Re-veneering the dashboard
Discussion
As you might recall, I've been re-veneering my dashboard myself. Although I still have to fully finish it, this is the stained dashboard:
(The slight fuzziness is a consequence of my rotating the picture.)
You can read the first draft of the process at www.streaky-bacon.co.uk/Wedge/Reveneering.html . There are a number of embedded pictures, so it might take a few moments to load on a slow link
.
Pleased to receive (critical) comments about both the process description and my workmanship.
Streaky
>>> Edited by streaky on Wednesday 16th June 14:27
(The slight fuzziness is a consequence of my rotating the picture.)
You can read the first draft of the process at www.streaky-bacon.co.uk/Wedge/Reveneering.html . There are a number of embedded pictures, so it might take a few moments to load on a slow link
. Pleased to receive (critical) comments about both the process description and my workmanship.
Streaky
>>> Edited by streaky on Wednesday 16th June 14:27
The veneer cost me under £20 for enough to do the dashboard, the centre console and the glovebox lid. The Flexiply was donated by a friend in return for past favours. The tools and other materials I had already, but I bought extra scalpel blades for a few pounds.
Click for more.
Streaky
Click for more.
Streaky
Wow - superb ... I think to should ask Mike B to put it on the wedge pages...
- Streaky Looks excellent, and the finish isn't "streaky" ;^)
But which veneer did you plump for - the Vale website shows them raw and it's a bit difficult to tell what the final varnished colour is....
I just did my side bars with some veneer recovered from an old piano (a long story) and they look good but as not burr, they aren't original-looking.
Plus I need to do my glove box panel, in something reasonably like the original.
But which veneer did you plump for - the Vale website shows them raw and it's a bit difficult to tell what the final varnished colour is....
I just did my side bars with some veneer recovered from an old piano (a long story) and they look good but as not burr, they aren't original-looking.
Plus I need to do my glove box panel, in something reasonably like the original.
Nice job fella on both the dash and the website. If you do want me to whack it on the Wedgepages just give me the nod or I can put a few links to your site.
MikeB
www.tvrwedgepages.co.uk
MikeB
www.tvrwedgepages.co.uk
adam quantrill said:
Looks excellent, and the finish isn't "streaky" ;^)
But which veneer did you plump for - the Vale website shows them raw and it's a bit difficult to tell what the final varnished colour is.
Here's a picture of some of the original, unstained veneer:
It does take an "eye" to judge what the finished result will be when working solely from photographs, but any veneer with reasonable figuring will be enhanced by staining and varnishing. I tried about five different stains on scraps of the Masur Birch veneer and decided on Coloron's Pitch Pine as it gave a rich, warm effect. Some stains (e.g. Liberon's Victorian Mahogany) blotted out the figuring too much. Other veneers, other stains!
Hope this helps.
Streaky
Bu99er! The first coat of varnish is drying very slowly (24 hours now and still some tacky spots ). Have brought it into the house from the workshop and they're getting fewer and smaller. Must have been the change in the weather outside (25F drop) and change in RH in the 'shop. Can't put the fan on, because it will stir the dust up - Streaky
). Have brought it into the house from the workshop and they're getting fewer and smaller. Must have been the change in the weather outside (25F drop) and change in RH in the 'shop. Can't put the fan on, because it will stir the dust up - StreakyI was going to French Polish it, but that would be better suited to a concours car.
Lacquer too has its drawbacks - for one I feared it might be somewhat brittle (which could be a problem when reinstalling the dashboard panel). I felt that a combination of metal backing, Flexiply "field", veneer, and lacquer in the wet/dry/hot/cold environment of a Wedge contained one too many risks; and that yacht varnish (over a cellulose sealer) would be a better bet for a first attempt and might be more durable. It should be more flexible than laxquer.
Anyway, the first coat has dried nicely now (a few hours of warmth made all the difference) and has been de-nibbed. The "nibs" are small air bubbles forced out of the wood by the varnish which rise to the surface and can be felt when you run a finger lightly over the surface. I used 000 grade synthetic steel wool, followed by PSF long-life, open-coated, SiC, glue-bonded, lubricated abrasive paper in grits 320>400>500.
The dashboard is now ready for a second coat.
BTW, HeyAndy - I assume your reference to 1200 grit refers to waterproof SiC ("wet-n-dry") paper. The 500 grit I used is finer (for those not in the know, the numbers imply different abilities according to the type of abrasive) and I didn't want to use water to "open" the W&D.
I intend to give it three coats, flatting back at each stage and finally finishing with rottenstone and a polish.
Anyway, it looks good as it is and is certainly better than it was.
Streaky
Lacquer too has its drawbacks - for one I feared it might be somewhat brittle (which could be a problem when reinstalling the dashboard panel). I felt that a combination of metal backing, Flexiply "field", veneer, and lacquer in the wet/dry/hot/cold environment of a Wedge contained one too many risks; and that yacht varnish (over a cellulose sealer) would be a better bet for a first attempt and might be more durable. It should be more flexible than laxquer.
Anyway, the first coat has dried nicely now (a few hours of warmth made all the difference) and has been de-nibbed. The "nibs" are small air bubbles forced out of the wood by the varnish which rise to the surface and can be felt when you run a finger lightly over the surface. I used 000 grade synthetic steel wool, followed by PSF long-life, open-coated, SiC, glue-bonded, lubricated abrasive paper in grits 320>400>500.
The dashboard is now ready for a second coat.
BTW, HeyAndy - I assume your reference to 1200 grit refers to waterproof SiC ("wet-n-dry") paper. The 500 grit I used is finer (for those not in the know, the numbers imply different abilities according to the type of abrasive) and I didn't want to use water to "open" the W&D.
I intend to give it three coats, flatting back at each stage and finally finishing with rottenstone and a polish.
Anyway, it looks good as it is and is certainly better than it was.
Streaky
I've been inspired to do mine there are some things I've found to speed up the process.
1. Burn off old veneer with blow lamp - it peels off very easy thereafter.
2. Use drain cleaner to rid excess glue once veneer is off. The acid allows glue to be scapred off using wire wool very easily.
3. use white spirit or thinners to clean up metal before gluing
3. Use spray contact adhesive when gluing the veneer to the dash - the laths and veneer roller aren't really necessary. The spray adhesive I used is for laminating so its strong stuff.
4. when cutting holes - make sure you push the veneer through the holes veneer side up.
5. use a polyurathane based laquer which sets very hard when dry before flatting down and polishing.
6. be patient and don't rush the job!!
1. Burn off old veneer with blow lamp - it peels off very easy thereafter.
2. Use drain cleaner to rid excess glue once veneer is off. The acid allows glue to be scapred off using wire wool very easily.
3. use white spirit or thinners to clean up metal before gluing
3. Use spray contact adhesive when gluing the veneer to the dash - the laths and veneer roller aren't really necessary. The spray adhesive I used is for laminating so its strong stuff.
4. when cutting holes - make sure you push the veneer through the holes veneer side up.
5. use a polyurathane based laquer which sets very hard when dry before flatting down and polishing.
6. be patient and don't rush the job!!
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