I have a dash which has a leather effect finish.
There are lots of holes which I need to re-glass.  As I see it, getting the filled holes to match the surrounding area is not going to happen, and I'm not too fond of the look anyway.
Do you think the dash will sand back to smooth to paint, or will I end up skimming the whole lit with filler??

Could you sort the holes and smooth it all then if youre not happy take a mould from it and make a new one in the finish of your choice

If this is a  textured covering use a "hot air" gun gently heating over a "start portion of the "cloth". Lift away from the corner. Then as you pull the cloth up over direct heat below the cloth and pull back over. It will peel away easily. If the covering has been attached with something like evostick the remaining goo can be softened with acetone etc and again with a little heat it can be scraped away with a wood spatula looking just like balls of snot.

Looks about the same finish as the hard top I had years ago but that is an awkward shape to sand smooth and it would be thin with a couple off mm taken off. Best ruogh up and skim with filler or a painted layer of resin.

Paul1953, I don't think it is. I might have another look. I was half hoping it would be a stuck on covering.

Snoopy, that sounds like a good idea.

There is quite a large flat surface under the speedo hole which will be out of sight. I might attack that but first, and if it sll goes tits up it doesn't really matter.

Right.... another option which will save a lot of filling/ sanding is to cover the entire surface with two layers of fibreglass tissue. Then a thin covering of filler. Then a light sanding. I use this method often to get a perfectly flat surface. Never had resin come away from a multitude of surfaces. You can get a small tin of Fastglass resin along with f.glass tissue for about £14 .

Right.... another option which will save a lot of filling/ sanding is to cover the entire surface with two layers of fibreglass tissue. Then a thin covering of filler. Then a light sanding. I use this method often to get a perfectly flat surface. Never had resin come away from a multitude of surfaces. You can get a small tin of Fastglass resin along with f.glass tissue for about £14 .

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