Thread: timber suggestions

Sounds great project. An E-Type would be greater!

A ute tray is a pretty hostile environment for any timber - rain, sun, load abrasions, etc. As almost all oregan nowadays comes from plantations and is softer than it used to be, I must wonder how it would go there.

Personally, I avoid staining as every time that I have tried it I have buggered it up. And it is another complication if you ever have to fix a ding.

One timber that is readily available and inexpensive is kwila/merbau - worth a thought - weather proof and tough, but prone to leaching ...

opps the tray will be enclosed in a fiberglass canopy. I have oregon rafters from an industrial shed. they are over 40 years old around 140 x 140 x 6M

Depends on what sorta things you expect to be rattling around in the back.

I'd seriously consider using Tas. Oak floorboards, they'd stand up to a bit more abuse than oregon and I reckon if they're just neutrally finished the golden colour would contrast nicely with the blue duco.

To my mind it'd probably be a good idea to leave the slide strips a few mm proud of the surface rather than flush. That way you can temporarily throw a thin sheet of ply down under awkward loads (machinery or engine blocks anyone?) and not worry about it scuffing the timber finish.

Originally Posted by Tonyz

opps the tray will be enclosed in a fiberglass canopy. I have oregon rafters from an industrial shed. they are over 40 years old around 140 x 140 x 6M

Real oregon.




A ute tray and a new work bench?

Originally Posted by GraemeCook

Real oregon.




A ute tray and a new work bench?

That is also on the todo list

For me half the energy that goes into a project is the turmoil in choosing and sourcing the timber. So for me I’d take the easy option and use Oregon 😊. Older Oregon latewood rings can be quite hard and a penetrating finish can make the timber more impact resistant. I’m always amazed how much better a mallet stands up if I shellac it. Not recommending shellac, although maybe I am, if you overcoat it with a varnish. I’ve turned a few little truncheon like mallets from spotted gum and one or two I used some leftover shellac to get rid of it and they have lasted much better than the unfinished ones. Looking forward to photos😊

Originally Posted by mic-d

For me half the energy that goes into a project is the turmoil in choosing and sourcing the timber. So for me I’d take the easy option and use Oregon 😊. Older Oregon latewood rings can be quite hard and a penetrating finish can make the timber more impact resistant. I’m always amazed how much better a mallet stands up if I shellac it. Not recommending shellac, although maybe I am, if you overcoat it with a varnish. I’ve turned a few little truncheon like mallets from spotted gum and one or two I used some leftover shellac to get rid of it and they have lasted much better than the unfinished ones. Looking forward to photos😊

So am I still not sure where I'll start on this considering I will be changing the front end, complete strip out of cabin and custom seats/upholstery going in, and then the rear end. Nothing wrong with this as it is, simply this is my ute and this is the way I want it. Mechanically it will be standard, just everything else is being touched/altered/changed.
Planning on a 6 month project

Was swaying towards the Tassie oak but with oregon on hand and cutting/trimming it myself makes it even more 'my project.'

The traditional thing in the Northern hemisphere is oak but that's because they don't have the massive array of options that we have in Australia. You're spoilt for choice really. Whichever one you select, consider a UV tolerant ploy finish.

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Originally Posted by mic-d

For me half the energy that goes into a project is the turmoil in choosing and sourcing the timber. So for me I’d take the easy option and use Oregon 😊. Older Oregon latewood rings can be quite hard and a penetrating finish can make the timber more impact resistant. I’m always amazed how much better a mallet stands up if I shellac it. Not recommending shellac, although maybe I am, if you overcoat it with a varnish. I’ve turned a few little truncheon like mallets from spotted gum and one or two I used some leftover shellac to get rid of it and they have lasted much better than the unfinished ones. Looking forward to photos😊

I've always believed that shellac made the wood tougher, especially softer woods, and wondered if it was just me. Pleased to see I'm not alone.