[s-cars] Boost gauge for cluster installation

[Brian Powell]

On Jul 26, 2004, at 6:33 AM, James Murray (QB/EMC) wrote:

 From James:

> Brian, nicely done, what did you use to match the burl walnut? and how 
> much did it cost you? (source?)...
>

The color?  That took a lot of experimentation with various wood 
stains.  The walnut burl itself, you can buy from a local woodworking 
store (I bought mine from Rockler's Woodworking).  It comes as a thin 
laminate that you adhere to something that won't expand/contract with 
moisture.  The burl cost about $40 for a LARGE section of it.  I sold 
off quarters of it to Bill M. and Lee Levitt.

 From Marc:

> If I could make a piece look similarly nice on my car (not very likely,
> I'm not that talented with wood ;) ) I'd go that route.  I was thinking
> of just putting plastic or whatever in there and cutting to fit but 
> that
> is way better.

This was my first woodworking project.  It took me about 5 weeks of 
fiddling and playing, but, anyone could do it, it was fairly easy.  It 
just takes patience dealing with the stain.  I talked to the people at 
Rockler for a while and brought in the panel from around the climate 
control to show them what I wanted to match.  They were a great help 
and told me how to do it.

> He mentioned the chunk of burl that is collecting dust in his
> basement..  maybe I can con er.. buy it from him? ;)

That is the wood I sold him.  It is only the burl laminate.  You'll 
need some nice high-quality plywood from a woodworking shop (not the 
plywood for industrial construction, this is different).

> what do you use to keep the laminate from splintering?  Funny that I
> jumped straight to metalworking without working very much with wood...
> Regular jigsaw work ok?

If it is glued and pressed on properly, I just used fine tooth jigsaw 
to cut it and a fine tooth large drill bit to cut out the gauge hole.  
Find grit sand paper smooths it all out nicely.

> Any tips on where to pick up the materials I will need (especially the
> laminate)?

I bought mine from the local store, but, here is their national website 
(they may have a store near you):

<http://www.rockler.com/>

I think this is the plywood I got (1/4" thick):

<http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/product_details.cfm?&offerings_id=846>

I believe this is the burl I got (although, in the store, they would 
only sell me a large 4 section piece):

<http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/product_details.cfm?&offerings_id=2218>

The lacquer, I bought from Ace, and it was a small can of clear lacquer 
that you brush on.  I poured it on to give it that thick look.

Cheers,
Brian