Woodgraining update

[Joe Flanagan]

As if you all couldn't live without another woodgraining update. Anyway, after lots of messing around, I have managed to make a pattern I really like. This is my first choice:

This is Old Masters woodgraining base, driftwood color, on a piece of sheet metal. On top of that, I put streaks of black paint (thinned down Rustoleum applied with a small brush). On top of that, Minwax red mahogany stain. I found that if I let the black paint dry for 15 minutes or so and then applied the mahogany on top, the black kind of melts into the mahogany and forms those dark streaks you see.

Here's second choice:

This is Minwax red mahogany stain on top of the Old Masters driftwood graining base. I just stippled the surface with the tip of the brush to make the darker streaks.

Third choice:

This is Old Masters mahogany gel stain on top of the driftwood graining base. I used a toothpick to put some black lines on the base before I brushed on the mahogany, but the pretty much melted into the stain when I applied it. Still, it's a pretty nice look.

This isn't anywhere near as complicated as I made it out to be. Next week, I will shoot epoxy on my dash, spray on the woodgraining base, and let it sit for a day or so, then begin woodgraining. I'll post pics and show how it turns out.

[randroid]

Joe,

I honestly like each one very much. My personal taste is toward more subdued colors and because of that I think I favor the third sample but I don't know the existing paint or upholstery colors so that could easily change.

I appreciate that you're giving such a detailed account of your progress. Thanks.

-Randy

[claybill]

the color is the easy part....going around the curves and keeping grain with a nice flow is the tough part. practice that a few times..

bill

[Joe Flanagan]

Thanks, guys. Luckily, you can always wipe this stuff off and do it over if you don't like it.

[P-12 Tommy]

Gotta hand it to ya Joe! Great progress! Can't wait to see the finished product.

Tom

[WatchingWolf]

more! And yes, I want to see another woodgraining post.

[Cpt.Fred]

looking good, joe! the first one is really great...

[Joe Flanagan]

So today I got started on my actual, final woodgraining. I did not finish. I ran into some problems but I learned enough so that I can likely do it tomorrow and be happy with it.

First I shot epoxy on the sandblasted metal and then sprayed on a coat of Old Masters woodgraining base (the base is what you see here):

Then, I took a small brush and applied some thinned black paint. If it's too thick, it will stand up in ridges above your stain. It ought to be about as thin as the stain is:

As soon as I applied the black paint, I brushed on red mahogany stain (Minwax brand without the clear blended in):

I did each piece four or five times until I was happy with it. Some of the problems I ran into: If you apply stain and then go back and try to fix a little flaw, you'll screw it up and have to start over. Luckily, you can wipe it off easily. It's best if you can apply it all in one shot and not have to go back over it. If you have brush marks that you don't like, leave it alone. It will all melt together eventually.

I kept coming up with trash and little pieces of I-don't-know-what in the stain. I would have a gorgeous finish and it would be covered with little bits of crap. Got new brushes. Same problem. Got a new can of stain. Same problem. Tried stain without the black paint. Same problem. My wife suggested I take the pieces inside because we have pollen and all kinds of stuff flying around. So I did that and it's not perfect but it's much better and I can live with it.

Still didn't do the dash itself. I have the instrument cluster and the glove box done. I had some contamination on the dash that caused fisheye in the epoxy and base in a couple places. I didn't notice it until I applied the stain. I ground the paint off down to bare metal in those areas (two), cleaned the spots with wax and grease remover, and will use polyester putty, primer, and touch up with the woodgraining base.

I should have the dash done tomorrow and then I will let it set up for a week before I shoot two coats of clear on it.

[P-12 Tommy]

Wow! It's lookin' really good Joe!

Tom

[oldodge41]

Nice work!

[RobertKB]

Great job, Joe. I love the colour and can't wait to see the finished project. It look pretty close to the original woodgraining colour.

[plymouthasc]

This is looking great! Can't wait to see the finished dash!

[PatS....]

Looks good Joe...

Is the same base color used for all species of wood you would want to replicate?

[maine48ply]

Very nice Joe...this process of yours is making me rethink my plan to simply paint the dash a solid color. I love it when someone else figures things out and I can reep the reward. Of course, that seems to happen quite a lot on this forum. Can't wait to see the the entire final product.

[1940plymouth]

The dash looks good, congrats:)

[Joe Flanagan]

Looks good Joe...

Is the same base color used for all species of wood you would want to replicate?

Pat,

No. Old Masters makes about six base colors for woodgraining. I think this is the lightest colored one they make. I saw an old thread by forum member Don St. Peter where he described using this particular color by Old Masters and his dash came out really nicely. Mine is much different from his but what I like about this base color is the way it makes the mahogany stain look like there's a light inside it. You get these little blonde highlights coming through the reddish brown. If you're interested in trying it, Google Old Masters and use their store locator to find who sells their product in your area. You can also google O-Gee Paint Co., which sells it online.

I wound up not using any of the woodgraining tools I got. They just didn't work on the curved surfaces of the dash. Simple was best here.

Maine48Ply:

This is a lot easier than you may think. The tough part was figuring out what works and what doesn't.

I'm going to do the dash today and I'll post pics. Next week, after the stain has had time to dry, I'm going to shoot two coats of clear on it, the same stuff I used on the exterior of my car. Very tough stuff with good UV protection, made by Omni. (well, actually by PPG. It's their Omni line). I'll no doubt get some orange peel so will have to color sand the dash, but that is actually kind of fun.

Edited April 24, 2011 by Joe Flanagan

[Captain Neon]

Next time you are in Topeka...

[Joe Flanagan]

Well, I'm done. I like the way it turned out. Here are some pictures. By the way, you wouldn't believe how much work it is to do all this instrument panel business. Little details but LOTS of little details.

[oldodge41]

That looks great Joe! Nice job...........Tim

[aero3113]

Very nice Joe,good job!

[1940plymouth]

Now I can invision a new side line job for you. Your dash looks very good, compliments on a job well done.

Bob

[Rodney Bullock]

Hey Joe, that looks very nice, look at you with the wood grain. Will you do the window frames as well?

[PatS....]

Great job Joe...I really like that look.

[Joe Flanagan]

Rodney, yes I plan to do the window trim, too. But for now, I'm going to install the dash and forget about wood graining for a while.

[Bingster]

Great job, Joe. What a learning curve!

Just a thought . .

I've found that when I learn do do something like that, if I go away from it for awhile it's harder to get my head back into it later. In other words, whatever "technique" I may have learned first time around had to be learned again to a certain degree for those "now how did I do that?" moments.