# a template for consol in my van



## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

it's just a template which will be fitted on monday. nothing fancy. but in the end it shold be a real treat riding shotgun beside me. i'm not quite sure what wood i'm going to use, but i know veneer is not an option since it will be too hot in the summer. any ideas how to best protect against the sun? i was thinking linseed oil? 

i will post pics of my progress.... oops pics didn't work


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

cowboy dan said:


> it's just a template which will be fitted on monday. nothing fancy. but in the end it shold be a real treat riding shotgun beside me. i'm not quite sure what wood i'm going to use, but i know veneer is not an option since it will be too hot in the summer. any ideas how to best protect against the sun? i was thinking linseed oil?
> 
> i will post pics of my progress.... oops pics didn't work


 here they are...lol


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

This is going to be the center console? I'd think any finish would be ok, probably the tougher the better. They make finishes for decks and boats, so a weather protected console shouldn't be an issue. Why no veneers? Glue adehsion issues you think? I for one am curious to see this progress so please keep us up to date!


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## mjdtexan (Dec 13, 2008)

subscribed


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

ACP said:


> This is going to be the center console? I'd think any finish would be ok, probably the tougher the better. They make finishes for decks and boats, so a weather protected console shouldn't be an issue. Why no veneers? Glue adehsion issues you think? I for one am curious to see this progress so please keep us up to date!


 actually, it is the center consol and the dog house face plate that is home to a bad set of cup holders and a inatiquate glove box>.<. it has 2 dc power outlets that make the already small passenger compartment that much smaller. totally not cool if your 6'+. 

i can't use veneer because of the sun/heat. i can tint the side windows but what about the windshield? the veneer will let go. i'm interested in finding a finish that has u-v rating. that could pose to be a challenge.


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## DST (Jan 10, 2011)

Keep posting please. I've been thinking of doing one for my van too but it's still just one thing on a long list


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## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

Have you considered Spar Varnish? Lowes has the Cabit spar varnish in the marine formula which has a very good resistance to UV and is intended for use on boat decks. I don't think your van will ever see the same punishment as a boat deck unless you go off-roading underwater.


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## joesdad (Nov 1, 2007)

I made one five years ago for mine. Plywood construction with a white oak lid/elbow rest. I filled the grain, stained and lacquered the lid because I knew it would double as a writing surface. No UV problems, no seperation problems.


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

i might try the minwax helmsman urethane. i wonder if i could just buy a can just put some in my spray gun and shoot that. i have no experience with the compressor and spray gun. i am pretty good with minwax urethane aerosol cans and get very good results, but i just got a nice mini gun that i would like to try. any info on the subject is welcome. 
i have a hplv (i think) mini top feed gun with moisture filter, cleaning kit. i also have a 26gal 1.7hp w/150psi max compressor. i don't need tips on how to spray(trust me), i'm just not that familar with the chemicals.... you know the stuff they teach you in school:huh:


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

today i fit the cardboard template to my van. if asked, i spent hrs planning and measuring.... but really no. i only have 3 basic measurements and i forgot them as well. i'm pleased with the fit. the seat adjustments are easilly accesible. the center slides back all the way incase i need to work on the van. all the angles are perfect, though i couldn't tell you what they are. i really am just winging it. i know what i want, i know how to do it, but i'm no teacher, so i can't explain how i'm "winging it" i just am. 

the plan is to have 4 visible cup holders and a timmys' tray adaptor, total cup holders, 8. i am building the floor glow by hand as well as transfering all the dc power outlets. in these pics i have to choose what angle the guage cluster/ nav system must be. i will have a pull out drawer in the back and another in the box hidden from veiw.

the wood i have selected is a long list of materials: mdf, red oak, walnut, and or maple instead of red oak. havn't decided yet truthfully. the other choice is cherry but if i do cherry, i'll have to go shopping for a contrasting/ complimenting wood, and that will get pricey! what goes good with light grey carpet?.... nothing, i think i'm going to spill something nasty on it so that it needs to be changed...lol


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

here is the rest:laughing:


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## mjdtexan (Dec 13, 2008)

You have an opportunity to build you a secret compartment too. This way you can travel with your secret stash, of of of secret wood of course.


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

so this is day 1. 
i didn't have quite enough walnut or maple. i just finished working with red oak so now i want to see what cherry lookes like. i selected cheery cherry purpleheart and tulip wood. i may have to stain the carpet a nice charcol to enhance the cherry a bit. it fits perfectly and i am impressed that i was able to cut the curves on the tablesaw (my band saw keeps throwing the blade). not bad for a few hrs today.... mainly thinking about making cuts. 

i'm not planning on using any nails. that poses some unique challenges, how to clamp the odd angles of 2 deg and 7deg (just guessing still). i have it mocked up and ready to measure. i wonder if i'm even close??......


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## joesdad (Nov 1, 2007)

Holy! Dan, I hope you were wearing a fullface helmet when you made those cuts on the TS and they're beveled too? I'm looking forward to seeing this job finished.:thumbsup:


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

it's really not that bad. only safty glasses required but thanks for the compliment. the ts is my main tool for a reason. it's been over a year since even my radial armsaw has been used. i use my ts for everything. i even make my own crown moulding using my ts and a dremmel as i will the moulding for this project and many after this...lol

my blade of choice costs $49 freud lu82m010-c. it is starting to dull finally! if you look at the purpleheart in the pic you can see that it is burned (but still cut through it like butter). the reason i like this blade is because the price can't be beat for glue ready cuts, one per yr. if i was a pro i would likely find something that costs more money.


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

this morning i laminated the front face. then i had to think about how to clamp this peculiar piece.....


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

after laminating the face i turned my complete attention on how to clamp a 60deg and a 69.5 deg!.
what i came up with is bordering on a bit crazy. i call it : "the house of cards clamp". 
basically, this is spring loaded using a couple purlpe heart sticks and a big sub for locking the clamp like a squirel trap. the purple stick(s) load the pressure and the sub keeps it all locked down. it transfers pressure to the corners in a double zig-zag line. kind of like loading a cross bow. tricky! but not one nail was used. 
oddly enough, the clamps act like braces rather than clamps... meaning i used the sticks to apply force to the clamps and then onto the 2x4s and that pressure gets pinned to the table. it was insane to even set this up let alone try to explain it...lol

i think we have reached complicated


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

this is the piece all clamped and i threw in a pick of the stock piece just to show the similar shape.... next is to transfer all accesories and wiring over and bolt it in. more to come....


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

36hrs later.... i'm tired... need rest. this is what i came up with.


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

and finally.... the 1st bolt up! it's still rough, and on the passenger side i made a big fudge! it's ok... i can fix it.


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

ooops, missed the upload... i'm tired.


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## mjdtexan (Dec 13, 2008)

cowboy dan said:


> and finally.... the 1st bolt up! it's still rough, and on the passenger side i made a big fudge! it's ok... i can fix it.


I know in the automotive paint industry, its not how well you can paint, its how well you deal with the mistakes you make. I bet its like that sometimes with woodworking. I dunno yet, I am still working on it. I cant wait to see it in your truck.


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

mjdtexan said:


> I know in the automotive paint industry, its not how well you can paint, its how well you deal with the mistakes you make. I bet its like that sometimes with woodworking. I dunno yet, I am still working on it. I cant wait to see it in your truck.


 
automotive paint is not quite the same as wood working. you can't cover a mistake with another coat.
it is mounted in the van? but far from done.


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## ponch37300 (Feb 27, 2008)

Looks nice.

I made my share of center consoles but they all were out of MDF and fiberglass and then painted. Looks like an older RF HX2 used as a weight! I used to have 8 12's in the back of my F150 back in the competition days. Looking forward to seeing your finished prodect.


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

ponch37300 said:


> Looks nice.
> 
> I made my share of center consoles but they all were out of MDF and fiberglass and then painted. Looks like an older RF HX2 used as a weight! I used to have 8 12's in the back of my F150 back in the competition days. Looking forward to seeing your finished prodect.


i know exactly what you built. i do admire such creativity! i hit 145db with 2 12" pioneers.... back in the day. i still have one left, but it's old and tired. retiered to use with my shop stereo. the weight is my upgrade, i don't have enough amp to run. but you are right, it is an old rf. 1998 if i'm not mistaken. the consol doesn't get the sub though. i keep my single 12 in the back (very back). 

i have no idea where i'm going with this consol. all i know is.... i'm going! this is getting more and more challenging with each step. the trend is at this point, with every idea comes 3 back up ideas. that can lead to some interesting mistakes:yes:, like i'm going to cut the face right out and make a couple interesting incisions with the crown molding attached. why would i do that? because that's how i get around my mistakes.... i'll cut, then flip upside down, then the front becomes the back, but the lines are not lost:huh:. with any luck, i'll get through it with out more complications. thanks for all the posts i'll try to keep up with the pics. maybe some of my mistakes... sometimes even i have to scratch my head. my sig rings true here


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

started on the box. and more fitting. but it does fit perfectly. i cut out the face and what might seem like i went backwards, i didn't. the face needed to be cut anyway, i just cut it all out. the consol slides back and the face is easy to remove. it will all be bolted some how.

thanks for all the intrest. i'm sure this will be the only one i ever make, so i'm making it a good one.


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## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

Looks good so far, keep it up. I actually specialize in building consoles and pretty much anything in the car audio world. I own Audio 2000 in Tucson AZ. Let me know if I can be of any help.


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

for me this is a 1st. well i made a another but let's not talk about that. thanks for the offer.


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## awoodman (Dec 15, 2010)

It is always a challenge fabricating off cardboard templates. I find later after completing a project I see how I could have done this or that differently...The first one is always fun though..enjoy..


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

this was done just for fun... no real practical value. but i think it's cool. my console is still under the knife.... saw blade.
http://youtu.be/68QcctA9yJE


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

so after the kids got out of school, i havn't worked on it as much as i should, but i don't have adiquate dust collection, and i'm working with toxic wood, i use a respirator and shop clean every week end. had a big accident... not me, my project...lol. without warning i was working on the other side of the table when all of a sudden the face plate fell off the the table and turned into a big giant pancake. no biggy, just about 50hrs pancaked on the floor. it took me 3 days to reverse the damage. luckily, it wasn't glued so when it hit, it absourbed 90% of the impact. so there are 4 extra cuts made that i would rather not discuss as they are ... mistakes...lol. the purple heart is mostly complete on the face except fo.... the cupholders and timmies tray laid out but not laminated yet. i bought another piece of tulip wood and i swore up and down that i wouldn't but it's so hard to come by. so now i have added a whole other lamination process instead of just accents. i'm not using draw strings of the lower lid on the face... 8lb magnets are protecting the lid from lowering onto the trim. more to come. i think i'm at the half way mark.


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

ok, were getting somewhere. the trim is almost complete. i decided to have the rear lid slide open reather than lift. this will aid the rear passengers. as some might notice the rear doesn't quite close. but if it were to ever slam shut under heavy breaking, it would surely break the rear trim. i'm ok with the space and i don't think it will take away from the over all look of it. i'm having sanding issues but i have another post going for that. the tulip wood is pretty wild i think. much more wild than the privious piece i started with. but i'm not complaining.... imo it's working well.... can't wait to finish it. just so everyone knows, i have put 40hrs in at work (4 day) every week, and up to 40hrs (3day) every week end. pretty much for the last 6 months. minor hiccups in between. designing from scratch is not the easiest sollution, but it sure is the most gratifying. i do see why people draw things out first. in some ways it could have sped my progress up a bit. but i have to live with what ever i have created, and i still don't know what is will look like finished. my fater in-law says i lack vision... maybe he has a point....lol

as well, an interesting note about the side trim, each side consists of three pices. the reason i did it this way is because i had the stock cut, and then, after getting a new piece of tulip wood, i didn't want to skimp out on the trim. this helped the final fit because cutting a triple compound miter cut is easier to repeat than 4 angles on one large piece. this type of cut was a first for me. it's a 2 piece design that needs to look like one. these cuts made the look.... it only took me a whole day to do 8 cuts. i think it went well i did take pics of how i did them, but the detail of the cuts are hard to make sense of from just a pic or 2.


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

and a few more. i have a bit of glue to clean up. i still have to get the power and lighting and all that, but it shouldn't be that bad cause i have all the pieces thanks to gm...lol


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

here are the joints that i had to custom make. i have never done these before. very first time. not quite sure what to call them, but as you can see, the tri angles are needed.


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

This is really starting to take shape. It should look fantastic when it is installed. Great work


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## troyd1976 (Jul 26, 2011)

Inspiring thread for sure. Lookin great. I keep meaning to build a new center console for my ranger that integrates with the dash. Can't seem to keep an arm rest on the factory console, and alot of wasted space between it and the dash, also possibly get my sub mounted in the console so..just been trying to decide what would look good with black interior.


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

yep. thanks ken, as soon as the kids go back to school, i will devote more energy to perminently mounting it in the van. up next is power. that is going to take some focus.... won't happen with my 5yr old around, she's high mantinence...lol

troy, i already know what i would do for your ranger. the base of mine will be black, then i will dye the carpet black. or i might go to the wreckers for it. even a dark grey would be better than light grey ( that's what my van is...lol)


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## ihackwood (Sep 5, 2009)

i'm subscribed i want to see this done


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## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

Is this for an Astro? I have one, too, but was fortunate to find an aftermarket center console that I really like. Now my wifes odyssey is a different story.... 

I am very eager to see how this looks installed.

Great job so far.

Fabian


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## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

Coming along beautifully. I'm still working on the carbon fiber console I started when you started. Consoles can be fun but they can also be time consuming. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to the pics in the van.


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

Bill Wyko said:


> Coming along beautifully. I'm still working on the carbon fiber console I started when you started. Consoles can be fun but they can also be time consuming. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to the pics in the van.


 lol. i would say, i'd race ya.... but i need all my digits. i'm working on the top compartment, it's almost ready for trim. i have to solve one more problem in my construction, but i think i have it, just have to apply my idea. no pics as of yet. but i will by wed or thurs. but every time i step into the shop, i have a big grin from ear to ear. i also want to mesh the looks into the van, i thought of using black carpet or dark grey. but they didn't mock up well in the van, so i guess i will use factory grey(light).


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

i finally shot the 1st coat using my compressor. after lots of discussion ( thanks for everyones opinion) i settled on auto clear. it's layed on a bit thick. i have a few runs. not sure how to deal with them. it's cured enough to sand right now. thanks.


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

here are some better shots of the type of runs i need to deal with


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

here is a nice shot of everything. kinda like an exploded veiw.


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

alright. here goes.... after 7 months, this is how she turned out. not bad i think.

in these pics i'm showing the last coat applied. the next is 2 hrs waiting and then put on to bake 2hr-3hrs. the next 2 are of morning the day after finish. left to bake in the sun (23c) for 2-3hrs. shade and let cool for 2hrs. the last one is the sun. i went on a sneezing fit taking this one.


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

here it is, powered, mounted, and FINISHED! there are some odds and ends left to take care of, but i can do all that at a later date. i want to enjoy this.

edit. the console is so heavy it's bending the mounts. but i have to wait till next week.


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

just a few more. enjoy


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## ihackwood (Sep 5, 2009)

congrats, dan did you remove the dog house for that? be careful for exhaust gases. whats the next project?


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

ihackwood said:


> congrats, dan did you remove the dog house for that? be careful for exhaust gases. whats the next project?


no i did not remove the doghouse. i replaced the plastic unit which covers the doghouse. it had the most useless cupholders. the next project is my kitchen floor. but the next van project is going to be the dash, then the side, then the back.


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

sorry i haven't been around much, but i am.... was, very buisy. someone told me to put some ice in my leg. so i'm computer literate for a week. i thought i might add some pics of this consol. i haven't gotten any further.... but i have had almost a year of bumps and potholes and she hasn't come apart. the pics will show just how i use this thing. i really don't like my recorded vioce so pics are where its at. i built 15 options for this one...lol. for me it's all about the magnets. but with magnets, come megnetic fields and credit cards, phones, and yes clocks. just try and measure it... not as easy as one might think.... guessing works best. one of the three lids is held in with just magnets. i made almost no attempt to conceil the magnets, if you don't see it it didn't really happen eh. so far it's all still in one piece. i had my concernes about that..... how much will it take to break this thing. not much i imagine, but that is where you have to theorize about what would worst case be?? when bolted with 4 bolts with big washers on both sides, pretty secure i'd say. this is two pieces. i won't lie, it's heavier. it instantly drops a 1/4" when installed. shims will be needed since the factory braketry is not up to the task. there is some issues with the one display lid. it's the lower display lid. some clear coat dammage has occurred. the magnets need to be stronger. when it's open. the best is the secret trimmies tray. i took a short video and posted it. it needs some work but is seems to be credit card safe. is nine months long enough of a test?


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

a few more shots.


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## cowboy dan (Apr 11, 2010)

if my uncle got his band saw, i might do the dash and then finish the install... sooner...lol.


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