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REPLY FROM: Kempinski, Robert M.
Rick Fedorchak wrote:
>> Just a thought. While solid wood _sounds_ sexy for a dashboard,
>>wouldn't some type of high grade plywood with a veneer on it prove to be
>>superior in actual use ?? Seems it would be more resistant to warpage.
As a maker of wood shavings I'll throw in some comments on wooden dashboards.
Yes plywood is more dimensionally stable than a solid board with respect to
uniform changes in mositure content. Since the layers of plywood have
alternating grain direction, the expansion due to moisture content cancels
itself out and the wood is fairly stable.
In a Tiger dashboard application, warpage is due primarily to different
environmental exposure to the sides of the dash. The outer side faces the sun
and possibly rain water. The inner side faces heat and humidity. The
variation across the board is what cases warpage. The sun and water, besides
degrading the wood layers and the glue joining those layers, can cause
differential stress that warps and/or delaminates (the real problem) the
plywood. The key is to get good quality plywood (marine grade if you are real
worried), veneer it and seal it as best as possible.
I personally would not use a solid piece of wood for a dash board. First of
all, solid wood IMHO does not look anywhere as nice as a burl. (There are
some exceptions such as lacewood or perhaps birds eye maple, but these are
also available as veneer.) Second, depending on wood and the sealing
technique there could be considerable movement. For example a solid maple
dash board over the course of a year could move as much a 3/8 inch. This
could cause stress at the screw mounts, either cracking, warpring or bending
the mounts. If you do use a solid piece make sure it is quartersawn and not
flat sawn. A flat sawn board has those flame grain patterns but is
susceptible to cupping across the width. Quarter sawn wood moves less but has
very straight (boring) grain.
Larry said
>The easiestway would be to use the existing dash as a template, and get one
>of those straight router bits with a following bearing, no?
Yep, It's an easy job for a wood worker. A couple of provisios. Some of the
dashboard holes are stepped. So a flush trim router bit itself will not by
itself do a complete job. You'll have to route the stepped holes using a
different bit or jig. Don't try to cut the holes with the router bit. First
rough out the holes with a jig saw or a hole saw, then trim the with the
router bit relying on the router to take away the last 1/8 inch or so.
Phil said
>has anyone considered a dash made from an exotic hardwood like Ebony or
>Teak?
Both of these woods are available as veneer. Forget about a solid Ebony dash.
Ebony sells for about $65 a board foot. The dash is roughly 3.5 board feet so
just the wood alone would be $227. Finding a piece big enough would also be
near impossible.
> Is some other wood more P.C., doesn't warp, lasts longer, has a cool
>grain pattern & color?
P.C. isn't a concern as long as wood is sustainably harvested. However,
prices reflect it. BTW, it is debatable if ebony can be sustainably
harvested.
There are hundreds of different types of veneer. Cool ones are birds eye
maple, quilted cherry or maple, lacewood, any of the varieties of
burls (walnut, maple, oak, olive, manzita), mahogany crotch, mahogany flame
etc. They even sell color dyed venner so one could get a wooden dash board
color matched to the body or interior paint. Inlays are also possible.
How about a dash with marquetry of the gauges. You wouldn't have to worry
about overheating or RPM or anything else. The gauges would always read the
same. ;^)
That's it on wood working, enjoy.
Rob Kempinski
Houston Texas
P.S. Yes, I'm back from vacation. No, I'm not a CEO (but trying). I did enjoy
all the talk about the Alpine race car. Now if only the spousal unit would
give the nod to another major project car. I myself would lean toward cubic
inches for a motive source. The more the better.
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