I’m helping a friend restore a 1940’s Chevy pickup and have been given the task of creating a finished floor foor the box. This, as with everything, is budget minded. I have 2 boxes of prefinished red oak (3/4 x 2 1/4) left over but I also have enough ipe scraps to do a sweet border and/or an inlay. My thought was to fasten everything to a sheet of marine ply from underneath with SS screws. I don’t see that as the problem. My question is the finish. I need to finish it together and want a gloss finish and am not sure what product is best for both woods. The truck will live its life inside only be driven to shows and for ice cream. All help is appreciated.
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I'd use some sort of lacquer. It can be done with a brush if you need -- spraying is easier if you can mask off the rest of the truck.
And it can be done in any sheen you desire, from flat to mirror-finish gloss.
Marine varnish. It'll hold up to UV or moisture better than most other finishes, and comes in different gloss levels.
Most show beds are sprayed with Laquer Clear) rather than varnish. Varnish takes too long to dry to a proper hardness to be able to sand smooth.
Don't assemble before you spray everything (top, bottom sides and ends) Proper bed material would be ash, because ash unlike white oak does not have a lot of tannins in it to react to the fastners.. since you are using stainless steel fastners you've eliminated one possible problem area however the frame is steel as are the strips which hold the wood in place.
With red oak you won't have that issue but red oak is not very durable or strong.. I don't know enough about the other's properties to be honestly informative.
the floor needs to drain well... consider skipping the ply...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I was thinking same thing about the water trapping and the red oak rotting. Was going to say skip the ply base and use white oak, but he said it will live inside.I feel sorry for the old truck, being confined like that, but whaddya gonna do...
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
the truch is going to be washed...
and unless it is going to showss in an enclosed trailer...
some days it will be in an outdoor show...
never say never,,,
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
This might help
http://www.classictrucks.com/tech/0907clt_ford_f1_wood_truck_bed_kit_install/index.html
Neat.
Locust and Spar.
I got a lead on a stack of Sycamore, looking for a need, I have the want (G).Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
"If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt
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Sycamore is pretty wood. I'd like to have a kitchen table made from it.
Locust would make a dandy truck bed!
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
It's stringy as hell, but would last a long time for sure.
Thats what most of my back 40 is, future firewood and posts. Some kinda disease knocks em dead after they reach about 40' tall and 10'' dia. I have a lot of standing dead, hard as a rock. Ya get sparks offa the chainsaw when cutting it.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
"If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt
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I cut a dead locust once. I saw sparks too. Dulled the chain in no time, but what's even worse was when a thorn went through my shoe and into my foot. Which got a nasty infection shortly thereafter.
All my tires are slimed to the hilt because o them thorns, can't get nothin done w/out the slime.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
"If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt
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where does all that slime go when you buy new tiresjust curious.
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.. . . . . . . .
I was in my auto shop when they popped an ATV tire off and the slime went all over the SUV getting an oil change in the next bay over. That's where. LOLSpheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
"If Brains was lard, you couldn't grease much of a pan"Jed Clampitt
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aw man take a picture next time,.
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budget minded. I have 2 boxes of prefinished red oak
Understand the budget mined. Since truck wont ever be in the rain, red oak is OK.
I've had good luck with McKlokey's marine spar varnish for durable high gloss.
Otherwise, If often in the rain, then red oak is a poor choice, will rot at edges quick.
Apitong or teak is what I'd grab out of my scrap wood pile, white oak after that. Few scraps of cocbolo for the edging. Doing a whole full size truck bed would deplete my teak resources. White oak would be 3rd choice.
Well I hope he is keeping the straight 6, I hate those trucks with V8's in them.
Wishin' I still had my '49.
Mike
Small wheel turn by the fire and rod, big wheel turn by the grace of god.
Edited 7/12/2009 10:38 am by ruffmike
For reference, you may want to look at one of the many companies that sell reproduction parts for old pickup trucks, one of the better ones is http://www.horkeyswoodandparts.com/ It appears they recommend Old Masters tung oil spar varnish.