Wood panels? What did you do?

[fredguaz]

Nice work, roller.
Nice bike too. What year? My previous project was 1977 triumph Bonnie 750.
Can you describe finishing process used. How many coats? Boston Polish?? How to prevent chipping. Stain used if any?
Thanks.

[RRoller123]

The bike was a 1970 Honda 350 that I never got around to so I sold it last year...

The advantage of spar varnish is that it never really hardens, they add less hardener/catalyzer to the formula so it stays a little flexible, which is needed for the extreme expansion/contraction in a marine environment. This works well in an automotive environment too, which is just about as harsh, minus all that constant salt.

So I put on NO STAIN, I hate stain with a passion, almost never use it in my business unless forced to by the customer (http://www.lenkwoodworking.com). A few coats of spar varnish (2-3 is plenty), allowed to dry for a LONG time (days) between layers, and then very lightly sanded, just for adhesion. You can thin the first layer slightly to get it to soak in if you have a porous veneer. The last layer needs to be allowed to dry for many days before you attempt to put on a top coat. I eventually sanded it out with 220 and applied Boston Polish, which is just another wax. You can put on the BP with 220 grit or higher paper and it will level out all the little nubs. This is one of those cabinetmaker tricks that they don't tell you. Don't worry about the nubs too much, we just polish them out with the wax at the end and the dash is as smooth as a newborn's bottom.

Chipping can be avoided if you have 100% glue coverage of the veneer, right out to every edge, and if you sand very slowly and carefully up to the edge of the substrate. It is not that hard, just go slowly and cautiously or you will be doing the whole thing over again....

[MrJD]

ok peeps, here is the story. I experimented with multiple clear coat, varnish, and shellac based products over my laminated interior bits. None of them game me a finish worth anything, and most just flaked off. In the end, I broke out some old english scratch remover we use on our antique furniture. ONE application and it makes the wood look Amazing. There were even spots that were white with oxidation, and this stuff brought it all back to life. Considering how cheap this stuff is... if you have laminated wood like me, you should be getting a bottle of this stuff tomorrow. I'm very impressed. Hard to represent how much better it looks with flash pictures... but you get the point.

top = coated. bottom = nothing

[SoFlaFiat]

Pete, your dash looks amazing!! Madrone is beautiful stuff!!
Nice work!

[RRoller123]

Oh thanks, man. I chose it somewhat because it was the factory burl for the Pantera that a friend of mine has, and I thought that was a pretty good pedigree to associate with.

I can't more highly recommend veneersupplies.com. You get a pic of the ACTUAL veneer lot that you are buying, i.e. numbered, photographed, documented lots, with dimensions, at regular prices. Priceless. (I have no relationship w/ them other than customer)

[SoFlaFiat]

For anyone wishing to veneer over our plasiwood dash panels... I did a few tests last week and the only one that worked perfectly was West System Epoxy, available online or at your local boat stuff supplier.
I tried it with and without fillers and surprisingly it worked best with no filler. Typically when gluing wood with epoxy one is meant to add microfibers.
With the veneer glued down, you can put a coat of West System Special Coating Epoxy over the veneer. This is used in situations where we want to varnish or clear coat veneer or hardwood. I have used this many times on boat for all sorts of varnished areas. One coat not only seals the veneer very well but looks like 10 coats of varnish right from the start.

Oh thanks, man. I chose it somewhat because it was the factory burl for the Pantera that a friend of mine has, and I thought that was a pretty good pedigree to associate with.

I can't more highly recommend veneersupplies.com. You get a pic of the ACTUAL veneer lot that you are buying, i.e. numbered, photographed, documented lots, with dimensions, at regular prices. Priceless. (I have no relationship w/ them other than customer)

Plus 1 on veneer supplies!! Great company to work with.

[SoFlaFiat]

Forgot, I roughed up the plastiwood with 80grit on a da sander. Wipe it and the back of the veneer with acetone before glueing.