My AC Six journey is now complete. Today I finished up the little details for the natural wood AC and I have to admit, I like this one more than the painted version. The mix of different species and their natural colors really make this pop. My wife came into the shop and immediately made that same evaluation "I like this one better than the painted one".
Many of the same details are present in this one as in the first one so I will not belabor those here, but I did add one thing that I thought about doing on the first model, but didn't. I added a backup support for the spare tire as would have been present on the actual auto. Here you can see the finished install. It's simply a piece of the original engine block cut off. The angle already exists. It's just a matter of selecting the section to use. I could have selected a piece of the cutoff a bit further forward to insure it connected with the spare. This is before installing the spare.
For the oil can, I was finally able to find a satisfactory PRATTS logo and get a decent image to trace and laser onto the Padauk fuel can.
The seats are Black Palm. I had a turning blank squirreled away that I never used so I thought it would be a nice add to this model. It's a pretty interesting species and it's really not wood at all but rather a member of the grasses family. It's made up of long fibers and so no growth rings. It is hard and I found it a bit difficult to work with. But I definitely like the outcome.
The steering wheel is the two part glue up and the center column is Osage orange.
The fabrication of the steering wheel is a bit different from the one I discussed in Part 5 of this blog. This is a 2 part glue up of mahogany and Osage Orange, with a 1/4" hole drilled in the center.
Once glued up, let it completely cure before proceeding with the next steps. This was particularly necessary because of the use of the Osage Orange because it is an oily wood that doesn't play nice with wood glue. I used both wood glue and CA to insure a good bond.
The next steps are to bring the part into the dimensions you want and prepare for final cutout. The shaping is done on the lathe and I think the photos will give a good indication of the work to do. As in the first fabrication, a pen mandrel is key to getting this accomplished. Initial set up after cutout from the glue up stock This shows the shaping of the bottom section of the column housing.
Once the general shaping was done, I moved the piece to a chuck so that I could safely clear out about a 1/16" depth from the center area. Be careful not to over do this. It is just to set the steering wheel proud of the interior portion.
Once the shaping was done, the spoke design is marked on the back side of the blank and drilled for the interior cuts of the scroll saw. Here the entry holes are drilled and the blade is set and ready to go.
Cutting out the waste. go slow and careful here. This thing will break apart at the slightest forcing. Let the scrollsaw do the work; you just provide a steady hand. You may want to make up 2-3 blanks just in case. :-)
The completed cut out. Still needs some hand work but basically done. Keep the sanding gentle. This is a very fragile piece. Once done, the steps to put the steering column in is the same as described in the earlier blog.
All in all, I had a lot of fun building both, though I will admit it was a lot more time and work than I initially planned on. But I think it time well spent.
Before I close this out, here is the list of woods used: Peruvian Walnut - -tires Ambrosia Maple - -wheels Poplar - -Body Black Palm - -Seats Cocobolo - - Windscreen Purple Heart - -radiator, luggage rack, rear tail lights Cherry - - Fenders, head light body, small fender light body Orange Osage - -Radiator housing, steering column, spout and handle on Oil can Walnut - - axle housing, luggage, rag top Mahogany - -luggage, steering wheel Padauk - - Pratt's fuel can, rear fender lights, radiator ornament And many minor bits and pieces that I found in the shop that fit a particular need.
The finish is simply Natural Danish Oil. I will let it dry completely and then add a top coat of bees wax for added protection.
Again, thanks to Jan (Dutchy) for creating this great plan and thank you to all of you who have taken the time to read this blog and give me your comments. It is very much appreciated.
I've been looking forward to seeing this version. Both are amazing, but have to go with this one as my favorite. The various wood types have such depth. In particular, the seat is so unique and eye catching. Thanks for sharing all of this. I may never build one, but enjoyed learning more about the journey.
Thanks, Jim and Steve. And, yes Pottz, I believe you will find more than enough to keep you busy in retirement. :-)
As for painted vs natural, I have done a few of each and every time I'm done, I find that I like the natural outcomes better. But, there is that part of me that still wants to somehow capture more "realism" and I will use paint as a way to do this. For example, I have the Toys and Joys WWII jeep plan sitting on my desk and while I have already decided on the woods to use for it in the natural state, there is that part of me that wants to make it true to life, with OD green background, white star on the hood, yellow detail on the pumper and then airbrushed dust,dirt, and so on. So it's always a conflict in your mind as to what is best. I guess that's what makes this work so totally satisfying.
Here's a hummer I made for my son-in-law and I just couldn't not add the camo paint and the aging. also if you lift the real gate, there's a music box that plays the Marines' Hymn.
Here's a Steerman BT-13 I made for my grandson, in, of course, WWII colors and markings. :-)
