry veneer being a lot tighter and denser garin than the oak was a delight to use and for this I used the iron-on sheet glue throughout.
Once you have mastered the technique it's quite easy to do and gives a very satifying finish.
#25
I gave up with real oak veneer, when i tried to unpack it, i ended up up with a load of thin strips. Bit like releasing a load of springs.
Full credit to you for persevering' and getting the best from it.
Full credit to you for persevering' and getting the best from it.
Much to learn there is.
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simon
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#26
Excellent reply Colin, thanks.
I once used a rolling pin to get my speakers in the back of my dad's estate car. Don't think my missus would have been too impressed if she knew I'd used a millenia-old technique to roll my speakers into the car i.e. her rolling pin rolling around the boot of the car...
I once used a rolling pin to get my speakers in the back of my dad's estate car. Don't think my missus would have been too impressed if she knew I'd used a millenia-old technique to roll my speakers into the car i.e. her rolling pin rolling around the boot of the car...
#27
Al,
the secret with oak veneer is to go to you local supplier and select the individual leafs yourself. Then get them to carefully roll it for you with 2" wide masking tape to retain it. I think they rolled mine so it was around 24" dia. and they protected the ends with several depths of the masking tape to stop it splitting. A bit like uncoiling a spring though when you get it home.
Buying on the internet or mail order is a bit dodgy with this stuff as no doubt you have found.
I bought mine from John Boddy Timber in North Yorkshire.
It's bit like live and learn with this stuff. However, as I said the American Cherry veneer was a delight to use and this came in around 360mm wide x 3.4m long leafs.
the secret with oak veneer is to go to you local supplier and select the individual leafs yourself. Then get them to carefully roll it for you with 2" wide masking tape to retain it. I think they rolled mine so it was around 24" dia. and they protected the ends with several depths of the masking tape to stop it splitting. A bit like uncoiling a spring though when you get it home.
Buying on the internet or mail order is a bit dodgy with this stuff as no doubt you have found.
I bought mine from John Boddy Timber in North Yorkshire.
It's bit like live and learn with this stuff. However, as I said the American Cherry veneer was a delight to use and this came in around 360mm wide x 3.4m long leafs.
#28
My super tweeters arrived from Wilmslow mid week, the 167's form Dave about a fortnight ago, so with some cable kindly donated by Colin, I have now wired them up and we're off....
First impression where's the bass...........
DTB moment there...
Second impression ah its coming in now, slowly as the drivers warm up, the rest sounds very good. This is through my Crimson pre-power as the 300B is in the attic while we decorate. The Crimson is about as flat earth as it gets, and there's a sound stage so good things are happening... PRaT is excellent needless to say.
I know there's more to come as the drivers get run in. More later when they've been given a work out tomorrow.
-- Andrew
First impression where's the bass...........
DTB moment there...Second impression ah its coming in now, slowly as the drivers warm up, the rest sounds very good. This is through my Crimson pre-power as the 300B is in the attic while we decorate. The Crimson is about as flat earth as it gets, and there's a sound stage so good things are happening... PRaT is excellent needless to say.
I know there's more to come as the drivers get run in. More later when they've been given a work out tomorrow.
-- Andrew