Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window

[Dan in Pasadena]

I looked it up online and it says if I use a third party host it will work - like PhotoSuckIt. But I'm definitely not paying them the ransom they want for my own photos. Maybe if someone can recommend another photo hosting site that doesn't charge I can do it.

[Black_Sheep]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

I looked it up online and it says if I use a third party host it will work - like PhotoSuckIt. But I'm definitely not paying them the ransom they want for my own photos. Maybe if someone can recommend another photo hosting site that doesn't charge I can do it.

I have been hotlinking FB pics, so far it's been working ok

[JSavoie]

alternatives to photobucket:
https://www.ghacks.net/2017/07/02/ph...r-third-party/

Personally I'm using http://www.hostingpics.net/ but have not yet tried to upload videos (and it is only in french)

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Black_Sheep

I have been hotlinking FB pics, so far it's been working ok

Meaning direct loading the video from your computer? It works for my photos but not for the videos....so far. Thanks to JSavoie!

Thursday, September 21, 2017
Stopped by the shop today to drop off my stock steering wheel until I get a replacement I like.

Happy the steering column is FINALLY in and connected. It's a Flaming River column I bought cheaply on Craigslist. It ws too long for original purchaser, had a damaged "bell" and was brush finish. Flaming River sent me a new bell free of charge. I also had it polished.

Upholsterer, Rogelio, had dropped off the set in fom for me to size/comfort check it. We mounted it and it feels perfect. He'll tke it back soon and completed the job. Later I'll drive the truck to him for door panels, headliner and carpet.

The front discs, calipers & new pads all went on today. Turns out the stainless flex lines Mike had in stock are too long so shorter ones have been ordered - more waiting.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by JSavoie

alternatives to photobucket:
https://www.ghacks.net/2017/07/02/ph...r-third-party/

Personally I'm using http://www.hostingpics.net/ but have not yet tried to upload videos (and it is only in french)

FYI I tried uploading my videos to CubeUpload - listed in your link - worked easily BUT it gave me the error message "Wrong Kind of File". Accepted my photos though. This is from my iPadAir - don't know if that means something to someone not afflicted with "lame-old-guy" technology disease

EDIT Saturday, 9/23
Bit the bullet last night and bought a reproduction '55 Belair steering wheel. Damn they're expensive and I still have to paint it body color! Bought 16" because the center cover is chrome (I'm a chrome whore, lol) 15" cover is painted. But also the 50's style looks a little scrunched on so much smaller than the stock 18" wheel in my opinion. YMMV.

[Dan in Pasadena]

An update so I'll remember when I started/completed certain parts of the build.

I FINALLY started sanding the bed wood I bought from The Car & Truck Shop, laid out on sawhorses. So far only the narrow boards.

Searched all over the internet and found that rounding off board sharp edges to keep the finish from breaking there, leading to earlier-than-usual failure of the varnish film (or urethane if you use that). I checked all over and found many finish recommendations but in the end decided on old fashioned McCloskey's Spar Varnish. It's supposed to be a little more accepting of wood expansion & contraction than polyurenthane.

I'll sand w/220 grit then 320 on a random orbital sander. I wipe the boards w/a slightly damp microfiber cloth and allow to dry. This raises the grain slightly and then I sand again. So far twice with 220. I may do it once more then switch to 320.

I chose Minwax Golden Mahogany stain to match my upholstery color - more or less - but after test staining some sanded 2x4's I've re-thought it and I THINK I'm going to choose a lighter upholstery color and leave the wood natural. The varnish will turn golden with age - though I intend to keep it covered other than when I am showing it.

I tried to photograph close up to show rounded board edges but meh, isn't really all that visible.

[gigamanx]

Looking forward to seeing the stain. Not sure you'll b hauling mulch around in that one

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by gigamanx

Looking forward to seeing the stain. Not sure you'll b hauling mulch around in that one

Probably no stain afterall. Just spar varnish over red oak; some possibility of "Natural" stain that just defines/brings out the grain lines.

[Black_Sheep]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Probably no stain afterall. Just spar varnish over red oak; some possibility of "Natural" stain that just defines/brings out the grain lines.

The spar varnish will darken the wood's color all by itself, I used Helmsman Spar and it has a really nice amber hue.



Minwax Helmsman Spar (21 coats to be exact)

[Dan in Pasadena]

ONLY 21? Sheesh, you chintzed out

But really, why so many? Or are you counting both sides? 10 per side?

I assume it's satin finish? I bought gloss but I think that may have been a mistake and I will switch. I planned about 5-6 coats per side but now you may have shamed me into a LOT more!

PS: What gas filler do you have? I haven't decided what I'm doing about that yet but I like what I see of yours.

Oh and PSS: What grit did you use between coats? I've read 320 and also some use 440.

[ChuckDriver]

Dan, most 2x4 are pine right, and your bedboards are oak? If so the softer pine will take stain very differently than the oak, so I think you should do your test on the same type. Just my .02 cents!!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hi JJ,
The 2x4's here are Douglas fir. I don't know if they're that elsewhere in the country. Yeah the color will "take" differently because it is a softer wood than oak. That said, I just didn't like the stain color I picked even though it looked good on the sample in the store.

[Black_Sheep]

I refinished the existing bed wood which was badly weathered in a few spots, over-sanding raised the grain so I sanded the boards after every other coat to level the surface. I started out using gloss spar but came to the conclusion that I didn't like the shiny look after all. The last few applications were satin finish. The boards ended up so smooth I had a guy ask what kind of laminate I used for my bed.

The fuel filler is from the local Boater's Outlet store

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Black_Sheep

I refinished the existing bed wood which was badly weathered in a few spots, over-sanding raised the grain so I sanded the boards after every other coat to level the surface. I started out using gloss spar but came to the conclusion that I didn't like the shiny look after all. The last few applications were satin finish. The boards ended up so smooth I had a guy ask what kind of laminate I used for my bed.

The fuel filler is from the local Boater's Outlet store

Thanks for the info. Somewhere else I read about someone who used gloss for the first coats and switched to satin later. His also came out nice - maybe that's a little known secret?

Sanding every OTHER coat, huh? How long has it been done and is there any indication of any problem? I know if you recoat within a certain window of time the new bonds with the prior coat chemically. But after some period you need the sanding mars to provide a "tooth" for the new coat to bond...at least that's what I've read.

[Black_Sheep]

I refinished the wood 3 years ago, so far no issues. After work I would sand and reapply the spar then I would apply another coat before work. Get home, repeat...

[Dan in Pasadena]

Did you take the wood all back out to do it or do it while still in the truck somehow?

[Black_Sheep]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Did you take the wood all back out to do it or do it while still in the truck somehow?

I dismantled the box to fill the stake pockets and radius the back corners of the bed rails.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks for the info.

I've decided I am going to assemble my bed myself at home to try to save some money. It SEEMS like it'll be pretty simple. I just need to go slowly so I don't scratch any of the new paint and make sure everything is square as I go along. If there are any tricks to it that you guys know I sure would like to hear them!

[lower50's]

Can't wait to see it all together.

[Rude Dude]

Dan there is a guy the has a youtube video but his side panels are disassembled it is pretty good video it is on a 1957 truck. You might want to just review his comments on what to watch out for . Sorry I don't have the link just do a search on that site the truck is yellow

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by lower50's

Can't wait to see it all together.

Oh man, me too!

[Black_Sheep]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Thanks for the info.

I've decided I am going to assemble my bed myself at home to try to save some money. It SEEMS like it'll be pretty simple. I just need to go slowly so I don't scratch any of the new paint and make sure everything is square as I go along. If there are any tricks to it that you guys know I sure would like to hear them!

Get a couple friends to help, you should be able to assemble the box in 3-4 hours. It took a day to put mine together all by myself, including dropping the fuel tank to access the bed to frame and bed strip hardware. Mar-K has assembly instructions on their website if you want to see how involved the process is. They also have a page describing how to make sure the box is square.

http://www.mar-k.com/index.php?p=tips-and-tricks

FYI The bed strip bolts go through the cross sills which are basically a channel, trying to hold a flatwasher in place and get the nut started was a major pain. To make life much easier I glued a flat washers to each locknut with a dab of 3M weatherstrip adhesive.

[oldman3]

Hey Dan,

When I put my bed together I used 1" (or 1-1/4") wide by 4 feet long aluminum strips, drilled holes to line up with the bolts from bed strips. This was placed under the bed wood, which kept it all level when I tightened the nuts. Here's the only pic that shows the strip...Jim


P.S. Should have stated this is for bolts that don't go thru the cross sills...Jim

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Black_Sheep

Get a couple friends to help, you should be able to assemble the box in 3-4 hours. It took a day to put mine together all by myself, including dropping the fuel tank to access the bed to frame and bed strip hardware. Mar-K has assembly instructions on their website if you want to see how involved the process is. They also have a page describing how to make sure the box is square.

http://www.mar-k.com/index.php?p=tips-and-tricks

FYI The bed strip bolts go through the cross sills which are basically a channel, trying to hold a flatwasher in place and get the nut started was a major pain. To make life much easier I glued a flat washers to each locknut with a dab of 3M weatherstrip adhesive.

Thanks for the link.

I'd already read some of the Tips & Tricks on the Mar-K site before but not the "Bed Parts Installation (General)" one. It does clarify something I'd totally misunderstood.

I thought the wood was installed on the cross sills on the frame and THEN the sides were added one by one while the entire wood floor was already on the truck. This made it clear the entire bed is assembled off the truck and then lifted into place.

Of course my parts will all be painted before I assemble it the first time - bad. I guess I'll use blankets or buy a couple moving blankets to assemble the bed on the garage floor.

^^EDIT^^
It occurred to me overnight that this ^^^ won't work. The bed has to be up off the floor for me to get at the bolts to tighten them. I'll need some long 2x8's across sawhorses to do this right.

Making matters worse is that we removed the welded-on angle strips on the bed sides, metal finished & painted the sides intending to mount the angle strips using bolts through the stake pockets & inside the radius of the fenders where the won't be seen. I HOPE there will be room for me to line up the angle strip bolts with the "field" bolts on the strips!

[Nut Case]

Danny

Having completed many wood projects, one thing that I have discovered is common in using pine is that the pine left unstained it will yellow after exposure to the sun.

FYI I have always sanded between coats, in my never to be humble opinion it makes it look deeper.

Just thought you might like to know.

Keep on keepin on

Nut Case