Wooden trunk With cloth cover?

[daveymc29]

So the Ace Mechanic took his trunk to the Ace Upholstery Shop. Showed the nice man my trunk built in Oakland Cal. way back in the day. He told me the cloth that covers it is the same used by many book binders to recover antique manuscripts. So I thought, "Oh Boy, Have at it." That was while he was telling me he wont touch it as he is sure that if he pulls the covering off, the wood may disintegrate even though it feels fairly solid except the bottom of the trunk where it is bolted to the rack. I'm thinking of buying an after market cover that will cover the whole thing. Do these hold up okay or it is throwing good money after bad? Your thoughts please?

[Clem Clement]

Give it a try!

[KGBnut]

Hard to say without seeing the condition, but I would have at it. What have you got to lose? It the fabric is the only thing holding the wood together, it wasn't going to last anyway.

My guess is, you may find some weak spots, but the rest will be okay. It will give you an opportunity to fix the weak spots.

Ken

[jrelliott]

Give it a try. If you do find some weak spots on the wood, there is a type of epoxy that is used by wood workers to fill in the affected area and make the wood like new. The material actually penetrates the wood and forms a solid material.

[duke36]

Epoxy called Quik Poly is pretty good. We've done minor wood header repairs with this stuff.

[Oakhurst]

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Originally Posted by jrelliott

Give it a try. If you do find some weak spots on the wood, there is a type of epoxy that is used by wood workers to fill in the affected area and make the wood like new. The material actually penetrates the wood and forms a solid material.

"Clear Penetrating Epoxy" is what it is called. Commonly used by wooden boat restorers. Jamestown Distributers sells it. Several apps to warm wood seems
to work best for me.

[Ted Duke]

Is the covering good or bad? What are you trying to do?

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Dave,
I have a NEAT, REALLY OLD Trunk I'd give you, but it's TOO BIG ! The lock looks like it was shot out by a .45, from the INSIDE of the trunk! I wish I knew that "STORY"?????
By the way, your book is being read by the FIFTH person. I ask them to sign it & pass it on to a Friend.
Hope Vermin is doing well for you. I only drove it a couple of miles, when I got Him, many years back. If you need any info about Him, just let me know. The water pump is the sealed one, with "dummy" grease fittings. Only part of the grease fittings were changed to the "modern" Zerks. ALL the Oils are NEW & the trans & diff is 600 W. I never oiled up the steering gear or oiled & tuned the TOOTER!
He still looks good in the Avatar pic. If you look close, it sez He was once MAFCAs Car of the DAY. NO, thet's NOT my Truck, my truck is as BLACK as the ACE of SPADES.
Bill & Dorg

[daveymc29]

Thanks Bill, and others. Wouldn't that make a story to tell? Lots of these old cars have stories. I went up to Millerton? reservoir and near there a guy sold me the back out of a two door they had used for target practice. He said easy to repair as all the metal is still there on a bullet hole. Being the Ace Body Man I was I tapped the metal a bit until it really did come back into shape and then the last tap made it shatter like it was glass and a spot the size of a quarter turned to several crystalized bits of steel on the floor. Lesson on work hardening.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by daveymc29

Thanks Bill, and others. Wouldn't that make a story to tell? Lots of these old cars have stories. I went up to Millerton? reservoir and near there a guy sold me the back out of a two door they had used for target practice. He said easy to repair as all the metal is still there on a bullet hole. Being the Ace Body Man I was I tapped the metal a bit until it really did come back into shape and then the last tap made it shatter like it was glass and a spot the size of a quarter turned to several crystalized bits of steel on the floor. Lesson on work hardening.

Ted was an ACE, with bullet holes. He'd heat them cherry red, flatten them, a quick grinding, cover them with bronze, a quick grinding & DONE!
Bill Isawit

[denniskliesen]

Dave, mine was held on with hide glue. With a heat gun it peels right off. My covering was torn and worn in a lot of places so I bought some canvas that looked the same at a fabric shop and glued it on. Mine was also painted, you could tell after I got the wood removed in areas on the inside where it was folded over and covered with the material on the inside. I matched the paint and reassembled it same as it was when it was built new.