A good source for wood veneer?

[johnr]

Hi, does anyone know a shop in Malaga province that sells a good range of real wood veneer (ie, not just the very thin iron-on stuff you can get can from Leroy Merlin) ?

There's a shop in Torre del Mar that has some but only a few, and quite dull.

Looking for someone who stocks interesting woods and types.

Thanks
John

[johnr]

Found a decent one today - Maderas Marbella (although they aren't in Marbella!)

http://maderasmarbellamalaga.es/

ery friendly. He had no English, my Spanish is minuscule, but he was patient and helpful.

I came home with some nice raw walnut veneer. Decided not to go for the (beautiful) burl as I'm fairly new to veneering and it looked too fragile and complicated

[gerryh]

Looks a good place from the website.
Did you go to the Malaga one or the Alhurin de la Torre one?
What is parking like at the one you used?
Cheers
Gerry

[johnr]

I went to the Malaga one as I was going to the airport anyway (from the east) so it was on the way. Parking was great, lots of spaces outside.

[Devils Advocate]

Veneer for speakers??

[johnr]

Veneer for speakers??

nearly

A turntable plinth for my Thorens TD-150 MKII, very large, made with plywood and internally filled with sand. Solid as ... ;0

[Devils Advocate]

Nice one John. I've a 150 in bits I'm breaking for spares here if there's anything you need.....along with a lot of other vintage stuff.

[Devils Advocate]

I have a lignum vitae plinth here, weights a bloody serious ton (35kg plus I'd guess) I must check what its for, someone has already fitted a platter to it.

[johnr]

Nice one John. I've a 150 in bits I'm breaking for spares here if there's anything you need.....along with a lot of other vintage stuff.

ooh. I nearly needed the plastic bit that goes into the turntable arm (and connects to the headshell pins). My eyes are getting bad and my soldering skills have never been great... I decided to rewire the tonearm (I did it a couple of years ago but wasn't overjoyed with it). Managed to slip and melt the plastic! Thankfully I filed it down so it fitted in ok and all is well but it was close!

Off the top of my head, I'm probably going to want a new top plate (mine is ok but could be cleaner - in fact I will try to polish it up first). You can get replacements on ebay.

My tonearm holder (not sure of the right term? the bit that holds the headshell end) is a bit faded. Not sure if there is a simple way to reblacken it?

The grommets on the tp13-a were perished. I tried to find replacements but failed but bought 6 similar height ones and put one above and below each hole. I've read some people have just removed them totally though. But these seem to be fine.

I'll have a think if there is anything I need as I put it back together.

On the speakers though, I have a pair of B&W DM4s that I really like but the cabinets aren't in great shape. I'm considering filling and reveneering or maybe even making new cabinets for them?

Where are you based?

[johnr]

I have a lignum vitae plinth here, weights a bloody serious ton (35kg plus I'd guess) I must check what its for, someone has already fitted a platter to it.

Sounds nice.

I've only veneered one thing before (and that was iron-on) so the veneer I bought yesterday was raw unbacked walnut. I really wanted the burl (raíz) but decided it was pushing my skills to try it. Maybe another time!

[Devils Advocate]

Mainly in England John (Lancs/Merseyside), do you ever get across? I think you'd enjoy a mooch!.

[Devils Advocate]

PS, excellent job with rewiring the tonearm.......I've a few decks here that need this doing. I don't think I'll be doing it though.

[johnr]

Yes, I do. I have a business in Manchester. Be good to meet up.

The tonearm needed it. I was getting slight and intermittent crackle. The wire I used last time was litz wire from an ebay seller. Meant to be very good but it was very very thin and I think maybe some of it was exposed and touching another one. I'm not sure. But the easiest way was to redo it (ha - 'easy'... not quite the right word!). I tried to get some cable locally (Mailing Electronica in Torre) but they had nothing thin enough to fit through, so I ended up - after seeing a few people recommended it - butchering an old wired mouse. The cable in there was perfect size-wise.

By the way, back on to woodworking, I've just started really but I made myself a hifi rack recently - it's on my blog - http://www.johnrisby.com/2015/05/20/hey ... i-fi-rack/

The old stock plinth is on there. At the moment the shelf is empty whilst I finish the new plinth (and I've replaced the picture frame with a slightly better IKEA one but it's still not anti-glare...)

The new plinth is huge because of the 15mm plywood I've used and the fact it is sand-filled - ie, ply, gap for sand, ply - so the outer width of the plinth is 60mm on each edge, in total it's about 515x430x80, off the top off my head. I got the idea by a post by DivotDog here - http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showth ... p?t=149222. It's basically very similar to what he has made for his 125.

I've also widened the armboard to LP12 size so I can use different arms in the future if I choose to.

I've put phono plugs on the end of the tonearm wires and sockets inside the plinth. 'Technically' another connection to weaken the sound but really... you read some people who talk about using one run of wire from the headshell right to the amp/pre-amp. Does it *really* matter?! But this will make it easier to take the tonearm out and change the armboard without having to de/resolder. At the moment I've got an unfinished plywood armboard in but I got a bamboo chopping board from IKEA the other day (15/16mm high?) that I planed down to the 10mm needed. I'll see how it looks raw next to the walnut but I might paint it black. I'll sacrifice the plywood armboard by drilling the holes all the way through soon and that will give me a template to make new armboards quickly so I can experiment with different wood - hang on, did I really just say does the one-run of wire matter and now I'm talking about different wood for armboards? )

I'll do a write up on the plinth too, but I forgot to take many pictures this time.

Oh God, sorry, I've gone all geeky haven't I?

[Devils Advocate]

John, get in touch and ping me your mobile number for when you next visit. There's a garage and half a house full of kit here that I think you'd maybe like to see, be great to meet up.

Very impressed with your DIY approach too, start a new thread in the electrics section and keep us posted on your progress.

[Devils Advocate]

That rack is very neat on your blog........stick a Naim badge on it and it'd sell for 3k!!

[johnr]

That rack is very neat on your blog........stick a Naim badge on it and it'd sell for 3k!!

Haha, thanks. I really enjoyed making it.

Yes, I'll let you know next time I'm over and hopefully we can meet up.

[johnr]

Btw DA, have you seen this cartoon? Had it framed the other day

[Devils Advocate]

Yes, and true

[johnr]

DA - Just been to see a woman whose husband died late last year. Agreed to buy all his tools (table saw, band saw, thicknesser, scroll saw, lathe, planner, plus work bench and lots of handtools etc etc). He's clearly looked after them very very well. Spotless. Collecting tomorrow. Looks like the s*** just got real

[Devils Advocate]

Where's that lot based John, UK I guess? I'll be following your blog with intent now for new offerings and projects

Had a dealer around at ours today looking at some kit, hopefully a deal to be had, too much "wife unfriendly" stuff here which needs to go. There'll still be some for you to see when we meet up though.........and if your veneering and woodwork skills continue there'll be some jobs here for you ....great hobby, keep it up, very rare to see in Spain.