A sad day for my beautiful wood interior ... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

BodhiBenz1987 · #1 11-23-2008, 06:51 PM

... and some information that maybe useful if you're going to refinish your wood. Last year I refinished my console zebrano and took months to do it ... I did a custom boost gauge panel and everything (pic below). I used ML Campbell Magnalac which couldn't have come out nicer. Unfortunately it isn't really made for extreme conditions, so I have been really careful about garaging the car or removing the wood panels if it has to be left in cold or extreme heat. Last night I went up to visit my dad in Pottstown, Pa., where he was on a business trip and staying in his RV. I was depressed about something else and just needed some company, to be honest, and I didn't think twice about leaving my car out overnight outside his RV. It went down to about 20F and when I came out in the morning I noticed a few big cracks in the cc panel finish and on the boost gauge panel. It's from the back of the finish out, so it can't be sanded or buffed ... very deep and very noticeable (although they don't reach the surface of the finish, interestingly). So I'm very sad. I hate to complain about something so little (it's not like I had a tragedy like poor PowerPig

), but I worked really, really hard on that wood and was extremely proud of it. It might be the only thing I've done in the past four years that I would say I'm really proud of like that. Not the end of the world and certainly not the worst thing to happen to me recently, but I wanted to blow off steam to some people who could relate to pride in handiwork and the disappointment of having something you work hard on fail.

So I guess the two lessons are: 1) When it rains, it really p***es on you and 2) If you use ML Campbell Magnalac to refinish your wood, DON'T leave it out all night on a FREEZING night.

This was what it looked like in better days ...

79Mercy · #2 11-23-2008, 06:56 PM

how did you get the finish so smooth?

KarTek · #3 11-23-2008, 07:00 PM

That's a shame. You did a great job on the wood... Is it possible that it's the wood drying and cracking from underneath? Is it necissary to seal the raw side of the wood as well to keep it from warping, etc...?

Hatterasguy · #4 11-23-2008, 07:02 PM

Ouch, that really hurts after putting in a lot of work.

Chad300tdt · #5 11-23-2008, 07:08 PM

Sorry to hear about your loss. I totally understand how you're feeling. Just use it as an experience to learn from and find a more durable finish for the next go around. I'm sure you can do it faster next time with all the experience you gained the first time.

You really did do a beautiful job too.

BodhiBenz1987 · #6 11-23-2008, 07:32 PM

I think it was just that I put it on a little too thick (I had to do many coats w/ a lot of sanding in between to get it that flat). And it really just isn't made for that temperature range. Unfortunately not a lot of finishes are ... the original finish was polyester ... you have to have some pretty expensive equipment and real expertise for that, plus it's totally unforgiving (i.e., you can't finesse it at all ... you get one shot). The Magnalac did hold up very well to heat, it seemed. Wood obviously expands and contracts and I think it just contracted a little too much. Interesting, the piece over the shiftgate didn't crack. It's closer to the ground, farther from the windows and I wonder if it wasn't just a few degrees warmer and thus got spared.

For now I just can't face re-doing it, but whenever I decide to do so I'll probably try the Magnalac again (I have a huge bucket of it), but use less coats ... if I use a wood filler, I can probably get the smooth surface without as much thickness. And I'll just be more careful. If I'd taken the wood out and put in on my dad's RV, it would have been just fine. On the bright side, it will be MUCH easier to remove this finish than it was to remove the bulletproof plastic that I had to battle with the first time ... that was the hardest part!

rwthomas1 · #7 11-24-2008, 11:32 PM

That sucks. Someone once told me that life wasn't judged by how well you handle success but how well you handle failure. I wouldn't use the same thing again though. Next time try a finished designed for a marine environment. Finished wood on a boat goes through hell, very hot, very cold, wet, dry, salty, abrasion, etc. I would think that a few coats of West System finished with several coats of Epifanes would do the trick nicely. Good luck with it. RT

AustinsCE · #8 11-24-2008, 11:54 PM

You're right about the polyester. I use vinyl ester, which is apparently just a tad stronger, on most of my fiberglassery but I used epoxy resin on the driveway, when chunks come off the edge of the concrete, just to prove I could. I'll be damned if it isn't every bit as good as cement without the jagged edges.

Hatterasguy · #9 11-25-2008, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwthomas1

That sucks. Someone once told me that life wasn't judged by how well you handle success but how well you handle failure. I wouldn't use the same thing again though. Next time try a finished designed for a marine environment. Finished wood on a boat goes through hell, very hot, very cold, wet, dry, salty, abrasion, etc. I would think that a few coats of West System finished with several coats of Epifanes would do the trick nicely. Good luck with it. RT

Thats what I was thinking.

That finish should have cracked with just a little cold.

MBeige · #10 11-25-2008, 02:23 AM

Maybe it's just me but I can't see the crack...? You did a very good job with refinishing the wood, I'd hate for you to give up now. Give it some time, you'll get back at it.

Fulcrum525 · #11 11-25-2008, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBeige

Maybe it's just me but I can't see the crack...? You did a very good job with refinishing the wood, I'd hate for you to give up now. Give it some time, you'll get back at it.

Thats the "before" picture that was posted. Refinishing my wood trim is on my list of things to do for the spring. Hopefully we can all learn from this.

Mistress · #12 11-25-2008, 12:07 PM

Bodhi- I think your console will rise like the Phoenix again...

Dee8go · #13 11-25-2008, 12:30 PM

That's a shame, Bodhi. You did such a beautiful job on the console.

BodhiBenz1987 · #14 11-25-2008, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

Thats what I was thinking.

That finish should have cracked with just a little cold.

I knew it was a possibility, but it did so well through some cold nights last year, and did great through a torridly hot summer, so I kind of thought I was out of the woods. I'm going to leave it "as is" for a while, partially because I don't have the energy (or weather-proof facility!) to re-do it right now, but also because I'm curious to see if the rest will crack while left in the garage and while sitting out in the parking lot while I'm at work. I.e., now I can find out what the threshold is in case I want to use that finish for something else (furniture, art, cupholders, etc.) in the future.

rwthomas ... marine finish sounds like a good idea ... where would I find that? Would it be something I could do with a regular paint sprayer? One thing I liked about the Magnalac is that is flowed out fantastically and was VERY workable once cured.