Interior Wood Refinishing

[Gordon Harrower]

I've been refinishing the wood on my 3-Litre Saloon as a Winter project, and the basics are going fine. The problem I'm having is that the corner joints are very loose, and simple wood glue doesn't hold them together long, especially as I continue to work on the frames. The other problem is that there are significant gaps at some corners, and one in which a chunk of wood fell out, leaving a hole half the size of a fingernail.

The basic problem is that any subsequent work on the wood creates enough torque to separate the joints, even after gluing.

I'm looking for substances a) to use instead of wood glue, and b) to fill the spaces at the joints. I've tried "plastic wood," and it, too, just crumbles with any movement of the window frame.

Thanks, Gordon.

P.S. I've searched and haven't found anything about this.

[petervdvelde]

Hello Gordon,

It is possible to make new wooden parts. I would only use the original ones when these are basically good.
You can even make curved section by glue-ing 3 or 4 thin wooden plates in a (curved) jig and then cover it with veneer. It takes a lot of time and patience.
I made a dashboard, center console and door parts for my MGB.
I attached a picture of the start

Peter

Attachments:

[petervdvelde]

door gapping and handle

[petervdvelde]

and the end result. I also made the steering wheel myself as i didn't want a different wood color. On the pictures, it looks a little plastic but in reeel it looks like wood.
It really lasts well as its 7-8 years ago i made this. With the modern glue, nothing comes loose.
I am restoring a P5B coupe and have plans to make new wooden items but it will take time before i start with this
regards
Peter

[barryr]

I had same problem with mine. In the end I found bostik glue from a glue gun appears to have done the trick and I used plastic wood type filler to fill the gap where a chunk fell out on mine too.

I think the frames are very weak when handled but rigidity does return once fitted back on the door.

[djm16]

when I repaired the window frames of my P4 I used 24h araldite. I worked on one corner at a time replacing the joining biscuits, and regluing in place to get the correct angle. For defects, and extra layer of araldite was sufficient, larger missing bits got a wood fillet shaped to fit the hole, trimmed after gluing and sanded smooth.

10 coats of spar varnish and 2 years of sun darkening have made it all blend in nicely.

Done this way, the frames are now pretty strong and can readily be manhandled when off the car.

[Gordon Harrower]

Gents,

Thanks for your responses. Peter, your work is on another plane from mine! I'll be satisfied if I can get my car's wood to look halfway decent. Everyone's information is helpful. I hadn't heard of Araldite, but it's available around here, so I'll give it a try. I also was sold a strap clamp that will go around the circumference of the frames and should hold them well until the glue dries thoroughly.

Gordon.

[djm16]

make sure you use the slow setting epoxy (Araldite) as the quick setting although convenient is too brittle.

[petervdvelde]

When i glued on the veneer i covered it with 1cm thick rubber and then plywood over it and then the clamps to try and spread the clamping force over the area and try to get an even clamping load over the glued surface

Peter