cleaning up speaker cabinets

[lAmBoY]

I am considering selling my speakers but would like to clean up all the dings and scratches that have occurred over the years (kids eh!).

Nothing major but I know they are there so id like to pass on my beloved speakers in pristine condition - anyone know who provides this type of service? The speakers are a high quality maple veneer.

 

[Guest432]

Leave them as they are, what it costs to repair would be much less than the extra you would make in the sale for being pristine.

 

[PaulMB]

You mean "What it costs to repair would be much MORE than the extra you would..."

 

[TheDecameron]

Nor can you (speaking in general terms here) polish a turd.

 

[paul71a]

If it's just marks in the veneer, then a good French polisher would do a good job.

 

[Guitar Beard]

The veneer used on speakers is only 0.6mm thick, before sanding and finishing.
if it is dinked, it has most likely damaged the substrate (usually MDF)
Options are too re-veneer the whole cabinet, or fill in dings and spray the cabinet.

Most likely not worth doing either due to cost/time

 

[Jim]

If they are minor dents they can be steamed out. This would require a soft cloth with no patterns or dye in the material and a hot iron. (plain white paper works too).
Put a small amount of water in the dent and place the cloth over and place iron on cloth. Let the water evaporate checking frequently every few seconds. Try on a part that is not too visable as this may not work due to the finish used on the speakers. To do a proper job would be to strip them down to the venneer and do the above. If the dents are deep and have bruised the material underneath then steaming them still works but inevitably will still show a mark where the dent had been.

 

[Guitar Beard]

If they are minor dents they can be steamed out. This would require a soft cloth with no patterns or dye in the material and a hot iron. (plain white paper works too).
Put a small amount of water in the dent and place the cloth over and place iron on cloth. Let the water evaporate checking frequently every few seconds. Try on a part that is not too visable as this may not work due to the finish used on the speakers. To do a proper job would be to strip them down to the venneer and do the above. If the dents are deep and have bruised the material underneath then steaming them still works but inevitably will still show a mark where the dent had been.

This works miracles on solid timber that is unfinished. It will discolour any finish that exists, also if the dink is in the mdf substrate this will absorb the moisture and expand, possibly causing further bumps and distortion.

Use this method with extreme caution on a veneered surface.