Thread: First Dash Bezel...

i think it still looks pretty rough-- that 2nd product should be applied after all the major shaping is done. to me, it looks like there is still a lot of shaping that needs to be done.

sand, sand, sand, and when your sick of sanding, sand some more..
















oh,did i mention the sanding?












or some more sanding? check my custom tails--i've been there-- the only time i was convinced i did enough sanding was when the final painted piece was installed on the car--and by that time, i had spent at least 10-15hrs of solid sanding..

at the end, you will actually start to be as loopy as this:

From the looks of the sand marks, you're using medium grit right now. Somewhere in the 150 range? You should be shaping this thing right now. Shape with 30 or 40 grit. It'll cut down on sanding. Sand with 150 off the bat is like cutting down a tree with a scapel when you should be using a chainsaw.

Also you have to clean up the inside and outside edge. They will be like guide rails when you spread the softer stuff.

Originally Posted by djvillar

From the looks of the sand marks, you're using medium grit right now. Somewhere in the 150 range? You should be shaping this thing right now. Shape with 30 or 40 grit. It'll cut down on sanding. Sand with 150 off the bat is like cutting down a tree with a scapel when you should be using a chainsaw.

Also you have to clean up the inside and outside edge. They will be like guide rails when you spread the softer stuff.

I actually am using 40 grit right now. I guess I just haven't gone deep enough. I was afraid of separating what I had done. Would it be good when I don't see any more black? After this, would I add some more of the hard stuff or start with the soft stuff?

What monitor are you putting in there? I would get an extra monitor bezel, chop it up, and place it in the dash where you want the final position. Then use the dynatron to blend the surfaces of the chopped bezel and the dash together. Then the bumper repair as lightweight filler.

Being that your trying to make the whole thing from scratch, its going to be very difficult to maintain the form and the inside edge, especially if this is the first go at fabrication.

You should only keep sanding till you don't see any black if the black is where you want the finished surface. If you want the finished surface to be higher, then no, don't keep sanding. You'll need to build the surface higher anyway. But I can't really tell where the end goal is from the pics.

The monitor that will be going in there is a 15.4" LCD widescreen. It is just the panel though. If you notice, I do have the bezel that I attached to the back and then I was going to use double sided tape or similar to hold the LCD in place. There will also be a touchscreen in front of that though. The goal would be to basically blend that front surface into the dash bezel and then cut out the inside where I have the white space now. I did realize midway through that keeping a straight line on the inside was going to be a problem. Any tricks of the trade that might help here? I was thinking using a ruler somehow and a file to keep it straight.

Like I said, you need a sharp edge before laying down a bunch of filler. There's no need to shape and file a straight edge when you can just have it already. Make a flat picture frame around, a window, around where the monitor will be. You can make this out of Popsicle sticks, bass wood, a sheet of plexiglas, whatever. Secure that in place after taping off the area. Now use filler like I said previously, using the dash and the frame as a guide... Yada yada yada.

How do you think it looks?

I think djvillar is right. I am going to cut out that paper white part and use the bezel I molded in there as a guide line. I see now why I am still a little ways away. I think once I get that paper out and then sand a little more, I can use the soft stuff to get a really smooth and round surface. I will post some more pics when I do this.

So I sanded a bunch down and came out with the following product. The touchscreen glass that I am trying to put on it does not fit flush. Should I use a piece of wood on the one side of the screen that has the gap?