[Texas Tom]

I decided to use a kit from Grain-It-Technologies to apply woodgrain to the dash and window moldings of the 1930 Town Sedan that I'm restoring.

I think the 'factory-correct' Model A woodgrain pattern looks great. But for this car I decided I wanted something a bit more stylish, so I chose a burl pattern rather than the traditional horizontal pattern used in Model A's.

I had never before tried woodgraining, so I was prepared for 'so-so' results. The pieces turned out better than I had expected...and not too shabby for a first-timer. Attached are photos of the dash piece. It will look better after it's clear-coated, wet-sanded and buffed.

Using the kit is fairly easy and the work goes quickly. But practice using the roller is time well spent!

The only downside of using the Grain-It system is that drying time is extensive. Even with daily high temperatures in my garage of 90+ degrees, it took about a week for the ink (the graining pattern) to fully dry.

I know there are many ways to apply woodgrain. There's even a water-transfer process available today. (It's the same system used for several years to apply camouflage to guns, bows, and other hunting gear.) And there are commercial woodgrainers who I'm sure do an excellent job.

I have absolutely no connection with Grain-It other than being a one-time customer. If you're planning a woodgraining project, you may wish to consider their system. They offer a dozen or so patterns, including the factory-correct Model A pattern.