Kenwood KA-9100 Wood Cabinet Refinish

[Kenny*G]

Anyone refinished the wood cabinet on a KA-9100 or a KT7500 ? I want to strip and refinish them to match the original finish. Any tips, which stripper, stain, clear finish used etc. would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Kenny*G]

Really ? Nobody has refinished their wood cabinets on Kenwood equipment ?

 

[gort69]

Sometimes the Kenwood forum is pretty quiet, probably because they are so damn reliable they rarely fail . Be patient, someone who has done it is bound to reply.

 

[SicMan]

I found 9 out of 10 9100's run hotter with the wooden case.
I've fixed alot of them with wooden cases. The output section on the right channel gets hotter
than one with metal covers.
My .02

I never refinished one.

John

 

[Kenny*G]

Hmmmm....well i really wanted to leave the cover on it so it matched the tuner & cassette deck.

How about mounting a small computer style fan behind the unit to move air ?

 

[SicMan]

Hmmmm....well i really wanted to leave the cover on it so it matched the tuner & cassette deck.
How about mounting a small computer style fan behind the unit to move air ?

I've done that in several units to cool. The 9600 is one of them and the 9100.
I ran a temp probe to check the temps. Especially near the right channel. The metal channel that the wires are in blocks alot of air
from that section. And the rear power supply adds more heat.

John

 

[Blue Shadow]

Lots of threads on refinishing but more in the Speaker forum than any of the Electronics forums. So here is one from the Pioneer forum, just don't go as far as the OP and hurt the unit when cleaning the controls.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/pioneer-sa-8100-case-cleaning-refurbish.831677/

 

[jpalkhivala]

The veneer on these cases is very thin so a chemical strip is the only way to remove the finish without damage, sanding is very risky. I have had success using a 50/50 mixture of lacquer thinner and 90%+ alcohol. Apply liberally with a cotton rag, it will strip the old finish and remove any tinting back down to the bare wood without causing any damage. Re-coat with 2 or 3 coats lacquer or tint first and then lacquer.

 

[Kenny*G]

The veneer on these cases is very thin so a chemical strip is the only way to remove the finish without damage, sanding is very risky. I have had success using a 50/50 mixture of lacquer thinner and 90%+ alcohol. Apply liberally with a cotton rag, it will strip the old finish and remove any tinting back down to the bare wood without causing any damage. Re-coat with 2 or 3 coats lacquer or tint first and then lacquer.

Thanks for the reply, this is exactly the kind of info I was hoping for. I'll move forward with your method.

 

[jpalkhivala]

Use medium or fine steel wool soaked in the alcohol/thinner mixture to remove any stubborn bits of old finish, in the corners, etc. you need to strip off all the old finish down to bare wood. The chemicals will not harm the wood but beware of the fumes, use good ventilation or do it outdoors. If you're going to stain first then let it dry completely before applying the top coat. I've used spray lacquer from a can with good results, very light sand 320+ grit between coats, you need a little practice to get the spray finish just right, it's messy and will drip if over-sprayed. Good luck, share some pictures!