WOODEN WHEEL FINISH

[Bill Boudway]

I'm in the process of finishing the wheels for our Packard Twin Six.

I've completed the linseed oil treatment and are getting ready for paint.

What process should I use to get to color? What primer will be compatable?

Obviously, the big concern here is adhesion.

I'm working with PPG paints.

Any help will be appreciated.

Bill Boudway

gnbboudway@msn.com

[Guest BillP]

Hi Bill,

I take it you're painting, not varnishing these wheels.

If you've treated these wood parts with linseed oil already, I think I would go right to the oil-based top coat, let-down some with turpentine or mineral spirits so it will pull into the grain deeply and put on a couple of coats, allowing thorough drying time between each. The let-down paint will act as a primer/sealer and of course be compatible with the linseed oil below and the paint to follow. The final one or two of maybe four or five total would be full strength for durability and chip resistance. Lightly sand between all coats. This time of year, sun-drying would be good to bake the paint. Don't put the paint on too thick.

Benjamin Moore used to make a very good oil based paint that flowed on smoothly, pulled down tight in drying and was durable. I don't know about PPG, if theirs is good in a wood application, you'll be OK.

[Restorer32]

I'd be worried about spraying a modern topcoat over linseed oil. I would call my PPG rep before I tried it, for sure.

[Guest BillP]

I was thinking but neglected to say I wouldn't see this as a auto project, using automotive finishes. This is a woodworking project like finishing a peice of furniture or good outside-use architecture, calling for appropriate materials. I don't think I'd even spray it, using instead a fine sable brush, but that's the way I like to do things. The paint I was referring to will pull down nicely, leaving no or little evidence of brushing.

[Stanley735]

Bill,

I'm glad you mentioned this, as I have to go through the process for my 1921 Stanley. This will help educate me also.

Jim Showers

1921 Stanley 735B Touring

1953 Packard Series 2672

[Guest De Soto Frank]

I would side with the camp that feels that this is more akin to woodworking...

Coachbuilding was still a 19th century craft at this time; so were the finishing methods employed (ie: varnishes, brush application, long drying times, etc.).

The most important thing is a good base or prime coat, to bond to the wood. I repainted the deck on the front porch of my 1917 house last fall; scraped it down to bare wood, primed, and painted.

My paint dealer suggested using the finish paint (alkyd enamel) thinned way down for the prime coat (instead of oil-based primer); they felt that this was more durable for a high-traffic area such as a porch floor. Also, using a thin base coat helps the finish penetrate the grain of the wood, as well as getting into the seams between the spokes at the center of the wheel.

I guess this would also depend on whether you're building a "Driver" or a trailer queen...I think auto body finishes might not hold-up as well on the spokes of a driver.

Have you looked into a "marine" enamel, such as might be used on a boat?

[Bill Boudway]

Hi,

Thanks for all your inputs on this.

I'll contact the local PPG guys and get their take and post it here.

Regards,

Bill B.

[1937hd45]

I think the key to a good wheel finish is building a fixture that allows you to rotate the wheel as you paint it. An electric motor and a large fanbelt around the rim will do this nicely. It may take some time getting the right pulley/speed combination but the finished product will be well worth it.

[Guest BillP]

Same fixture lets you put on contrasting pinstripes too. The concentric ones in one fell swoop, the ones on the spokes are made easier by allowing you to index the wheel and hold it steady at each spoke location.

[Bill Boudway]

Thanks for checking in on this post.

I called PPG today, but didn't get a firm answer about the primer over the linsead oil on the wood. They did,however, remind me that the flex additive for the finish coats would be good. This is used when painting plastic "bumpers" on modern iron.

Good suggestion about the wheel turner. We have one. I'll get a photo of it when we get to the painting.

Regards,

Bill Boudway

[Restorer32]

Biggest problem you'll have if you spray them with enamel or polyurethane is getting the paint to flow into the cracks and tight angles where the spokes meet the felloe and where the spokes meet at the hub. In the old days we would paint these areas first with lacquer, which flows nicely, then come back with our enamel topcoat. Now we use thinned down polyurethane for these areas, followed by the normal full wet coats. We used to have a motorized "spinner" but have better luck just propping a length of pipe across two sawhorses and rotating the wheels by hand. That way we can paint four or so wheels at the same time and can turn the wheels whichever way, and at whatever speed necessary, to "flow" the inevitable run. I would worry about using autopaint over linseed.

[07premier]

Bill ,Bob Mahoney has a nice electric motorized wheel painting jig(looks like a FLINTSTONE car) Im sure he would let you borrow it MIKE WEST