My turn...A7 restore...

[analog addict]

Got a philosophical question. It would take a lot of effort and Bondo to square up all the corners on these bad boys. I could also put some effort into rounding up the corners so they don't look tattered. Is it considered poor form to have rounded corners?

[RonSSS]

I haven't seen any Altec A7 show-n-shine gatherings. So I think you can do whatever you want!
If you were to bondo them straight, I'd be worried that a slight bump would knock it right off after painted.
Then you would have to bondo the bondo.

[Panomaniac]

Looking good! It's a big project, I know. I've down two pair. You are going to need to brace and damp the back of the horn flairs for sure, for sure. Then brace the lower panels. As Jeff says, the stock versions vibrate badly.

[Altec Best]

How much effort would it be to pop the tops off, and replace with a new top ? If you can get the top piece of plywood off without damaging the sides that would be an option I would consider.It would save you a lot of time sanding bondo I think.Then you would have some new sweet edges. And would make bracing the flares much easier.

Or if your good with a circular saw,cut the top off and install a new top that way.Then caulk the inside of the cabinet to make it airtight.

[VolvoHeretic]

I wouldn't hunt you down if you used an 3/8" or 1/2" radius router on the outside edges. You can always fill them in later. Or you could add another layer of plywood (1/4 oak has a nice wood grain that would show through nicely under Gloss Black Lacquer") to the two sides, top, and bottom, and fill in the voids with JB weld or bondo, sand, and paint.

Edit; those boxes are built with rabbit/dado corners. I don't think that they will ever come apart without wrecking everything.

[Altec Best]

Edit; those boxes are built with rabbit/dado corners. I don't think that they will ever come apart without wrecking everything.

Well then adding another layer of ply would be the best and easiest bet.With nice straight corners.

[Audio_by_Goodwill]

How much effort would it be to pop the tops off, and replace with a new top ?

Probably quite a bit. I beleive the horn flares are run in a groove cut in the top panel, if I recall correctly........... (sold mine, so I can't look to be sure).

[Audio_by_Goodwill]

I'd be a bit leery of rounding the coreners off, do a couple of reasons.

-I'm not sure I'd like the look

-I'd be a bit afraid I'd end up splintering the plywood with the router..... granted I'm not looking at your cabinets first hand.

I'd think about several options......

-sanding, painting, with little to no filler on the corrners...... in other words leave some of the evidence of age, where it has an advantage (the bondo can't chip out on the edges if it's not there)

-thin layer of plywood. I think this would take some skill to pull off so that it wasn't obvious what was done. If it was obviois it would be like illfitting 1970's panneling in a "finished" basement.

-maybe put hardwood on the edges corners only.

[analog addict]

Well, along the top edge are square headed nails, a lot of them. I'm guessing not only would it be difficult to get the top off, it would make a router pretty unhappy to chew through them....

[Audio_by_Goodwill]

Well, along the top edge are square headed nails, a lot of them. I'm guessing not only would it be difficult to get the top off, it would make a router pretty unhappy to chew through them....

Yeah...... don't do that :-)

I'm suprised the nails have sqaure heads. I know they can still be purchased, but they're typically for restorartion or floor work, I believe......... maybe someone used flooring nails? Now that I think about it, My (sold, actually) 110 may have square headed nails.