US source for S2 dash? (Looks like it will be Me!)

[SwiftDB4]

A dashboard isn't so expensive that it makes sense to buy special equipment to make one or two dashboards.  OTOH, if you're planning to go into the dashboard production business then you'll need to be able to finish/varnish the dashboards to a professional standard, and I reckon that is the expensive part of the operation.  Cutting 'em out is easy by comparison.

Agree, don't make it more difficult than it needs to be. Plenty of other tasks you're working on.

[Richard48Y]

Dash production with choice of veneer is my thought.
I will do my Birdseye and a Rosewood as practice.
Looking like I will buy one dash for the red car that I am in a big hurry to finish.
Hard to choose, Burl or Strait.
The car is very original for the most part and I think strait grain may be more durable so that is my plan.

[BDA]

Now that Prestige Autowood is no longer in business, a source in the US for good reasonably priced wood dashes would be a very good thing!

One of the things that the owner of Prestige Autowood sold me on was finishing all sides and edges so humidity could not seep into the plywood. I hope you'll follow suit.

[Richard48Y]

$2,500 CASH 30x60 CNC Router is a very good deal.
But would leave me flat broke right now.
Dashes are pretty simple flat parts so my own CAD skills should be enough.
I wonder where the Prestige files went?

[Richard48Y]

Ugh, dollar is in the basement for value.
£327 = £440 with shipping, $583 by the time it gets here.
Then add the money transfer fee's.
So over $600.
Definitely an opportunity for a small US business.
Not high volume but if other dashes could be found to be done, and it was not an only income, it should work.
I am giving pause to the UK purchase while I think it over.
I can complete the Rosewood dash rebuild at only about $100.

[Richard48Y]

A UK Dash is a little over $600 at the current exchange rate.
So I would think that US made at around $400 should have a fair market?
Particularly with a wide variety of available veneer.
It is only 1.5D CAD so I can handle it on my own.
I am trying to get a 30" x 60" CNC router to do them with.
I could get a pin router and make patterns on the CNC Mill, but at 2,000 Lb. pin routers are not simple to move around. 3 Ph. power too.

[314159td]

If anybody has a CAD model kicking around already, I run a 5x10' router occasionally (ya know, government work) and can definitely crank out a few of these as blanks to be veneered. There's also the family cabinet shop for veneering but that's decently overworked already.

I've been meaning to do this for my S1B in aluminum, but mistakes get expensive there and I wanted to validate the CAD dimensions first. I don't have a way to dimensionally validate S2 dashes.

Seems simple enough, shipping will always be an issue.

I have a 1m^2 CNC router in my garage that's been great for door cards and smaller stuff, but no full-size dashboards fitting on that.

[gideon]

Moss Motors sells both finished and unfinished dashboards for a few models.  There is a big difference in price.  For example, this dashboard for an MG TD is $150 for an unfinished version and $590 for the finished version.  The money is in the finishing, not so much in the cutting. 

https://mossmotors.com/233-540-dashboard-plywood-lhd
https://mossmotors.com/233-665-walnut-dash-finished-veneer-lhd

If you have a drawing you could get a few blanks cut by an online service like sendcutsend, if you think baltic birch is good enough.  Their pricing is hard to beat.  You could order the first one in hardboard to check the dimensions.

https://sendcutsend.com/materials/baltic-birch-plywood/

[gideon]

So, to check if I'm talking sense I uploaded Dan Morrison's S2 dash drawing (from groups.io files) to SendCutSend - had to edit it to get a closed drawing, lost a few features because I'm in a hurry, and I had to cut a bit off either end to fit in the 44 inch instant quote size range, but here's what that looks like.  Ok, the drawing needs more work, and it'll have to be a custom quote for the full 46 inch width, but hopefully you get the picture. 

It needs someone to fix and check the drawing. After that it's just veneer and varnish (ha!).  Also, if you want one in 6061, then that's an option too.

[GavinT]

Interesting quote from SendCutSend, Gideon.

Baltic birch would likely be more spendy but if you could get 10 cut for around ~$60 each, that'd be hard to beat in terms of a low volume production business case.

[Richard48Y]

This evening I was gifted an undersize CNC Router.
After minor repair it will be able to cut half of two dash's at a time.
Then reverse to do the other half.
So one way or another I do plan to follow up on this.
If I can get access to the Group IO file I should be able to edit anything that is missing.
From there I would also hope to do TC, Elan, and others.

[TurboFource]

I traced my Twin Cam dash before I put the gauges, binnacle etc. in it.
I could make a copy of it if that is helpful

[Richard48Y]

I do not see a TC file anywhere.
I expect that they are "Mostly" the samer perimeter?
I have access to a 4'x8' CNC router locally but no quote yet.
I expect I would earn my money on the lamination and finishing.
Probably a month before I can get to this but if I'm having one cut I may as well do eight.

[MAK]

I have a 72 Twin Cam dash - veneer mostly all off hanging in my garage along with 2 long pcs of chestnut veneer. You are welcome to them; shipping would be the issue.  Let me know and I'll take pictures and measurements.
I was going to make another dash with a glove box door - my winter project. I don't like the open glove box. I am putting this off till I get some of the mechanical stuff sorted. 

[Richard48Y]

I wonder if the veneer is still pliable enough to be rolled for shipping?
Dash is short and light enough to not be an issue with UPS.
Not sure of cost but as a flat piece it should not be too bad.
PM details and I will try to get a quote.