I am re-locating my console gauges up into the dash. I bought a nice piece of grained cherry wood that I want to use; it's about 1/4" thick, 6" wide and about 40" long.I have enough wood for maybe 3 or 4 of these if anyone else interested.

If I send you the rectangular cut wood, does anyone here have the means for cutting out the gauge holes?

Basically 5 holes to hold 4 52mm gauges and a 60mm clock in a rectangular shaped piece.

Will look like this:

Click to view attachment

oh crap...Admin, please move to garage forum. thx

For the 52mm gauges you can use a 2 1/8 inch hole saw, cheap from any hardware store and mounts on a drill. I forget the hole saw size for 60mm (2 5/8) but could be harder to find. Or just buy a variable hole saw, which mounts on a drill or drill press.

You could just get hole saws for this and it would be simple, you could even use a hand held drill.

Edit: alright Zach you beat me to it

I guess I could just use a "big bit" hole saw. Do the rubber rings need the extra space so 2 1/8" is good?

How can I cut the dash metal? Want to join and enlarge the openings for the vent controls and the radio and make one large rectangular hole..

Use drill with a cutting disc? Roto tooL? I'll have to buy all this stuff...

Would love to do the whole dash across but don't have the measurements/template/tools. (like dealers did way back)

62mm hole saw
http://www.amazon.com/MK-Morse-MK385-Advan...l/dp/B004WRFBLU

60mm hole saw
http://www.amazon.com/MK-Morse-MK385-Advan...l/dp/B004WRFBLU

52mm hole saw
http://www.newark.com/jsp/search/productde...534598581|plid|

I just happen to know a guy who can do that for you. Besides three different size hole saws, you'll need a mandrel to hold them. They run around 25 bucks for a good one.

don't the rubber rings hold them in place?

If you get an adjustable hole cutter you can cut any hole exactly the diameter you want. And the tend to be cleaner then hole saws for wood in my experience.


Again, you just mount it on a hand drill or drill press and go to town. Super easy to use, but they don't work as well on metal as a regular hole saw.

Zach

most modern gauges have a bevel that is oversize from the hole.
there is a either a bracket or a screw in base that goes on the back side.
The gauge is then effectively clamped in place by the bevel and brace.

Zach

I would cut that on a router table free hand.

Hole saws may chip or splinter the wood so use tape on the front
and backside to reduce the chances of that happening.

well I gave it a shot. ^$%#*&^^$ it

Had two nice pieces of wood, cherry and padauk (beautiful red colored wood) 1?4" thick

Shaped the outline then went to cut the holes. *%&(! hole saw!

Splintered the shit out of the wood...both pieces. I drilled slow, clamped with another piece of wood underneath. Tried like 5 times

So after buying a damn hole saw bit and the wood so far for $40 total I am back to square one...oh, except I now have a huge hole in the dash.

So back to original post...Can someone cut a plate for me?

At this point I am ok with a metal plate like the stock ones if wood is too damn hard. I'll cover it with vinyl; but exotic wood is my first choice.

So anyone? Here is the configuration I want: If metal I just need a plate represented by the red outline; if wood, it's the whole piece from the glove compartment to the steering column...I have an outline for this.

Click to view attachment

Try this, it works.

Take your hole saw and drill out a 1 foot long piece of 2*4 with the hole saw size you want.

Clamp your piece between the top 2*4 with a hole in it, and a blank bottom 2*4 with clamps on both sides of the hole, nice and tight.

Now, slowly drill through the finish piece while keeping the whole mess clamped to a table.

If that does not work for you, draw out the piece exactly as you want it and go find a cabinet shop, or a woodworking shop....they will do it for a fee.

rich

Do you?