I got my wheel a year ago.
The previous owner had given her a "bath treatment" before I
bought her.
The treadles were getting a bit grimmy. And I thought she could do with a good rub
down.
Of course, being me, I did reading & watching. Ordered supplies. And finally did it this morning.
I watched this video:
It is very useful.
I followed it with mods of course, being me.
Schacht recommends Danish oil. And I felt that she could use that. It gives it a slight tougher finish.
So, here's what I did - mostly followed the video except
adding the Danish oil.
Barely damp, just to get the dust & grime off
- Murphy's "wash"
I used the Clean & Shine Spray. It is at the dilution needed for cleaning.
- Brasso for metal bits
I think next time, I would do the wash & Brasso in
reverse order. So that way it would just
wash off if it got on the wood.
- Danish oil
I took a look at http://wooltherapy.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-babies.html
who used Danish oil. I followed her
instructions. Rub oil in. Let it sit for 30 minutes. Buff.
Repeat, but let sit for 15 minutes.
Funny part. After doing that, I
realized those are the instructions on the Danish oil. *laugh*
- Wood Beams
I am going to let the Danish oil sit for the 8-10 hours
recommended on the tin. So either
tonight or tomorrow, I will rub her down with some Wood Beams. I have done a lot of reading on the
forums. It seems some people swear by
only one or the other. But some say they
do the Danish oil every 2-3 years. But
on a more frequent basis, they use Wood Beams.
I think that is the best plan. Especially with the treadles. My feet aren't perfect. I live in an urban area. So they do get grimy sometimes. Probably doesn't help that I have Mary Jane
style shoes. So some dirt is probably
getting into them when I am out & about.
I am hoping this helps.
I confess that I was spoiled with my Babe. It was really no maintenance. I think I cleaned it once or twice the eight
years I have had it. It is PVC for the
most part. The treadles are wood, but
not finished. So I don't even have a
guess what would help them. So I just
leave them be.
I am hoping the Wood Beams will really make her glow. A lot of people say that happens with the
Danish oil. But I don't really see
that. So either she was better off than
I thought or I didn't buff enough... Not
sure honestly.
I should try to take pics.
Though I should have done before & after shots.
BTW, here is the link to Wood Beams:
http://www.goodiesunlimited.com/woodbeam.html
