[C320-list] Pedestal gauge panel "refinish"

[Graeme Clark]

You can buy the facia material. It is a laminate sandwich with thin white layer on top of black. The engraving cuts away the white to reveal the black beneath. There are many commercial sign businesses that can supply and engrave for you. I have a friend who has a computer controlled router that is mounted on a flatbed and can do the same job using a vee shaped bit

However the laminate material is surprisingly expensive and my plan is to use plain white sheet material of same thickness and apply cut vinlyl lettering - the same as is used for vehicle sign writing and similar. Once again there are companies that will cut to order. 

Hope that helps

Graeme. 366.  

Sent from mobile: please excuse typos etc.!


> On 27 Jul 2016, at 11:46, Troy Dunn <troutwarrior at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> We are planning the same project in the fall.   Very interested in hearing
> approaches.  The panel is black plastic, so the engraved lettering is not
> painted.   I suspect at the factory the panels are painted first, covered
> with a protective paper, and then engraved so that the plastic shows
> through and the protective paper removed to show the white surface.   Have
> not yet figured out a good approach to painting the surface while leaving
> the lettering unpainted.
> 
> Troy and Kim Dunn
> Hull #514 s/v Wonky Dog
> Tidewater Marina, Havre De Grace, MD
> 
> On Wednesday, July 27, 2016, Scott Westwood <scottwestwood at bellsouth.net>
> wrote:
> 
>> Before we spend "several" hundreds of dollars (based on web search) for a
>> replacement pedestal gauge panel, has anybody "refinished" one?
>> I have thoughts on how to do it but just asking what, if anything, others
>> have done to spruce it up. PO has painted it and the paint is flaking
>> etc... and it looks pretty bad.  Whole thing needs new rocker switch
>> covers, etc...
>> It is not worth hundreds of dollars for a replacement.  That is ridiculous.
>> Thanks,
>> Scott Westwood scottwestwood at bellsouth.net <javascript:;> H
>> (919)-362-8538    C (919)-618-7185
>>