Head scratcher for MB wood experts - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

tram · #1 05-31-2012, 12:06 AM

I just picked up a decent set of dash wood in what was described to me as a "light burl". It's from a 220SEb sedan and will be going into my 230S.

I can't tell if it's maple, oak, myrtle, madrona, or something else.

Here's a pic of the piece that UPS broke playing monster truck on the box:

I can take other pics of the other parts if you need more.

Any/ all help appreciated. I need to source veneer to do the rest of the wood up to match as closely as possible.

THANKS!

lorainfurniture · #2 05-31-2012, 12:11 AM

Burls are tough to pick out. Keep in mind they would have had to make many, so it would not be a very exotic wood. It looks kind of light, but I'd guess walnut.

tram · #3 05-31-2012, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lorainfurniture

Burls are tough to pick out. Keep in mind they would have had to make many, so it would not be a very exotic wood. It looks kind of light, but I'd guess walnut.

How would you get it light like that? I'm re-veneering a W111 Coupe right now, and it's much darker. I could try bleaching a scrap, I guess. All of the walnut I've ever purchased has been the dark stuff, but my 6,3 had a lighter burl come to think of it- so you may be right.

alabbasi · #4 05-31-2012, 01:13 AM

The sun would do that.

tram · #5 05-31-2012, 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alabbasi

The sun would do that.

I've seen sun baked walnut burl, and I don't think it will bleach it out that much. I have a scrap soaking in Clorox and it looks like doing this plus some staining to get the color tone back might be the ticket.

Palolo · #6 05-31-2012, 04:31 AM

Mr. Burl would know the burl's wood, wouldn't he?

Burl Ives - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edit: I would try something like this, and stain to match, vs bleaching a darker wood... But that's just me. Ash, White Burl Veneer: FormWood Industries

overlander · #7 05-31-2012, 05:51 AM

Carpathian Elm burl is a possibility, though what I've seen has a busier grain.

A good furniture refinisher will be able to re-glue, fill as necessary, and touch up the fill, reproducing the grain pattern. Results can be amazing.

Oxalic acid is used (and sold as) wood bleach.

t walgamuth · #8 05-31-2012, 06:06 AM

The broken portion looks a lot like Maple. I would be surprised if they use bleached walnut. I have no basis for my opinion though.

Stretch · #9 05-31-2012, 06:17 AM

If I were you I'd go and kick the UPS man and then get some acetone and strip the varnish on the two parts.

(Results for acetone stripping shown here Got me some cheap dash wood for my W123 300D)

I'd then put the two halves together and see if the damage can be hidden with filler / glue / varnish or not. In my experience you are usually better off with what you've already got.

Pooka · #10 05-31-2012, 02:36 PM

Just a tid-bit on gluing the pieces.....

Long a go a friend of mine ran a refinish shop. He would take a piece of Linen cloth and glue it between the pieces of wood. He claimed the linen held to the wood stronger than just wood to wood.

His stuff always looked good. You would still have to refinish the crack somehow, but you would not have to worry about the wood snapping apart while you worked on it.

Marrs · #11 05-31-2012, 02:50 PM

Agreed, take it to a wood or furniture restorer and get an estimate, you shouldn't need to have it re-veneered but they can identify the wood type for you easily if they know their stuff.

Palolo · #12 05-31-2012, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pooka

Long a go a friend of mine ran a refinish shop. He would take a piece of Linen cloth and glue it between the pieces of wood. He claimed the linen held to the wood stronger than just wood to wood.

That's the old school backing stabilizer equivalent of a layer of fiberglass...with a butt joint repair, the gluing area is small, and the cloth (whether cotton or glass) helps spread forces across a greater area and unloads the butt joint somewhat. There isn't room (thickness) to use a dowel or biscuit between the pieces, so a backing cloth layer is a good idea.

To repair a cracked dash bow, I would lay a strip of doubled-up 6oz fiberglass tape all the way across, from one end to the other, simply because these dash bows need a little bit of twisting and persuasion to get out and replace, and having one crack a little on the way back in would be a shame.

The dash bow's internal layup is actually in two halves (the wood plies/layers below the top finish veneer meet near the middle at a butt joint) and running a strip of fiberglass or backing tape across that joint would be peace of mind for me. The factory hit the joint with a couple of staples across the seam, more to hold it in position while the glue set up. Applied right (just enough resin, not goopy/drowning the fibers), the glass tape is thin, not visible, and there"'s even a handy recess for it to sit in.

tram · #13 05-31-2012, 10:32 PM

Wait- I'm fine with repairing the broken pieces and filling/ staining to cover the damage. The reason I'm asking this is because I'm going to veneer and finish the windshield surround pieces that join under the rearview mirror to match. I'm also rebuilding a Behr underdash A/C box for a W111 Coupe, and have patterned out all the pieces so I can reproduce these fairly close when necessary, and the first effort will go into the 230S. I think it'd be a nice touch- and the veneer facing needs to match (or be close to) the dash also.

So, that's the reason I'm asking.

tram · #14 05-31-2012, 10:58 PM

Army- Thanks for the acetone tip- a W123 300TDT is one of the next cars in line. I'll try it on some old W108 pieces also.

Marrs · #15 06-01-2012, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tram

The reason I'm asking this is because I'm going to veneer and finish the windshield surround pieces that join under the rearview mirror to match. I'm also rebuilding a Behr underdash A/C box for a W111 Coupe, and have patterned out all the pieces so I can reproduce these fairly close when necessary, and the first effort will go into the 230S. I think it'd be a nice touch- and the veneer facing needs to match (or be close to) the dash also.

Re: my earlier reply, a good shop will also have access to a booklet of samples of fine and exotic veneers and will be able to order the same type, unless it's now protected or not able to be imported, but you should be fine there. It may still not match perfectly, due to variances in individual burl knots from different trees and even geography, but will be close and they should be able to stain to get a close approximation. Rolls-Royce and a few other companies still keep bookend slices of veneer for each model in production for just such an instance, you will get a piece with the same patterning if you ever need to replace or build a new piece. It would be great if MB had done this too.