Topic: Decor wood grain replacement

[mungus]

Have had a bit of disappointment with some of the wood grain inserts I bought...

I recently opened the box with my new deluxe door panels from Distinctive Industries  (in dry storage in their unopened box the last 3 years), to discover the wood grain inserts bubbling up across their entire lengths.

Likewise the Walnut wood grain insert decal for my new overhead console I bought from CJ's a couple of years ago has shrunk. It was about 1/4" (+) too short and was the same amount less than its backing paper. From my own experience the decal looks to be nothing more than cheap wood grain self adhesive vinyl used by the decorating trades, (vinyl wall paper).

This has led me towards buying some wood grain product, such as say 3M 's wood grain vinyl wrap, and making my own. If done properly this stuff looks factory and lasts well. Its used by auto interior trades folk to customise dashboards & other trim. The other option being junking my new useless door panels and buying some TMI panels. Any experience here with those? Do their wood grain inserts last? How about the OEM offereings? Mine were missing when I bought the project so I don't know how well the factory ones lasted.

So as there are many varieties of wood grains, and several product types, and I cant go buying every one that looks similar, nor is there a shop locally carrying 3M's (or others) whole wood grain range. So can I ask has anyone done their own wood grains and if so what did you use?

Its been described as a walnut of some kind. Thats all I can find. Any clues?

Thanks.

[ruppstang]

I had the same problem with the Distinctive door panels. My first show the temp was 100+ and the wood grain inserts wrinkled. Distinctive replaced them  and they seemed to be ok.

I have purchased wood grain rolls and cut my own inserts.  One it is very difficult to find a good match to the original wood grain and two it is a very tedious job to cut them un less you have a lazar cutter. Lastly the material I purchased seemed thinner and shrank after a couple of years. 

[Bossbill]

Have you looked at 3M DI-NOC?

If you have a really good pattern you need to get hold of a race car vinyl or sign making company. They can convert the pattern into something a vinyl cutting machine can handle. These machines use a sharp blade and an X-Y stepper/roller to cut out vinyl patterns.

[mungus]

Thanks for the replies.

Its good to know others have had the same issue. It gets pretty warm here too so possibly the same issues. But hey so does alot of the US, so not really good enough...

Yes I have looked at the 3M Di-NOC products. I get the impression they are better than the cheap wood grain vinyl sticky papers on eBay.
The next thing is finding someone local with enough of a range to get a match, as there are a few walnuts in 3M's lists...

Distinctive have been a bit disappointing so far. I emailed them and all I got was "refer to your vendor". Then after hassling them I got it may well be warranty approved but again - go to your vendor...

I live in Australia so if the vendor says send them back I've just lost a chunk in postage (its not a small item).
Plus the vendor (Mustang Depot NV) won't post overseas, so I'll probably have to pay shipping ex LA where my freight forwarder is.
All in all a loss for their defect.

Wouldn't it be nice if upon proof (photos) they just thought hmmm, our product failed and this guy is not local, so how about we post a new set out?

[mungus]

Lastly the material I purchased seemed thinner and shrank after a couple of years.

Sounds like my Scott Drake overhead console wood grain insert. I went to fit that and it had shrunk on its backing paper. About 1/4"! Crap.

[67gtasanjose]

Woody wagon wood inserts?

[ruppstang]

Sounds like my Scott Drake overhead console wood grain insert. I went to fit that and it had shrunk on its backing paper. About 1/4"! Crap.

On your overhead console if you get the Scott Drake one warm it should stretch and be long enough. Even the factory one shrink in time and with heat, edges curled up.

The worst problem I have had is using a NOS instrument bezel and getting the other pieces to match. 

[mungus]

Quite possibly. But then all in all they sound like a poor option for the overhead console for longevity etc.
I may seek out a local 3M wood grain wrap applicator. 3M has many walnut finishes and that stuff is cooked on with a heat gun and seems to "stick around". :-)
A skilled applicator should be able to make one fit the flat console aluminium plate no trouble.

[Bossbill]

Neither calendered, cast or wrap vinyls use heat to set.
The only reason to use heat is to get the vinyl to conform to odd shapes or to stretch them.
Depending on the vinyl type some of them want to return to their original shape after being stretched.
Some vinyls last for 2 years, some up to 8.

If the vinyl is protect from UV it can last longer.
The graphics I designed, cut and applied to this car used the cheaper vinyl, yet lasted well over double their 3 year design life.

[bullitt68]

Neither calendered, cast or wrap vinyls use heat to set.
The only reason to use heat is to get the vinyl to conform to odd shapes or to stretch them.
Depending on the vinyl type some of them want to return to their original shape after being stretched.
Some vinyls last for 2 years, some up to 8.

If the vinyl is protect from UV it can last longer.
The graphics I designed, cut and applied to this car used the cheaper vinyl, yet lasted well over double their 3 year design life.

Hi Bill. While we are on the topic. My car did not have the woodgrain vinyl appliqué on the upper console. It was the brushed stainless like the '67's used. While it is an original unit and seems consistent with the rest of the car, I am wondering why it was that way. My understanding is that the upper console should also be woodgrain to match the rest off the deluxe interior. I know that there are some advertised replacement vinyl appliqués out there. What do you suggest is the best route to go. FYI I have a complete set of vinyl dash inserts already ordered from Scott Drake, so that part should all match pretty well I hope. Another challenge will be the heater control bezel as that will be original. I would love it if it all matched and looked consistent. Then of course there will be the door panels inserts to deal with that do appear much darker than the dash inserts.

[J_Speegle]

Since your going through the effort might want to compare what is available to what the originals had as far as gain in the surface of the product. Know that a while back all that was available for 69's was smooth when the original had visible grain so one owner made a short run of really nice and close to original looking stuff

Good luck

[Bossbill]

The ads for vinyl sure like to confuse people as the latest VViViD mentions using heat in one place and "application with only a squeegee" in another.
Most of the easy to use vinyls use air channels or ribbons without any application adhesive so that the air has a way of getting out. This prevents air bubbles.

The vendor mentioned above, VViViD, has a range of textured faux wood. This would give you the grain Jeff mentioned. I haven't looked to compare them to stock.

[mungus]

Since your going through the effort might want to compare what is available to what the originals had as far as gain in the surface of the product. Know that a while back all that was available for 69's was smooth when the original had visible grain so one owner made a short run of really nice and close to original looking stuff

Good luck

Thanks Jeff, I stumbled upon a local skilled sign writer and car wrapper who has been a bit of discovery. His bread and butter is motorsports graphics, including overseas, even having done a NASCAR team and some MotoGP guys helmets and pit banners. He's a cart racer himself. Has a bunch of photos with known driver / riders in his office. And all the time he was in an unnamed shed a few miles from my house! Ya just never know who ya neighbours are...

Anyway I digress. Turns out he's done a few vintage Ford woody woodgrain restorations and has done some interior wood grain work too. While I was there he printed out a close match for the console decal I got from CJ's, except it was on high quality adhesive vinyl that's guaranteed for 8 years. Even better he has an embossed clear woodgrain overlay to try and emulate the OEM texture and satin finish, from memory this is laminated on to the vinyl before application. He did a small example that looks nice to me.  I dropped him my door panels and overhead console today so I am hoping for a nice result. Not very expensive either. I may post up some photos when done. The VViVID website didn't show anything walnut, but perhaps they have others?

BTW in his opinion the decal I bought from CJ's was probably cheap book wrapping vinyl. Likewise the wood grain he peeled from my Distinctive Industries door panels wasn't even glued to the back vinyl. It just fell off once cut around the edges. He offered that it appeared to be similar thin book wrapping vinyl paper but with some thin double sided tape on the back, that likely failed in even moderate heat. By contrast the modern auto specific vinyl he uses sits in engine bays and on hoods for several race seasons, enduring our 110F summer days with no ill effect.

Not the first time hes seen such things apparently.