Another question for Dave Hawksford

ken werner

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Central NY State
First, I'm posting in the open forum, because I think others might also benefit from Dave's knowledge.

I have a 1972 TR6. The dash is plywood, with a walnut veneer. The original finish was some kind of hard varnish or poly, which crazed, and looked plastic. When I removed it some years back, with a razor blade, I measured it, and it was .01" thick. Anyway, the only finish I have used since then is BLO, which I reapply thinly about once a year or so. No big deal, pad it on with a rag, wipe it off, looks ok, but feels less than satin smooth. The glove box door has a hairline split in the veneer, this has been present for years. I don't sand between applications because the veneer is pretty thin, and I don't want to take it all apart again, those old gauges and wiring don't do great with too much handling.

So, to get to the point, Dave, I believe you've redone the woodwork on some fine older cars. Do you have any suggestions for another way to topcoat / protect the dash? Would heating that hairline with an iron and trying to reactivate the glue likely be helpful, or be more likely to cause more problems? The dash is OK as is, but if there's something better I can do, I'd like to hear about it.

First the car with the current and the future owner:
KenBenwithTR6.jpg


And the dash:
IMG_7830.jpg


IMG_7829.jpg
 
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Hope you get it figured out! You know how much I admired your car when I was there. I had a friend many years ago with a 6 and I got to drive it a few times - a blast! Almost as much fun as my 3 and spitfire!:D
 
Thanks Rennie. I've been working on her a lot lately. It's another abyss. It began with new tires, then I had to take the steering column apart and re-bush it, then I discovered that the steering linkage [made of rubber] was cracked....then when the front end felt so much better, I realized my rear shocks weren't up to snuff, so I took them apart and refilled the oil...but I messed up the speedo cable working on the steering, so I had to replace that [again] and the list just goes on and on and on. The dash has some dark spots on it from my dirty hands. Working on the steering meant pulling some of the gauges, and working on my back with my head in the footwell for a day....oh yeah, this is almost as much fun as woodworking.

And I nearly forgot when the rotor failed recently and we dragged the TR home [from just down the road] with the SUV.
 
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Ken couple ways you can go, I like 100% tong oil for the finially 2 or 3 ribs. If your able to pull the dash all you do is take a drop of oil and with the palm of your hand rub the oil in. usually I'll rub tell it feels like it's dry, then add another coat. The more coats you put on the glossy your you get. I would use minwax tung oil for the first 3 coats. I would wet sand those coats when you're done then apply the tong oil.
good friend of mine had 1 of these high school. it was an orange 72.
 
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Ken couple ways you can go, I like 100% tong oil for the finially 2 or 3 ribs. If your able to pull the dash all you do is take a drop of oil and with the palm of your hand rub the oil in. usually I'll rub tell it feels like it's dry, then add another coat. The more coats you put on the glossy your you get. I would use minwax tung oil for the first 3 coats. I would wet sand those coats when you're done then apply the tong oil.

Dave, just for clarification, when you say Minwax tung oil, do you mean this?



Then you follow up with 100% pure tung oil?

I've been experimenting with 100% tung oil, and it's not giving me any satisfaction (yet). I know you get great results with it, so figure I'm doing something wrong.
 
That's a good start minwax to sealing the wood but you want to start 50/50 1st 2 coats full coat for the 3rd and wet sand.

Vaughn. When I do a gun stock finish I bur up the wood with a damp rag, how many times? as many as it takes to get the wood looking and feeling slick. The start in with just a drop and rubbing it out with the heat of your palm, a drop will do 6x6" area to start but then will open up to larger spaces as you go. By using minwax 1st it will help bring down applications. BUT YOU NEED TO RUB ! You will feel it heat up under you palm.
 
That's a good start minwax to sealing the wood but you want to start 50/50 1st 2 coats full coat for the 3rd and wet sand...

You're thinning the Minwax? Or thinning the tung oil you put on over the Minwax?

The palm of the hand thing works on the outside of a bowl, but I can't get my palm to touch the insides of some bowls. I understand the heat/friction thing. I've been using fingertips instead, but I'm also using more than a drop at a time. I'll try reducing the amount I'm applying. For art pieces, I'm still not seeing any advantage the 100% pure tung oil offers over the commercial blends like Minwax and Formby's.
 
Smaller object you need to use a smaller amount to rub in. I've put like 25 coats on the Rifle I did. The 100% oil will give you a lasting finish that will get harder and harder over time and it will be 10+ years before anything needs to be done to it. Not many finishes can clam that except maybe BLO. I've tried to strip 150-200 year old BLO finish and it is hard.
 
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