Burl dash wood

[hauser]

Has anyone purchased the dash wood in burl offered on eBay ?

Please give me your feedback.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Burl-Wood-280sl-pagoda-mercedes-230-250-280-sl-113-w113-/221419259841?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item338d9dc7c1&vxp=mtr

[scoot]

I haven't, but I have had my original dash wood redone at Madera Concepts in Goleta CA.  They can change the vaneer to whatever you want, and sometimes your original wood will fit better than the wood from a different car.  FWIW.

[66andBlue]

Hauser,
do you mean something like that shown in John's reply #7 here: http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=9781.0  ?

[scoot]

I was assuming he meant the speaker grill, bow in front of dash behind windshield, and parcel box in the center of the seats.  My 250SL had burl finish on it, which subsequently was re-finished back to stock.

[andyburns]

Hey Scoot, how much did the refinishing cost.   I currently have a set of wood that the previous owner has tried to sand and then realized what he has done has painted over them with black paint.  I have stripped the paint and now have the dilemma of either repairing or replacing.  I can get an new rhd set for around 700USD but if you man does a good job and is cost effective I will send all my wood in his direction.  Do you have any photos of the finished product?

[scoot]

I don't remember what we paid.  I also don't have "good" pictures as the wood is installed in the car and it wouldn't be easy to get accurate photographs of the wood when it is installed in the car.  Madera Concepts is well-reviewed within the MB community.  On a personal level, they are sort of right wing rednecks (I remember a Sarah Palin pin-up calendar hanging on a wall when I was there), but the quality of the wood work is excellent.  I suspect it would be more cost-effective than buying new wood, and that the fit would probably be better also, assuming your old wood fit well.

I would recommend you contact them directly and look at their gallery
http://www.maderaconcepts.com/

Scott

[hauser]

Sorry guys, thanks to AT&T I've been unable to get on line.

Just wanted some feedback on this wood kit. 

I was informed today that Drew from Heritage Wood passed away.

[RonB]

Wood Trim refinished - there is often times some one locally that can do it. If you have a "woodworking store or a place called Rockwell" and ask if anyone locally can do what you need. They sell veneer in variety of wood type. I had accessory box made the goes on the tran. hump in from of the shift lever. cost about $100 and was custom made.

[Cees Klumper]

I do some woodworking myself including with veneers. The curved pieces I imagine are done using a vacuum press. Not very difficult work so can imagine that any local skilled woodworker can indeed do this for not too much money. The finishing anyone can do with some information on technique and what sort of finish to use, and patience.

[scoot]

Has anyone purchased the dash wood in burl offered on eBay ?

The seller is re-selling the work of another shop.  I would want to know who is doing that wood and buy directly.

[hauser]

Here's the info on the wood.  The lowest price I have found so far is $600 US for the set.

The original wood is layered.  I don't know how good this stuff is and don't want to throw away the $$.

http://www.fcpeuro.com/products/mercedes-wood-burl-kit-230sl-250sl-280sl-w113-wk113burl

[66andBlue]

Hi Hauser,
I am sorry but I don't get it. Why don't you send your wood pieces to Heritage Wood and have them refinish it correctly? Plus you don't have to worry that it will not fit your car.  As you know these pieces were hand fitted and there is no assurance that new wood doesn't require the same.
Although Drew passed away my understanding is that they are still in business. Just call them.

[hauser]

I am afraid that Heritage is no more.  The owner Drew has passed away.

My wood is or may not be original.  It is veneered in rosewood. 

[66andBlue]

If it is rosewood then it is NOT original.
But if you want rosewood then send it to http://www.maderaconcepts.com/  that is what they like to do.
But they also will resurface it in English walnut like the original.

[philmas]

I 've always wondered why MB didn't offer an overall better quality for the dash wood on such a luxurious car , while there was a wide choice of beautiful woods such as glossy walnut, zebrano, etc... for the 111 coupe or the sedans of the Paul Bracq era...
I know burl wood is not correct, but honestly,can't we say at least  that's the way MB should have done it ,don't you agree...?

[Cees Klumper]

Thanks to all in this thread for giving me a new idea; as I mentioned above, I do some woodworking myself including veneering. As a busy-body who needs to 'do things' in his free time as I have difficulty sitting still, I now have a new idea for staying active in retirement. I already have the vacuum press and loads (and I mean loads) of the most exotic veneers: burl, walnut, ebony, rosewood, maple, zebrano, you name it, so watch this space in about ten years' time (my planned retirement time) ...

[hauser]

Here's my opinion.  It's my car, so why not have it the way I want it?  I'm not selling it any time soon. Seriously guys is having burled walnut really going to devalue a car if it's done to high standards?

[mdsalemi]

FWIW, some exotic woods are banned in the USA. Also, there's a lot of defacing of our national treasures for burl wood. Not passing any judgment on complex international laws and agreements here, but just something to think about when you "pine" (excuse the pun) over some exotic wood for your dash or any other project...

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/09/us/poachers-attack-beloved-elders-of-california-its-redwoods.html?_r=0
http://paindependent.com/2013/06/pennsylvania-guitar-maker-dodges-federal-scrutiny-while-others-get-burned-for-using-exotic-wood/

[66andBlue]

Here's my opinion.  It's my car, so why not have it the way I want it?

Absolutely nothing wrong with that!
However, since I am still on the SL113.org board I'll have to pretend to uphold our charter! 
The purpose of the Group shall be to maintain the historical heritage of the Mercedes-Benz brand and products, particularly the W 113 230 SL, 250 SL and 280 SL models produced from March 1963 through February 1971.

Michael,
there is plenty of "exotic wood" available here in California, very few species are banned: http://www.rockler.com/wood/exotic-lumber?limit=96

Cees,
I have refinished the dash in my 280SL using very thin, paper-backed "Sapele" veneer. Its grain is quite close to the walnut in our cars (if one stays away from the knotted parts) and can be stained like it. Also is quite a bit cheaper then English walnut veneer.

[mdsalemi]

there is plenty of "exotic wood" available here in California, very few species are banned...

thin, paper-backed "Sapele" veneer.

Alfred, [for what its worth here, a lot has to do with one's moral compass] the issue isn't so much a banned species of wood, but the origin of the wood itself. One can buy, I suppose, "legal" rosewood, for example, but some rosewood is illegal, a violation of the Lacey Act having to do with illegal logging in certain parts of the world. Kind of a complex issue for which there are few answers; one would think a reputable firm like Gibson Guitar, for example, would be trusted to source their fretboard wood legally. However, they admitted to circumventing the rules…and paying a hefty fine. I pass no judgment on this, just letting everyone know that the problem is real.

As for burls, some of the redwoods in your adopted home state of California are being decimated and killed in search of the burls; this is very recent news. I hear that it is the drug trade in search of a quick buck.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/09/us/poachers-attack-beloved-elders-of-california-its-redwoods.html?_r=0

I don't know how to tell if a burl comes from a legitimate source or not, nor any exotic hardwood either. It is certainly something to think about, however.