[fbody_mike]

So I have tried a few times to get a defog plate that properly matches the light brown wood grain of my 72s dash bezel and always end up with the later one with a red tint. So I picked up a not so good dash bezel that matches my current bezel so that I can try to cut one out. The one I bought has some rust damage and was bent on one corner so I do not have any guilt about sacrificing it.
Any one got ideas on how to do this and not cause the laminated wood to lift?
I was planning to use one of my existing plates to scribe the outline onto the sacrificial bezel, then use tin snips to trim the outside edges, but the rectangular cutout for the defog switch will be harder since it has rounded corners, maybe a properly sized drill bit to make each corner, then a dremel with a cut-off wheel at slow speed to make the straight lines?

[Formulabruce]

TAPE the top surface you plan to cut. Cut from the wood grain side ( top)
use quality 3m body tape that sticks, but rips.
I may have a spare 72 single switch bezel. I will look.
This picture, if taken with a flash will look different. Also most cell phone cameras add HDR to pics adding deeper, richer tones.

[fbody_mike]

I will put some good tape down, and I was planning on cutting from the exposed metal side, so I will change that idea to cut on the wood side. Thanks for the tips.
I am guessing the side you cut on is similar to cutting with a table saw or circular saw where you want the risk of chip-out on the hidden side if possible?

[Ramairnacho]

Originally Posted by fbody_mike

I will put some good tape down, and I was planning on cutting from the exposed metal side, so I will change that idea to cut on the wood side. Thanks for the tips.
I am guessing the side you cut on is similar to cutting with a table saw or circular saw where you want the risk of chip-out on the hidden side if possible?

I'm Ignacio.
I have a simular problem but for $20 you get a Trans am plate and I bet Randy who restores dashes has the correct woos grain sticker film. So remove trans am sticker and install new wood grain sticker. Carefully cut the slotted hole lacquer coating you're done. Hear is a pic of original. I believe the default plates or stamped cut with a die that's the only other way of getting a clean cut. I'm curious to see how yours turns out. Might want to ask.local machine shop with press punch , hydroelectric punch and die

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by fbody_mike

I will put some good tape down, and I was planning on cutting from the exposed metal side, so I will change that idea to cut on the wood side. Thanks for the tips.
I am guessing the side you cut on is similar to cutting with a table saw or circular saw where you want the risk of chip-out on the hidden side if possible?

Tape will help on the wood side. Use a super fine jig saw on the outside and
drill a hole after in the plate in middle of where switch will be.
Then use a air saw and cut an x, but not all the way into corners.
make more diagonal cuts till you have room for a fine dremel in the corners
once corners are made, use air saw to cut the straight sides.
This will be tedious work.
A new wood "sticker" might be nice, but would it match.
what did you think of the one above?

[fbody_mike]

The ones above to my eye on the screen look closer to my 74's bezel than my 72's. I agree in pictures it is hard to tell, but when they contrast on the dash board it sticks out like a sore thumb. It got worse when I went back from the formula wheel to the deluxe wheel with woodgrain center.

If a new sticker was available that would be good as I have a few non-matching ones that I could recover and use, but I figured I would have to redo everything to make it match and I did not want to do that.

I also thought about asking the fellas at work to either use the water-jet or cnc mill to cut it out, but at my work that is a big favor as all work is monitored. Plus I'd have to digitize the plate.

[Ramairnacho]

Originally Posted by Ramairnacho

I'm Ignacio.
I have a simular problem but for $20 you get a Trans am plate and I bet Randy who restores dashes has the correct woos grain sticker film. So remove trans am sticker and install new wood grain sticker. Carefully cut the slotted hole lacquer coating you're done. Hear is a pic of original. I believe the default plates or stamped cut with a die that's the only other way of getting a clean cut. I'm curious to see how yours turns out. Might want to ask.local machine shop with press punch , hydroelectric punch and die

Mine is a factory 1970 plate

[fbody_mike]

I think the 70 through 72 were all the same shade so it should be the color I am looking for, but the camera can trick me.

[fbody_mike]

Here is a Pic of what I'm currently working with. The other bezel is at UPS so I'm still waiting.
I know my switch is crooked but it looks all wacky in the photo. Something else to fix.

[Ramairnacho]

Originally Posted by fbody_mike

Here is a Pic of what I'm currently working with. The other bezel is at UPS so I'm still waiting.
I know my switch is crooked but it looks all wacky in the photo. Something else to fix.

Looks good you can straighten a little just make plate holes little bigger and give you more wiggle room. Good job. Did you Dremel it stamp it tell us your secret

[fbody_mike]

Sorry for the confusion. This is all factory parts I haven't fabricated anything yet. I was just trying to show the color difference in the woodgrain.
I probably won't get to making the plate until next week since UPS is still moving the part.

[Ramairnacho]

Originally Posted by fbody_mike

Sorry for the confusion. This is all factory parts I haven't fabricated anything yet. I was just trying to show the color difference in the woodgrain.
I probably won't get to making the plate until next week since UPS is still moving the part.

What year is your factory plate?

[fbody_mike]

The current defog plate is a mystery but it looks just like my 74. Another I got that was supposed to come off of a 72 also looks the same.

[Formulabruce]

Dont expect the grains to "line up" Here is a '72 switch set. Doesnt have the "white-ish" looking wood either.

[fbody_mike]

It is sort of a blessing that the grain will not line up as I will be taking the donor material from a different area. I think I will be good as long I keep them parallel.

[Green Hornet]

70 wood grain...is just a tad lighter than 71-72...

IIRC...Randy Combs does not work on wood grain bezels..

About 15 years ago....we converted a non-rally gauge wood grain bezel to accept fuel volt gauges and used a holesaw at slow speed...with plenty of coolant..

Also attempted to cutout the recess for switches....with a zipcut....and it melted the wood grain.....so you might want to practice on something first.....

[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by fbody_mike

I think the 70 through 72 were all the same shade so it should be the color I am looking for, but the camera can trick me.

I had long believed that the first three model years of second gen Firebirds, each had different woodgrain;
I had hoped to collect all the different woodgrain patterns as a collection, but nearly gave up when I started seeing what most people are asking for these of late;
I was in the end partially by luck, able to collect what I believe to be all the different patterns.



Top to bottom:
1970
1971
1972
1973-1975
1976-1978
1979-1981

The picture does mute the difference some, but I assure you that the top three are different.
1972 is the darkest of the first three.
I believe that starting with 1973, the dash insert woodgrain pattern/type went on a three model year rotation.
In most instances, these have been pulled from unmodified vehicles;
The key in my mind are the 1975 (covered by the 73/74 insert) and 1976 inserts, both were from painfully original Esprit models.

It sounds like a good project - if you figure out a way to do this, you can probably make extras and sell them.

[fbody_mike]

That's a nice collection!

Well this is attempt number one. I can confirm that the woodgrain will lift very easy with any kind of heat. You can not use even a slow dremel or the woodgrain will peel at the cut.
I ended up taping it up to protect the finish and mark the outline. Then using tin snips to cut the plate out. I then used a small hole saw in the center of the switch cutout to start the hole. Lesson learned is to not get a hole saw that gets within an 1/8 of an inch to the final edge. This will lesson the risk of peeling of the final edge and you don't have to worry about centering the drill as much. Also go very slow and take little breaks to allow it to cool.
Then it is just file work with a round and flat file until your marks on the tape are all gone. This metal files easily so you can make quick work of it.
My 2nd attempts usually come out better so I may make another but I think I may be happy with this one.

Top one is the copy and bottom is the original. The color is much closer to my dash.

[burd]

What about having the guy who repro’s the bezels try stamping one from a scrap of matching wood grain?

[fbody_mike]

I didn't think who ever was pressing out the engine turned ones was in the US. I figured it was OER or something.

I think it turned out OK. I straightened the switch while I was in there.