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Walnut veneer for the dash, Look what I found!

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Jerry said:
https://www.jpplus.com/ipi-woods-gl...xxcVTdW9SScB3Zjq9IXCNRfSN_7dhdbkaAguAEALw_wcB

this is actually a plastic. Has anyone ever seen this? I wonder what it looks like and how well it holds up. Sure would simplify the resin finish.

Jerry
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Hi Jerry,

Sorry, but there is nothing like maintaining a certain level of quality that came with the car, IMHO. I took the pain of preserving my natural wood veneer and yes, I even deviated the preservation process by using an epoxy resin instead of the stock varnish (or was it shellac?) applied as stock from the factory.

I was forced to strip down the existing wood finish, repress all raised checked wood areas, then applied the resin finish to my dash about 7 years ago. It still holds up as nice as the day I did it. No regrets there and I still have the original wood veneer to appreciate.

Using plastic to take the place of real wood...Its like correlating the thought of adoring rhinestones and glass over diamonds and emeralds, IMHO.

Paul
 

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The material is not UV stable, nor is it suitable for outdoor weather. Why consider it?
 
One can't compare the fake wood finishes to the real thing. The lack of quality will be evident to anyone that knows what to look for. I would not consider it for a car as nice as a BJ8.
 
Gliderman8 said:
The material is not UV stable, nor is it suitable for outdoor weather. Why consider it?
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That's a killer right there.

If you need to replace the wood veneer, it reel wood veneer can be bought. As long as it's not too exotic, the price is reasonable.
 
John Turney said:
That's a killer right there.

If you need to replace the wood veneer, it reel wood veneer can be bought. As long as it's not too exotic, the price is reasonable.
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That is true John ,:
However the problem is not obtaining a wood veneer it is properly finishing it to look professional.

I have done many it is a bugger of a job.
 
I think always real wood over anything. Mine is a Mahogany the coating all chipped cracked etc. I took off the rest to all bear wood and like a sail boat used oil for years. What it did do is fade so I striped clean and put many coats of clear what ever and it look great years latter. If it can be built it can be built out of wood think Spruce Goose On amazing air plane .. If you want fake by a knockoff kit car! Madflyer
 
Hey, I was looking for wood veneer, and I will use real wood. I just thought the plastic stuff looked pretty good on the website..
Jerry
 
blueskies said:
One can't compare the fake wood finishes to the real thing. The lack of quality will be evident to anyone that knows what to look for. I would not consider it for a car as nice as a BJ8.
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I will agree 100%:

How ever
:
There was a young fella up there in your country a few years ago making replacement veneered wooden dash board for the BJ8 , he was very good , his product was accurate and affordable.
 
Keoke said:
I will agree 100%:

How ever
:
There was a young fella up there in your country a few years ago making replacement veneered wooden dash board for the BJ8 , he was very good , his product was accurate and affordable.
Click to expand...

Good to know there is somebody out there that can make accurate replacements. However, in my case, before I decided to refurbish my wood veneer dash, I figured I would try purchasing a replacement offered some years ago on line and to just be done with it. The technique using and applying epoxy resin was the same as what I later ended up doing myself and the quality wood veneer used was exceptional. In fact, much better than mine.

Still and with reluctance, I felt it necessary to return it only because the gap spacing between the glove box door and its wood veneer surround was left greater than what was existing on mine. It would of been enough of an eye sore after reattaching the metal hinge hardware to see that all sides would no longer be equidistant to each other (or that is to say, the upper gap spacing would of appeared much larger than the lower). Of course, I could of possibly modified the hardware to compensate the gap difference. But then how would the hardware design look? I suppose there are always different ways to skin a cactus plant (I'm animal friendly, mind you).

So, my moral of this story is (and just my opinion, of course), if you can reuse what is original and that which would remain visible to the eye, then I suggest working with it. But if you are not the purist type as I try to be, then such a compromise is acceptable. But just be aware you may not always get exactly what you want or expect.

My two cents.

Paul
 
Bob_Spidell said:
I'd have to give that a thought if I was going to re-do my BJ8's dash. I wonder why they call it 'engraving plastic?'
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Hi Bob,
I looked it up and it means the sheet has two color layers that contrast. A cap (the walnut in this case) and a core color. So for a trophy, cutting a name into the walnut would reveal the underlying color to make the name "pop". The particular sheet that Jerry linked to has a core color of white. That white would be visible along the edge of the door and surround of the glove box.
 
Thanks, Greg. I have been thoroughly disabused of the idea to use it on a Healey fascia. My BJ8's is getting a little rough, but there are more important things need fixing. I've seen solid walnut ones, but it would show up the rest of my car ;)
 
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