When I bought my car the picnic tray under the middle of the dash was damaged. The top surface was scratched but worse was the fact that the veneer had come off the front of the tray and the wood was damaged in the corners. I had been looking for a half decent replacement and in my box of many things that I purchased a couple of months ago came two spares. One had a decent top surface but had the same damage that mine had on the front edge whilst the other had damage to the veneer on the top surface.
Rather than try and repair the veneer on the front I decided to replace it with a piece of polished alloy angle. I also had a piece of polished brass which really went well against the wood but unfortunately did not match any of the other dash fittings which are all silver chrome.
First I removed the remaining veneer from the front and then using a router I cut a small groove in the top of the leading edge so the alloy strip would sit flush to the top edge and then set about cleaning, sanding and lacquering the top face. Once I had a decent finish following ten or more coats of varnish each followed when dry by a sand down with 1000 grit wet and dry. I attached the polished alloy strip to the front of the tray with araldite and drilled the holes for the handle and screwed this in place.
I have to say the finish looks really good and a lot better than the chipped veneer and bare wood I had. Set against the dash and switches it looks very neat and tidy.
The old front with damaged veneer.

- IMG_8017.JPG (3.14 MiB) Viewed 2256 times
The front routed out and showing the Alloy angle piece.

- IMG_8022.JPG (2.45 MiB) Viewed 2256 times
Alloy angle offered up to tray fitting flush with surface in routed groove.

- IMG_8023.JPG (2.13 MiB) Viewed 2256 times
Handle and runners attached with polished surface.

- IMG_8124.JPG (2.64 MiB) Viewed 2256 times
Tray in place closed.

- IMG_8126.JPG (2.67 MiB) Viewed 2256 times
Tray in place open.

- IMG_8127.JPG (2.65 MiB) Viewed 2256 times
When I bought my car the picnic tray under the middle of the dash was damaged. The top surface was scratched but worse was the fact that the veneer had come off the front of the tray and the wood was damaged in the corners. I had been looking for a half decent replacement and in my box of many things that I purchased a couple of months ago came two spares. One had a decent top surface but had the same damage that mine had on the front edge whilst the other had damage to the veneer on the top surface.
Rather than try and repair the veneer on the front I decided to replace it with a piece of polished alloy angle. I also had a piece of polished brass which really went well against the wood but unfortunately did not match any of the other dash fittings which are all silver chrome.
First I removed the remaining veneer from the front and then using a router I cut a small groove in the top of the leading edge so the alloy strip would sit flush to the top edge and then set about cleaning, sanding and lacquering the top face. Once I had a decent finish following ten or more coats of varnish each followed when dry by a sand down with 1000 grit wet and dry. I attached the polished alloy strip to the front of the tray with araldite and drilled the holes for the handle and screwed this in place.
I have to say the finish looks really good and a lot better than the chipped veneer and bare wood I had. Set against the dash and switches it looks very neat and tidy.
The old front with damaged veneer.
[attachment=5]IMG_8017.JPG[/attachment]
The front routed out and showing the Alloy angle piece.
[attachment=4]IMG_8022.JPG[/attachment]
Alloy angle offered up to tray fitting flush with surface in routed groove.
[attachment=0]IMG_8023.JPG[/attachment]
Handle and runners attached with polished surface.
[attachment=3]IMG_8124.JPG[/attachment]
Tray in place closed.
[attachment=2]IMG_8126.JPG[/attachment]
Tray in place open.
[attachment=1]IMG_8127.JPG[/attachment]