Ye Olde Railway Seat

[Skub]

It'll hardly win engineering prize of the week,but some folk may be interested in the process,plus if I create the thread,I'm probably more likely to stir my lazy bones into action.

This used to belong to my father and mother in law. Probably about 100 years old. FIL obtained it when a station was being refurbed. He painted it up and fitted new wood. It used to sit at the front of their house. They are cast iron and weigh a frigging ton.

The replacement wooden planks rotted out years ago and the cast iron frames have been lying at out house awaiting my best intentions. Today I made a start by punching/drilling out the old screws and attacking it with various wire brushes. The screws put up quite a fight!

[mangocrazy]

If that really is a seat, it's made for a very odd-shaped human...

[demographic]

I have a couple of end frames to do more or less the same with although the slats are much narrower.
I've done one years ago and used spout bolts with M6 nylocs if I remember right.
The spout bolts have a fairly gentle bump so don't even need countersinking into the wood.

[ZRX61]

I'd take it some place for blasting & powdercoat

[Skub]

I'd take it some place for blasting & powdercoat

That's definitely a consideration.

[Yambo]

I'd take it some place for blasting & powdercoat

That's definitely a consideration.

That's exactly what I was going to say!

How thick were the wood slats? You could maybe use decking. Demo would probably be able to tell you the best wood to use if decking isn't right and personally I'd use stainless steel fixings, try a chandlers for those bits.

[Skub]

I'd take it some place for blasting & powdercoat

That's definitely a consideration.

That's exactly what I was going to say!

How thick were the wood slats? You could maybe use decking. Demo would probably be able to tell you the best wood to use if decking isn't right and personally I'd use stainless steel fixings, try a chandlers for those bits.

I left it down for sandblasting and painting yesterday! So much for DIY. I put in about 4 hours wire brushing and I was fooked.

I had a bit of a laugh as the painter lifted them out of the boot of my car. "They are heavy",I said to the big lad,who didn't seem to take much notice until his first attempt had him launching himself half into the boot,while the cast iron remained unmoved. He nutted the raised parcel shelf for good measure.

He had a few young lads on the premises,so I said,"casually hand one to one of them and see what happens". The poor lad took hold of it with one hand and went to move off,then gravity asserted itself and his other hand was swiftly employed. Cue much merriment from his co workers.

[Skub]

Blasted and powder coated satin black. They came up rather well imo. I've ordered some stainless coach bolts,now I'll have to see about wood for the seat.

[Skub]

Got some Iroko ordered up. Hopefully have it next week.

[David]

Wasn't Iroko one of the Wombles?

[Yambo]

Got some Iroko ordered up. Hopefully have it next week.

Cheap teak!

I've probably got enough iroko in my garden for your bench. I 'acquired' some 8 ft lengths when some of the hotels decided to build jetties and they're planked with iroko.

[Skub]

Got some Iroko ordered up. Hopefully have it next week.

Cheap teak!

I've probably got enough iroko in my garden for your bench. I 'acquired' some 8 ft lengths when some of the hotels decided to build jetties and they're planked with iroko.

Ye can't get teak here now,even the specialist hardwood joints (ha) don't stock it. Iroko is dearer than Mahogany,which surprised me.

[Yambo]

Iroko is the better wood for that application. That it's more expensive than mahogany surprises me. All hard woods are expensive here - the last time I bought mahogany was back in 2014 for the rub rails on my rowing boat and it wasn't cheap then!

You can use teak oil on the iroko to keep it looking good and in good order.

[Skub]

Iroko is the better wood for that application. That it's more expensive than mahogany surprises me. All hard woods are expensive here - the last time I bought mahogany was back in 2014 for the rub rails on my rowing boat and it wasn't cheap then!

You can use teak oil on the iroko to keep it looking good and in good order.

I was going to coat the planks in clear wood preservative,then varnish them. You reckon teak oil would be a better choice?

[Yambo]

I've just refurbed a friend's hammock stand, 7 pieces of 2" x 2" beech. To finish them I gave them a couple of coats of linseed oil and when that was dry a couple of coats of varnish. I'd do the same with your planks but with teak oil which would bring out the colour of the (sanded) wood.

However . . . I'd do a test first to see if that procedure will work in practice as the varnish might not take on the oiled surface (I'm big on test pieces because I'm usually just winging it

Bear in mind also that a) I do most of my work with plywood and b) I'm not a carpenter. Your idea will probably be fine I'm sure. I can do a test piece for you if you want but not sure if I've got any Teak Oil. I have Tung Oil, Danish Oil and Linseed oil so can test with those, I doubt there'll be much difference. It'll take a day or so.

Demo's a professional, he'll probably have a better idea.

[Yambo]

Found some teak oil and a bit of iroko - test piece sanded and oiled (first coat).

[Skub]

I've used Tru-Oil (gunstock oil) on guitar bodies with good reasults,but I can't see it being very durable when outside.

Ta for the test piece.

I'll see if we can tempt @demographic onto the thread.

[Skub]

Planks all sanded down,so pending a decision on which wood treatment,I started provisionally fitting the seat together. I'm wondering if the likes of teak oil would mark clothing,or is it safe enough when properly cured?

[Rockburner]

Planks all sanded down,so pending a decision on which wood treatment,I started provisionally fitting the seat together. I'm wondering if the likes of teak oil would mark clothing,or is it safe enough when properly cured?

We use Teak oil on our garden furniture, it doesn't mark clothing (once dry!) and dries pretty quickly (we use the Bartoline (sp?) stuff)

[Yambo]

Last evening I put a coat of varnish over the teak oiled section and it has taken OK but I don't think it's necessary (the varnish). As Rockburner says, Teak Oil, once dried will be fine.

Iroko, like teak, loses it's colour over time and goes a sort of grey colour, almost like an oxidisation process. Sanding removes that 'patina' and the oil enhances the colour. If you're going to oil the planks I'd put at least 4 coats on for the first treatment, over the period of a week or so then it'll probably just need a quick sanding and another coat or two each year. Don't neglect the ends of the planks.

Personally, I'd round over all the top edges including the ends of the planks but a) I have 3 routers, b) love using them and c) I'm a bit fussy that way. If people brush against the ends though it'll be less of an issue than coarse sharp edges. Maybe just sand a bevel on the ends.

I have to say, Ye Olde Railway Seat is looking fine and I'm just a tad envious.