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Working on my new dash. I did the first initial shape and began sanding. The dash is eucalyptus burl. So it will be dark like walnut. For the instrument panel and around the speedo and tach I thought about learn to do engine turning and make these panels from aluminum. I am working on a lay out drawing now.
Thought, ideas, examples???
Lost
If you’ve never done it. Practice on some scrap. ….a lot. A jig is necessary to make a professional job.
I have watched a bunch of videos. I think I have a lead on an older man who used to do it at a machine shop.
I paid a shop to water jet my aluminum dash and all the holes. It came out great! Im not smart enough to do it myself so I let my money work for me. I just just tell my wife that it keeps me off the streets so she doesnt give me a hard time on the expense. Little does she know!
You can buy an engine-turned appliqué in whatever size you want off eBay. I think I paid under $10 for a sheet that is 2′ x 2′ (far bigger than I needed but I wanted extra for screw ups). I took a repro TD instrument panel, modified it, then covered it in this material and applied several coats of gloss clear coat. This is good stuff. The panel looks just as much like engine-turned aluminum as the real thing. It doesn’t hurt that there really isn’t that much material actually exposed after adding in instruments and controls.
Pics or it didn’t happen.
Here’s the sheet on Amazon. Looks like $25 for plenty of it and that’s still a good price.Here is a place to find engine turned metals.
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