Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by dsraven

looks like the coats applied have not dried yet and are off gassing still. more time between coats I guess.

Maybe. Label says 24hrs between coats but it’s been cold for SoCal before yesterday and today. About 60-61 degrees when I applied the varnish. I’ve been recording my application times and temps.

A few years ago I used Minwax water based polyurethane on some exterior wood that gets no sun. It has held up remarkably good. But I didn’t even consider using that for my bedwood. Maybe I should have!

[dsraven]

the paint guy I dealt with for my issue with endura paint waay back said more coats equals more dry time between coats. temp, humidity and dry time all work together. over a wood surface the moisture content of the wood is also a factor. some paints are also force dryable. the area you have them sitting in is also a factor. if the area is small it stands to reason that the area would tend to have the humidity rise quicker, if not vented, because there is moisture coming out if the paint. so the dry time would go up again. my advice, let it dry well so not soft to touch, then quickly scuff and recoat. varnish also doesn't usually get hardener like an automotive paint so it relies on ambient conditions to dry. try some heat and a fan possibly?
not an expert, just my opinion.

[Dan in Pasadena]

^^^ I think you’re right. I’m gonna leave a fan on above it tonight to see if the air movement helps. I’m sure I’ll get a little more “crap” in the finish but since I’m sanding every coat, it should be ok.

On the subject of sanding: I’m now wet block sanding with 320 after 2 coats. It doesn’t quite make it flat but I’m afraid to sand further and risk cutting through to the wood. I’ll try for total flatness after the 3rd coat. Opinions?

[dsraven]

try thinning so the lighter ends flash off faster and the whole thing drys quicker? more chance of a run though. lighter coats?

[Dan in Pasadena]

I tried to make my coats light as it was.

One of my (now ex) employees was a master cabinet maker years ago before he nearly cut his hand off!! and changed professions. He suggested I put ONE drop of dish soap onto the sanding block as I start blocking. Works like a charm. The block loaded up a little but I brushed it off easily and kept sanding. I didn’t QUITE get to totally flat across the boards but almost. I will for sure after the 3rd coat

[Nut Case]

You may already know this, oak is a open grain wood. To get a total shine you will need to do lots of coats.

I have found for exterior wood that "Spar Varnish" last longer, living in Idaho at about 5000 feet above sea level, with approximately 50-60% humidity and temperature going to highs of 100 degrees in the hot summer to -25 below in the winter, that the spare varnish stands up to the weather several years longer than any other clear finish on oak.

Your truck is looking great.

Keep on keepin on

NC

[e015475]

Dan-

Finishing my bed wood is still in front of me, so reading this thread with interest on how to get a nice finish on the boards.

Has anyone tried a grain-filler on their boards, especially on oak? Here's a excerpt from Rockler's site on filling wood grain-

"Ever wonder how expert wood finishers get the mirror-like finish you find on examples of fine furniture? It isn't by hastily slapping on a coat or two of standard-issue polyurethane varnish. There are a number of steps involved, beginning with the way the piece is originally constructed on through several coats of clear finish and final hand-rubbing. In between, there's the all important step of filling the wood grain pores to produce the perfectly flat surface that gives the final clear finish depth and a glass-smooth shine. Crystalac Clear Waterborne Wood Grain Filler makes the process about as easy as it can be. And in case you've never used wood grain filler, here are a few filler facts to help you see why."

"Wood grain filler is used strictly to fill wood grain pores and should not be confused with "wood putty". Wood putty (or wood filler) is a much thicker mixture, and is used to fill larger cracks and voids in the wood. Grain filler is a binder mixed with a filler material, such as silica, "micro balloons", clay, or calcium carbonate to for a thin paste. Most grain fillers are roughly the viscosity of pancake batter, making them easy to work into the grain of the wood, but still thick enough to span and fill the open pores of the grain"

http://www.rockler.com/how-to/using-wood-grain-filler/

Very curious if anyone's used this and how it worked.

Here's another DIY instruction on using grain fillers

http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/wo...-pore-fillers/

I wonder if you could apply a coat or two of sealer, then the grain filler, then stain the grain filler a contrast color and top coat it for a little more contrast effect.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Nut Case

You may already know this, oak is a open grain wood. To get a total shine you will need to do lots of coats....

Yup, I’m aware many coats are needed. I’ve read threads where guys claim they did 20 coats! I don’t plan on doing that many but maybe 6-10 if necessary. Initially, I planned on using polyurethane. But after lots of reading online I came to the conclusion that varnish has a little more “give” to it when the temperature and humidity change. Glad to hear you bear that out!

Once the sanding with 320 shows a truly flat surface all across the boards I’ll do another coat or two and finish with a 1500 grit sand and machine polish as the final finish.

As for grain filler, I’ve read about it. It comes out like a tan, thin putty. Since I was not staining my wood other than natural I decided not to try it but it might work fine. But if it DOESNT? Then what do you do with $400 of oak you don’t like?!

EDIT: Saturday 2/3/18: After much wet block sanding I applied a 3rd coat switching to Satin finish. The sanding cut through the varnish slightly on a couple edges but it’s invisible after the varnish went back on.

[ptc]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

^^^ I was always told the exact opposite. DON’T use a tap to clean threads, use a thread chaser - which is why I bought a set. I ordered a helicoil installation set from Amazon last night. I guess now I’ll be looking for a bottoming tap.

Yeah well I guess we learn ---(not from the internet! hahahaha) ---- Worked in a machine shop for 4 years building plastic injection molds, presses and clip and die punches. everything we did was with taps and dies and never used a chaser in my entire career there with them guys. I was a kid back then and learned the best of knowledge from the "old guys", my mind was very malleable back then... Now that I KNOW IT ALL (NOT!) not so much

[Dan in Pasadena]

After a several day delay I put the 3rd coat (and likely the last) of varnish on the bottom of my bedwood boards today. 3 coats OUGHT to seal them well enough from the bottom since they will never be exposed to direct sunlight.

I have found that the label suggestion to wait 24 hrs to dry is too little. Even at 75-85 degrees lately you need to wait more like 48 hrs to sand and not load up the paper easily...and then then it wants to load.

EDIT:
Nothing new to report today because I was drafted into helping my nephew & brother-in-law build a retaining wall...or my DD truck was. And of course this happened the day AFTER I washed and waxed her. Poor beauty had to actually work. But she’s a tough beauty.

[Dan in Pasadena]

I finally re-tapped the shoulder belt mount hole successfully and mounted the belt. This allowed me to install the seat for the first time since it was done.

The 5h coat of varnish went on and that seems to be enough. I wet sanded with 1500 grit to remove dust nibs and started machine polishing.

EDIT: Sorry about the dumb pictures rotating.

[bowt1ed]

Looking good Dan!

Cheers, Jim

[ChuckDriver]

Seat looks great in there Dan!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks so much JJ for the kind words and for rotating the image!

I like it but it’s almost too plain. Maybe I should have requested a red line where the pleats end on both the seat and the back....but oh well. It’s done now.

[Red Foreman]

Nice work Dan, seat looks awesome! Plain is nice!!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks Red!

To the board in general: Progress is slow now for a variety of reasons. Mostly because its home and I have to do all the work myself! Lol. But also a very elderly relative took a fall and was hospitalized a couple weeks, visits, etc. We bought a post-retirement RV and that has also been put on the back burner when we thought we would be prepping it for a month long trip. Basically, life got in the way.

Bought some stainless bolts today for final install the seat tomorrow. I have to figure out how to install new rollers on the window regulators, then I have to do side window installation while I wait for the rear-most cross sill to be painted - THEN I can start bed assembly!

[oldman3]

Dan, that life thing does seem to get it the way alot (ask me how I know, ha ha). Seat looks good, you can always add a little color to the door panels, if you think it needs it...Jim

[NorCalGal]

That's a beautiful truck you've built.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks so much, Jan. Love what youre doing too. Keep up the good work.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Pulled out my window regulators today. The rollers are partly broken and they’re all frozen. They don’t rotate at all.

I bought new ones from CPP awhile back and finally opened the envelope today to see they come with new rivets. I wasn’t sure how to go about installing them until it occurred to me to check YouTube. Sure enough, Danchuk has a short video telling you how to replace them for a TriFive car - whose regulators are essentially identical to our TF trucks.

Here’s the video. There may be others.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xF1rok1yN9s

[Dan in Pasadena]

PS: Has anyone lubricated their window gears? I plan to, and I guess I’ll use white moly grease? But I have Gibbs oil too. Any other suggestions that will work well and stay where put would be appreciated.

[G&R's57GMC]

I'm suprised your not going with Power Windows, after all its one of those might as wells as long as your in this deep.

Gee I have them for my build ....

[JSavoie]

Can't remember where but I KNOW I've seen power window actuators that use original window handles that you crank up or down 15 degrees. Won't change the look of original yet you'd have power windows.

Darn memory keeps failing me. Must be old age.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hi guys.

I considered power windows and I asked Mike; the guy who owns the shop that did much of the mechanical work, about them. He said he didn’t recommend them because he’s had reliability issues with all the kits he’s installed. I’m ok with that because it saves me money and I like the “old-school-ness” of manual windows. YMMV, but I’m ok with the decision; at least for now.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Here’s a little tutorial on removing & replacing the window roller rivets. I found it to be extremely easy and fast. Took 5-10 minutes per regulator, maybe less.

Contrary to the guy on the Danchuk video on YouTube I didn’t drill out the rivets. I didn’t like how he hogged out the rivet instead of drilling it straight.

1. I decided to simply grind off the head flush using my bench grinder and punch it out with a ball peen hammer.

2. The replacement rivet and roller simply go back in the hole with a couple taps. They have shoulders on them so it it’s not possible to hammer them in too far.

3. I don’t have a rivet flaring punch shown in the video and I learned the trick too late, after I’d done a couple “wrong” - but they work fine. You simply “split” the clinch side of the rivet using the ball peen end of the hammer. Once it splits you just tap the ends flat. Stupidly, I used the hammer head at first and it deforms the hollow end of the rivet, clinching it. The swell was not enough to bind the roller.

4. You can see the two results in the picture but no one will ever see them and they work fine. Learn from my mistake! Easy peasy.

5. A quick touch up with dull aluminum spray paint and they’ll be good as new. I will make a separate post on this subject so a future searcher can find it. I hope it helps someone.