41 dash woodgraining as Henry did it

[mrtexas]

More progress on 51 dash wall hanger I worked on today, light walnut on top and figured maple on the bottom. Probably not the right colors but it is only a wall hanger and I had the materials left over. It does require some experimentation. If I don't like how that roll of grain looks I just wipe the grain off the base coat and try again. As I have done 4 dashes now sometimes I can't get it perfect but trying again won't improve the look!
Next step is toner, another ink. You let the grain ink dry a few days and then spray with a clear "hold down" coat. You rub on the toner and it makes the grain look "richer." Then the final clear coat over everything. These pictures are before hold down and clear coat. On my first dash I didn't use toner and it looked great anyway.



Here is a 49 dash I worked on today.



This 41 dash is the 2nd dash I have done using grainit system from Florida. It is pretty easy. You put ink on the grain plate, wipe it off with a knife, and roll it on to the soft roller. Then you run the roller over the dash to transfer the grain. Same way Henry did it. Last is spraying with clear coat. The 49 dash was birds eye maple. This 41 dash is light walnut. I liked the deluxe colored dash better than the very dark super deluxe dash which is almost black dark walnut. Basic kit is $449. I had to buy a second plate, (straight grain), light walnut base coat and ink. The base coat is in a spray can. You can also use a specific Dupont base coat but the spray can isn't any more expensive. I'm an amature grainer. My amature job which is pretty good cost me $60 for base, $30 for ink, and $125 for the grain plate. Note the dark smudge near the clock will be covered up. I think it does a better job than I would using freehand graining with a brush, crumpled paper etc. I already had the roller($149), cleaner spray($10), lock down coat spray($20), and squeegee($30). If I were to send off to grainit I'm sure I'd get a better job but at a cost of $2,000+. Water transfer graining done by specialists is also an option which I used on my 36 which would cost around what the basic kit costs.Water transfer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naf8D86YyCM

[jagnweiner]

Mr Texas,

You've piqued my interest, because I'd like to do this myself. I assume you have to make multiple passes to cover the surface and get the entire contour. Is there any difficulty getting the grain to line up and look ok? Looks great. Have you put the clear coat on yet?

[mrtexas]

Grain is random enough as to not require much lining up. This was done with several passes.Sometimes you blend with a small brush. No clear yet. There is still one more step before that with toning ink after the graining ink dries. On the birdseye maple I didn't use the toning ink.



Here is my 51 woodie dash I bought cheap for a wall hanger. I used left over maple and light walnut paint. Picture is base coated but before graining. Colors not quite factory but close enough. Note the filled in radio opening. It came with an ugly square hole.

[JSeery]

That does look nice!

[jagnweiner]

Looks great! Keep showing the progress.

[flatjack9]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

I did the dash in my 36 roadster with a Grainit kit.

[1931 flamingo]

I'll send you my tudors (31) to do..........................

Your's look very nice ! !
Paul in CT

[mrtexas]

Originally Posted by flatjack9

I did the dash in my 36 roadster with a Grainit kit.

I sent my 36 dash out and had it hydro dipped. Roadsters didn't have a water fall?

[deuce_roadster]

I too have used the Grain-it system and it is pretty easy and fun. I did mine outside because cleaning the water base ink off the roller each pass can be messy.

[flatjack9]

No waterfall.

[flatjack9]

Originally Posted by deuce_roadster

I too have used the Grain-it system and it is pretty easy and fun. I did mine outside because cleaning the water base ink off the roller each pass can be messy.

I just rolled the roller over some newspaper between passes. Didn't really clean it at all.

[mrtexas]

Originally Posted by deuce_roadster

I too have used the Grain-it system and it is pretty easy and fun. I did mine outside because cleaning the water base ink off the roller each pass can be messy.

I rolled it on brown paper used for paint masking.

[RalphM]

Nice work, makes me want to wood brain my 35 dash. Even though they weren't that way originally.

[Kpar]

Not the way Henry did it but the way my dad did it back in the 40's.
I only wish i had some photos of the one i done on a car I restored in the 90's,(not a ford)
The procedure was.
1. Prepare Dash & paint with yellow lacquer.
2. (this will get a laugh) Open a bottle of beer any brand & pour into a dish
and leave in sun for a day or so.
3. Purchase a bottle of "Burnt Umber Powdered Paint" from craft shop.
4 Mix Powdered Paint and cooled flat beer to desired thickness
5. Brush mix over yellow dash (do not sand dash first) experiment with different brush strokes until satisfied and allow to dry. Do not touch after its dry.
6. Spray with a couple of coats of clear. you can also tint the clear with a bit of red to give a red cedar look.
This was called "A Beer Stain Dash" and apparently was popular in paint shops in the 40's. The only difference was the top coat they used was shellac.
After that it is now time for a beer or two.

[flathead48]

46-48 Ford In Maple, same grain was used in Mercurys with different color, done with Grain it .

[mrtexas]

Originally Posted by flathead48

46-48 Ford In Maple, same grain was used in Mercurys with different color, done with Grain it .

I used same color for my 49 but used a fiddleback wood grain rather than straight grain.

[FlatheadTed]

Mr Texas Is the grain in picture 5 the straight grain ,its a nice job I have that plate but have not used it yet .Ted

[mrtexas]

Originally Posted by FlatheadTed

Mr Texas Is the grain in picture 5 the straight grain ,its a nice job I have that plate but have not used it yet .Ted

Yes, straight grain

[Fibber Mcgee]

I want to do the same as your 41 on my 41 deluxe. Looking on the grain it site they dont have a light walnut but they have a light brown. Exactly what would i order to match yours?

[mrtexas]

You may as well order the base coat from Grainit for $30 a can. The first dash I did I bought the $150 a quart Dupont base coat which didn't save money vs the cans.

Here is what I asked:
I like the looks of this 41 dash. The one that came with my 41 has
very dark woodgraining. Could you recommend a basecoat color and ink color for this dash please?

41 book Deluxe dash


Here is the reply:
Phillip,

Yes, you are right most 41 Deluxe woodgrain is a very dark brown (GBC-DB4)
The woodgrain in your photo looks very nice.The 41 Standard was similar.
I would recommend GBC-LB1 for the base coat and Light brown walnut graining and toning compounds.

Evan

What I got says light walnut. I used the straight grain plate

[

However it is darker than the picture he sent me of it which is OK with me. I didn't want the very dark almost black dash that is for a Super Deluxe. I wanted something lighter.

"Deluxe(really Super Deluxe) in Oriental Wood with Dark Brown Walnut color."


"Standard(really Deluxe as there was no standard, there was a Special) in Strait Grain and Light Brown Walnut color."

[32phil]

mrtexas This is great! I'm fascinated by it. I have several old dashes that I collected over the years. HHMMMMM???
OK...I can't look at this post anymore. This is EXACTLY how I got started working on EV8 locks. Just foolin' around (about 20 yrs ago)...wanted to see if I could make a few keys. ..THEN I did some for friends....and Then well you know the rest of the story.
Where did you say you got the Grainit kit?

[mrtexas]

Originally Posted by 32phil

mrtexas This is great! I'm fascinated by it. I have several old dashes that I collected over the years. HHMMMMM???
OK...I can't look at this post anymore. This is EXACTLY how I got started working on EV8 locks. Just foolin' around (about 20 yrs ago)...wanted to see if I could make a few keys. ..THEN I did some for friends....and Then well you know the rest of the story.
Where did you say you got the Grainit kit?

From woodgraining.com. It is not cheap, but is cheaper and better than the alternatives.

Most expensive graining on a dash is have grainit it do it for you $2,000

In the middle and not much more than buy the grainit kit is having a hydro-dipping water transfer outfit do it $400-500

Buy a grainit kit and do it yourself $300-400 for one dash

Cheapest is graining with paint brushes/crumpled up newspaper etc. I am not confident enough for this and didn't want the trial and error of this method. I didn't like the graining I saw done by this method by an acquaintance.

I don't expect I'd do it for someone else, I might loan the tools out to a trusted friend. People are too picky. I don't have enough experience to do a perfect job, just one that pleases myself.

[jagnweiner]

Mr Texas, you've got me hooked. My son asked me yesterday what I wanted for Christmas and I said "woodgraining tools."