MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - Wheel project

Sanding is finished and the first coat of finish has been applied. It will get a bit shinier. The wood has an "open" grain which means lots of little pits which the finish will fill in as I go.
It's becoming more and more difficult to get focused pictures thanks to the reflective nature of the finish... out of about twenty attempts I only got one good picture of the mother of pearl discs...

Anyway, here are some more pictures.

Geoff Baker

the wood matches nicely at the joints

Geoff Baker

and another

Geoff Baker

one of the three rosettes and the spoke fillet

Geoff Baker

the bottom rosette

Geoff Baker

the whole wheel!

Geoff Baker

Thanks to all the people, especially Gordon, who helped either through their posting their own wheel projects, or their kind answers to my endless questions!
Geoff Baker

Beautiful Geoff! You should be proud of this wheel.

Bill
Bill Brown

Superb! The only thing that's left now is thinking about a real wood center boss ;-)
Mike
Mike Fritsch

Great job Geoff

Mort
M Resnicoff

Stunning. Excellent workmanship. Much to be proud of there.

John
John Brickell

>>Mike Fritsch, Germany
>>Superb! The only thing that's left now is thinking about a real wood center boss ;-)
>>Mike

Darn it Mike, now you've got me thinking! :)
Geoff Baker

Beauitful wheel, the rosettes are a great touch.
Rich (TD 3983) Taylor

Hi Geoff: I hestitate to suggest this (You obviously know what you're doing) but you can fill the open grain with what used to be called "wood filler"...That's not a plastic wood paste for holes but a thick sort of varnish goop. You wipe it on, then after its damp dry, you wipe it off... then a light stain (or mix with the paste in the first place) and then oil or varnish. Very good for oak, ash, rosewood & similar open grain woods. Hard to find the stuff these days though... I think Lepages still makes it, if you have that brand in the States.
Or maybe the texture will give a good grip. It looks great now...Nice work!
Peter Pope

Wow - even at very close range and high resolution your joinery passes scrutiny! Beautifully done.

BobbyG

Bobby Galvez

Peter, what you referred to is "grain filler", easily found at most woodworking suppliers. I once read where seaweed was used as grain filler in the finishing of the cabinets for the outside horn model Victor phonographs.
Rich (TD 3983) Taylor

Rich: Yes right "grain filler" is better. I wonder if that's the same seaweed they put in ice cream...
Peter Pope

Here is a closeup of the same "rosette" after multiple coats of qualosol (a French polish application by Behler). You can see that most of the pits have been filled in by now. I'll continue to polish until all the pits are filled; and the advantage is that instead of an opaque colored filler that more or less matches the wood, this simply fills the wood itself and retains all the original color and luster. (No seaweed, dyes or filler needed!)
It's the most labor intensive method of finishing, but gives the deepest and richest finish there is.
I put an application on morning and night, and I reckon it will be done in two weeks or so...
I doubt I'll put many more pictures up; the reflection makes it harder and harder to do!

Geoff Baker

This thread was discussed between 05/12/2013 and 09/12/2013

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archives. Join this live forum now