DIY veneer???

[Pies]

Anybody reveneered there dash themselves or is it a nono:)

????????

:)

[tvrgit]

I read a site recently where somebody did this with real wood veneer, it set out every step, and it didn't look too hard (getting the dash off an S is probably harder)

Stick it on
trim it to shape
sand edges
lacquer

That was about it.

I'll have a look again when I get home.

[Pies]

Cheers

[tvrgit]

This was it

www.pixeltechnology.co.uk/wedge/maint_veneering.html

(No I'm not home yet)

[Wildfire]

You could always try french polishing it, or if you want give me a ring and I could try and sort out a SS one for you.

[Pies]

Cheers Chris but the main dash is fubar.I'll try a veneer first if i fail i might well get back to you

[S3_David]

Excellent link thanks tvrgit Managed to remove my main dash last weekend, clean back to the steel and refit temporarily. Still have the skin missing from my hands from accessing the nuts behind the dash! Therefore this winter "I will mainly be reveneering the dash"....

[Pies]

tvrgit said:

This was it www.pixeltechnology.co.uk/wedge/maint_veneering.html (No I'm not home yet)

LOOKs like a plan then

[Pies]

Well there is no going back now as both the main dash and switch dash have been removed.

In case anybody is intrested i'll post some info on here and when done (if sucessfull) i'll post on my website

The first thing ive done is to make a support plate for the main dash as it looks fairly easy to bend.
The support plate is just a piece of wood bigger than the dash, and half to threequarters of an inch thick. with holes drilled in to allow the numerous studs to drop into.This should make the whole process alot easier

You don't want piccies yet do you

[Pies]

Well I have re veneered the main dash panel and lightly sanded ready for staining and lacquer.I found stripping the old stuff of was achieved much easier once id put the blowtorch to it

Shaping the veneer was actually a very fiddly job as when cutting and sanding the edges and holes you have to be very patient else the grain splits.

I ended up buying a B&Q dremmel type thingy,cost £14,i was well impressed as this made sanding the edges alot easier.You still have to be very carefull though.Mines not perfect but im happy.

Just got to do the switch dash now, then staining and lacquer and replace

Cost so far :-
£37 for the veneer and glue,you could get this alot cheaper by buying a smaller piece as the piece i got was eleven foot long,as i guessed id need a couple of goes, and unfortunately i was right
£14 for the dremmel type thing

Pics so far,(sorry they aint brill but the flash was bouncing of fairly strong)

www.tvrsseries.com/dash/dash.JPG

www.tvrsseries.com/dash/dash2.JPG

>> Edited by Pies on Sunday 25th September 21:44

[tvrgit]

Looks good Colin, you've made such a good job of that, I'll trust you to do mine next.

[Pies]

Cheer Andrew, i reckon yours would actually be slightly easier and cheaper as your dash (IIRC)is split in two.So if you make a mess it only half a mess IYSWIM

[keithyboy]

Colin, make me a couple of templates would you please . . . I'll be really interested to see the finished aticles - though from what I remember your switch dash was new? Are you doing that just to match it up?

[Pies]

keithyboy said:

from what I remember your switch dash was new? Are you doing that just to match it up?

Im redoing both as the switch dash,which was professionally done,peeled off of after 15 months.This is why this time im diy

[Pies]

Switch dash done, very easy this one

Now for the hard bit of stain, polish and lacquer

www.tvrsseries.com/dash/switchdash.JPG

[pies]

All done

www.tvrsseries.com/dash1a.JPG

The pics have come out worse than the dash

I'll post again once fully installed which will be after i've done my door hinges (my fingers are already feeling the pain)

[Ballistic Banana]

Nice looking Job pies :clap; , allways admire a Dash D.I.Yer

BB

[tvrgit]

Good job there Colin, bet it looks nice in the car.

[rev-erend]

Streaky did a nice web page on this - hope it's of use :

www.streaky-bacon.co.uk/Wedge/reveneering.html

[S3_David]

Hi Guys, Just one point to bear in mind. I'm planning to redo mine in oak burr(after some chassis fettling ) and was talking to a veneer specialist and explaining the use. He was very cautious and warned against glueing the veneer directly to the steel with contact adhesive. Because the timber is constantly moving with humidity and temperature changes (remember how hot the dash panel becomes) it will very soon break down and crumble. He is offering to fix the decorative veneer to a firm backing and then suggests aralditing the whole piece to the steel. I'll update when I have more details.