Idle thumbs, curiosity, thought i'd try some Crack..

mcandmar

New member
I get it now, quick and fun to build, beautifully simplistic circuit and chassis layout, and pairs wonderfully with HD650's. Really is a wonderful little amp :)
 

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Thanks, i used some black wrinkle on a recent project and really liked the finish.  Reminds me of an MG dashboard :)
 
That is a super clean build.  Even prettier than the manuals.

I particularly like the wrinkle finish.  It came out very well.
 
Turns out crack is addictive!

I went with black wrinkle finish for this one, with a dark oak wood stain, and just couldn't resist sprinkling a few nice caps and tubes into the mix :)
 

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Wrinkle finish is a classic industrial look. The only downside is that it can be tough to keep clean. Lots of nooks and crannies to trap dust and dirt. You might want to drape a towel or something over the top when not in use.

Nice job.
 
Very nice. Great to see a really well done wrinkle paint job.
 
Fell off the wagon again and built another :D

I really like these new speedball boards, makes for a much neater layout under the chassis.
 

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Elbow grease, lots of elbow grease.  It was one of those projects that seemed like a good idea at the time but turned out to be highly frustrating.

For those interested in polishing a chassis my plate my advice is don't, just don't.  It takes forever, it is impossible to get a 100% perfect finish so you will get to the stage where polishing creates micro scratches, which you try and polish out and in turn create even more micro scratches.  There is a point where you just need to stop and call it a day before you drive yourself crazy.

That said, the recipe was as follows,

-Sanded flat with 200 grit, then 400, then a wet sand with 1200 to remove the brushed finish and get a flat uniform texture.
-Buff with a cloth wheel in a drill using metal polish.  I used Autosol metal polish for this one.

Things not to do,

-Clear coat, i tried a couple of different types and none would stick properly to the finish which meant i had to scrape them off and rebuff.
-Dual Action sander with Wool pads, works great for car paintwork, but leaves lots of tiny micro swirls which could only be removed by a rebuff with the cloth wheel.
-Wipe the finish with a rough cloth, or when covered in lot of dust as you will only add more micro scrapes into the finish.

Apart from that i think it looks amazing ;D
 

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That is purdy!

Just curious....how many Cracks have you built now?  I think we need a contest!!!  ::)
 
Nice job Mark it may be a lot of work but it does have a neat look with the darker (is it a oak stain) base.
 
This is the fourth one, but i am fairly sure there are others who have built more.  Not looking at anybody in particular ::)

For the wood base i used a few coats of Danish oil finished with wood wax.  It came out a little darker and yellow than i would have liked, but it really comes alive in direct sunlight. I am thinking about trying different oils in future and see if i can get closer to a natural finish.
 
My experience has been that any oil finish will enhance the grain to some degree. The finish I have found to keep the wood color as close as possible to the unfinished color is a water based clear finish like satin Varathane. Since there is no oil it dries, uh, dry, and doesn't give the wood a slightly yellow, wet look that makes the grain pop.

I used that finish for years but I have since decided I like to pop up the grain a little and use an oil based gunstock finish these days.
 
Doc B. said:
My experience has been that any oil finish will enhance the grain to some degree. The finish I have found to keep the wood color as close as possible to the unfinished color is a water based clear finish like satin Varathane. Since there is no oil it dries, uh, dry, and doesn't give the wood a slightly yellow, wet look that makes the grain pop.

I used that finish for years but I have since decided I like to pop up the grain a little and use an oil based gunstock finish these days.

Thanks Doc, i don't think we get the Varathane brand here but i will seek out some water based clear and give it a try.  Here is question for you, what is the difference if any with gunstock oil vs regular wood oil?  Reason i ask is i will need to tidy up a gun stock in the near future and wondering what is best to use.
 
I imagine the difference between gunstock oil and other oils is mostly branding and probably something to do with the relative proportion of linseed oil, tung oil, solvent, etc. I like the Tru Oil because it goes on easily and dries relatively quickly. It builds to a nice glossy finish in about three coats and then buffs to a very nice sheen with 0000 steel wool.

Clark Blumenstein uses Tried and True linseed oil, which makes for the really gorgeous matte finish on his speakers. He sells a compete (re)finishing kit on his website.

http://www.blumensteinaudio.com/all-products/cabinet-touch-up-kit
 
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