Another build thread? Yep, my track-style T

[J. Robinson]

With all the holes drilled, it's time to finish the panel. I used my cordless drill and a 1 inch diameter wire brush (same as I used on the firewall). The pattern is achieved by using a straight edge fixture (I used a 1 x 4 board) clamped in place to guide the rows of brushed circles in a straight line. Controlling the drill is a challenge at first, so I recommend practicing on a scrap piece until you “get the hang of it”. Start at one end of the top or bottom edge and work all the way across, overlapping each circle by one half the diameter. I am left-handed, so I find it easier to control the drill / brush if I start at the top and work from right to left. When I finish a row I move the guide one half the diameter of the brush and do the next row. There is another detailed explanation of the process back on page 27 of this thread. Once done with the "engine turning" process, I cleaned the panel with wax & grease remover, loaded my spray gun, and gave the panel three wet coats of clear acrylic urethane. The last pic below shows the finished panel with chrome acorn nuts holding the panel in place and the gauges installed.