Varnishing Woodie

[GB SISSON]

I used McCloskys Man o war spar varnish on mine. Also thinned the first coat 50/50, but with a Daly's product 'Ship n shore'. I did not want an ultra gloss so I put 3 additional coats of their Man O War in a satin finish. (green can) I have since decided I could use a bit more gloss so I plan on the next coat will be the blue can 'semi gloss'. I remove the six doors and varnish them on sawhorses and use a foam brush on the panels and a good bristle brush on the frame. Yes, I did varnish inside the doors and back sides of everything, two good coats. I love the amber tone imparted by real marine varnish and I gotta say the look of the clear coat on new maple street rod thing makes my skin crawl. Mine hasn't seen rain yet and I'm not anxious to. There are no wipers on my woodie yet, so I won't be tempted. I drive one of my other flatheads when the ceiling is low.

 

[woodiewagon46]

GB, I couldn't agree with you more. The look of a new maple body, with an automotive clear finish, in my opinion looks hideous, almost too white. Over years, the varnish takes on a nice "golden amber" hue, almost like a wooden boat. If you drive your car enough, it's a fact of nature that you will eventually get rained on. My take on it is, that life is too short to worry about rain and I'm not going to stop driving my Woodie long distances. If I get rot, I'll repair it.

 

[Woodie1]

Sounds like a good life plan woodiewagon46. I hope to get ours done before I leave this earth. Been at it off & on now for over 30 years. Too much keeps getting in the way or should I say greater priority.

 

[GB SISSON]

I'm not so worried about actual rot... It's the black that gets into the joints. Maple is just such a bad choice for outdoor woods, yet I stuck with tradition and used it. If I had 'do-overs' I would use locust for the hardwood and marine teak plywood for the panels. Neither gets black when wet.. But then again teak/locust just wouldn't say 'ford woodie' like the maple does. I kept trying to find a more polite way to describe the new maple-clearcoat look, but hideous is what I meant. Then there's the chrome wheels and the dark tinted windows and well, I better quit because it's just a fun hobby and everyone can do it the way he enjoys. I just like my old stuff to look old and so I'll end my rant with that.

 

[1oldtimer]

Bringing back a OLD post. I'm looking a spot repairing, just to seal the exposed wood.
Is everyone else using a wood sealer first or just straight to the varnish?


I'm reading on the Pettit website they you need 2 coats of wood sealer first and then I'm looking at the Flagship High Build Varnish (2015) with maybe some EZ Poxy performance Enhancer (3021).


Like I said it's just patching as I have other cars I'm working on and also I suck at wood working.

 

[petehoovie]

I'm not so worried about actual rot... It's the black that gets into the joints. Maple is just such a bad choice for outdoor woods, yet I stuck with tradition and used it. If I had 'do-overs' I would use locust for the hardwood and marine teak plywood for the panels. Neither gets black when wet.. But then again teak/locust just wouldn't say 'ford woodie' like the maple does. I kept trying to find a more polite way to describe the new maple-clearcoat look, but hideous is what I meant. Then there's the chrome wheels and the dark tinted windows and well, I better quit because it's just a fun hobby and everyone can do it the way he enjoys. I just like my old stuff to look old and so I'll end my rant with that.

 

[52flthed]

I would recommend using a traditional one part marine varnish my favorite is Epifanes. These types of coating are breathable. The wood can breather through them no problem. But if you like as you build up your varnish system by first applying diluted coats with their quality thinner in appropriate ratios of varnish to thinner you can leave certain sides as exposed with only a “primed” coat - say three-4 thinned coats. This might help you during assembly as the full coating goal initially requires 7-10 coats applied which can increase tolerances enough so that assembly will be affected? Probably not on these old fords I’d guess. But the nice thing in using a coating system like this is that it looks great lasts a long time especially if not left outside permanently. And the best part you can always repair refresh or recoat it as needed for any reason. It’s easy to work with and forgiving.

 

[GB SISSON]

A few more notes on the woodie varnish, it being ten years now since the first varnish met my homespun woodie wagon. I live in a famously wet part of the country, and it is well deserved. Since I have 4 old fords, I have yet to hit the rain with the wagon. I did, however hook up the vacuum wipers after applying 3 coats two years ago. I have worked for 52 years non stop as a woodworker, first ten years strictly with boats. In these photos you will see somewhat pronounced brush strokes. To me they say "it was done by a human". Hopefully a fairly skilled human, and with the semi-gloss they don't show much when dry. What I came on to say is that my wagon is finally starting to look like what I hoped for. Deepening amber, perhaps some darker hues where sanding is tough, no black in the seams or delaminating in the panels. Just a well cared for summertime ride that looks better with age. (and even a few brush strokes).

 

[petehoovie]

A few more notes on the woodie varnish, it being ten years now since the first varnish met my homespun woodie wagon. I live in a famously wet part of the country, and it is well deserved. Since I have 4 old fords, I have yet to hit the rain with the wagon. I did, however hook up the vacuum wipers after applying 3 coats two years ago. I have worked for 52 years non stop as a woodworker, first ten years strictly with boats. In these photos you will see somewhat pronounced brush strokes. To me they say "it was done by a human". Hopefully a fairly skilled human, and with the semi-gloss they don't show much when dry. What I came on to say is that my wagon is finally starting to look like what I hoped for. Deepening amber, perhaps some darker hues where sanding is tough, no black in the seams or delaminating in the panels. Just a well cared for summertime ride that looks better with age. (and even a few brush strokes).