Dash Panel Holes

[Guest filwaf]

Just about to start cutting holes in my lovely bright shiny dash panel !! I was thinking of using a hole saw of the correct diameter for the gauges, but does anyone feel this is too risky !!. I fear the panel may splinter ( GBS panel ). Is this the best way or does someone have any better suggestions.

Regds Fil.

[Guest Ian Maycock]

I would suggest covering the area with masking tape and mark out the position of the gauges. Then chain drill a series of small holes around the inside of the diameter as marked. Snip out between the hole to remove the center and finish off with an abrasive flap wheel until you get a nice snug fit.

[Guest ali2992]

I'm in the same boat, don't want the GRP to splinter. I've been looking at getting some sort of router attachment for the dremel but haven't managed to find one so far that looks suitable for grp

[Guest 2bchris]

I am also in a similar position... Regarding the steering column cowl do others cut the dash to allow enough room for the steering column itself and then shape the steering column cover to fit the dash or vies versa? Advice would be appreciated, sorry for hi-jacking the post. Cheers, Chris

[tractor]

the fibreglass is thin enough to use hole cutters as long as they are sharp it will not splinter I would do a pilot hole just smaller than the pilot drill bit on your hole cutter

Edited January 15, 2015 by tractor

[Shaft]

You want a diamond grit coated 1/8th" Dia grinder bit for a Dremmel or similar.

It'll be like a knife through butter.

 

Like these.....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00CE3YP9S/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/275-4922789-8111539

Edited January 15, 2015 by Shaft

[Shaft]

As an aside for all peeps looking at trimming composite based materials, you don't want to be "cutting it" but simply using "abrasion" techniques. Diamond burrs as i mentioned above, flap wheels, belt Sanders etc will make very light work of the job.

Composite is extremely tough and will wear out HSS, Cobalt and Carbide cutting tools in no time at all but it has extremely low resistance to abrasion.

 

HTH.

Edited January 15, 2015 by Shaft

[fry61]

You want a diamond grit coated 1/8th" Dia grinder bit for a Dremmel or similar.

It'll be like a knife through butter.

 

Like these.....

http://www.amazon.co...4922789-8111539

Only trouble with above is the rotary burr has no sense of direction & can just as easily cut outside the line -- me?? I would use a hole saw in very slow battery drill with the torque setting low so the blade stalls rather than snags & tears the GRP.

[Shaft]

You wouldn't go for size on the 1st cut though Bob. You'd rough trim then Polish back to size.

I did all my GRP and Carbon using Diamond grit grinders mate, not a single miss cut.

 

 

[Bob Tucker]

If you use a hole saw, set the drill to normal direction for the

centre location drill, but then change it to reverse for the first cuts with the circular cutter.

Nice & slow.....start with a smaller size then flap wheel to size.

 

Practice on scrap if you have any GRP available

Edited January 15, 2015 by Bob Tucker

[Guest Neil.Pritchard]

Hi when i fitted my grp dash . I masked out area where the clocks were to be fitted , i used hole cutters smaller than clock size . next used dermel with sanding wheel fitted and sanded out to correct size. Using a battery drill.

Cheers Neil

[cb750]

As regards the steering column cowl, I cut the dash and reinforced the cutout with fibreglass. Used a shaped piece of aluminium taped into the cutout as a pattern and coated with wax as a release agent. I will try and post some photos when I am on the PC (the iPad won't let me put photobucket links up)

[fry61]

Must agree with Nick on using undersize holesaw & teasing out to final fit. Florins dash was made from good old fashioned oil tempered hardboard & soft-wood nosings so can't comment too much on glass & resin. If the GRP panel is thin there is a danger of the hole saw pilot reaming out the centre hole as the saw cuts; so maybe a good idea to change the centre drill for a plain shaft.

 

& no Nick is anything but plain so in this application is not recommended.

[cb750]

Dash cutout photos as promised

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest filwaf]

Thanks guys. I think I know which way I will try, but will sleep on it first. Post about the cut-out for steering column was interesting. Still at the stage of MDF mock up and not yet offered that to the car to see how much trimming needs to be done !! Regds Fil.