Danny Boy is BAACK! w/ '55 Big Window

[dsraven]

keep a light at one side/end and watch the reflection of the paint as it goes on. it should be uniform and not too orange peely (not enough product or too much air with the product so it dries as it is aerosolled) or too glossy (too much product being laid down so too slow gun travel or the product delivery needle is open too far)
anyway, it's just wood so shoot it and if it looks bad right away just lay it down and brush it. it's like you used the gun to apply the paint prior to brushing. better than dipping the brush, lol.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by dsraven

hang it, spray it a board at a time, then take it down and lay it flat. hard to run if it is laying flat. more chance of dust in the paint so keep the door closed or filter the air into the shop.

I don’t gain anything if I have to take it down after spraying to keep it from running - it’d still be wet.

I gain time IF I hang it, spray all sides and let it dry.

[dsraven]

thats right. get'er done.
you will find it aint that tough. i figured it out, you will too. try it on the garbage can or something first, lol.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Cut to the chase, the first coat went on with a brush and looks fine.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Seat belts going in today too. I’m not super happy with Seatbelt Solutions even though their belts look to be top quality.

Reason? See photos. The long black part shown on their website photo is not what you get so the belt can’t be installed without twisting it. I waited too long since purchase to try to ask for an exchange so I had to install them. I made sure they won’t bind but it just irks me that they don’t send what their site shows.

[Black_Sheep]

Nice work on the wood Dan. I did about 20 coats on mine and block sanded every 2nd coat, time consuming but worth it...

[Dan in Pasadena]

Black Sheep - Yours looks EXACTLY like I’d like mine to come out. Very classy sheen.

I don’t mind doing however many coats necessary to get the look I want. Yours is satin or semi-gloss, I assume? What brand varnish or polyurethane?

What grit sandpaper and was it wet sanding? I remembered someone had posted about sanding every other coat, not every coat - good tip, thanks! Sorry for so many questions. Same number of coats top and bottom? Any/all advice really appreciated.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Ok, so apparently every job I do (myself) on my truck is required to be a PAIN IN THE ASS! Lol....or maybe I’m just a lousy mechanic

Got my seatbelts all installed except the passenger side shoulder mount. Painter left some bondo (I guess) in the threads. I used a thread chaser to clean them and must have cross-threaded them. I cleaned the driver side similarly and it worked like a charm. Anyway, I boogered them up and I’m guessing the only fix now is to step up to the next size bolt with a blind hole tap. If anyone has another suggestion I’m all ears.

[G&R's57GMC]

Ouch

[dsraven]

well, the wood looks awesome anyway. sorry to hear about the threads. like you say, bigger bolt hole if you have enough meat in the nut back there for a larger bolt.

[rapid49]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Ok, so apparently every job I do (myself) on my truck is required to be a PAIN IN THE ASS! Lol....or maybe I’m just a lousy mechanic

Got my seatbelts all installed except the passenger side shoulder mount. Painter left some bondo (I guess) in the threads. I used a thread chaser to clean them and must have cross-threaded them. I cleaned the driver side similarly and it worked like a charm. Anyway, I boogered them up and I’m guessing the only fix now is to step up to the next size bolt with a blind hole tap. If anyone has another suggestion I’m all ears.

I would do a heli coil insert to repair the threads , that way I could use the original bolt.

[ChuckDriver]

x2 on the Heli coil.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks JJ. I’ve never installed one before. Searching online makes it look pretty easy. Except this is a blind hole. So I don’t know if the installation tool provided with them will work alright? If not, what to do? Get a same sized tap made for a blind hole? Or is it a special tap of some kind?

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by rapid49

I would do a heli coil insert to repair the threads , that way I could use the original bolt.

Ok, you guys talked me into it. Just ordered a heli coil installation kit from Amazon! Fingers crossed. When the helicoil fails and I bounce my face off the steering wheel I’ll blame it on you! Ha ha ha.

[ChuckDriver]

Lot's of info on You Tube!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-uxtuE1xKM

[Black_Sheep]

Dan I put 5 or 6 coats on the bottom of the boards, the goal was strictly to seal out moisture. Topside the goal was to level the surface, that's where the sanding comes in. I wet sanded with a hard block between coats with 320 or 400, sorry I don't remember exactly what grit. For the finish I originally started with gloss Minwax Helmsman Spar but changed my mind and did the last few coats with the satin finish. The nice amber hue is strictly from the varnish, the wood is unstained oak.

I felt the gloss was too shiny

[Flysocal]

Try a tap of the same size before the helicoil. Looks like enough thread left on the back end. If not enough meat go with the helicoil. Lookin good Dan!

[Flysocal]

I’ve got a set of chasers and I don’t use them anymore. Like a dull knife they make a mess of threads. I now use taps but carefully. Much better!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Flysocal

I’ve got a set of chasers and I don’t use them anymore. Like a dull knife they make a mess of threads. I now use taps but carefully. Much better!

NOW you tell me! I thought I was doing a great job because I bought a set of chasers before starting reassembly and not just using a bolt!. Oh well.

[ptc]

Should always just use taps not chasers.... A tap may clean that up for you enough - just use a "dead end" tap... it has a flat bottom instead of a pointed one and will thread to the bottom of the hole.

If your bolt doesnt wiggle or pull out when you get it in there it should be safe enough to keep your belt planted

[Dan in Pasadena]

^^^ I was always told the exact opposite. DON’T use a tap to clean threads, use a thread chaser - which is why I bought a set. I ordered a helicoil installation set from Amazon last night. I guess now I’ll be looking for a bottoming tap.

Black Sheep, I can already tell the full gloss will be a little too shiny for my taste. I’ll use up my quart and switch to satin like you did later. Good idea on 4-5 coats on the underside. Seems as though that should be plenty.

[lower50's]

You could always make your own chaser. Just file or grind a grove lengthwise into a bolt the right size.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Well, I’m back home. So work can start again on my ‘55.

Took a whirlwind, 24 hr, 500 mi round trip to my step son’s house to clean our 5th wheel trailer so it could be towed back to L.A. by a pick up service. Why? For those who havent followed this thread, my purchased-new, happy-birthday-to-me ‘08 Chevy crew 3500 dually LTZ Silverado burnt to the ground a year ago and I never installed a hitch in my replacement truck. It STILL kills me that rats caused it - nest materials around the turbo charger piping after a 2 week vacation and I didnt open the hood before it was driven!

Anyway, the helicoil installation kit arrived while I was gone but now I think I’m gonna go looking for a 7/16”-20 bottoming tap - is that the correct name?

EDIT Saturday: After the long delay the 1st coat went on the bottom sides today. Good thing it had extra long to dry as there were some minor drips. They’d hardened so I razor bladed them off, a light sand and you’ll (I’ll!) never be able to tell.

[Dan in Pasadena]

So, this is starting to happen

It’s happening on both top & bottom, but more on bottom. NO, I did not shake the can. Light stirring only.

It did not happen on first coat, only second. So I assume it’s some kind of reaction to the prior coat. I allowed 24hrs+ drying time as per the label. Once I finished applying, I cleaned the brush - takes 5 minutes. I go back and see bubbles. I very lightly rebrush to remove them and re-wash the brush. I come back several hours later and these few bubbles are back!

I’ll wet sand probably with 400 grit tomorrow and the circles left behind will go away, but it still bugs me. Ideas?

[dsraven]

looks like the coats applied have not dried yet and are off gassing still. more time between coats I guess.