MTFCA Forum

Working on the 27 Tudor and tackling a very insect damaged (rotted falling apart) rear wheel. Getting ready to put in the new spokes but was wondering what the thoughts were on finishing before or after pressing them in. I like the natural look of the hickory so I am not planning on staining them just using spar varnish. I have read around the net about doing it after because of the increased thickness caused from the varnish but also have seen mention of doing it before for ease of application. I was contemplating thinning the varnish 50% and applying before to get a good penetration then a final coat or coats after installation. Any thoughts on this or am I over thinking this as usual

Sounds like a reasonable plan to me. Coating the tenons before installing surely can't hurt their preservation.

You shouldn't put anything on the flat tapered area between the spokes, because they need to be tight together. You could mask that area, or finish them after assembly.
Norm

You shouldn't put anything on the flat tapered area between the spokes, because they need to be tight together. You could mask that area, or finish them after assembly.
Norm

This sounds crazy but to keep stain & varnish from the flats and nipples on the spokes.. buy some PlayDough .. color doesn’t matter, spread it on the nipple and flats then put on the products , after everything dries just scrape off the play dough.. it will keep the surface clean for assembly. Believe me I did it and it worked great. I used West System (slow cure ) Epoxy as a final coating , flowed out & cured hard.

We’re the spokes original to the Model T painted before or after assembly……..

Ford painted them after wheel assembly. Dont know how they did them with a natural finish.

After assembly. From original NOS natural wheel one time inspected, varnish seemed spray coated. Likely what they did at factory, brush too much labor.

Asking for Spoke Information, is like asking for what oil to use.. or if Electronic Ignitions are OK

Good information here..
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=21937

I used the Polly Urethane Gloss.. Four Coats.. Sanded the first coat with Paper in the Lathe.. The Other two coats got Fine Steel Wool in the Lathe. The Tenons Got hit with Coarse Steel Wool to get the 'Play-Dough' goop of the Urethane drips.
With the Final Coat Un-Treated except for the Coarse Wool on the Tenon..

On the TT I have, the Front Wheels were sent off to be 'Done by Others'. But when they come back, the Work Starts in Varnishing Them and Sanding while on the Wheel.. NOT Fun.. and the Varnish only lasts a few years Outdoors till it starts Flaking.. ( My T Lives outside )..
This next set of wheels I did on the '13 were Urethane.. I did not want the Owner (not me ) to have to Finish them in a few years.. And I did not want to sand them while on the Car..

I also did not like the Rotten Tenons on the Spokes I took off of the '13.. So I made sure to coat them with Urethane.. Then after the Stuff Dried I used the Steel Wool to get the shape back.

I coated the Spokes all over with Urethane, Even the mating surfaces.. Just made sure that the Surfaces were flat. I like my wood to be sealed as much as possible.