Removable dash?

[Bill Cleveland]

Gee, no comments? Frank

Well . . . looks like Gail is gonna be steamin' when she sees how you've used her nice Velentine's place mats!

[frank_a]

Looks like my 4-5/8 wood hole saw (one tooth kind) will work on the aluminum. Didn't try it on my 1/8 dash, tried it on a 3/16 piece of aluminum bolted to a piece of 1/2" plywood, and clamped the wood to the drill press table. Keep the hole saw oiled, makes a lot of chips, makes terrible noise, but seems to work okay.

4-5/8 for my two gauges, and I have a bi-metal 3-1/2" hole saw for the dash speakers. Have drill bits for everything else. Figured while I was waiting for my Cratex stick (supposed to be here yesterday, now maybe tomorrow), I'd do all the cutting I needed. The other thing is the grid I already laid out helps with lining everything up for precise locations.

[mike wade]

Your grid lines are much better than what I do....get after it...….

[frank_a]

As it turns out Mike, time is my asset in retirement!

[frank_a]

Dash holes came out great. Two for gauges, and two on ends for speakers. Everything else is easy, but I'm holding off on the Cratex stick till I figure some things out with my drill press. Too tired right now to try.

[mike wade]

Frank sure wish that you would have waited until after you did the engine turning to put them holes in the dash. …….I have always had problems unless I did the whole sheet before I drilled any holes. Good Luck I sure hope I am wrong.....

[frank_a]

Well Mike, it's a cratex stick. I've seen videos with folks using these 1/2" sticks in things with large holes (like mine) already drilled. Hey, I'm working blind here!

[frank_a]

So far, so good. What holds me up is my right shoulder using the drill press. For a first attempt, not too bad, and no problem engine turning around the holes I drilled!

[frank_a]

Should have cut the dash out before I started. Got all done with the engine turning, looked great. Until I used my jig saw to cut out the bottom. Even though I taped the bottom to avoid scratches, scratched the heck out of the edges. Tried to clean it up, but did not work well, in part because the Cratex slipped up into the drill press and I made big scratches with it. Now it looks like crap.

Oh well, nothing like spending hours on something, and having it screwed up. Ever feel like just giving up?

[frank_a]

Sanded it. Done. Some of the circle are a bit lighter, some are a little darker. Oh well, still looks good.