RE: Wood refinishing, automotive

["Avi Meron" <avi@cosmoslink.net>]

Dave,
You are right with a couple exceptions:
First the steering wheel is a $350 value and I hate to mess it up, it is
wood stain and black
Second, it has the match the shifter which also a wood one (Nardi) and I am
not sure I can match the stain myself!
Thanks for your reply,
Take care,
Avi

-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Conner [mailto:conner@cfm.ohio-state.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 1999 7:47 AM
To: Avi Meron
Subject: Wood refinishing, automotive

Avi,
I don't know what you are asking for exactly.
But I finished the wood shifter knob after peeling the leather off and am
pleased with the way it turned out.
I used Tung oil.
This is an oil/resin which penetrates into the wood rather than forming a
plastic layer on top of the wood.
Most factory finishes are the plastic layer on top variety, and it looks
and feels like plastic rather than wood...yechh.

First strip/sand off all the old finish and get it >really< smooth.
wet it with water to raise the grain, let dry, and sand it some more.
Then try the Tung oil on a small spot to see if you like the color.
If not, then experiment with stain to get the color you want.
Next you simply wipe the tung oil on ...using a brush or rag, removing
excess with   a rag.  You probably wnat at least two coats.

Tung oil is sometimes labelled as such, but some other products are
actually the same thing...I believe Formby's sells something with another
name on it that is actually tung oil.
Dave C.