Cutting wooden trim

[proser]

Has anybody cut holes for extra switches in the wooden centre trim panel.

Want to fit the heated seat switches, but I'm not paying MB about £300 to replace the centre dash panel with the holes already there.

 

[EDZ649]

Could you not find a seconhand one with the holes already in it? Have you looked on ebay.de?

 

[shorty]

Ive cut them for extra switches . Cover the area of the switch with masking tape and mark out the shape of the switch with a pen . Use a hole saw to start the cutting . The insert a coping saw into the hole made by the hole saw , and roughly cut out the switch shape . Then finish off to the marks with a fine file ,and only file down wards so as not to chip the laqure .
Its slow progress but it can be done .

 

[proser]

I have been looking, but the combo needed is like rocking horse doodahs

It will need to be bur walnut with comand, std heating controls, rear wash/wipe, heated window, hazard, c/l , anti theft and then the heated seat switches.

 

[antonyw124]

A tip for cutting out, is to first mark the hole to be cut out with a stanley knife with a new blade in it. This will stop the wood from tearing.

 

[kth286]

on my car the wood is only a veneer which is stuck to alloy.

that Stanley knife idea would probably cut through the veener and mark the shape on the alloy underneath.

 

[219]

I have done it numerous times using a Dremel with a side cutting drill bit to cut a hole slightly smaller than required , then one of the rotary polishing stones to finish off to the exact dimensions required .

 

[pharmed]

Dremel as mentioned above, just be careful which speed you use so it doesnt heat up too much