The Poet Creek Express - Foamie Hybrid

[wagondude]

That far right one looks really good. I would like to see that with some poly on it.

[aggie79]

KC,

I agree with your color choice. The brown added "richness" to the tone. I can't wait to see what it looks like with some poly on it!

In our prior discussion about tinting the finish coat, I do agree with what Doug H said. I would only recommend tinting the finish if you are trying to stain a wood that doesn't take stain evenly. In that case I would use sanding sealer first. It still can be difficult to control the consistency of the tint in this manner. You really need to use a spray gun - HVLP or airless - to make it consistent. I have never worked with Okume, but from your examples it looks like it stains very evenly.

While in general I don't like finishing wood, I do like to experiment. I used black india ink to "ebonize" my red oak cabinets. That was the first time I tried it and I am happy with how it turned out.

Keep pushing ahead!

Take care,
Tom

[KCStudly]

Thanks GPW, I think the extra effort spent experimenting here will pay big dividends in my satisfaction level. The gun stock was close, but it still wasn’t quite the look I wanted.

The wife and I have been using off the shelf stains to make test coupons trying to decide what finish we want to put on our “new” window interior trim (in the house), and we just can’t decide… since October of last year!

Thanks Wagon. Amen on the poly!

Thanks Tom. I remember your ebony cabinets being a big hit when you revealed them, and am sure they continue to be wherever you go. You did a great job on those. They have a certain nouveau (masculine tense of modern) look to them. I appreciate your input and thank you for the enthusiasm.

Poly next.

[GPW]

KC , something we found out the hard way .... including the wife in the decision making process , adds immeasurable complexity to an otherwise simple plan ...

[eaglesdare]

I did not like those red colors, but loving the browns. I also can't wait for the poly pics.

Yup I am still here, just being very quiet.

[GPW]

Eagle , just sayin ... my previous statement works quite the same in reverse ...

If you think about it Reds and Browns are just "neighbors ... Brown is nothing but very Dark yellow/orange/red Which is right in the neighborhood next to Red on the color wheel... technically speaking of course ... Color is such a simple formula , Nature had it figured out a long time ago ...

[GPW]

Hmmm? Forrest Green curtains ...

[KCStudly]

Nix on the green curtains. Doesn't fit the theme ...except I am seriously thinking of using the old fashion flannel lined canvas shell sleeping bags for bedding (the ones that you can zip two together into a double). It's a nostalgia thing for me.

Green was a very popular shell color for these with red plaid flannel inner, but I seem to recall the family ones being gray inside.

I would be more likely to go with a light brown shell to more closely match the interior colors (as they are available in that color), then use the curtains and pillow cases to try and tie the inside theme to the outside. Silver or gray with black highlights to tie back into the black Jeep.

Life goes on. Let me explain. The wife drives the Jeep for her daily commute. She has racked up over 140k on it.

Tonight, just after I arrived at Mecca, sanding block in hand, just about to kick up some spackle dust, I got a call from Vette. The Jeep wouldn’t start. Plenty of juice just wouldn’t engage the starter. I’m thinking clutch safety switch, ignition switch, maybe starter, but the starter usually gives some warning.

After she overheated it a few times when the cheap Chinese radiator went bad, I started to think it might be time to upgrade, and herein lies the dilemma, newer JK Jeeps have larger wheel lug patterns than TJ’s. If the TJ is no longer reliable for a cross country trip and a week in the back country, it kind of blows my matching rim efforts all to H-E-double-toothpicks. Perhaps I am over reacting.

A new (or at least different) vehicle would also likely be a different color... or we can just switch gears and use the Ford as the primary TV. It's just that Yvette and I both so much enjoy tooling around with the doors, side and rear window soft panels off of the Jeep (I like to leave the main soft top panel on for shade).

Local garage just up the road from where she was came and got her started (just got lucky after fiddling a bit, and it started by itself). Maybe the starter solenoid was stuck? Anyway, it’s midweek, we both still need to get to work, and I can’t afford the time to fiddle with it. They’ll have it done tomorrow one way or the other. I’m just a bit concerned about overall reliability.

Before turning around to go rescue Yvette, I glanced at the color test pieces and noticed that the one we all liked best was looking very fuchsia today. Where did the brown go? Do I need some yellow or orange? Next chance I get I will put poly on all of the samples and will likely do some more color testing, allowing plenty of time for the colors to settle, and to check under different lighting conditions.

While working out the details with Yvette on the phone I managed to one hand sand the spackle, and sucked up the dust with the shop vac before leaving. It (the street side wall outer surface) is looking fairly decent with just a few small spots that need a bit more attention. Picked up a larger (quart) of spackle on the way up, before getting diverted.

Rescued Vette, home (she now has the Ford at pottery), couple of snorts of Johnny Black, left over smoked BBQ brisket for dinner, some minor chores and here I am.

[KCStudly]

Eagle, PM sent re: picture quota.

[Wolffarmer]

I got some actuators from the brown van yesterday. Now to design my bed.

Maybe your jeep starter is like the ones on my old Datsun pickup. They get a "dead" spot where everything clicks but no turny. Usually after a few tries they will go. Sometimes I go out and give the starter a boot upside the head. Or more likely a hammer tap to the case, does not need to be very violent. And it will usually go. So I finally get tired of it. Go get a rebuilt. It does the same thing in sort order. Go trade that one for another. Rinse, repeat until I get one that is reliable. I can change that stater in just few minutes if the motor is not hot.

Randy

[KCStudly]

Yeah Randy, that may be the deal; dead spot in the starter commutator or a stuck solenoid.

I'm just a little past slogging it out on our daily drivers. I get enough "enjoyment" and sense of accomplishment out of fixing dirty broken things at my day job. If I'm going to go to the effort to work on a project vehicle I want it to be on my own terms. It's not like the old days where everything was relatively simple and cars had a whole bunch more space in them for big guys like you and me to stand on our heads, or reach up under from below.

Actually, the Jeep isn't that bad. Kind of old meets new tech. It's just a hassle. I could spend a couple of evenings between now and the weekend diagnosing the problem, sourcing repair parts, and getting them reinstalled. All the while the wife would be getting up early to drop me at work before taking my car, then picking me up after. No, I'd rather have it fixed and done and not have to worry about it again. I can be working on TPCE again tomorrow night for not much more than it would take me to fix myself, relatively speaking.

Call me soft, but my excuse is that I need to keep working on TPCE. I'm not sure if Yvette knows how to use a hammer, but I think I could teach her what the starter motor looks like.

[GPW]

Get it fixed ... cheaper than a new one and your’s is just "broken in" good now !!! Just a machine eh !!!

[bonnie]

KC, I'm now tooling around with a 1.5 volt trickle charger solar panel for my driver. It's been in the shop and everything checks out. Upside is I know all systems are good to go, except the occasional no start. Fun times with old vehicles.

[S. Heisley]

KC, If you want a wine color plus a grain pop, try putting on the RIT dye and allowing it to dry; then, follow up with a wipe-on/wipe-off technique with an actual brown wood stain of your choice. ...Might give you what you're looking for...dunno. You can purchase tiny 4 oz tins of minwax stain at the local box stores.

[GPW]

KC, you know , there’s all kinds of ways to finish wood , or anything else ... What “look” are you trying to get exactly ?....

Just wondering how many of us are nursing favorite old vehicles ? ...
being an old hot rodder/Vanner , we always found it was cheaper to fix em’ than get a new one ... Jeeps are particularly Cool because you can do so many mods to them ...