Hot Rods Engine turning or Damascening

I love the sight of engine turned panels. It creates a classic look of old world craftsmanship. This is just my crummy aftermarket gauge panel in my Roadster. Show us your work or any engine turning you may have seen and couldn't resist taking a picture. Don't limit it to gauge panels.

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/engine-turn-silver-gold-lets-see-it.1003414/

 

Sure didn't look crapppy to me when I saw it !


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There are several great threads if you do a search.

 

.................You're too kind.

 

Nothing crummy about that. Classic simple never out of style look.

 

#1- rear spring cover-'31 roadster (sold)
#2- dash panel- '30 Tudor sedan
#3- gas tank straps- '30 coupe-
#4- dash panel, switch panel, and column drop - '30 coupe

All done on a drill press - I'm a big fan of engine turning ( and louvers)

All cars have new owners; on to the next one.

 

I haven't tried damascening but I have done some engine turning. HRP

 

I haven't done it yet, but I sure like the look of it also. I like the look on old lettering with gold leaf.
Tony

 

Gold leaf is way cool.

 

Very cool, Mike. I love it.

 

Its hard to tell in this photo, but the panel is engine turned black anodized.

 

They all look great guy`s keep up the good work.

 

The 1954 Ford's had a engine turned aluminum panel as original equipment.



When I decided I wanted to modify the dash in the wagon to install gauges I knew I had a lot of work ahead of me but I still wanted to retain the beauty of the original engine turned panel.



I did a lot of cutting on the dash to accommodate the gauges and then made a poster board template to make a new insert to fit the original panel.



I then made the panel. HRP

 

This started out as a piece of 1/8" stainless.

 

I use a Bridgeport with a screw on scotch rite round disc. Come down and let it touch and then move over a determined amount. really not that hard once you get the pattern started.

 

I liked this one, from the Scrap Drive earlier this year.





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One trick I learned was to use a wood dowel chucked up in the mill and glue hook velcro to it. Then buy the velcro backed abrasive discs and punch circles out if to fit the dowel. It makes changing the abrasive quick and easy.

 

`33 instrument panel, nickel plated, engine turned, then chrome plated. engine turning nickel is the hard part.
tom

 

That panel should be on display at Tiffany's! Beautiful.

 

Two I did for my sons 56......

 

Beautiful work, guys. Thanks for posting the pictures.

 

Did a search and found a very interesting article on the history of this finish.

http://www.circuitousroot.com/artif...nishing/engine-turning-vs-spotting/index.html

 

thanx for the positive comments. this is a `32 panel, i used a computer generated Asymmetric grid to duplicate the original Ford produced pattern. again copper plate, nickel plate, engine turned, and then chrome plate. it is hard to photograph with reflections going every which way, but the pattern lines up every way you turn it.
tom

 

is one good thread.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/engine-turning-a-new-spin-waa-waaahh.454150/

 

Thanks! That throws a lot of new light on the subject. The examples shown in the posts above would more accurately be described as "spotting" than "engine turning". Some other beautiful finishing techniques illustrated in the article as well.

 

This puzzles me....it seems chroming over the turnings would cover them. I had to dig up a piece I own that was supposedly done by Eamonn Keogh, it's chromed, the turnings look beautiful and are smooth to the touch like plain chrome. I always thought the turning was done after chrome. Learn something new everyday!

 

Aluminum dash on the sprintcar.
deChrome

 

A friend of mine who is a machine geek acquired a Rose engine lathe..I will have to check it out as now I understand better what it does...

 

My personal favorite as it started my infatuation with the stuff




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