How To Repair Your Burr Walnut Dashboard - Short Video - 2:40Min

 

Hello all,

I am not Steven Spielberg, its my first video.

This video will be VERY helpfull for people to repair a Burr Walnut Dashboard that has a cracked and chipped laquer.

 

You will need:

1) A syringe with a VERY THIN needle

2) Wood penetrating varnish, transparent. It is a very thin varnish. in Greece we call it Preservation oil. Costs about 8-9 euros per 0,75lt.

3) A bit of paper to wipe the excess varnish.

 

P.S. You will need to repeat when it dries

P.S.2 For science lovers, the technique that was used, is based on the Capillary Effect of water. It is the phenomenon that makes the water go up in the flowers and the trees: Very narrow tubes make the liquid go up defying gravity. In the video, it works lke magic!

P.S.3. No voice, no subtitles. They are not necessary.
P.S.4  If you have another suggestion on how to repair the dashboard, please mention it here, it will be very helpfull.

 

LOL, botox for minis

Great video for a first attempt! -  Thanks for sharing.

 

Does the varnish get behind the loose lacquer and effectively stick it back together? I've tried something similar on my car using a small paintbrush to apply brushable french-polish (shellac) but I don't think it was sticky enough to bond the original lacquer sufficiently. I may try again using your syringe idea and very thin varnish.

 

Thanks again,  Mark

Great video for a first attempt! -  Thanks for sharing.
 
Does the varnish get behind the loose lacquer and effectively stick it back together? I've tried something similar on my car using a small paintbrush to apply brushable french-polish (shellac) but I don't think it was sticky enough to bond the original lacquer sufficiently. I may try again using your syringe idea and very thin varnish.
 
Thanks again,  Mark

French polish is shellac suspended in methylatied spirit at a very low percentage and wouldn't stick to the damaged cracked finish or repair the crack on the dash unless that was French polish your just staining the wood veneer underneath and would need re application quite often as French polish also doesn't like any damp or water as it blooms and goes milky white. I've just replaced my dash as the old one (1975 old one) was all cracked and the finish on both appears to be a thick melamine (.75mm) which basically is a plastic and once cracked is virtually impossible to repair. As you suggested I'd try a polyurethane varnish but test it on a safe unseen area first and see what happens.

Great video for a first attempt! -  Thanks for sharing.

 

Does the varnish get behind the loose lacquer and effectively stick it back together? I've tried something similar on my car using a small paintbrush to apply brushable french-polish (shellac) but I don't think it was sticky enough to bond the original lacquer sufficiently. I may try again using your syringe idea and very thin varnish.

 

Thanks again,  Mark

Hello Mark,
yes, it goes behind the loose laquer.

Needs a couple of times to work because the first layer dries and is being absorbed.
Probably today I will try with water based varnish to see what happens. It is white like milk, or crystal sugar and I beleve it will be better.

Edited by rolf, 13 May 2020 - 05:32 AM.

LOL, botox for minis

Hadn't thought of that! 

I've been considering something similar for my MPi.

I don't have any 'bubbles' but, around the edges, there are areas where the plastic laminate(?) has lifted from the veneer giving a pale look to the wood. As it's on the edges, I'm hoping that it should be relatively easy to insert a varnish or clear adhesive into the gap.

Has anyone tried this, successfully, and what product was used?

Quinlan minor as your de-lamination is on the edges where the damp has got in I'd try a tiny bit of super glue behind one of the vent clamps and see what that does.

I've been considering something similar for my MPi.

I don't have any 'bubbles' but, around the edges, there are areas where the plastic laminate(?) has lifted from the veneer giving a pale look to the wood. As it's on the edges, I'm hoping that it should be relatively easy to insert a varnish or clear adhesive into the gap.

Has anyone tried this, successfully, and what product was used?

What I described in the begining is for this problem too. Just wait for today's report I will check if water based varnish works too and in a couple of days we will have a verdict

 

I've been considering something similar for my MPi.

I don't have any 'bubbles' but, around the edges, there are areas where the plastic laminate(?) has lifted from the veneer giving a pale look to the wood. As it's on the edges, I'm hoping that it should be relatively easy to insert a varnish or clear adhesive into the gap.

Has anyone tried this, successfully, and what product was used?

What I described in the begining is for this problem too. Just wait for today's report I will check if water based varnish works too and in a couple of days we will have a verdict

 

UPDATE: water based wood varnish did not work. It needed to be diluted in alcohol instead of water to be absorbed (this way you will go to the pub with your mini and will have a perfect company - an alcoholic mini!). But, even with alcohol, the result was not good.
Next stop, will be LOGO - the thin liquid extra strong glue.

For factory results, the best solution is to take the dashboard out, remove the old laquer and paint it again.

Too much trouble to remove and put back the dashboard and for good results you will need a professional, or someone with seriously good knowledge of how to make this thick glass looking laquer.

I've been considering something similar for my MPi.
I don't have any 'bubbles' but, around the edges, there are areas where the plastic laminate(?) has lifted from the veneer giving a pale look to the wood. As it's on the edges, I'm hoping that it should be relatively easy to insert a varnish or clear adhesive into the gap.
Has anyone tried this, successfully, and what product was used?

What I described in the begining is for this problem too. Just wait for today's report I will check if water based varnish works too and in a couple of days we will have a verdict

UPDATE: water based wood varnish did not work. It needed to be diluted in alcohol instead of water to be absorbed (this way you will go to the pub with your mini and will have a perfect company - an alcoholic mini!). But, even with alcohol, the result was not good.
Next stop, will be LOGO - the thin liquid extra strong glue.

For factory results, the best solution is to take the dashboard out, remove the old laquer and paint it again.
Too much trouble to remove and put back the dashboard and for good results you will need a professional, or someone with seriously good knowledge of how to make this thick glass looking laquer.

As I said in an earlier post It's not lacquer it's a thermo plastic formed over the veneer with heat and pressure very very difficult to repair. I advised Quinian to try super glue and see what happens. The super glue will stain the wood and should re stick the plastic to the veneer but try it where, if it fails to work you won't make it worse than it is.

 

UPDATE: water based wood varnish did not work. It needed to be diluted in alcohol instead of water to be absorbed (this way you will go to the pub with your mini and will have a perfect company - an alcoholic mini!). But, even with alcohol, the result was not good.
Next stop, will be LOGO - the thin liquid extra strong glue.

For factory results, the best solution is to take the dashboard out, remove the old laquer and paint it again.
Too much trouble to remove and put back the dashboard and for good results you will need a professional, or someone with seriously good knowledge of how to make this thick glass looking laquer.

As I said in an earlier post It's not lacquer it's a thermo plastic formed over the veneer with heat and pressure very very difficult to repair. I advised Quinian to try super glue and see what happens. The super glue will stain the wood and should re stick the plastic to the veneer but try it where, if it fails to work you won't make it worse than it is.

 

 

Triedwith super glue. Its not good. Its appears as though nothing has been done, and you can do nothing about it.

UPDATE: water based wood varnish did not work. It needed to be diluted in alcohol instead of water to be absorbed (this way you will go to the pub with your mini and will have a perfect company - an alcoholic mini!). But, even with alcohol, the result was not good.
Next stop, will be LOGO - the thin liquid extra strong glue.

For factory results, the best solution is to take the dashboard out, remove the old laquer and paint it again.
Too much trouble to remove and put back the dashboard and for good results you will need a professional, or someone with seriously good knowledge of how to make this thick glass looking laquer.

As I said in an earlier post It's not lacquer it's a thermo plastic formed over the veneer with heat and pressure very very difficult to repair. I advised Quinian to try super glue and see what happens. The super glue will stain the wood and should re stick the plastic to the veneer but try it where, if it fails to work you won't make it worse than it is.

 
Triedwith super glue. Its not good. Its appears as though nothing has been done, and you can do nothing about it.

Sorry the glue didn't work you will probably have to bite the bullet and replace it. I got one from Huddersfield spares. I Sealed the edges with a couple of coals of black paint to help stop the damp getting in, in the future.