Last night I collected a lovely pair of Type K speakers. One has a large water damage mark to the top of the cabinet. What is the best way remove it? Just did a bit of searching on the web. Found a several different answers, from using caustic soda, to lots of rubbing down. So I would like some advice from our experts.

Craig

I'd start with some steel wool dipped in white spirit to remove the original lacquer & see how apparent the water mark is when you're back to bare wood.

Don't use caustic soda - it will break down the glue holding the veneer on if it penetrates + it is really nasty stuff & can burn you without knowing if you don't clean it off your skin correctly. There's no need to use anything as aggressive as that to remove a couple of layers of polish.

If the mark is darker than the surrounding wood you will need to carefully bleach it back to the same colour & possibly then teak stain the whole top before repolishing.

Chris.

Medogsfat:

If the mark is darker than the surrounding wood you will need to carefully bleach it back to the same colour & possibly then teak stain the whole top before repolishing.

Chris.

It is and quite a bit darker too. Do I still need to do the wire wool and white spirit first? Do I use a fine wire wool. How does the water penetrate the lacquer?

Craig

This might be the answer to your problem. You'll have to read to the end of the post to see how I solved a similar problem.

/riis

riis:

This might be the answer to your problem. You'll have to read to the end of the post to see how I solved a similar problem.

/riis

Very nice results on your cabinet restoration. Although I think I will need to bleach mine back a lot. Mine is not a white mark, more of a dark stain.

Craig

It may prove easier to bleach the whole top panel & then stain back to the colour you need Craig. You may even find the mark disapperas with white spirit once the lacquer is removed.

Fine steel wool should do the job.

Chris.

Trip to B&Q then methinks.

I would also check out the values of the crossover resistors, you may well find they are quite a long way out, the capacitors will also need replacing.

Once the crossover network has been reworked you'll find they sound an awful lot better.

Wish I could remember the values but if I remember, they are not standard values and you will have to mix and match to get them right.

Craig

had similar probs on some s45/2's some time ago - followed the route outlined by Chris - I used oxalic acid solution(caution very poisonous usual disclaimer, however just use pox doctors gloves - latex!) to bleach the stain it worked very well but did not remove the ring completely however,then used boiled linseed oil / wax/ very fine wire wool to renovate - it all seemed to work well so much so when sold on the buyer thought the boxes were in superb condition (fot their age!)

Bon chance - hope it goes well!

salut

t

Just remembered another less strong bleach - salt crystals on the stain then add citric acid(lemon juice) let it work see if in fact it does work - I've used both the above to take stains out of decks on classic sailing dinghies - another of my passions!1