[Dave Plowman (News)]

The old car uses some form of wood based fibre board for the door cards
and the instrument cover. Both covered in 'leather' so look OK when new.
The instrument covers would warp within a few years from new - but have
been re-manufactured in fibreglass which solves the problem totally.

The door cards being a much more complex shape would be pretty costly to
re-manufacture and given the padded 'leather' is also moulded to the
shape, very difficult to make like the original. They don't warp as such,
but the wrapped over front and back loses its shape and then catches on
the door frame and can rip off the card if forced.

The usual trick is to make sheet steel reinforcing brackets and glue them
inside the card, to restore the original side profile. But over time the
glue simply lifts a layer of the fibre board.

What would be ideal was a glue which soaked into the fibre as much as
possible. And if it would stick the steel and leather too, so much the
better. Not a problem clamping things up until the glue dries.

--
*If one synchronized swimmer drowns, do the rest have to drown too?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

[Dave Liquorice[_2_]]

On Thu, 06 Feb 2020 15:44:43 +0000 (GMT), Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

The usual trick is to make sheet steel reinforcing brackets and glue
them inside the card, to restore the original side profile. But over
time the glue simply lifts a layer of the fibre board.

Make the contact area for the brackets as large as possible to reduce
the load on the fibre board?

--
Cheers
Dave.

[Robin]

On 06/02/2020 15:44, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
The old car uses some form of wood based fibre board for the door cards
and the instrument cover. Both covered in 'leather' so look OK when new.
The instrument covers would warp within a few years from new - but have
been re-manufactured in fibreglass which solves the problem totally.

The door cards being a much more complex shape would be pretty costly to
re-manufacture and given the padded 'leather' is also moulded to the
shape, very difficult to make like the original. They don't warp as such,
but the wrapped over front and back loses its shape and then catches on
the door frame and can rip off the card if forced.

The usual trick is to make sheet steel reinforcing brackets and glue them
inside the card, to restore the original side profile. But over time the
glue simply lifts a layer of the fibre board.

What would be ideal was a glue which soaked into the fibre as much as
possible. And if it would stick the steel and leather too, so much the
better. Not a problem clamping things up until the glue dries.


Is there a need to do it in one go rather than (a) strengthen the fibre
and then what that's sorted (perhaps after more than one application)
(b) apply glue? I don't know what stains/dissolves the "leather" so no
hard recommendations for (a) but if you can test on hidden bits perhaps
wood hardener (cave acetone if not water based).



--
Robin
reply-to address is (intended to be) valid

[The Natural Philosopher[_2_]]

On 06/02/2020 16:30, Robin wrote:
On 06/02/2020 15:44, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
The old car uses some form of wood based fibre board for the door cards
and the instrument cover. Both covered in 'leather' so look OK when new.
The instrument covers would warp within a few years from new - but have
been re-manufactured in fibreglass which solves the problem totally.

The door cards being a much more complex shape would be pretty costly to
re-manufacture and given the padded 'leather' is also moulded to the
shape, very difficult to make like the original. They don't warp as such,
but the wrapped over front and back loses its shape and then catches on
the door frame and can rip off the card if forced.

The usual trick is to make sheet steel reinforcing brackets and glue them
inside the card, to restore the original side profile. But over time the
glue simply lifts a layer of the fibre board.

What would be ideal was a glue which soaked into the fibre as much as
possible. And if it would stick the steel and leather too, so much the
better. Not a problem clamping things up until the glue dries.

use fibreglass and polyester resin to both soak in and spread the load
using glass reniforcment on the rear


--
In todays liberal progressive conflict-free education system, everyone
gets full Marx.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article l.net,
Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Thu, 06 Feb 2020 15:44:43 +0000 (GMT), Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

The usual trick is to make sheet steel reinforcing brackets and glue
them inside the card, to restore the original side profile. But over
time the glue simply lifts a layer of the fibre board.

Make the contact area for the brackets as large as possible to reduce
the load on the fibre board?

Already done. The problem is although it may look flat, lots of small
curves etc. To make a really large steel reinforcement would need panel
beating skills beyond my pay grade.

The edge has the 'leather' wrapped round it so over the steel plate and is
only about 1/2" deep. The plate's main part which is glued to the 'flat
board about 2" or so - but that's where it has come adrift. Again. ;-)

--
*Why is the word abbreviation so long?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

[Dave Liquorice[_2_]]

On Thu, 6 Feb 2020 16:48:59 +0000, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

use fibreglass and polyester resin to both soak in and spread the load
using glass reniforcment on the rear

Not a bad idea, use the fibregalss and resin as a gap fille for a not
quite perfect larger bracket. Embedding that in between layers of
fibreglass.

Not sure how well the resin will soak into the fibreboard though.
It's quite viscous, maybe wood hardner would be better?

--
Cheers
Dave.

[Dave Liquorice[_2_]]

On Thu, 06 Feb 2020 22:15:11 +0000 (GMT), Dave Liquorice wrote:

use fibreglass and polyester resin to both soak in and spread the
load
using glass reniforcment on the rear

Not a bad idea, use the fibregalss and resin as a gap fille for a not
quite perfect larger bracket. Embedding that in between layers of
fibreglass.

And maybe make the bracket with fingers to spread the load through
the fibreglass. Might be easier to get a closer match to the door
panel profile as well.

--
Cheers
Dave.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article l.net,
Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Thu, 6 Feb 2020 16:48:59 +0000, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

use fibreglass and polyester resin to both soak in and spread the load
using glass reniforcment on the rear

Not a bad idea, use the fibregalss and resin as a gap fille for a not
quite perfect larger bracket. Embedding that in between layers of
fibreglass.

Not sure how well the resin will soak into the fibreboard though.
It's quite viscous, maybe wood hardner would be better?

Glass fibre was my first thought and attempt many years ago. It sounds
ideal as it can reinforce the side, holding it in shape, all in one go.
But it doesn't last anything like as long as steel glued in place with
Evostik contact glue - or rather the original version of that.

As you guessed it doesn't penetrate the board enough.

--
*In "Casablanca", Humphrey Bogart never said "Play it again, Sam" *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.