In a message dated 98-10-10 11:02:45 EDT, ARhodes@compuserve.com writes:
> WHat brand stripper did you use? I must admit that I did not let
> my stripper sit overnight, but I DID let it sit for an hour. I will take
> some of the
> chips and re-test them in the stripper.
Tony,
A while back, a friend asked me to search the web for info on refinishing an
Austin-Healey dash. I did, and found the following info. I no longer know
where I finally found it, and I can't vouch for its accuracy, but it was on
some sort of Healey bulletin board or something like that. Maybe it will help.
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Yes, it can be done, but it is not for the faint of heart. Assuming the
factory used the same finish on all the dash boards, I can tell you that stuff
is not easy to remove. I tried several paint strippers that had little to no
effect. Finally I tried Parks Extra Strength paint stripper. This was just
strong enough to soften the surface. Using a razor knife, I was able to
remove a thin layer after letting a heavy load of stripper sit on the dash for
a half hour. I repeated this many times until I started to reach wood in a
few places. Then I used green Scotch Brite pads and stripper to rub of the
remainder.
Using alcohol, I cleaned the stripper fo the wood and then let it dry. My
dash had some cracks in the finish that had left permanent marks on the
veneer. To remove these I used 600 sand paper and a finish sander. BUT BE
CAREFUL!!! Too much pressure on the edges of the dash and even the 600 will
start to sand through the very thin walnut veneer.
After you make the surface smooth, you may want to stain the wood to restore
some of the color lost in the stripping process. I recommend you carefully
choose a walnut stain that closely matches the original color. You may want
to take the glove box door to the hardeware store with you before you strip it
when selecting a stain.
Apply the stain with a rag and let it sit for five minutes. Then rub the dash
dry with a clean soft rag. Then let the stain air dry for at least two days.
Now comes the fun part How to reproduce that mirror finish. I recommend using
a high quality polyurethane in a spray can application. I used Minwax spray
urethane for mine. You must spray on many coats, waiting at least half a day
between coats, lightly sanding each coat before applying the next coat.
Cleanliness is key here. I reccomend sanding the coats in an entirely
different room from where you spray as the particles will get in your finish
otherwise. Also, you must rub the dash down after you sand each coat with a
tac cloth to remove any dust particles.
After about 10 or 12 coats you should have enough build-up of poly to seal all
the pores in the wood. Then add a few more coats and then let it sit for
WEEKS to let it get rock hard. This is critical. If you start to finish rub
the poly too soon it will spiderweb, leaving you with something more akin to a
satin finish than a high gloss.
Once dry, hand rub the surface with 600 grit sand paper, then 0000 steel wool.
Finally, use an automotive paint polish (the kind with a mild abrasive in it)
and a clean cloth and buff out any remaining scratches. Finish with a quality
wax.
Good luck.
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Some additional comments on refinishing dashboards. The objective of sanding
between coats is to ruffen the surface for machanical bonding of the next coat
and to flatten out the surface. I would recommend using wet or dry paper and
wet sanding as this does not clog the paper as quick, and cloging will scratch
the surface. Be very careful on the first few coats as you can sand through
the finish very easily. If you use a gloss finish, you can easily tell when
you have sanded the finish flat, as it will be a uniform dull finish. After
the last coat, sand with a fine paper 1200 grit, this can be purchased
wherever auto finishing supplies are sold, you can also purshase polishing
compound there as well. As to the selection of the finish material, my
primary concern would be UV stability. Most interior finishes will look great
but will age rapidly in the sun. I would recommend one of the spar varnishes,
they are designed to withstand severe weather condition.
Varhishes also polish out beautifuly. Be sure to allow 24 hours between
coats, and to wait several days before begining to polish the last coat.
Good Luck
Gary Ester
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Regarding an article on dashboard stripping, on wooden sailboats I apply heat
and a cabinet scraper. I have been able to remove all manner of paint,
varnish, fiberglass resin/cloth and polyester filler using this method.
Ensure that your scraper is sharp. Learn how to draw it properly and evenly
on a test piece. Be very careful to avoid digging in with the corners of your
tool. The best tools I have found for this are made by ProPrep. They are not
cheap, but you should be able to get by with their general purpose blade.
Play the heat gun until you have softened the surface enough to get the
scraper to bite, take it easy from there. When your method is perfected, the
finish will cut like softened butter.
Mark
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Dan Masters,
Alcoa, TN
'71 TR6---------3000mile/year driver, fully restored
'71 TR6---------undergoing full restoration and Ford 5.0 V8 insertion - see:
http://www.sky.net/~boballen/mg/Masters/index.html
'74 MGBGT---3000mile/year driver, original condition - slated for a V8 soon
'68 MGBGT---organ donor for the '74
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