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Machine Turned Dashboard

17 Aug 2007, 7:47am
I have reached the stage where I need to organize the dashboad and I would like to use a machine turned finish as in these pictures http://www.msportster.co.uk/data/st06-015.jpg or http://www.msportster.co.uk/data/st06-021.jpg (courtesy of Patrick's website). Does anyone known the contact details for the owners of these cars or where I can get this type of material? Europa sell an machine turned alluminium dash but I can't help thinking alluminium is not the best material - it should be stainless steel.

Cheers

Robin
17 Aug 2007, 11:20am
Could you buy a sheet of stainless and do the turning yourself maybe? Not sure what attachment on a drill would be right, maybe a small sanding disk.
17 Aug 2007, 11:40am
I think you can DIY if you have the right tool - I think they use some sort of special sanding drum. But - this is one job I don't want to try myself!

Robin
17 Aug 2007, 11:50am
I got a big piece of ali from http://www.metalsupermarkets.com/ - their Southampton store. Perhaps they might have turned stuff on the shelf, if not they may know where to get it.
18 Aug 2007, 8:33am
I could of sworn I'd seen loads of places that do this. But as soon as you start looking, they all scuttle away! The only place I could find after an hour of googling was this:

http://www.jamespearce.uk.com/engine.html

Looks good though - I think you'd have to contact them for prices.
18 Aug 2007, 6:16pm
GreatOldOne wrote:
I could of sworn I'd seen loads of places that do this. But as soon as you start looking, they all scuttle away! The only place I could find after an hour of googling was this:

http://www.jamespearce.uk.com/engine.html

Looks good though - I think you'd have to contact them for prices.


Looks just the job - I will contact them next week.

Cheers

Robin
19 Aug 2007, 10:15am
I'm sure I've seen one advertised by Marlin somewhere. May be worth asking them.

Alfie.
20 Aug 2007, 7:11pm
I had a chat with the guy at James Pearce. Interesting....

He doesn't recommend stainless for the dash as:
A. It is to bright (not good when the sun shines off it)
B. It is almost impossible to cut to shape unless you happen to have a laser cutter handy.

Ally is fine as long as:
A. You back it with some ply to give it a bit of strength
B. You wax it to stop it oxidising - apparently this is much better than laquer which tends to peel off

And finally - from him a turned alloy blank 36" by 8" is about £100 plus carriage plus VAT - not too bad I suppose. A lot nicer looking than the Europa offering - but then it is 3 times as expensive.

Robin