Belle Klipsch ... Refinish

[mudshark]

I found these Belles in Denver a couple years back, never thought I would be doing this thread thing so wasnt real good about taking before pics, but you can see the demage on the top of the one in the rear and the edge band issues on both ... and yea I put the kitchen stove in there for reference .... LOL. They have been sitting on the side line for a while and the time was good to get started

 

[laatsch55]

And your basic truck drivers briefcase....

 

[mudshark]

Not a real difficult process, disassembly was kind of interesting sort of a puzzle alot of parts and every thing done with screws except the bass bin that was stapled had to take the collar and riser off to remove the bass grills. Then I used a pocket knife to remove the edge banding came off pretty easy the glue was dried out scraped all the glue off sanded the edges SANDING lots of SANDING I never used any paper more coarse than 220 I was afraid to sand thru the oak veneer finish sand with 320. The edge banding was reapplied, the stuff I used has hot glue on it so I just dug out my great grandmothers iron and went to to work .... always wonder why I kept that thing I live in no iron world. Then more sanding and back filled at the corners behind the edge band for support. After the edges were done and every thing was smooth time to tack rag and start with the lacquer, between lacquer and lacquer thinner it gets pretty intense. I block sanded with 320 between coats and I stopped at 10 coats

 

[mudshark]

10-4 .... LOL

 

[eminence1963]

Another Klipsch fan... Awesome refinish on them
I take it you are keeping them for yourself?

 

[mudshark]

Absolutely ... Belles are the one Klipsch that was never reproduced in the II or III status like cornwalls, lascalas or Khorns, whats real interesting is like most I always thought that all Klipsh speakers were built from baltic birch ply. Thats not the case with these, they are actually edge lam birch 1x4s and then veneered they are pretty heavy

 

[mudshark]

And more sanding, I'm working in some what confined area so doing I did a piece at a time. Aside from the bass bin I sanded and finished the parts in the garage for the dust and fumes .... Did I mention sanding? As I took things apart I filled all the screw holes half full of elmers, it helps to keep the threads from failing on reassembly. I let the parts dry for a day or so and put it back together as I went along. New Crites AA crossovers.

 

[mudshark]

Just kept pluggin away at em, took about 2 months in my spare time but I finished the first one which was the worst one. I'm happy with the finished product, all in all I guess thats what matters. On another note I heard alot of people say that the Belle is a dressed up Lascala .... I am not convinced of that I think they sound different I have both and have compared them I like them both but I have to wonder the bass bins are not the same there fore they dont sound the same .... Physics maybe ???

 

[mudshark]

And on that NOTE .... I might just wait till spring to do the second one, need more available fresh air .... cold here this time of year

 

[Nick Danger]

View attachment 18035
And on that NOTE .... I might just wait till spring to do the second one, need more available fresh air .... cold here this time of year

You are a patient man. I couldn't wait that long for such suweet speakers and would be harassing my neighbor to fire up the woodburner in his out building.... Looking forward to your thought s on them once they are completed and in your system. Beautiful work, by the way.

 

[laatsch55]

Steve, next time I go through Wheatervile I'm gonna stop if you're around. It's time I heard that setup. Beautiful work....but you always had an artsy bent...

 

[mudshark]

Hey if we can end up in the same place at the same time that would be cool, you are welcome. Got a call yesterday bout 10 am, was headin back to williston, for another 100,000 lb trailer had the overnite shitkit ready and of course my truck driver brief case .... LOL. Got a call back at 10:45 sayin hold off they need it in cheyenne by 8 am .... 20hours round trip nonstop ... not happenin. They hired a truck outa williston, of such is the patch. Had to get some things done today and been thinkin about the one finished Belle and thought I oughta mention the one finished is the one in the back with the top damage. The damage was water in a leaky storage unit, it had made some considerable dark almost black stains on the top and the way I took care of it is with concentrated clorox bleach in a cup with a 1 inch paint brush, I painted the bleach on and let it dry completely 5 times That with sanding took it to the point that if you are not looking for it you might never know it's there. I'm not so sure that I'm that patient the way I can get thru the drawn out process of refinishing these is I have a pair of Lascalas and a pair of Heresys bangin away right now .... So I aint goin without tuneage .... LOL

 

[laatsch55]

Amen Buddy.

100,000 lb trailer ?? Shit...remember we used to put 120,000 lb draworks on a 30,000 lb trailer then suck it up and boogie...

 

[mudshark]

As a matter of fact I DO, Then I remember that same draw works bein bedded and backed up a ramp and inserted .... Some crazy shit in the old days now they fly every thing on 150 ton cranes they even load truck that way .... MY how times have changed ...LOL. Might be a better survival rate. The last trailer I picked up in williston I made it all the way to sundance before I got popped, the over weight wasnt so bad just pay the 600.00 fine and move along, it was the multi piece aspect that really screwed up my day had to wait 8 hrs in the port till some one got there to take all the valves off the back before they would let me leave. SUCKED right out loud.

 

[laatsch55]

Amen..... fucking crane pussies.....real rigs use ramps!!!

 

[Northwinds]

Amen..... fucking crane pussies.....real rigs use ramps!!!

ROTFALMAO!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mudshark]

Thats very true Lee, it took talent to build a rig and tear down a rig as well, HATE to think I had to hang 2 1/2 20s on my belt and with 1 in each hand run across location to beat the truck to the next piece .... Might get away with it once ....Maybe .... That was near 30 years ago LOL

 

[mudshark]

SHIT had to rethink that ..... It was 34 years ago .... dam dam dam. A little more on topic I had my first Klipsch experience in 73 ... WAS HOOKED couldn't afford em but was hooked

 

[laatsch55]

Saw my first rig in the oilfield 39 years ago.......this month.......DAYAM!!!!

 

[laatsch55]

ROTFALMAO!!!!!!!!!!!

True Ron, any dummie can pull up to a crane and have shit set with a crane...takes a man to back up a 16 foot ramp with 120,000lb draworks just outside your back window and stop just before you drive off the end and then push the drawtool off your bed and on to the rig floor.....that's FUCKIN RIG MOVIN.....your basic 10,000 ft , 30 load rig could be laying down the derrick when you pulled up in the morning and that sucker could be completely tore down, moved 60 miles and rigged up and drilling the mouse hole and rat hole before dark......in the dead of winter. Now it takes em a fuckin week....