VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Body - Sheet Metal, Paint & Wood Wood-grain dash and window

There is a new blog on wordpress.com that is about wood-grain painting. The link is http://woodgrainforoldcars.wordpress.com if anyone is interested.

Back in the good old days when there was a magazine called "Cars and Parts", they did a feature on a firm that does wood graining. They had sponge rubber rollers with specific grain patterns. They would roll them in dye and apply the grain that way. I would attempt graining myself but I think I would be disappointed with the outcome.

Still around and you can also buy a kit...it's called "Grain-it Technologies"...usually has a booth at the Fall Hershey Show...Billu38

Looked into Grain-It. Prices are out of sight, material/supplies as well as having them do it (48 Chevy Coupe dash & interior window trim). Anyone know of any system less costly?

Guy

+Find a local who does Faux painting. You will be surprized at the pricw. Most like the bragging rights that they have done a car. blue38

My "48" came with grain using Wattyl Antique which was popular for furniture about 40 years ago. Looked terible. I found that originally they used a photo stencil which meant that (A) they got great detail and (B)I couldn't replicate that process. So what I did was to strip to bare metal, undercoat and spray on 2 coats of pale tan acrylic lacquer. This was left to harden for a week. I then got a small bottle of Walnut printers ink which is thinned with methylated spirits and does not react with acrylic lacquer. The ink was spread across the lacquer and then wiped in a variety of swipes, twirls and dabs using cheesecloth, sponges and brushes. This was left for several days to set and then coated with 3 coats of acrylic lacquer clear that had a bit of deglossing agent in it. I was very happy with the result. If you are not happy with the result you simply grab a cloth soaked in metho, wipe it off and do it again as the base coat remains unaffected. It also helps if you have a few drinks beforehand as it makes it all a bit more spontaneous and fluent.It cost me about $100 all up. Once the base is applied the actual graining is very quick.

Interesting story on your woodgraining, Terry. Would be great to see a picture or two. Any chance??

Hope all is well....

Bill.

I struggled with woodgraining my '33 dash for a couple weeks. Finally found a very realistic burl finish by doing the following;
1. Two coats tan or light brown for the base.
2. I rolled up about a 1" roll of oil absorbant towles (we call them diapers on the tug), dabbed the end into a darker brown and splotched it all around the tan dash until I got what looks very real.
3. Sealed the whole thing with clear laquer.

I tried everything; brushes, cut brushes, plastic bags, plastic bags cut, newspaper (not too bad) but nothing worked until I lucked out on the absorbants, they seem to hold the paint better than the other experiments.

Looks like I will have to have a try at posting photographs. Can't be that hard. We shall see.

Let's see if this works

Twice?

It works!

That's an absolutely beautiful job but you have the steering wheel on the wrong side. Did you move the steering wheel or did you develope the photo backwards?

Again, great looking job!

Looks GREAT, Terry! Nice job! Thanks for the pictures!

Great job Terry

From what I hear it takes a lot of practice, some talent and a we-bit-o-luck.

Here's a 41 dash. The photo was taken late in the day so it appears a little darker than it really is. Oops, sorry, image can not be loaded...read the instructions....reread the instructions...pondered...reread the instructions....said "oh well.

Enjoy,
Michael41

Thanks for that. It didn't take much practice. talent, well I do have a degree in fine art so that may have helped a little but only a little. Luck is in there too. It really isn't difficult particularly the window surrounds which are small sections and you don't tend to gaze at them like the dash. Actually the colour in the dash photo is wrong, somewhat garish. The back seat photo is a lot better.
Re the steering wheel well that's always a big discussion.I am completely deaf in the right ear so when I drive in the USA I don't hear a word my wife says.