Chris, good call on oiling the purple heat. It is not very stable, and will crack the urethane varnish. But, thats assuming you are getting you truck wet, like driving in the rain, or keeping it in an unheated garage, in a climate where the humidity makes big changes through the year. I see you are in cali, so that might not be a problem for you!!! Just clean and oil it a couple times a year. It will turn brown no matter what you do, as it oxidises, and is exposed to the sun. The good news is though, your bed won't rot if it gets, and stays wet for months. The bed in my truck is douglas fir, as I had it on hand, and it's lighter in weight. I just keep it fresh looking with linseed oil, but only sanded to 60 grit. That keeps my junk, I mean quality tools from sliding around too much. Plus, urethane tends to flake and chip if you drop stuff on it. I think you made a good call on the oil, if you are using you truck for what it's intended. I did varnish the stake sides on my truck, as that makes everyone ooooh and ahhhhh. But with real varnish, more flexable, easier to touch up.
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Say, that's blurry.
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