Miata In-Dash Fabrication

**keyvan** · 06-30-2006, 02:00 AM

Hey, I used SEM paint. looks GREAT. I definitely recommend SEM, I would not use anything else now. its tough as nails.

check out the latest pics over at http://www.aescarpc.com/dashfab

**masch** · 06-30-2006, 08:19 AM

Did you use the dremel after bondo has hardened? or while it is hardening? I'm stuck at the sanding part.. taking forever and not much has changed

**keyvan** · 06-30-2006, 04:01 PM

nonono, do everything AFTER it has hardened. Because i noticed that if you try to sand it and stuff while it is pretty much hardening (like at the point when it begins to warm up) it will crumble and become really messy.

The trick is to lay it on as smooth as possible initially, while its still wet.

If you notice, on the right side, I messed up and splotched it down like an idiot and had to pay by sanding all that (it was alot of sanding so i dremeled it). On the other sides however i learned my lesson and used the end of a plastic spoon (curved) and pushed against to give it that nice curve without me having to do it with my finger or god forbid sand it to that shape.

for sanding, do this:

start with very coarse 50, then 60.. thats about the only dry sanding i did. I did all the other sanding wet. I wetsanded all the way up to 1500, went back down to 400, up to 1500, then back to 400 when i realized that the SEM paint wanted 400 grit sanding to be done before painting.

But i think that the sanding part should be pretty easy as long as you start with extremely coarse grit and get most of the imperfection off. post pics~!

**Stealth97** · 06-30-2006, 05:09 PM

sweet another miataputer

**keyvan** · 06-30-2006, 06:35 PM

nah, stealth, same one lol

**Shadow** · 07-01-2006, 02:25 PM

I usually knock down high spots while it's hardening. Less sanding that way. You can take a razor blade and put some masking tape on the back (if it's the kind you put in a utility knife) and just cut off the high spots.

**masch** · 07-05-2006, 01:51 AM

This is how far ive gotten to.
the first and 2nd pictures show the item at its current stage after applying polyester jelly and after sanding. My problem is I cant sand, I cant make the lines straight at the sides of the frame.

The 3rd pic is my first time using bondo.

**Stealth97** · 07-05-2006, 11:52 AM

trash that and start over..

**masch** · 07-05-2006, 11:54 AM

trash which? the bondo or the polyester putty?

**sciontC** · 07-05-2006, 09:53 PM

the whole bezel. if your not good at sanding your are in trouble. you have ALOT or sanding ahead of you!!

Oh my you are in for bloody fingers if you are doing it all by hand!

As for the OP, i was unsure until you put the final coat on, looks great! and yeas SEm is the way to go, its more of a pigment than a paint. its not tough per say it just soaks into the material and makes it that color. def the way to go to paint any interior to match a factory look.