molten Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Any of you fella's ever recoated the wood on steering wheel?What is best to use? I am pressuming Tina of varnish and paint brush is out ;)Any suggestions as to what to use for lasting durable finish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepy Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Don't know what varnish they would use on the wood wheels originally, but yacht varnish is durable!You would get a better finish if you was to spray it once the prep work was finished.Has yours faded, or is it lifting/cracking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyf Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 I restored an original Formula type wheel on my car, I used standard Wilko Clear Varnish and a decent paint brush?The secret was lot's of coats and rub down in between each coat with fine wire wool or fine sand paper.It came out ok, for saying it only cost me a £1 at an Austin 7 Rally Autojumble ;)Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molten Posted May 23, 2013 Author Share Posted May 23, 2013 the wood on the wheel had a nuber of black stains in it, so I put the wire wool to work to remove them (to a degree) and dont want to ruin the thing hen applying laquer/varnish etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferny Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Dab it with meths, let it soak in for a little while then burn it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molten Posted May 23, 2013 Author Share Posted May 23, 2013 ferny wrote:Dab it with meths, let it soak in for a little while then burn it off.Please explain ferny. In my book, burning wood makes it disapear ;D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferny Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 You set fire to the meths!http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/mar/01/diy.homes33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotoflex Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 From my theatre organ restoration days: the console cabinetry always had to be clear lacquer, but even for the purists, the tops of the benches were best done with spray clear polyurethane. Sanded/steel wooled between coats, it comes out looking like lacquer. The considerations are: when that day comes when wood must again be refinished, next year or 60 years down the road, lacquer can be removed with chemical strippers leaving the wood unreduced & unmarred beneath. But if polyurethane is scratched, it all must be sanded off, down to the wood, a miserable job that takes a bit of the wood with it. However, as bench tops are high-traffic, the more durable polyurethane holds up a lot longer/better to folks sliding across with keys, rivets in their jeans, etc.Steering wheels seem to get more bumped up, nicked & scratched than would be expected even when careful, so I'd strongly consider polyurethane. I'd just hate to have to be the one to refinish it when that day came. Especially if it's got knobbly little finger arches.If it were something with a thin veneer, like a dashboard, I wouldn't use it, as sanding off polyurethane could easily result in having to re-veneer anyway.Also to consider is that polyurethane is mighty slick & slippery. Many a hearty laugh has been evoked by seeing someone enthusiastically slide onto a polyurethaned bench & keep on going right off the other side. Sweaty palms on a polyurethaned steering wheel could yield entertainment on a hot day, too.For the best compromise among manageable surface, wear durability, weather resistance, & refinishability, marine varnish could be the thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferny Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 You certainly know a lot about polishing wood. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheepy Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 ferny wrote:You certainly know a lot about polishing wood. :) ;D ;D ;) ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotoflex Posted May 25, 2013 Share Posted May 25, 2013 I do absolutely! Let me get a photo of my organ for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hogie Posted May 25, 2013 Share Posted May 25, 2013 (oh) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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