wood steering wheel refinish

[JPSmit]

Just got a used wheel for Ms. Triss. I want to strip the varnish, sand smooth and oil. Has anyone done this?

If so, 3 questions

1. How did you fill cracks? there seem to be a couple

2. what oil did you use?

3. Did you use wax or just oil?

thanks all

 

[DrEntropy]

JP: my horrible, crude method is to get "Gorilla Glue" or a good wood glue first. Even "Elmer's". An area at a time, glue and clamp the separated ("cracked") areas with the clamped area padded WELL with old towels or equivalent. Prevent any "dents" in the wood. Do each section one at a time. Once the thing is back to solid... it takes days... you can sand with #220 grit, then successively finer down to #600.

Clear epoxy resin in fine coats over MORE days with sanding in-between to even out any inconsistencies.


It's time consuming and tedious work but it'll be rewarding at the end.

 

[JPSmit]

thanks doc - sounds like yours was worse than mine - that being said, do you think the glue would mess up oiling the wheel?

Do you have a pic?

here is mine

 

[DrEntropy]

Yeah, someplace... I'll shoot another in a minute.

This wheel is now on its third MGB, originally purchased in 1969. Refurbed last year with the method I posted above. I did not "oil" it. Just glued all places where it had delaminated, sanded to clean and coated with clear epoxy resin. Just realized the MG Mitten Amco shift knob... It too was resin coated after sanding.

 

[Bayless]

JP, yours does look in really good condition, maybe just the old varnish cracking or worn away. In your photo I can see at least one spot where it is gone and there is some staining of the wood. That may take some work. Gorilla Glue is really good stuff for any cracks but, as Doc suggested, you do have to clamp it well without denting the wood. I can't tell for sure what wood you have there but it looks like probably mahogany. Depending on the variety, it can be fairly soft.

I would be a little leary of an oil finish. Changes in humidity, combined with hand grime over time, could really make for a sticky mess. Besides, it will never be a "permanent" finish. Regular cleaning and reapplication will be required.

Doc, did you find an epoxy with a UV inhibitor in it? I understand that most are not suitable for final finish where exposed to sunlight unless covered by spar varnish or automotive clear or something else with UV protection. I have to say that whatever you did, that's a quite handsome wheel there.

 

[DrEntropy]

It had been well worn from years of use. Varnish chipped away at 10 and 2 o'clock, splitting/delamination, various contaminates soaked into the wood there too. Sanded all smooth after glue/clamping the various areas.

That one got fibreglass resin. I talked with some plastics guys and they seemed to think it was as UV resistant as anything else. Sanded with #600 wet-or-dry after cure and rubbed with polishing compound for final "buffing".

 

[JodyFKerr]

For wood exposed to the elements I'd strongly recommend Marine quality epoxies/varnishes. They're designed to be abused by the elements.

Jody

 

[DrEntropy]

I would agree, Jody. I did this as a "test". The plastics fellas I spoke to were engineers, they seemed to agree there were similar inhibitors in the regular body type resins. Two years now. We'll see. :wink:

 

[DrEntropy]

Funny thing was: there was a LOT of damage at the 10 O'clock area... started puzzling out just WHY. It was due to the fact that both First Wife and I had wedding bands. The constant impact over time and hundreds of thousands of miles wore through the varnish in that area. Same as dangling forty pounds' worth of keychain from an ignition switch for years. Bound to wear.

 

[JPSmit]

Funny thing was: there was a LOT of damage at the 10 O'clock area... started puzzling out just WHY. It was due to the fact that both First Wife and I had wedding bands. The constant impact over time and hundreds of thousands of miles wore through the varnish in that area.

Hmmm what to choose - refinish the wheel or end the marriage - yeah - good call :thumbsup:

I bought my wife a mood ring. When's she's happy, it turns green, when she's unhappy it leaves a red mark on my forehead.

 

[DrEntropy]

Just so it don't impact th' wheel AFTER you put all that effort into it, JP. :wink:

 

[JPSmit]

amen to that.

Tonight I sanded the finish off the wheel. The good news is that I managed to sand out virtually every blemish - course the wheel is now 14 in. OK, I'm kidding but I really did get virtually everything out. The only things left are two tiny spider cracks that seem to be from the expansion/contraction of the metal spokes as they run out from where the metal meets the wheel, and one small remains of a split on the front of the wheel. There doesn't seem to be enough there to glue. How should I proceed? just fill with varnish?

It is a mahogany wheel - is mahogany something that should be fed with oil before varnish?

was realizing as I was sanding that the previous owner of the wheel was a Volvo - hence it lived inside - good news for me.

 

[Bayless]

Hard to say for sure on your remaining cracks without actually seeing them. But, if you can somehow inject some glue in them, it sure couldn't hurt. If not then maybe some color matching wood filler. The kind that actually gets hard and can be varnished. Varnish is not a very good filler. With no air for cure down in a crack, it will stay soft for a very long time.