Trying to Restore Blonde C40 Harkness Cabinets

[Johnny_Law]

I have two blonde JBL C40 cabinets, but one needs new veneer on one (or more) side.

Can anyone point me in the right direction in terms of what veneer to use? (And also, where to find matching grille cloth?)

(This is the good cab for reference)

 

[WillRobinson]

I believe JBL used Primavera and also Korina for the blonde colored veneers. I have a C34 in Primavera that looks a lot like your C40.

 

[Johnny_Law]

Thanks! Primavera looks really close. I wonder if I can get a sample to compare side by side.

 

[Johnny_Law]

Got a sample of the Primavera, it's definitely not it since there is no Oak type swirls in the original veneer. Dang. Will try the Korina.

EDIT: This was later shown to be false! Primavera is correct ...

 

[Johnny_Law]

Here's the project. This is the second cabinet I am trying to put back together to match the first (pictured above, and in the background below).

Set up the 030 load to entertain while I rebuild the cabinet.



Here's the cabinet with the bad side removed.



The bad side.



Need to repair these bites out of it.



Will use CAD (carboard-aided design).



I need to find some spare wood somewhere to build this patchwork based on the CAD template shown clamped in place. Once I've made this out of wood, I'll glue it in.



Mocking it up with clamps.



Not perfect, it doesn't meet up. Will need to figure out why in a future post.

 

[K.A.B]

A tip on where to find fabric for grille fabric I looked high and low in the end I found a fantastic company https://www.guilfordofmaine.com/ looking at their FR701 style 2100 I ordered fabric from them and I am very pleased.

 

[Johnny_Law]

Thanks!

Today I turned my CAD templates into patch sections and glued them in place. Next step will be filler and sand smooth.

 

[Johnny_Law]

Hmm. The gap still won't quite close. There's no way to get it closed without shaving some away inside.

I wonder if I should nail the bottom first, and then glue the top? Or vice versa?

Edit: Decided on screws from the bottom, and actually there is just a gap at the corner. The wood is laying correctly underneath - so I'll glue that in place, fill the gap with wood glue, and veneer on top.



The veneer that's left, and the inner corner, align so it looks like it's always been this way.

 

[Johnny_Law]

That edge is still plauging me. The panel is glued back in place, even with all the clearance at the edge and all the clamping, it did not line up perfectly. The internal baffles for the folded horn did not allow the panel to sit low enough to line up.

So, now I am really dealing with this gap at the edge. The veneer, not yet applied, will sit too high and there will be a gap at the edge corner. How do I fix this?? Sanding? Will I need to re-veneer the other side too?

 

[Zonker92]

I'd fill and sand all the gaps, then re-veneer all the veneered panels.

 

[Johnny_Law]

I'd fill and sand all the gaps, then re-veneer all the veneered panels.

I've been weighing that but I really want to preserve that original JBL veneer. I really want the two cabs to match. Without re-veneering, I wonder how to pull this off?

I did end up laying down the new veneer on the one panel and got the edge to align well in places. I'll work on the other spots.

 

[Johnny_Law]

So here's what's under the original finish (not quite done removing it ... Citristrip didn't remove it all, I don't like using the more aggressive chemicals, so I am sanding). In light it's gorgeous, pics don't show how nice this veneer really is.

The original veneer options were Mahogany, Korina, Tawney Walnut, Oiled Walnut, and Ebony (see http://www.lansingheritage.org/images/jbl/catalogs/1962/page16-17.jpg) ... this appears to be Mahogany. That's great because I put that fresh Mahogany onto the refinished panel.

Now ... what to use to re-finish, to match that original Bonde look. A stain and then shallac? Leave it oiled & waxed? I don't know. Open to suggestions!

 

[Nyjblbob]

Just a thought, maybe stand them upright like the C34,s

 

[Johnny_Law]

Apparently the 50s-60s "blonde" finish is a subject of some commentary online which is great.

I'll need to do this ...

• Make a laquer toner w/ little binder and lots of pigment
• Spray a thin coat
• Glaze with umber in coats until color looks good
• Apply several coats of clear lacquer

How do you duplicate that “blonde mahogany” finish that was so popular in the 1950s?

Michael Dresdner: That’s known as a toner finish, and was quite popular in those days. It works best on large pore woods like mahogany or korina. First, a lacquer toner made with very little binder and a lot of pigment was sprayed in a very thin coat onto open pore wood. That made the wood all one color, usually off-white, but allowed all the wood grain to show. Next, the piece was glazed, usually with raw umber or burnt umber glaze, which was flooded on and wiped off completely. The glaze lodged in the pores, accentuating them, and adding a bit more color along with contrast. Once the color was right, and dry, several coats of clear lacquer were applied on top.

 

[Johnny_Law]

Finish removed from the second cabinet, the one that underwent surgery above ... revealing gorgeous bleached Mahogany underneath (could be Primavera?). Have a couple spots to raise / patch, and some hand sanding to even it out. But psyched at how nice it looks.

Also psyched that my new mahogany veneer (first pic below) is an almost-perfect match. I will need to A/B bleach it to match before I continue with the blonde finish process.

 

[Johnny_Law]

Got a sample of the Primavera, it's definitely not it since there is no Oak type swirls in the original veneer. Dang. Will try the Korina.

Eating my words here. These samples of Primavera match this bare wood almost perfectly (other than the Oak-looking knot in one). If I can't bleach my Mahogany to match, I'll re-veneer that side in Primavera.

JBL Blonde is definitely Primavera underneath (as some folks already pointed out ...) @WillRobinson here and Wagner pointed out on AudioHeritage.

 

[Johnny_Law]

Used A/B wood bleach on the Mahogany (the nearest side in the pic below), only took one application. Matches the original Primavera perfectly. Woo!

Now to find the right Blonde stain ... leaning towards using a white blond nitrocellulose lacquer. Input much appreciated here.

 

[mcheinstein]

v cool project. I don't have a ton to add, but will be watching along!

 

[totem]

Well done keeping the original look, it's not usually the easiest path but rewarding when
it comes together.

 

[Johnny_Law]

I'm still debating how to apply the "blonde" finish. What to use and what method. Have yet to find a definitive answer to that question for JBL Blonde. I've found a ton about blonde finish for guitars and furniture but not JBL cabinets from the era.

Unfortunately on the one cabinet, I burned through the top veneer sheet in a couple spots (it was really thin on the corner) so I stripped it off and will put on fresh mahogany. I also filled a bunch of dents and divots with Bondo and sanded flat, so the veneer will have a flawless, flat surface to lie on.

While the veneer is off the top, I'm squaring up the squashed left front corner.