Woodwork, do you hate it?

[Mish_Mish]

After careful consideration and due to multiple reasons (mostly money), I have decided to tend to my wood personally.
I had some screwdriver damage and age related cracking on the center console pieces.

Step one and two are done:

- sanding down and stripping the original coating (as much and as thin as possible) was not easy. Material MB used is extremely durable and does not dissolve. I tried to not run through the veneer with sandpaper but ended up with couple of little nicks that I had to touch up.
- applying epoxy new coating, at the local woodwork store, I picked the most robust epoxy coating I could find.

So far it set nicely, with no splits of fisheyes.
I am sure there will be constructive criticism and I am open to it, pics are attached.

P.S. Step three will be sanding off imperfections (another layer if needed) and buffing.

 

[Glen]

Looks very nice, great job. Are you spraying the finish?

 

[Mish_Mish]

Looks very nice, great job. Are you spraying the finish?

No, this is very high viscosity material and it floats on very smoothly. I use portable gas torch to pop air bubbles after application and it seals the smoothness. I have never done it before, so a lot of fear is also part of the process.

 

[Glen]

I've tried sanding through the factory finish on scrap pieces in the past but wasn't able to do it successfully. And like you, I couldn't find a chemical stripper that removed it. I'll have to try sanding again someday...

 

[Mish_Mish]

I've tried sanding through the factory finish on scrap pieces in the past but wasn't able to do it successfully. And like you, I couldn't find a chemical stripper that removed it. I'll have to try sanding again someday...

I left a thing layer of original coating in some areas, it was so damn strong that I figured it was safer to leave it than risk a hole in the veneer. Under new coat it is all blended with my tiny repairs and sharpie drawing where screwdriver did the damage.

 

[TerryA]

No criticism here. Great Job!

 

[195910]

Looks good, if the wood veneer itself is not damaged (mechanical, water) it should be possible to have good results.

Did you sand all the way down to the wood or leave a thin layer of clear coat?
Old crack marks still visible from under the new clear?

 

[daantjie]

If you're careful you can remove the old lacquer with a heat gun.

 

[sheward]

I believe it was JC220 that did this work and has a DIY. If I remember correctly He removed the epoxy finish with heat and a putty knife. Your results look good in the pictures.

drew

 

[kwontumspeed]

Heat (Pro) gun and knife worked for my friend doing his jag. I was present during some parts of it and it made the work look too easy. Glad to hear application works for us, too.

 

[Mish_Mish]

Looks good, if the wood veneer itself is not damaged (mechanical, water) it should be possible to have good results.

Did you sand all the way down to the wood or leave a thin layer of clear coat?
Old crack marks still visible from under the new clear?

I left thin layer here and there, that stuff is rock solid. Thin layer of original stuff has perfect transparency, so I cannot see where it was. Old cracking is not visible, this coating is thick and floats / cures over it.

 

[Mish_Mish]

Heat (Pro) gun and knife worked for my friend doing his jag. I was present during some parts of it and it made the work look too easy. Glad to hear application works for us, too.

Jag, RR and MB are totally different animals. Clear coating on my '82 XJS and '76 Silver Shadow was peeling off with fingernail, MB used much stronger lacquer.

 

[Habil124]

I think the original coating is polyester resin, it definitely smells like it when I did some sanding.
I'm currently attempting to repair some cracks and leaving most of the original coating, I'll have to wait and see how it turns out.

 

[Mish_Mish]

I think the original coating is polyester resin, it definitely smells like it when I did some sanding.
I'm currently attempting to repair some cracks and leaving most of the original coating, I'll have to wait and see how it turns out.

I am waiting on the 72 hours of setting, before I can sand and hopefully buff it. One thing for sure, this material is not splitting over the cracks like other lacquers do, it flows over solid.

 

[LWB250]

I've always wondered if the holes in the woodwork was punched using dies after the woodwork was finished. I speak as a very experienced furniture builder that is quite familiar with any number of finishing methods. I say this because anywhere there is an opening on a piece of Mercedes woodwork the edge of the finished opening is square. As you can see in the photos here the finish is rounded around the openings, as it's rolling off the edges as it dries.

They also painted or sealed the edges of the openings, too. They used a black or gray finish to do this.

Dan

 

[Kyiv]

ended up with couple of little nicks that I had to touch up.

What did you use to touch up the nicks?

I have never done it before, so a lot of fear is also part of the process

What was your preparation process like, YouTube videos, forums, something else? I'm asking because I have never done it before too, but would like to one day.

What grit sandpaper did you use?

Thanks

 

[Habil124]

I used masking tape to stop the resin running of the edges and into the cut outs for the switchs

 

[Mish_Mish]

I used masking tape to stop the resin running of the edges and into the cut outs for the switchs

Great tip, I will do that when I get to the shifter console area.

 

[Habil124]

Problem is the resin runs up the tape so it needs sanding

 

[Mish_Mish]

What did you use to touch up the nicks?


What was your preparation process like, YouTube videos, forums, something else? I'm asking because I have never done it before too, but would like to one day.

What grit sandpaper did you use?

Thanks

To touch up the nicks in the veneer I used a mix of black and brown enamel, applied with the tip of the wooden sliver. in one place I used a black sharpie, thick clear coating covers all like it was never there.

To prep I used 320 grit paper to remove the old lacquer (very gently), then 1000 grit. after the new coating set I used 320 again (to level the surface flat) and then 1000 grit, after that $18 3M headlight buffing kit and 3M rubbing compound, grade 5.

 

[Mish_Mish]

So I am back after 72 hours and coating is set 100% firm. climate console is the first one tried and here are the early results.

 

[gerryvz]

Nice work. I think if you do some final work to buff that out (polish it) beyond what you've done, to increase the shine, it will look quite stunning. Though the last photo looks really excellent!

 

[Mish_Mish]

Nice work. I think if you do some final work to buff that out (polish it) beyond what you've done, to increase the shine, it will look quite stunning. Though the last photo looks really excellent!

I did more sanding and buffing, plus the fur wheel in the end. I think it is more than adequate for the mildly classic stature of my investment. Moving on to the other pieces. Will post further pics ad it get's put back in the car.

 

[Mish_Mish]

Rest of the parts, for now.

 

[Mish_Mish]

Switching to the ski slope, as they call it in Jaguar community. Luckily it is much easier to remove clear coating off of that part with heat gun and sharp putty knife. Tomorrow I will apply epoxy and leave it to cure over the weekend.

 

[Mish_Mish]

More progress, climate console looks better without gash in the middle but definitely will be considered for re-working as my skill grows.
Ski slope is now a step closer to beauty.