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One Method for Veneering Speaker Cabinets

myu701 said:
Those JBL L96's turned out really super, Mike. Congratulations on a fine job and a really great writeup too! It's very encouraging and inspiring to see what you've done.

I do have one question. When you trim the veneer after having applied it to the cabinet, you mentioned leaving an 1/16" overhang for sanding later. So, when you apply the next sheet of veneer, I expect you then align the sheet flush to the edge of the previously applied sheet. However, doesn't this present a problem for the bottom sheet of veneer applied? Judging from your tutorial, you did side-->top-->side-->bottom. But the bottom will be restricted from fitting fully due to the 1/16" overhang from the two sides. Do you trim one side a little more so that the bottom will be able to overhang on one side?
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Hi Gary, thank you for the kind words.

You know, I've been asked the same thing from several AK'ers, both in this thread and in PM's about the process of leaving the little overhang + getting the next sheet in the process to align properly. It's been a little while since I've veneered a speaker cabinet (at the time I wrote the tutorial, I had done five or six pairs of speakers and it was fresh in my mind as to the process). I believe the reason the 1/16" overhang worked out ok for me was the fact that the original cabinet material/underlayment that the new veneer was applied to was not exactly, perfectly 90 degrees square between faces. This due to sanding the original veneer/cabinets down without exact precision.

Basically, the once factory 90 degree face intersections of the original cabinet became a little forgiving if you will with the placement and subsequent 1/16" overhang of the new veneer. This allowed placement of the new sheets without crushing the little overhang and resulted in the ability to sand the little overhangs to allow a nice joint in the end.

By all means, if the 1/16" overhang bothers some, just trim each newly affixed veneer face flush and lay down the next piece doing the same as you work your way around the cabinet. Just be careful that you don't accidentally trim beyond flush and inadvertently create a corner seam that doesn't meet up well. Post #65 & #69 in this thread might help to explain it too.....

Best,
Mike
 
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Any thoughts as to which type of PVA to use? If using Titebond, Original or Titebond II?

Thanks for the informative thread, it's giving me the courage to try this out!
 
Titebond original or Elmer's Carpenters wood glue work great. Have not tried the Titebond II so can't comment there.
 
Just found this thread...Big thanks for an incredibly informative and thorough guide. This would be perfect to add to instructables.com. I definitely will be doing this to my newly obtained L112's when my workshop is finished!
 
Very nice write up Mike. Should be a sticky. Also like to see the fly rods on the wall. I was tying flys last night. Can't wait for the snow to go away.
 
Nice job mike !

I've been using the PVA/IRON method for applying veneer to curved staircase stringers for a few years now with great success. Much easier than contact cement etc........great pdf files ! I've used titebond original and II with equal success...
 
superbass said:
Nice job mike !

I've been using the PVA/IRON method for applying veneer to curved staircase stringers for a few years now with great success.
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Interesting! Do you use steam to sort of steam bend the veneer as you go?

John
 
Hey Mike,

Excellent write up, I will use your guidelines when I restore the cabinets on my JBL L100 restoration and upgrade project.

One question though. Is there any reason why you didn't apply the veneer while the glue was still wet?

Also, one of my cabinets, the veneer is bubbling off when it must have got wet. Do you think I should try and re-attach it first, or try removing it? There are enough splits in the grain to be able to inject some wood glue, maybe thinned down slightly.

Lee.
 
WOW, just found this. Great write up. I had actually been thinking of a future project (making a custom built stereo cabinet) but thought that I would have to have the veneer applied by a professional. Not now. Thanks
 
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