A Video Guide on How to Use Howard's Restor-A-Finish and Feed-n-Wax

[audiojones]

Thanks for the tips - I've got a pair of tired looking AR2ax's that will get the Howard's treatment this weekend!

 

[xxpatxx]

Very Nice. Def worth giving you an internet.

 

[moinau]

Thanks, great job, well explained and to the point, very nice of you to share this with us.:tresbon::thmbsp:

 

[Bobby D.]

I've used Minwax Antique Oil Finish in this way after applying stain over the old finish to darken the scratches. Of course using Minwax is adding finish over the old finish.

Is Howards Restore-A-Finish a finish it's self? Or does it mend the old finish by melting it? In other words, is it a solvent or a finish? Maybe both?

I like to preserve the original finish, I will give Howards a try on my next project.

Now, what do you do if there is a gouge in the finish?

Bobby D.

 

[Saint Johnny]

Very nice.

 

[tmad40blue]

I've used Minwax Antique Oil Finish in this way after applying stain over the old finish to darken the scratches. Of course using Minwax is adding finish over the old finish.

Is Howards Restore-A-Finish a finish it's self? Or does it mend the old finish by melting it? In other words, is it a solvent or a finish? Maybe both?

I like to preserve the original finish, I will give Howards a try on my next project.

Now, what do you do if there is a gouge in the finish?

Bobby D.

It's neither. I don't know exactly what it is or how it works, but it doesn't alter the old finish in any negative way whatsoever - it simply brings back the natural coloring of the veneer or wood. It's not a solvent and it's definitely not a finish.

As I mentioned in the video, if there is a gouge in the wood, the Restor-A-Finish will darken it considerably. After the entire treatment (including Feed-n-Wax), once you wait a few days the gouge will lighten to match (or at least come close to) the restored finish.

There's really no negatives to using this set of products, unless you don't like the smell of orange oil :

 

[Isotonic]

Very nice video. I will use this on a pair of Mission 770's that I love.

 

[mrbruce]

Nice job tmad40blue!

Could you (or anyone with experience) comment on how well RAF will work on watermarks from plant stands? I haven't used steel wool, or RAF, but really like Feed N Wax. If RAF won't help watermarks, what would be the easiest approach for a novice?
Thanks
Bruce

 

[tmad40blue]

Restor-A-Finish completely eradicates all water marks - after you go through the process detailed in the video, it's like they were never there. I don't have photo or video evidence, but the other KLH Six that I had treated before I made the video had a huge water mark on it from years of drinks being set on it, and the Restor-A-Finish got rid of it in an instant.

So, go for it!

 

[EVBoy]

Good job. Very informative.

 

[mrbruce]

Tmad40blue, thanks!
Finally, any experience using RAF AFTER I have used Feed N Wax (on a previous effort, not my basis for the original question)
Appreciate your video and insights!
Bruce

 

[24HACKER]

Minwax Antique Oil Finish - this is the ticket - enough said - I have done a lot of wood restoration in my time - this is fool proof - anybody can do it and you get a superb finished product.

 

[tmad40blue]

Minwax Antique Oil Finish - this is the ticket - enough said - I have done a lot of wood restoration in my time - this is fool proof - anybody can do it and you get a superb finished product.

While I appreciate your insight, this message detracts from the focus of this thread and steers others elsewhere. My video guide does not cover the use of Minwax products.

 

[DodgeB3500]

Nice tutorial, thank you. Internet given.

 

[TwoHardCore]

How does this stuff work with getting out scratches? I have some Dynaco A25's that I want to make better looking. One pair has a few small scratches, the second pair needs a bit more work as there is some larger damage.

With the slightly scratched set, should I sand the scratches out? If I do that, should I just use a regular wood finish as I will be sanding some of the original stain off? Or will Howards Feed'n'Wax make the scratches disappear ie: fill in the little grooves without sanding?

Nice tutorial.

note: bolded the edits

THC

 

[koseltri]

I'll be doing this to my 'new' AR90's--foams coming from GordonW, and this tutorial from tmad--The guys that will be in Kelso will get to see and hear the results.

 

[tmad40blue]

How does this stuff work with getting out scratches? I have some Dynaco A25's that I want to make better looking. One pair has a few small scratches, the second pair needs a bit more work as there is some larger damage.

With the slightly scratched set, should I sand the scratches out? If I do that, should I just use a regular wood finish as I will be sanding some of the original stain off? Or will Howards Feed'n'Wax make the scratches disappear ie: fill in the little grooves without sanding?

Nice tutorial.

note: bolded the edits

THC

The Restor-A-Finish will make almost all scratches blend in with the restored finish - unless you look really closely, you would never know they were there. The Feed-n-Wax does a decent job of making the speaker's surface even to the touch, but you can still vaguely see the scratches if inspected very closely.

As I said in the guide, there is no sanding required at any stage of the process.

 

[TwoHardCore]

The Restor-A-Finish will make almost all scratches blend in with the restored finish - unless you look really closely, you would never know they were there. The Feed-n-Wax does a decent job of making the speaker's surface even to the touch, but you can still vaguely see the scratches if inspected very closely.

As I said in the guide, there is no sanding required at any stage of the process.

Thanks tmad40blue, though to be fair, your speakers already looked pretty decent before the Howard treatment compared to mine. I did watch the video (twice actually...and added an internet for you ) and I noted you said "no sanding necessary".

So while typing this I just went to the Howard's site to do me some learnin'. Now I think I'll just try to track down some steel wool when I get the Howard stuff. Reading testimonials there is making a believer out of me.

Cheers,

THC

 

[gkimeng]

It's neither. I don't know exactly what it is or how it works, but it doesn't alter the old finish in any negative way whatsoever - it simply brings back the natural coloring of the veneer or wood. It's not a solvent and it's definitely not a finish.

R-a-F and other products like it fall unto the category of "finish amalgamators." They're solvents mixed with fast-evaporating spirits as carriers, plus various oils and dyes added for conditioning and color. The carrier evaporates so fast that the solvent requires heat from rubbing friction to soften the outer surfaces of finishes before the carrier vaporizes, taking the solvent into the air with it. The combination of solvent plus friction heat and rubbing softens the finish enough to blend out scratches and allow moisture trapped within the finish (white water marks) to migrate out to the surface where it evaporates as well, and the finish rehardens almost immediately after the carrier is exhausted. R-a-F is actually a blend of about a half-dozen different solvents, which makes it work on many different kinds of finish. For most any finish you put it on (except polyurethane), one of those solvents will soften the finish and the ones that don't serve as the carrier.

To see R-a-F act as a solvent, take some piece of finished scrap wood and either pour enough on it to form puddles and keep adding as it evaporates or just drop a piece into a jar of it and seal it up. If you keep the surface wet, R-a-F will eventually dissolve the finish.

R-a-F is really intended mainly for coating finishes, such as lacquer or varnish. On a penetrating oil finish, what you're basically doing is melting catalyzed oil that re-penetrates and doesn't sit on the surface, which is why scratches don't "blend out;" most of them are not just in a surface finish, but in the wood itself. You really shouldn't be seeing much improvement other than from the oils and dyes, which do act as sort of a "finish," though not one that's going to last long or provide any protection for the wood. However, most modern "oil finishes" are really oil blended with some sort of varnish to speed up the catalyzing process and provide additional surface protection, and R-a-F will work on what those leave behind on the surface.

If your speakers are finished with polyurethane, the finish is resistant to most every solvent; R-a-F won't do much of anything for you except cleaning and you might as well go directly to sanding.

 

[TwoHardCore]

R-a-F and other products like it fall unto the category of "finish amalgamators." They're solvents mixed with fast-evaporating spirits as carriers, plus various oils and dyes added for conditioning and color. The carrier evaporates so fast that the solvent requires heat from rubbing friction to soften the outer surfaces of finishes before the carrier vaporizes, taking the solvent into the air with it. The combination of solvent plus friction heat and rubbing softens the finish enough to blend out scratches and allow moisture trapped within the finish (white water marks) to migrate out to the surface where it evaporates as well, and the finish rehardens almost immediately after the carrier is exhausted.

To see R-a-F act as a solvent, take a piece of finished scrap wood and either pour enough on it to form puddles and keep adding as it evaporates or just drop a piece into a jar of it and seal it up. If you keep the surface wet, R-a-F will eventually dissolve the finish.

R-a-F is really intended mainly for coating finishes, such as lacquer or varnish. On a penetrating oil finish, what you're basically doing is melting catalyzed oil that re-penetrates and doesn't sit on the surface, which is why scratches don't "blend out;" most of them are not just in a surface finish, but in the wood itself. You really shouldn't be seeing much improvement other than from the oils and dyes, which do act as sort of a "finish," though not one that's going to last long or provide any protection for the wood. However, most modern "oil finishes" are really oil blended with some sort of varnish to speed up the catalyzing process and provide additional surface protection, and R-a-F will work on what those leave behind on the surface.

If your speakers are finished with polyurethane, R-a-F won't do much of anything for you except cleaning and you might as well go directly to sanding.

WOW, that's an answer :yes:

I think I need a new brain so I can absorb some of this info.

Thanks guys,

THC