Updating Dash Panels, Actuators, Gauges and Electronics

I am just throwing this out there... I saw it the other day on a boat for sale. Upholstering that brow I thought was kind of a cool way to update it or if yours is deteriorating .... I have seen guys over the years trying to repaint it...most auto interior guys could do it

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Creekwood said:
Fantastic. Another spring project! I think I will be going red though. Better for night vision.
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From my military background...I agree, red is good for night vision. That being said, I found the blue just as easy on the eyes when dimmed. But I don’t do too much night driving so can’t say I have hours behind the wheel to truly experience it.

have fun with the next project.
 
Blueone said:
I am just throwing this out there... I saw it the other day on a boat for sale. Reupholstering that brow I thought was kind of a cool way to update it or if yours is deteriorating .... I have seen guys over the years trying to repaint it...most auto interior guys could do it

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That’s cool!!!
 
This CSR forum in general has been pretty slow lately.... so as punishment here is a pic of me repainting and clear coating my helm panel screws.... this also proves how boring my CHINA virus stay at home life is.. :)

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techmitch said:
Come on man, no powder coating or anodizing?
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No...I wish... this whole retrofit started because I had a spare A65 sitting on a shelf...... all I got left to save some money on this project is to rattle can the panel screws :)
 
Thank you for all the tips. Getting ready to do the same project and was (and still am) concerned about all the switches. I think I have 25 to tend with. I just did the upper panel with new chart plotters and now onto the panel with the switches. As mentioned above it does look nice once its done.
 
Blueone said:
This CSR forum in general has been pretty slow lately.... so as punishment here is a pic of repainting and clear coating my helm panel screws.... this also proves how boring my CHINA virus stay at home life is.. :)
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Well, you beat me! The last time I made my panel screws look prettier, I just used a black Sharpie marker!!!
 
Lazy Daze said:
Well, you beat me! The last time I made my panel screws look prettier, I just used a black Sharpie marker!!!
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LOL....I thought of that when the damn paint wouldn’t cover the Phillips edge after 3 coats....
 
Hey Ray said:
My boatyard is doing this project for me while the boat was hauled out for bottom painting. I ordered the panels and actuators from FP Marine, and also bought a new VHF and Simrad Cruise 9 (new entry level model) chartplotter. Sticking with the old radar for now. This is taking WAY LONGER than I expected, as the mechanic seemed to indicate he needed to disconnect the reconnect every single switch and gauge. He's been working on it for the better part of 2 weeks. Has anyone taken on this project themselves or had it done? What was your experience? Definitely looking forward to seeing the finished product! (Before pic attached)
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The new stuff works better if you disconnect the old and then reconnect the new things.
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That upholstered dash brow looks pretty awesome Blueone. I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to do mine. It's trashed. I want to go all fiberglass or something like that though.
I'm in the middle of changing my DC switches and breakers out. I'm replacing the electro luminescence strips also. The panel is aluminum, so I'll clean it up and paint it. I was thinking of hydro dipping something on it. Not sure yet. Don't want it to look hokey. I'm a little torn on the color too. I feel like all black will look best. I ordered a new ignition switch and dimmer also. I'd rather start from scratch with all the important circuitry when we launch in the spring.

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Blueone said:
LOL....I thought of that when the damn paint wouldn’t cover the Phillips edge after 3 coats....
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Yeah, I hate painting screws. I tried that one time and the same thing - hard to get it to stick to the edges. I'm generally pretty good at painting things, but I gave up. Used the sharpie one time - broke down and actually bought black screws the other time. Your's looks better, though!

Hawk... another option is vinyl wrapping... wood grain, carbon fiber, regular colors... the options are almost limitless. Check out 3M Di-noc.
 
TheWolfTC said:
From my military background...I agree, red is good for night vision. That being said, I found the blue just as easy on the eyes when dimmed. But I don’t do too much night driving so can’t say I have hours behind the wheel to truly experience it.

have fun with the next project.
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I have seen a lot of debate on-line about whether red really is better for night vision, but in my own eye's experience, it is better. I do run at night reasonably frequently coming back from evening salmon fishing runs. Even with radar, I take no chances with night vision. Plus I find red gives a very military/pro look to a gauge panel. Maybe the many pilots on CSR can weigh in on whether red backlighting is still the norm on aircraft.
 
Lazy Daze said:
Hawk... another option is vinyl wrapping... wood grain, carbon fiber, regular colors... the options are almost limitless. Check out 3M Di-noc.
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I've seen that. It would work, but for what I'm doing I feel like paint is the way to go.

TheWolfTC said:
From my military background...I agree, red is good for night vision. That being said, I found the blue just as easy on the eyes when dimmed.
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I spent nine years in the Marines. I have to agree about the blue. Generally green and red are the historically preferred lights, but there's been a big move to green and blue over the years. I try to stay away from red myself.
 
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Blueone said:
This CSR forum in general has been pretty slow lately.... so as punishment here is a pic of me repainting and clear coating my helm panel screws....
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Are you replacing the small "o-rings" on the screws, too? :cool:
 
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