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Wood grain


peecher

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Guest bofusmosby

I have seen wood-graining kits at some of the home centers, but the end result looks totally different than my 37 Pontiac. I too would like to re-do mine in places, but I haven't figured out a way to duplicate the wood-graining efect from 1937.

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Guest bofusmosby

David

Great link! They make it look so easy. I guess if a person has the money, then a good job could be had.

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There are all kinds of ways to woodgrain you antique car parts. It was originally done with grain rollers and was quite an art. Those methods are still used for high dollar restorations and real high point cars. Watch the Antique Automobile or Hemming's Motor News for ads.

I use an ink and press wash method to do it myself. Then I clear coat my work

and have lots of money left over to go out and drive and enjoy my cars.

If you would like me to email you a copy of my one page instruction page for "Woodgraining Made Easy", email me and I'll send it. Then when you are done and love you own woodgrain, after you saved a bundle, mail me money for a six pack.

I've done about a dozen cars including the removable side panels of a Packard Station Wagon and taught everybody else who was interested to enjoy their own woodgraining. Remember a sedan may have as many as 15 pieces if you do all the window moldings, dash, glove box, windshield and interior door trim.

If you send it out it will be expensive, if you do it youself it will all match and you'll get tremendous satisfaction. The cost is mainly your own labor. Once you've prepared them to paint, the choice is PAY or PLAY.

Paul

PaulDobbin@aol.com

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 years later...

I didn't bother using a kit, I selected my base coat color based on what I wanted (mahogany) and used printers ink (a very black paste type of ink) and a cheesecloth to make the swirls to resemble the burl and grains in the wood. If you goof, you can wipe clean and try again. After drying, applied clear coat over the entire assembly (polish as normal) and looks fabulous. Wear disposible gloves, printers ink is not forgiving in staining your hands & fingers.

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I had good results with the Grain it kit when i did it. Best part was if you screwed up you could wipe it off and start over.The new kit within the last 2 years has a stain that you use to help you blend in the light and dark areas. You can see a few prominent dark areas in my dash but honestly it makes it look more realistic. Working with real wood you get areas that take stain better than other and consequently get darker than the others. Ironically the darkest spot right above the gauge cluster was in the middle of a roll not at the edge. The extreme curve on the top was a bit tricky and took more than one attempt. post-43003-143141731023_thumb.jpg

post-43003-143141731016_thumb.jpg

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I didn't bother using a kit, I selected my base coat color based on what I wanted (mahogany) and used printers ink (a very black paste type of ink) and a cheesecloth to make the swirls to resemble the burl and grains in the wood. If you goof, you can wipe clean and try again. After drying, applied clear coat over the entire assembly (polish as normal) and looks fabulous. Wear disposible gloves, printers ink is not forgiving in staining your hands & fingers.

Did the same thing. My car is supposed to have a burled walnut look and that is fairly easy to do with cheesecloth. For the longer grained patterns I'm not as sure that a non-artist novice like me could have done a reasonable job.

Nice thing about the rubber based printer's ink I used is the solvent ("press wash") for that doesn't affect paint. So I could wipe off the ink and start over as many times as needed until I got something I was satisfied with. Took a long time to air dry (days) before it was ready for a clear coat on top.

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