I'm so excited...I just can't hardly stand it!

[brasstackminis]

I have a shetland that I have been driving in an easy entry cart that seems to fit him except that the wheels are too small so it is too low. So I went ahead and bought a new set of custom hickory wheels and a longer axel and now I have to stain and varnish them (like I needed another project right?) I am not sure if I can contain my excitement and not just put them on and test them out before finishing them! So I was looking to see if there was anyone on here with any tips, comment, concerns about this new endevor.

I have never done much woodworking, not counting building my shedrow barn and my fences. I think this is a bit different though. I was thinking about staining the wood with MinWax light oak and Cabot marine varnish. I also was going to buy a leather cover for the end of the shaves. I think it will look nice with my almost solid black shetland. Any ideas on how to redo my seat? Oh I was fixing it all up to compete in some CDE's in the future.

I attached a picture of my boy hitched up to the cart with the current wheels on it.

Karen

 

[Sue_C.]

Your cart will look so much better with larger wheels, and you will notice a better ride as well...much less bumpy.

As for the seat. Several friends of mine have redone their seats in upholstery fabrics...and they look very nice. Myself, were I to do such a thing, would make a seat cover, with velcro closures, so I could just take it off when home, and use the original nauga seat for playing around home.

 

[Jill]

Congatulations

:yeah

 

[Jetiki]

if Cde's are your future, you want to reconsider wire spoke wheels. Few venues allow them and of those that do most only allow them on VSE's 39" at the withers and under and training level only. If you plan to move up the levels you will need steel or wood wheels.

reread and noticed you bought wood wheels good for you

Having refinished one 2 years ago I can tell you its time consuming and you have to take it all apart to get it done right. The wheels were the hardest with all the grooves, watch for runs and drips they are a begger to fix.

Karen

 

[brasstackminis]

Thanks for that idea Sue! I think I am going to try to figure out a way to velcro one on! I was thinking I might be able to make a quilted one and get the self buttons...

My simple project keeps getting bigger and grander! LOL

I just started refinishing the wooden slats from the floor so they will match the new wheels. Then I was looking at the metal frame and started thinking it needed to be repainted...then my friend mentioned getting it chromed?!!! Not sure about that one

My floor boards are finally all sanded and one has a coat of varnish on one side. I am soooo glad I got an electric sander from a friend! I had this newbie-crazy idea that I would sand them by hand!? After 4 hours I had one and a half boards ready for stain! I had no idea how hard it would be and how long it would take! The power sander is much more efficient!

So now I am wishing I had started sooner, but I was not wanting to be without a cart, so I was putting it off. Now I am not sure if I will make it to the clinic I wanted to go to.

Oh well, there will be others I guess. I am posting a picture of my favorite view and a few before and after pictures of my work in progress.. I am still waiting for the wheels, but they are supposed to be here today or tomorrow! I wish it was all done already and I could just hook up and go!

(still working out these picture adding features!)

 

[Sue_C.]

Nice job...but if I had to, I would slap those boards back on to do the clinic...around here we are lucky to get one or two a year...pretty precious time spent.

Looking forward to seeing the finished cart.

 

[Performancemini]

Those boards are looking nice. Sand by hand! Whoa, I tried that once!

My son does any projects like this now. He uses an electric sander or wire wheel (for metal) and uses car paint on metal (tougher and last longer). We do all our seat in vinyl which we get at the fabric store. We remove the seat (usually is bolt on) and recover by using a heavy duty staple gun underneath. Start on one side of a long end and staple evenly. Turn around and stretch the vinyl very tight as you staple; being careful though not to stretch out of shape (or when you turn it over there will be bias wrinkles).

The short ends next. The corners are the tricky part. You have to kind of pleat them up and trim some of the excess fabric "points" that it produces. (kind of hard to explain without pictures). You kind of have to play with it before stapling (corners). This way you have a waterproof seat and it's easy to clean. The backrest can be done the same.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Oooh, shiny!!

I love carts with darker stains like that, I think it looks much more classy than that "light oak"/natural stain so many mini carts come with. For goodness sake, don't even THINK about chroming your shafts though.

Your boy appears to be a stellar CDE prospect, really looks like a mini warmblood/Hackney/Dutch Harness Horse and should be very popular with the larger horse set. You'll make a good impression for us!

You know we all want to see pictures of the finished cart and I agree with Sue- slap some temporary floorboards on if those aren't done in time and go to the clinic. You only live once.

Leia

 

[brasstackminis]

Thanks guys for all the compliments! I think it is kinda fun, but I had no idea it would take this long. Not to mention that I have a friend that is going in for surgery tomorrow and all the drying time... Crazy man!

I wish I had different boards or a different cart I could use or borrow. I can take a lesson from the clinician another time, but she likes to give lessons with her Andalusians and charges more to learn with your horse. So I was wanting the discount, that's all. Eventually I am going to be taking pairs driving lessons from her, as soon as she gets a pair going!

My wheels are not here and I am going crazy! I am glad I started on the floor first though. Can you believe that the stain is called Light Oak? I guess it is because of the type of wood?? I am learning some techniques that will be helpful to not destroy my new wheels! I am not sure exactly how I am going to go about staining and varnishing the wheels exactly...so it can dry and all. They will be a little different with all the spokes and many rounded sides, versus flat sides. I am still thinking on this one. I will definately be posting pictures of the finished product. Then I have to do my 13.2hh pony's wheels and shaves! :shockedAt least the floor is that plastic composit type fake wood stuff, so no more floor boards.

I am thinking it might be fun to get some inexpensive carts and fix them up and resell them. Probably won't be worth all the work, but it might be fun! Like I need more projects...I still need to refloor my bedroom and master bathroom. Hmmm maybe more cart refinishing will be on the back burner for awhile. I still have fences to build too!

Oh and I was not going to chrome the shaves! They are wood too and will get a similar treatment. I was thinking of Chroming all of the black metal frame... only thinking about that for like 30 seconds though. I thought about having to clean and polish chrome and ditched that idea real fast!

I did think about driving without the floor...not much different than my road cart, right? I nixed that idea though because I think it would not be stable without the floor...oh well

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I can take a lesson from the clinician another time, but she likes to give lessons with her Andalusians and charges more to learn with your horse.

I bet I know who your trainer is.

Or at least I can picture her face- I'll admit her actual, you know, name has flown my mind! LOL. Francis Dismuth or something like that? Francine?

Oh and I was not going to chrome the shaves! They are wood too and will get a similar treatment. I was thinking of Chroming all of the black metal frame... only thinking about that for like 30 seconds though.

*shudder* Oh, my lord. Tacky, tacky, tacky! LOL

I did think about driving without the floor...not much different than my road cart, right? I nixed that idea though because I think it would not be stable without the floor...oh well

Just use plywood. It'd do fine in a pinch!

Leia

 

[brasstackminis]

Can you guess what this is....

I was so excited I ripped off the packing!

I stained it so fast, my floor was all speckled with stain!

Here is the results...

I also got some nice tan fabric to make a cover for the seat. So my non-driving friend is wanting me to make my apron out of the same fabric...I said NO but I really don't know...Any thoughts?

 

[alamodriver]

Hi Karen...what size are the wheels including the rubber? Debra

 

[brasstackminis]

Debra, The wheels are 32 inches. I am tempted to put them on the axel and then put the cart over it so I can see what it is gonna look like. I am not sure I can wait another 2 weeks to finish them to see what it will look like all put together! It is killin me!

Karen

 

[RhineStone]

Generally, you don't make the apron out of the same fabric as the seats.

Myrna

 

[brasstackminis]

Generally, you don't make the apron out of the same fabric as the seats.

Myrna

Thanks Myrna,

That what what I was thinking from all of the pictures that I have seen...just didn't know for certian enough to argue it!

 

[brasstackminis]

reread and noticed you bought wood wheels good for you

Having refinished one 2 years ago I can tell you its time consuming and you have to take it all apart to get it done right. The wheels were the hardest with all the grooves, watch for runs and drips they are a begger to fix.

Karen

How would you suggest setting the wheels for varnishing? I know that the drips and runs are gonna happen and drive me nuts. So would you have the wheels on their sides or standing up? I was thinking about attaching them to the axel, but not the cart so they can move and are free standing, I can get in there but the runs might be less noticeable... How did you do your wheels?

Thanks,

Karen

 

[RhineStone]

The only true way to prevent runs is to put the wheels on an axle or similar round pipe and spin (or rotate) them slowly until the finish sets up. We know Amish guys that have their little kids do that for them.

We also spray our finish. We put one coat on (which usually you don't have to spin unless it got too heavy in places), then wait 20 min. and spray a second coat, and wait another 20 min. and spray a third coat. If you let it dry in between, then you have to sand in between coats. We watch for runs and spin if we have to.

Myrna