Good Greetings, All.

I am gauging interest in SOLID wood dash panels, I would really like to have one made out of something exotic. If I can get one made I might as well get more made for less per unit. I only have an need of CAD/CAM .dxf (3-d vector/autocad/etc.files for the large primary dash panels, with them I can have solid wood ones made.

Please help if you have, can obtain or tell me how to obtain or else shoot down my dream with a dose of reality - your input is appreciated. If you think it is possible to obtain these files so I can construct a wood dash kit, please also let me know if a solid wood dash would be of interest to you and how much you might be willing to pay (ideally, in numbers and as a percentage of competitor's offerings).

Thanks in advance for your time and input,
b8b.

 

I guess there's not much interest. Bummer. Still wish I could get the CAD/CAM files for the dash though, would at least like to do it for myself

 

This would be cool and I entertained the thought of doing it myself a while back, but I then realized that there are at least 2 different dash configurations ('02-'04 and '05-'06). I also realized that the airbag hides behind the dash panel that is over the glovebox and I didn't want to go messin' around with that one...

If you are bound and determined to do it, I think there are places where you can have a 3-D image scanned and the files you need produced for you (at an additional cost).

I was thinking about cutting the basic shape out with a jigsaw and doing the shaping with good old-fashioned hand tools...

 

Does the airbag come out from the dash? I wonder if my friend is risking his safety on an '05 with those sticker-wood dash kits...

 

The airbag is behind the dash piece that is over the glovebox (the antracite, alloy patina, light silver or painted piece that the airbag sticker was on when you got the car). That panel is held in very strongly. I doubt that a correctly engineered woodgrain overlay would cause any problems as MINI makes one themselves...

I remember spotting on one of the official MINI inspections that they are supposed to check to make sure that you haven't impeeded the action of the airbags by applying decals (a bumper-sticker over the crack that allows that panel to open) or accessories (an iPod holder that would get in the way).

 

the airbag is in the dash and comes out of the top of the dash it is not behind the plastic painted panel.

Paul

 

on the 06 at least

 

Here's a diagram: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...93&hg=72&fg=03

I went digging for a picture that I saw a few weeks ago of a wreck where the passenger side airbag had deployed. It looked as if there were a hinge on the bottom side of the painted panel and that the explosion of the airbag had blown the top of the painted panel off and down, letting the airbag emerge from the top seam of the dash (black) and the painted panel.

This diagram seems to suggest that there are some straps on that piece to keep it from flying into the passenger's face: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...73&hg=51&fg=30

 

in you r first link you have a newer 05-06 dash where the airbag comes out the top of the dash. On the second link you have a picture of an earlier car which you are correct about, the airbag on newer minis comes out of the top of the dash, On older minis it comes out the plastic panel

Paul

 

If you do make it out of solid wood make sure you allow for expansion and contraction in the wood, or else you will develop some nasty cracks, or worse splitting.

 

properly cured or dried wood should not have this issue if it is sealed as well.

Keep in mind that long term exposure to the sun and such will have adverse affects on the wood.

It is possible to make the panels out of wood but it will be very time consuming and you will have to have an intimate knowledge of the wood youa re working with.

It is something that you could shape by hand but boy you better have some time on your hands.

I am intrigued by your request. I keep thinking what it would take to hand shape the panels. You would only want to do this in 05+ models as the airbag comes out of the top of the dash. in the 02-04 models the airbag comes from the dash panel itself.

I love working with wood, especially exotic varieties, but when it comes to cars I prefer metals unless we are talking about an old woody from the 50's and 60's....

One thing I would do is look for some of the harder varieties of wood. they will hold their shape easier and may last longer in the enviromnent of the car.

good luck and I am interested to see if you get the project going.

chris

 

even then wood will still move. even quote on qoute dry wood still retains a certain percentage of moisture content. yes sealed or finished wood will move less,but will still move.

 

Eventhough a wide grain wood would be very dramatic, I'd think that one with a tight grain would be easier to work.

If he got the files, can you CNC route wood?

When I was dreaming this up a few months ago, I was trying to imagine a 3-D copy machine... something with a point that you could pass over the original that would move a router to carve the new version... something like a signature machine, but in 3 dimensions...

 

Oh I won't deny that at all!

I was just trying to make the point that carefully selecting the wood ahead of time will lead to much less heart ache in the future.




Can you use a machine like a CNC to cut it out? I wouldn't know but if you find one that does boy would I like to know about it!!!

chris

 

Yes, you can CNC wood, my friend has a high-end cabinet shop and can carve virtually anything (pine-cones, you name it) with his setup, it was really expensive but it is amazing... that's why I want to do this, all I need is the CAD/CAM and he will do it for me in the right wood and seal it all up, he has 25+ years experience with different woods in extreme climates (we live @ 7200').

b.

PS - I'm not getting any emails on responses, even though I am subscribed :(

 

can his machine run like a duplicator? cause then u wouldn't need the cad/cam files.

ps a duplicator might be your best bet instead of the cnc machine.

 

something like thing
http://www.wood-carver.com/

 

I only want to do this one project, I don't know about duplication. I can find out though...

 

Worth a try, certainly, but I have doubts about how the MINI dash would work in real wood, both aesthetically and functionally.

It'd be heavy, right? The contours of the dash pieces w/ those side AC vents are pretty complex. For it all to be stable there'd have to be a good bit of wood. There's no way to have it as thin as the existing material (or CF) is there?

Would it actually look good in wood? I guess I'm more used to dashes that are a little more flat being rendered in wood.

Then there's the whole airbag question...a deceptively complex structure given all it has to do in a pinch.

If you're going to try, good for you....do consider also creating pieces to carry the look to the doors.

 

Doors would come later, maybe.

Have to experiment with just the dash. If I could make it solid, I think it would be enough wood, haven't seen behind the panels though and what would be required to make sure it fit back on... I was hopeing perhaps they were hollow or something.

I found out today he does have a 3-D scanner, so I'm going to see if we can do it. He is fairly certain he could get some nice wood that wouldn't crack or split after a proper finish.

Please let me know if you would be interested purchasing one and how much you might be willing to pay, I'd be curious to know if there is a market. What inspired me is that my best friend bought a MCS JCW as his "dream sports car" and always wanted a wood dash since he was a kid, so he paid $250 for one of those "Real wood" (veneer) dash sticker kits... from 3-5 feet away it looks decent, but a real wood dash would be so nice and warm, it would give it that true retro sports car look (imho).

Your thoughts?

b.

 

Without the CAD/CAM 3-D data files, this project is not feasible. If I just had those, then I could do it :(

 

I think that they might sell fairly well in the $250-400 range. The JCW leather dash is higher... $700 I think is one of the better prices going out there (but I might be wrong... hit motoringfile for more info as there was a review of the dash over there a month or so ago). That would be too rich for my blood, though.