ships wheel

I have 1983 36 albin ............... I would like to refinish the steering wheel on the fly bridge. it has teak wood which is surrounded by the metal ring, How should I go about stripping the old coating off and what products to use, Thank you
kevin G
New Bern NC

I redid mine last winter. Polished out the brass ring and center first. Used heat and a scrapper to remove old varnish, sanded with 80/150/220. Taped the brass pieces and applied 4 coats of Epiphanes Rubbed Effect. Removed tape and repolished the brass and applied 2 more coates of Epiphanes to entire wheel, including polished brass.

My boat builder tried to steer me to a wooden wheel. I selected a SS "destroyer" wheel to avoid your issue.

Greetings,
Mr. K' I re-did both upper and lower wheels on a previously enjoyed 1974 Marine trader. I actually took the wheel apart. Once you're working with individual pieces, it is much easier to strip and re-coat as you're not digging out those tight little corners.

Removed the brass "ring" on the back, VERY carefully marked each piece in relation to the next, removed the front "ring", refinished each piece individually, polished up the brass, gave the brass a couple of coats of clear and re-assembled everything.

Your wheel may be different but in my case, the front and back brass rings held the whole works together. No glue at all.

Kev

When I bought my 1980 C&L 44 it came with 2 teak wheels, both in serious need of refinishing. I did remove the wheels from the helm to do the work, used a scraper where I needed to, sanded everywhere else. I have done enough furniture refinishing to know how much work a total teardown is, and I didn't want to go there. I sanded lightly, revarnished and it looked great for a number of years. Last year, I did the same thing all over again, only the second time I have needed to, in 22 years. I also use Epifanes, but the high gloss varnish.

I need to refinish mine also. Has anyone ever inquired into using the dip method that large furniture refinishers use? They dip large pieces into a vat of stripper. I am just not sure if the chemicals are compatible with the metal parts of the wheel.

I did mine on 1974 MT and it was challenge (for me). First - I forced the wheel of - busted o-ring in pump and leaking as hell. Then I remove the pump to replace the o-ring - another mistake. Did not had to. I took photo of hydraulic lines going to the back of the pump before I remove it. After fixing the pump, I assembly the pump and the wheel (after cleaning it). Couple of transmission fluid bottles and a lot of spill on upper and lowed station ( attempt to bead with help of my friend), to my dispear - rudder turn only in one direction. Checking the lines again and again - all look good, but still no joy. Finally, my friend look again and the lines and found that I hook up the lines wrong. All working now. I did found 1973 1 cent embedded into the wheel.

I took mine home and used remover and sanding and pics for small spaces. Then I masked carefully and put epoxy in the spaces where the wood had shrunk making the wheel spokes loose. Then lots of varnish.
Easy to do over time while at home.

If any of you took the wheel off and mess up the seal - you do not have to remove the pump to replace the seal. 4 philips screw on front of the pump. Dig out the old seal and put new one in. Still have to bled the system.