Instrument panel labelling options

The guys where I work make these placards all the time for military and
civil aircraft mod programs.

Our prefered option is to draw the labels in ACAD and then send them out to
be photo etched onto an adhesive backed aluminium (just guessing this is
approx 0.012" thick). It doesn't cost much to have them made and they look
very professional. I think these placards are only a few bucks each. This is
common practice in the industry. If you want to know the exact material they
use yell out and I will find out. I think it is a 3M product but cannot be
sure off hand. We use a black background and the letters are etched to
expose the aluminium underneath.

The other common technique is to rout the placards from 'trafalite'. This is
a sandwich of several layers of plastic, usually black and white. The black
faces out and the letters are routed into the surface exposing the white
plastic underneath. Also common practise. There are plenty of people that
can make these for you but I think these are a little more expensive than
the first option.

Finally .... in backlit panels which sometimes mount circuit breakers there
is another interesting technique used. The panel is machined from a clear
acrylic. The letters for the placards are routed into the surface. The whole
panel is finished in matt black (in our case usually an NVG compatible
paint) and then a white wax material is rubbed into the groves of the
letters so that they show white against a black background. Lights then
shine through the plastic from the rear illuminating the panel. This last
one is not a homebuildable technique but I thought you might be interested.

OEM's often screen print the placards on the panels but as you rightly point
out there are logistical issues with this.


"John Galban" wrote in message
om...
My buddy and I were putting the finishing touches on the RV-10
instrument panel this weekend, when we got to wondering about how to
label the breakers.

He's found a place across town that will silk screen the lettering
onto the painted panel. This presents a bit a of a pain in the butt
logistically and will also be pricey.

We were wondering if there are any good "do-it-yourself" ways to put
lettering on the instrument panel. On the RV-6 he used a label maker
with clear tape and black lettering. This looked good at first, but
the label material eventually yellowed and the labels proved to be
very difficult to remove and replace without scratching the panel's
paint.

So, does anyone have any recommendations? We're open to
suggestions.

Thanks,

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)

"smjmitchell" wrote in message u...
The guys where I work make these placards all the time for military and
civil aircraft mod programs.


Hey, this is a *homebuilt* forum! What's wrong with a Sharpie? WGDR

From: (Corrie)
Date: 11/16/2004 10:42 Central Standard Time
Message-id:

"smjmitchell" wrote in message
. au...
The guys where I work make these placards all the time for military and
civil aircraft mod programs.


Hey, this is a *homebuilt* forum! What's wrong with a Sharpie? WGDR

Some of us have handwriting bad enough to graduate from pre med.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

From: "smjmitchell"
Date: 11/16/2004 02:38 Central Standard Time
Message-id:

snip

Finally .... in backlit panels which sometimes mount circuit breakers there
is another interesting technique used. The panel is machined from a clear
acrylic. The letters for the placards are routed into the surface. The whole
panel is finished in matt black (in our case usually an NVG compatible
paint) and then a white wax material is rubbed into the groves of the
letters so that they show white against a black background. Lights then
shine through the plastic from the rear illuminating the panel. This last
one is not a homebuildable technique but I thought you might be interested.

I have had excellent experience using translucent white plexiglass. I don't
recall seeing waxy substances in any illuminated panel in my 20 years in the
Air Farce, but I could be wrong. On some aircraft with the lamps embeded in the
plexiglass there is no engraving on the front. It appears simply to have been
silkscreened so light shows through the lettering.

I have taken apart several internally lit cylindrical instruments for the
synchros etc. The dial illuminates through a plexiglass face that appears silk
screened. The lamps, usually at least 2, are inserted into a thick white
plexiglass blockin contact with the face. The pointer is plexiglass and the
light enters from behind through its center disc. I bring this up in case
anyone wants to make illuminated knobs. I have seen them on several aircaft and
it's a nice touch.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired