MAXZ28
Addicted Member
Here's a step-by-step on a Pioneer PL-530 turntable veneer job. The crappy vinyl laminate was flaking away and was quite unsightly. Why Pioneer cheaped out instead of laying down some real wood veneer on the plynth, we'll probably never know. But anyway...you don't need very many tools to accomplish this project.
*Cedan peel and stick Walnut veneer
[ you can special order it through Menards ]
*Exacto knife w / some fresh blades
*Bandit edge trimmer
*household iron - t-shirt / rag
*ruler - straight edge
*paper & pencil for template making
*screwdriver set and allen wrench
*drill and proper drill bits
First thing to do is disassemble the turntable removing the platter mat, platter, dustcover hinges, faceplate, badge, and anything else necessary to make way for removing the vinyl laminate. This turntable's substrate was solid and once I had all the hardware removed, all I had to do is lift up a corner of the laminate with my Exacto knife and slowly peel away the laminate. Some folks like to use a heat gun or hair dryer to heat up the laminate in order for it to peel more freely, but for this turntable, I was able to peel it off easily - almost like skinning an cat.
Here's how nice the substrate appeared after "skinning" the vinyl laminate off.
I then proceeded to take measurements of all the flat surfaces and draft a paper template using a pencil and straight edge. I laid the template down on the veneer and lightly marked my cutting points. I wanted all the veneer surfaces to run with the grain left to right. Once that was done, I used a sharp exacto knife and a straight edge to cut my veneer pieces. Always measure twice so you only have to cut once. Make sure your substrate is free of dust and debris so your glue will bond properly.
With all the pieces cut -six total - I began with the front piece. I peeled the backing away and positioned it appropriately. The backing is sticky but not so tacky that you can't reposition the veneer should you need to. I then grabbed the t-shirt and placed it over the veneer to protect it from the heat of the iron. Heating the veneer up allows the wood and glue to bond better to the substrate. I worked the iron slowly back and forth with the grain of the veneer.
*Cedan peel and stick Walnut veneer
[ you can special order it through Menards ]
*Exacto knife w / some fresh blades
*Bandit edge trimmer
*household iron - t-shirt / rag
*ruler - straight edge
*paper & pencil for template making
*screwdriver set and allen wrench
*drill and proper drill bits
First thing to do is disassemble the turntable removing the platter mat, platter, dustcover hinges, faceplate, badge, and anything else necessary to make way for removing the vinyl laminate. This turntable's substrate was solid and once I had all the hardware removed, all I had to do is lift up a corner of the laminate with my Exacto knife and slowly peel away the laminate. Some folks like to use a heat gun or hair dryer to heat up the laminate in order for it to peel more freely, but for this turntable, I was able to peel it off easily - almost like skinning an cat.
Here's how nice the substrate appeared after "skinning" the vinyl laminate off.
I then proceeded to take measurements of all the flat surfaces and draft a paper template using a pencil and straight edge. I laid the template down on the veneer and lightly marked my cutting points. I wanted all the veneer surfaces to run with the grain left to right. Once that was done, I used a sharp exacto knife and a straight edge to cut my veneer pieces. Always measure twice so you only have to cut once. Make sure your substrate is free of dust and debris so your glue will bond properly.
With all the pieces cut -six total - I began with the front piece. I peeled the backing away and positioned it appropriately. The backing is sticky but not so tacky that you can't reposition the veneer should you need to. I then grabbed the t-shirt and placed it over the veneer to protect it from the heat of the iron. Heating the veneer up allows the wood and glue to bond better to the substrate. I worked the iron slowly back and forth with the grain of the veneer.
Last edited: