Around a two week project. Took an old (non-working) 1960s stereo console from Craigslist and rebuilt it.Final BuildFinal buildOriginal - Still has the receipt and the instruction manual (the papers on the right). The wood was in decent shape, but the stereo no longer worked.OriginalFirst step was to pull out the original parts. This is the underside of the record player. and the record player removed I disconnected all the wires, then unscrewed the original record player from the bottom. Besides dealing with 60 years of dirt and grime, the record player came out pretty easily.Underside of the record playerRecord player removedSecond step was to pull out the original amplifier. It was mounted with eight screws and metal clips on the underside. It took some time to pry this off without damaging the wood, but I just took it slowly on this part.Amplifier removedThird step was to pull the original speakers from the box. The original speakers resembled car stereo speakers and were mounted to 1/4 inch piece of speaker board. Hand removed the screws with a ratchet socket. The photo shows the only working speaker on the original console.Back of the left speakerOriginal speakerFourth step was to pull out the speaker board from the console. Once the speaker fabric was pulled from both sides, I used a hack saw to cut the speaker board.Essentially, the speaker board was cut to the shape of the new bookshelf speakers.This part was incredibly difficult. The issue was sawing/cutting the speaker board too deep and cutting into the original speaker fabric. My solution was to put paper between the speaker fabric and the speaker board when I cut it. You can see from this photo above that I was using the instruction manual for the new amplifier as a barrier between the speaker board and the speaker fabric.Cutting the speaker board for the new speakersThe speakers (Elac Debut) were purchased because they perfectly fit the original dimensions of the box and were front ported. Rear ported speakers would sound horrible for the dimensions/ enclosure.The speakers slid right into place.New speakersFifth step was the mount for the new amplifier and the cooling system. I used a 5/4 cut of walnut and jigsawed out the cooler first. I wanted to include a cooling system because the new amplifier would be mounted vertically and run hotter than normal.I checked, double checked, and triple checked that the lines were straight on the walnut. I really took my time on these cuts.Cooling system cutourhttps://preview.redd.it/q1yjdkuelzf41.png?width=1536&format=png&auto=webp&s=06ad48daca64ccc30711186ee44d8b0c530e1d3bhttps://preview.redd.it/wqneqei8lzf41.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8e98ee829e4de439b747f97c25846657f96e59fdOnce I got the sections of the walnut cut out for the new amplifier and the cooling system, I started working on the items I would mount on the underside of the walnut.Seventh step was to mock up the install before I sanded/ finished the walnut mount.I mounted the new cooling fan onto a piece of wood and placed it adjacent to the vent on the amplifier.I used a wall mount for a cable TV box to connect the amplifier to the wood pillar . The wood pillar has a piece of fabric on the base to limit wood on wood vibrations.Mount for the fanhttps://preview.redd.it/34a3m6xnlzf41.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=72cf1d1c5f398d260e266ed8598c097d3642b478Once I knew that it would all fit, I sanded and finished the walnut. First I routed the left edge of the wood with a router to smooth the side of the wood.Then I started with a 300 grit sandpaper and worked my way to a 1200 grit sandpaper. I would sand, apply a new coat, let dry, sand again, etc.. I applied eight coats of tung oil with this process.https://preview.redd.it/i64l5dwtlzf41.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3f9a76597209b471403987ad7f6cffbce0282e82.Once the finishing process was complete, I secured the parts to the underside of the walnut. I used metal brackets and wood glue to secure everything into place.https://preview.redd.it/6xacxjzulzf41.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cee4fc2ae48c316f6c7f4d84c9f80ce563333026A little cable management. I used double sided tape to adhere the cooling system thermostat to the amplifier.https://preview.redd.it/9m7ysk5xlzf41.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b274b660a817c4ff8e540a57118a378d897ab0c3Final step - once the glue dried I dropped in the new mount into place. I did not screw/glue the walnut onto the stereo console (in case I need to open it up for repairs/ etc.). The record player was (Pro Ject Debut Carbon) was purchased because it fit the console. I dropped it into place and wired everything up. She's good to go!Done!This was a fun project. Glad we were able to extend the life of a 60 year old piece of furniture! via /r/DIY https://ift.tt/2tIrGlU
