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1969 F "Placards"; KI-209 lens; NuLites?


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This 1969 M20F has some placards (for lack of a better term) that have seriously seen better days, and frankly look awful. Especially the "flaps" control placard, and the placard below the throttle quadrant. Is there a source for easy replacement? (Is that checklist next to the CDIs required? It's redundant to, and less detailed than, the owner's manual-sourced checklists I have on ForeFlight and on paper, and I never reference them.) They appear to be backlit, if that changes anything?

Also, the KI-209 looks great during the day, but at night is very cloudy. Can the lens be economically replaced? (At some point the KX-155 - which has a display in the beginning phases of failure - is getting replaced with a GNC255, the GI-106 will go to the Garmin radio, and the GNS430W (or IFD440, whatever) will be talking to an HSI in some form of glass panel... So I don't want to spend too much, for equipment that has a lifespan of about another year... But in that year, I'd prefer the panel look as nice as possible. :) )

Finally, anyone have any experience with NuLites (including non-LED NuLites) or equivalent, for steam gauge illumination? (There are LEDs under the glareshield, but I find they're too bright on the lowest setting, so I don't use them much.)

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NuLites are fantastic.  I got a used set of 8 and a max dim for about $100 from a salvage yard some time back. It may have been the aviation deal of the century.  Mine are incandescent but I like the light being very easy on the eyes and almost infinite dimming to zero with the max dim.  Best thing I’ve done lighting wise.  

19BAECA2-129C-48D1-B989-5CCCD4E33678.jpeg

The KI-209 lens can be cleaned. 

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+1 on Nulites. I installed several 2-3 years ago and am quite pleased. Prior to that the airspeed indicator in particular was very difficult to read in the slower range due to shadowing from the glareshield lighting.

They are a bit fragile during installation as one was broken while pinched against my gauge cluster, but they have held up well since then. The manufacturer was great, though, and sent me a free replacement even after admitting the breakage was MY fault.

I keep things turned down pretty far in flight but here are a couple of pics showing the gauges with and without the glareshield lights turned on.

Also, I'm pretty pleased with my new placards from HigherGraphics.com (see other pic which shows a few). They're not as substantial as the factory aluminum ones, but they are holding up very well.

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I couldn’t take it anymore!

3f9474858833870eac76ef1a6f0fae9b.jpg

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

Thanks. Told my wife you’d be around soon enough.

 

Note: Old pic. New electronic CO detector replaces that stupid cardboard POS.

 

 

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3 minutes ago, cnoe said:

 

Thanks. Told my wife you’d be around soon enough.

 

Note: Old pic. New electronic CO detector replaces that stupid cardboard POS.

 

 

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Forget the nulites - I love your pen holder!

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15 hours ago, aviatoreb said:

Forget the nulites - I love your pen holder!

As mentioned the PenPal holders are available at both Amazon and Walmart but only in multi-color packs. A while back Paul @gsxrpilot contacted the manufacturer about purchasing them in black-only and they gave him a minimum-order quantity. I opted in for several and he bought a large number. He may have a bunch left. The black looks much better on my panel.

IMG_0723.JPG

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2 hours ago, cnoe said:

As mentioned the PenPal holders are available at both Amazon and Walmart but only in multi-color packs. A while back Paul @gsxrpilot contacted the manufacturer about purchasing them in black-only and they gave him a minimum-order quantity. I opted in for several and he bought a large number. He may have a bunch left. The black looks much better on my panel.

IMG_0723.JPG

I found these:

https://www.amazon.com/Pen-Pal-Holders-Adhesive-Removeable/dp/B01M046PID/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1526587013&sr=8-4&keywords=tops+penpal

meanwhile - I like your black klixon switch buttons covers...

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With regard to the front of the KI-209, I'm not absolutely certain, but it may just be that it is dirty (even on the inside).  I have seen much more obscured gauges that when the face was cleaned, it was perfect.  Might save a few $.

 

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meanwhile - I like your black klixon switch buttons covers...

 

They’re a part of the premium placard set from Higher Graphics and made of high quality 3M vinyl. They’ll let you customize the set and provide proofs prior to production. It’s been more than 2 years since I installed all new placards and I’m still 100% satisfied. There was 3-4 pages of placards in my set. http://www.highergraphics.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=13&products_id=127

 

 

 

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21 hours ago, Marauder said:

 


Amazon. I use two different types.

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I buy these in the office supply section of walmart:

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I put them everywhere! One on the pillars on each side of the Mooney windshield, my bandsaw, wood lathe and of course, the one below on my truck dash. 

20180517_164906.thumb.jpg.ff415ee603df171b45670cd8e480a95a.jpg

They're just so darn handy!

Edited by Hank
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As mentioned the PenPal holders are available at both Amazon and Walmart but only in multi-color packs. A while back Paul [mention=11970]gsxrpilot[/mention] contacted the manufacturer about purchasing them in black-only and they gave him a minimum-order quantity. I opted in for several and he bought a large number. He may have a bunch left. The black looks much better on my panel.
IMG_0723.thumb.JPG.edcbc0b3417bd28a7951090f1008b841.JPG


I still have a bunch of these if anyone needs a black one.
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Why does everyone use a pen...?

When Hank’s fancy mechanical pencil (or two) would work a bit better, no?

Just wondering, because there are pens stored on my plane’s floor, pockets, every nook available... the mechanical pencils are all around the house...

Best regards,

-a-

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4 minutes ago, carusoam said:

Why does everyone use a pen...?

When Hank’s fancy mechanical pencil (or two) would work a bit better, no?

Just wondering, because there are pens stored on my plane’s floor, pockets, every nook available... the mechanical pencils are all around the house...

Best regards,

-a-

Pentel 0.5s have been called a lot of things, but "fancy"? When I was in school, they were ubiquitous in Engineering. Now they are even sold in multipacks at wally world.

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I preffered the Pentel 7mm....  thicker lead was tougher to break.  the standard blue color made it harder to steal... more obvious who borrowed my pencil... :)

The modern low cost, makes them ideal for several in each cockpit... pre loaded with the extra leads... HB or H... the softer one to not tear the crappy paper... I am typically only using copier paper in the cabin taking notes...

Ink or Lead?

Best regards,

-a-

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I buy these in the office supply section of walmart:
20130916_211002.thumb.jpg.7654a87a4e3d4cf50dce1e7abc4eb036.jpg
I put them everywhere! One on the pillars on each side of the Mooney windshield, my bandsaw, wood lathe and of course, the one below on my truck dash. 
20180517_164906.thumb.jpg.ff415ee603df171b45670cd8e480a95a.jpg
They're just so darn handy!

I have a ranger that looks just like that...


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