I'm sorry, but I don't know about any speakers or speaker maintenance products made in Poland. I understand that it is pretty wet over there, so I'd be more concerned about rot than drying out! I'm understand that the Kuzma TTs and Audes speakers come from former Easter bloc contries though;) |
I would contact the manufacturer and see what they recommend. Finding out about something like this the hard way may be something you want to avoid.
Having said that, i typically use lemon oil to clean and polish most of the speaker cabinets that i have. This can ( and does ) darken the finish on older cabinets, bringing back the lustre and richness that they once had. You are smart in wanting to take care of this situation prior to them actually needing maintenance though. Sean]
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I always used Boiled Linseed oil on hand rubbed oil finished wood loudspeakers. If the wood has a poly or protective finish,you'll have to treat that differently. |
For cleaning, Murphy's Oil Soap is good, and for polishing the above mentioned Lemon Oil or Orange oil work well. Be careful with the Linseed Oil, because if you get the wrong kind, it will be tacky. Also, go easy with the oil, because most speakers are veneered, and too much oil can soak in, and make the veneer lift off.
Also, the above comment about making sure what type of finish is on the speakers is very important. If you have a clear lacquer type finish, use wax. |
You might go to a music shop and get some guitar polish amde by Martin or some other maker for acoustic guitars. Works for me and does not have any bad side effects. |
I use Johnson Wax Lemon Favor available at a Target Store near you. Be careful not to rub any dust grit back into the finish. Oils are nice for solid woods. If my veneer lifted I'd lose my mind :^) |
If the finish is not sealed you can use lemon oil such as Formby's but if it is sealed Pledge will work just fine. I've been a cabinet maker for years so don't agonize over it. |
I use Scot's Liquid Gold and I am going to have nightmares about the veneer on my speakers. |
I have used a product called New Life for Wood and recommend it highly.
http://www.sharays.com/orangeglo/newlife.htm
Use 2 coats minimum applied with 0000 steel wool. I would expect using this product on wood with a synthetic finish would be a very idea. |
Why the nightmares Paulwp? Liquid Gold is what B&W recommended to me. |
Only in reaction to Twl's comment above about too much oil. Not about Scott's, in particular. It's what Harbeth recommended to me also. I guess the Brits like it, and they've been polishing wood furniture for a long time. |
Paul: I agree with Twl. Too much oil will saturate the veneer and then soak into / soften the adhesives below. Adhesives deteriorate with age as it is, so no need to speed up the process.
I typically apply a reasonably even coat of lemon oil on one speaker and then move onto the second speaker. By the time i've finished the second speaker, a great majority of the oil has already been sucked into the wood on the first speaker. I'll typically go back over the first with a light coat and then hit the second with the same.
In the HT system, i'll do all seven cabinets ( mains, center, surrounds, two subs ) and then hit them all again in the same order. Just polishing all of my speakers pretty much eats up an entire Sunday, so they don't get done as often as they should. As such, i should probably start looking into something that is both a polish and a wax. This should hold up a little longer and protect the finish a little better at the same time. Sean
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Paulwp, no need to have nightmares. I am only cautioning against going crazy with the oil. Some oil on a cloth, which is enough to bring back the surface luster, is all you need. Additional oil is unnecessary, and could cause the veneer problem. Reasonable sense should prevail. Normal use of oil on the finish from time to time will not harm your veneers. Some people just think that if some oil is good, then alot of oil is even better. This is why I made the cautionary statement. |
Err, um, thanks Sean and Tom, but I wasn't that worried. The nice thing about the product I use is that you put it on a cloth, as you say, and then apply it to the surface. There are some other products that spray on like a foam and are easier to overdo.
Question, however, what do you do with older speakers that haven't been cared for? I acquired some second hand speakers in the last year or so that look like they were stored next to a furnace or left out in the sun or something, Very dry, and in the case of one pair, sort of grainy textured. Is more oil good for those speakers, or would something else be better?
Paul |
Paul, assuming the speakers have a natural finish, and not lacquer, I would definitely give them some oil, and do it lightly on a weekly basis, until they keep the "glow" on the surface. This makes it unlikely that you will give them too much oil in one application, which could cause soaking. It may help with the fading also, but may not restore the color totally. A little appropriate color stain mixed in with the oil may help to blend the color of the finish back to normal. |
The problem has been fixed. I used this stuff called "Panel Magic". I sprayed a little on a cloth, then wiped the area where the scratch was and its gone. I tried looking for the scratch with a loop and still cannot see it. I tried wiping the area again with water to see if will come off and it seems to be pernament. It did not change color or shine on the surrounding area at all. The scratch was not that deep to begin with and was white in color and now its gone. This product is an oil based product, I just found it in the laundry drawer.
Thanks to everyone for your suggestions,
-Dave |
