1929 Wood Wheels - quasi-urgent question

[Thriller]

Hello everyone.  Work is progressing on my 1929's artillery wheels.  In discussion with the wheel shop, the owner had two different opinions from his people.  One was to stain the wood, and the other is to oil.  I understand these were to have a pinstripe, so I'd thought all along that something like a marine varnish was the answer.  I like the idea of oil for the health of the wood, but I'm not sure we could then apply any pinstriping (not the end of the world...absolute correctness is not a huge deal here) and oil needs to be redone more frequently.  That said, I think it would be easy enough to do myself.

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks.  I will work on additional research, but have limited time before I need to call him back.

 

[Guest]

All my Pontiac literature says varnish when it is referring to the one model that did not have painted wheels.  My parts book lists painted wheels (in all the colours) and natural wheels for varnish.  Implying that painted wheels were finished before being sent to the Parts department but natural wheels were un finished ready to be varnished. Since 1959 my Daily driver has sat outside at least eight hours a day year round in Manitoba for 20 years and in BC for 38 years.  I use marine spar varnish and find that they need a recoat about every five years.  I used Urethane twice.  The first time it peeled off in one year. The second time following the agents instructions for 5 coats (thinner/varnish: first 90/10, second 80/20, third 50/50, fourth and fifth straight varnish) this lasted three years and was then chipped from gravel roads and peeling.  I went back to bare wood and have only used spar varnish since and have only had to top coat have not had to go back to bare wood since 1985 (285,000 miles on dirt mud gravel and pavement in all weather from -54 to +107 degrees). 

Starting with bare wood I put on two coats of 50/50 spar varnish and thinner and then three coats of varnish.  Then I stripe my wheel and then two coats of varnish.  That way when it need refinishing I don't have to sand down to the stripe.

I guess if you weren't driving in all different weather on all different roads the Urethane might stand up okay. By the way my spokes are original, have never been apart (one spoke has a check in it that happened in the early thirties) and now have 500,000+ miles on them.  Never ever a squeak.  Take your hands off the steering wheel at 60 mph depress the clutch and there isn't a sound or a vibration.  Good old Hickory.

Good Luck.

Edited March 30, 2017 by Guest (see edit history)

[Mark Shaw]

I agree that marine spar varnish is the way to go.

[unimogjohn]

I use a gloss Tung Oil finish.  Does not chip or flake off.  Apply every couple years to keep up the gloss.  Easy to apply with just a rag.  I usually put on three or four coats.

 

 

[JayG]

A satin finish Marine Varnish.

[Thriller]

Thanks for the input.