Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi,

Taking advice from the chapters on woodwork by Steve Foreman in the Morris Minor Traveller book by Ray Newell, I intend to apply Sikkens Cetol HLS followed by Sikkens Cetol Filter 7 plus.

However, the result using the products (both 006 Light Oak) in neat form as per the manufacturer's recommendation (3 x HLS followed by 2 x Filter 7 plus) is way too dark for my liking.

The book suggests that a 50:50 mix of HLS and 'Cuprinol clear preservative' gives 'the same honey tone of the original factory finish'. However, it doesn't say which colour Skikkens to use or which Cuprinol preservative.

Sikkens is solvent based but most of the Cuprinol products seem to be water based, so can't imagine that will work well(?).

Has anyone successfully used this approach? If so can you please tell me what Sikkens colour you started with and which Cuprinol preservative you used? If you have a picture of the end result that you can share, then that would be most helpful.

(As an aside I've already soaked the wood with Cuprinol 5 Star so this is about the outer finish protection and colour)

Thanks in anticipation...

I have a tin of Cuprinol Wood Preserver Clear product code: 5 010368 010264 it contains low aromatic solvents.
You are right that solvent based and water based wood preservers will not mix. You could end up with a gooey mess.

Thanks Phil.

If it's this stuff then you may have old stock as the current formula is water based

I imagine that the book you refer to was written some time ago when Cuprinol was spirit based
Why not ring Steve at Woodies and ask him what they now recommend?
I 'm sure the colour he recommends will be the lightest available which is what I used on mine. I think the code was 077 which they used to call "Deal" but maybe now call "Light Oak".

Mine was done with "Light oak"



Phil P

After trying Cuprinol 5 start and the wood on my traveller still going mouldy and rotten I've decided to use this initially on my new wood

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184441544844 ... 2143620167

Time will tell if it's any good.
The one I bought is solvent based but a new water based formula is creeping in so beware if you go for it.

ManyMinors: Morris Minor Traveller: The Complete Companion was published in 2012, so not that ancient but possibly before the switch to water base. I've messaged Woodies and will see what they come back with.

Phil P: Thanks for the pic, did you use it neat and how many coats of HLS and Filter 7 plus did you apply please? (That's a lot lighter colour than I got from a test piece using the recommended number of coats)

Panky: Thanks and noted on the solvent point.

pgp001 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 18, 2021 10:03 pm Mine was done with "Light oak"



Phil P

That looks almost exactly the same shade as mine - which I reckon suits the car very well. I wouldn't want the wood to look any lighter than that. There is perhaps a little more UV protection with the coloured stains anyway? I always thing the wood looks too pale if just a clear finish is used.

Sorry I cannot tell you how many coats mine has had, it was done when the previous owner replaced all the wood before I bought it.
It has been on there since 2015 and has not needed re-coating yet.

Phil P

No worries, thanks for replying Phil P

In the process of doing this on mine, HLS on the near side timber is still tacky after 3 days. All the rest is ok. Any thoughts?

Hi,

HLS used neat should dry within (I think) 16 hours, assuming it's not old stock that has gone off.

If mixed with water based Cuprinol it will stay sticky (I tried it on a scrap piece of wood out of interest!).

I never got a reply from Woodies, so I'm none the wiser on their current guidance but solvent based preservatives suggested above may work but I haven't got as far as trying one yet.

Yes. It’s just a couple of areas. Most has gone off perfectly. Might try a wipe with white spirit later.

Cheers

Gary

Update, it took just over a week to go off but I’ve left it an additional week before sanding back and applying the two top coats of Creole 7, with another week between coats!