The Ford Barn

glenn in camino · 01-18-2016, 08:14 PM

I want to make authentic floorboards for my 28s. What kind of wood should I use?

Rowdy · 01-18-2016, 08:21 PM

Mine appear to be Maple. Rod

Tom Wesenberg · 01-18-2016, 08:43 PM

Mine are Maple and they vary in width from one end of the board to the other end on some of the boards.

wrndln · 01-18-2016, 08:55 PM

I believe most were made of maple, but I also think Ford used many different hardwoods, like oak, birch, ash, hickory, etc. I don't think it makes a lot of difference as long it is hardwood. I made my from oak and they look good. Once finished, it is hard to tell the difference in what hardwood they are made from, as they are mostly black and under the floormat.
Rusty Nelson

DougVieyra · 01-18-2016, 09:37 PM

My original '28 Phaeton came with spliced (tongue & grove) oak. Some of the pieces were bad around the pedals area, so I double checked that the wood boards were indeed oak (they were) and made new pieces out of oak.

Henry's idea in the manufacturing of his cars, was to use up everything - no scrap. So all the crates, etc. that the heavy parts and machinery came in were salvaged to be 're-purposed' into a great many things - including floorboards. Because of this, the wood parts on Ford cars could be any number of hard woods; 'hard woods' being the only "Fixed" requirement.

1crosscut · 01-18-2016, 09:39 PM

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I used maple for mine. Here is a link from the AA Truck forum that I started when I made a set for my AA truck. The information in the thread about making them is pretty much the same for A's as it is for the AA's.

http://forums.aa-fords.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3188

Larry Jenkins · 01-18-2016, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DougVieyra

My original '28 Phaeton came with spliced (tongue & grove) oak. Some of the pieces were bad around the pedals area, so I double checked that the wood boards were indeed oak (they were) and made new pieces out of oak.

Henry's idea in the manufacturing of his cars, was to use up everything - no scrap. So all the crates, etc. that the heavy parts and machinery came in were salvaged to be 're-purposed' into a great many things - including floorboards. Because of this, the wood parts on Ford cars could be any number of heard woods; 'hard woods' being the only "Fixed" requirement.

One of the most moisture resistant hardwoods is White Oak.

If I still had my woodworking Shop I would make mine from that. (3/4".) I would also tongue and groove the pieces horizontally. (Side to side for strength and waterproofing.)

DougVieyra · 01-18-2016, 10:35 PM

That is exactly what Ford did. That is exactly what I did. And in both cases is WAS White Oak. Actually, the mating process is not actually 'tongue and groove', but more of a 'Dove Tail'.

Larry Jenkins · 01-18-2016, 10:48 PM

Dovetail joints are actually much stronger than tongue and groove, and will not separate..

I did NOT know what Ford used, but I know what White Oak is..

Steve Plucker · 01-18-2016, 11:18 PM

In one of Ford's "The Ford Industries" booklet, it indicated the following: "Hardwood is used exclusively, Maple, Birch, Elm, and Oak figuring largely in Ford construction".

Pluck

Tom Wesenberg · 01-19-2016, 02:27 AM

I looked at the floorboard blueprints at the Benson Ford Research Center about 20 years ago. One thing the prints noted, in addition to the variety of hardwoods listed, is that the boards "shall have no through knots, and no edge knots".

This wasn't always adhered to however, as I've seen a few such knots on original boards.

C26Pinelake · 01-19-2016, 07:11 AM

My boards in the Cabriolet are white oak with the exception that one of the edge boards is maple. Because they are black, who cares. Wayne

01-18-2016, 08:14 PM	#1
glenn in camino Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Camino, CA. Posts: 3,086	1928 floorboard wood I want to make authentic floorboards for my 28s. What kind of wood should I use?

01-18-2016, 08:21 PM	#2
Rowdy BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gothenburg Nebraska Just off I-80 Posts: 4,893	Re: 1928 floorboard wood Mine appear to be Maple. Rod __________________ Do the RIGHT thing - Support the H.A.M.B. Alliance!!!!

01-18-2016, 08:43 PM	#3
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: 1928 floorboard wood Mine are Maple and they vary in width from one end of the board to the other end on some of the boards.

01-18-2016, 08:55 PM	#4
wrndln Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lakeville, MN Posts: 5,300	Re: 1928 floorboard wood I believe most were made of maple, but I also think Ford used many different hardwoods, like oak, birch, ash, hickory, etc. I don't think it makes a lot of difference as long it is hardwood. I made my from oak and they look good. Once finished, it is hard to tell the difference in what hardwood they are made from, as they are mostly black and under the floormat. Rusty Nelson

01-18-2016, 09:37 PM	#5
DougVieyra Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Eureka, California Posts: 1,733	Re: 1928 floorboard wood My original '28 Phaeton came with spliced (tongue & grove) oak. Some of the pieces were bad around the pedals area, so I double checked that the wood boards were indeed oak (they were) and made new pieces out of oak. Henry's idea in the manufacturing of his cars, was to use up everything - no scrap. So all the crates, etc. that the heavy parts and machinery came in were salvaged to be 're-purposed' into a great many things - including floorboards. Because of this, the wood parts on Ford cars could be any number of hard woods; 'hard woods' being the only "Fixed" requirement. Last edited by DougVieyra; 01-19-2016 at 12:02 AM.

01-18-2016, 09:39 PM	#6
1crosscut Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Lincoln, Nebraska Posts: 2,011	Re: 1928 floorboard wood Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I used maple for mine. Here is a link from the AA Truck forum that I started when I made a set for my AA truck. The information in the thread about making them is pretty much the same for A's as it is for the AA's. http://forums.aa-fords.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3188 __________________ Dave / Lincoln Nebraska Last edited by 1crosscut; 01-18-2016 at 11:20 PM.

01-18-2016, 10:35 PM	#8
DougVieyra Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Eureka, California Posts: 1,733	Re: 1928 floorboard wood That is exactly what Ford did. That is exactly what I did. And in both cases is WAS White Oak. Actually, the mating process is not actually 'tongue and groove', but more of a 'Dove Tail'.

01-18-2016, 10:48 PM	#9
Larry Jenkins BANNED Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: East Central Iowa Posts: 1,275	Re: 1928 floorboard wood Dovetail joints are actually much stronger than tongue and groove, and will not separate.. I did NOT know what Ford used, but I know what White Oak is.. __________________ Good enough.. Isn't.

01-18-2016, 11:18 PM	#10
Steve Plucker BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Walla Walla, Washington USA Posts: 6,066	Re: 1928 floorboard wood In one of Ford's "The Ford Industries" booklet, it indicated the following: "Hardwood is used exclusively, Maple, Birch, Elm, and Oak figuring largely in Ford construction". Pluck

01-19-2016, 02:27 AM	#11
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: 1928 floorboard wood I looked at the floorboard blueprints at the Benson Ford Research Center about 20 years ago. One thing the prints noted, in addition to the variety of hardwoods listed, is that the boards "shall have no through knots, and no edge knots". This wasn't always adhered to however, as I've seen a few such knots on original boards.

01-19-2016, 07:11 AM	#12
C26Pinelake BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Michigan / Ontario border, Sarnia, Ontario. 50 miles from Detroit and 150 from Toronto. Posts: 5,800	Re: 1928 floorboard wood My boards in the Cabriolet are white oak with the exception that one of the edge boards is maple. Because they are black, who cares. Wayne