MIKES Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Trying to plan ahead for when near normality returns, I was thinking about making a list for all of the rear wooden body on my Explorer that needs replacing. There is a very good sawmill near here which do all types of wood but before I can give them a list, I need to know what the original wood type was. I can't tell from what is left but would like to use something good and original. Can anyone please advise. Also, it would be interesting to know what is typically used for gun planks and rollers - both Explorer age and for the more modern Foden EKA . Many Thanks Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiomike7 Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Rear body on my Explorer was some sort of t&g hardwood with a chamfer on the joints. It had a coat of silver primer then an undercoat followed by the top coat and had lasted remarkably well for 40 years. The 4 gun planks were usually thought of as being oak and had a long bolt about 6" from each end in recessed holes to prevent splitting. I think they were 6ftx3" and either 10" or 12" wide, you can measure the brackets to confirm. Depending on the CES it carried 2 3ft rollers and a single 6ft, 4 36"x6"x3" hardwood timbers and either 2 or 4 36"x9"x6" hardwood timbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIKES Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 Thanks for the reply. Think I will have to take the best bit I can find to the saw mill and see what they think it is. It will all be painted. Think the silver was an aluminium based primer which apparently is good on hardwood so all makes sense. Oak for the gun planks also makes sense. Will have to see what they can recommend for the rollers. Might have to break open another piggy bank for this lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ploughman Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 The T+G planking on my Snowplough was Pitch Pine at about 1 1/2" thick by 8ft long and 6 1/2 " wide. That also had chamfers on the face side of the joint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIKES Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 The tops of the body on the Explorer definitely look to be a different wood to the sides / carcass. The tops look to be a harder wood and the rest just normal planed softwood. Trouble is that I don't know how much is original. The two boxes either side of the spare wheel (which have totally fallen apart, looked to have been remade at an earlier time as didn't seem to match the quality of the main body. Biggest problem is the multitude of paint on the vehicle which has so many layers that it's difficult to see what's what. Don't think anyone ever rubbed any of it down before applying the next coat with the yard broom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvinthemartian Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Keruing Wood may be worth looking at for replacements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiomike7 Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 The rear boxes were usually retro fitted by the R.E.M.E. and were allocated for the crew's personal kit. This my one seen having a trial fit in the garage, a late release in 1985 which started out with the RAF at Kinloss before transferring to the R.E.M.E.. The rear boxes were made of pine and probably fitted in the 70s as they were in excellent condition but far from waterproof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longen Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Hi Mikes, check out page 21 of the " Explorer fixes and workarounds". It should show a post by "Croc" containing images of a drawing of the back body wood work. Dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ploughman Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 20 hours ago, marvinthemartian said: Keruing Wood may be worth looking at for replacements. Sapele is another possibity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiomike7 Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 Don't think Keruing is great for painting as it oozes resin. It also has a reputation for causing infections if you get a splinter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIKES Posted April 24, 2020 Author Share Posted April 24, 2020 Thanks for pointing me in the direction of the woodwork drawings, they will be very useful to check dims etc. Interesting what radiomike7 says about the rear boxes as always thought that they looked like an add-on as didn't seem to be the same quality as the rest. Never thought that they really had enough support. Think mine might be left off for the time being. I've used Keruing as the buffer strips between the chassis and body on a Matador and this came from the same sawmill that I'm going to use for the Explorer wood. Always remember getting an evil big splinter from it in my hand and it did cause an infection. Hadn't heard of its reputation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv11301 Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 I used opepe on mine. Hard ish, sustainable and takes paint well. Never heard of it before this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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