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Carbon fiber panel overlay


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1 hour ago, FastTex said:

I remember some time ago I saw a Cessna 210 with a carbon fiber panel overlay which was very easy to install (according to the owner). Does anyone know of something similar for our Mooneys? I did some search but I didn't find much...

Thanks.

My hangar neighbor made one for his Comanche, he ordered the faux carbon fiber off the net.

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5 hours ago, FastTex said:

How did it turn out? Does it look good? The one I saw was pretty cool with a very professional appearance...

It looked good, it was a dark redish weave which went good with his interior, not sure on cost or time. I've also seen vinyl adhesive sheets used that turned out good, although it wasn't on an aircraft panel

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Find the YouTube video...

For the most part people use a decal material to put on the surface...

The work is getting to the surface...

Great if the panel is out on a bench...

Not so good if the panel is in the plane full of instruments...

For a real carbon fiber finish... the Draco guy (Mike Patey) just built a plane using carbon fiber covers... with clear finish...

That would make a really nice instrument panel, and save weigh too...
 

The plane is called Scrappy (it’s not technically done yet)... steel tube structure similar to a Mooney, getting carbon fiber covers and a parachute fully integrated into the build...   Hmmmmmm...... :)

 

PP thoughts only...

Best regards,

-a-

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most people I think are not doing a actual carbon fiber.  I think they are doing more of a vinyl covering.  Basically remove all your old black vinyl and replace it with new vinyl of your choosing.

IMG_5200.jpg

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Spoke to my neighbor and asked how he went about it, if was an original overlay he make a new one from the carbon fiber sheet, if it was a painted panel he wrapped it in vinyl with a carbon fiber print. He couldn’t remember where he got the materials but the fuax sheet and vinyl was from the same supplier so the color and patterns matched

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My plastic overlay broke into 3 pieces when it was removed. I'm slowly making a new one, but have been unable to find drawings showing hole locations. So it's a lot of trial and error.

Since it's just a cosmetic cover, Owner Produced is the way to go. Use whatever you want, keeping in mind the CAR3 requirements. 

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On 7/23/2020 at 8:02 AM, wcb said:

most people I think are not doing a actual carbon fiber.  I think they are doing more of a vinyl covering.  Basically remove all your old black vinyl and replace it with new vinyl of your choosing.

IMG_5200.jpg

Your panel is neat and clean (really cool, BTW), mine is very busy and it doesn't look like I have any plastic overlay. I'm not sure I want to undo all the screws. I was thinking to overlay a 1mm or 1.5mm of carbon fiber and fit it with trial and error drilling holes for the instruments and the screws.

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Just now, FastTex said:

Your panel is neat and clean (really cool, BTW), mine is very busy and it doesn't look like I have any plastic overlay. I'm not sure I want to undo all the screws. I was thinking to overlay a 1mm or 1.5mm of carbon fiber and fit it with trial and error drilling holes for the instruments and the screws.

You can use plexiglass (so you can see where things) to make a template, much cheaper than carbon fiber.

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2 hours ago, FastTex said:

Your panel is neat and clean (really cool, BTW), mine is very busy and it doesn't look like I have any plastic overlay. I'm not sure I want to undo all the screws. I was thinking to overlay a 1mm or 1.5mm of carbon fiber and fit it with trial and error drilling holes for the instruments and the screws.

And when I did mine I made sure to pre-plan for the new Garmin Autopilot to go in right above the audio panel.  We put in the rack and simply made a cover for the hole.

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I’d really like to see someone try the mike patey  method for an instrument panel 

namely ...

structure is just CF layers as a plate 

would need to CNC that plate 

Bodywork (ie sanding) and micro until voids are gone 

one last layer of “cosmetic” CF peel plied for a unidirectional weave. 

vinyl labeling goes over 

clear coated to “embed” the lettering in a smooth face.  

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12 hours ago, Jim Peace said:

my opinion, of course....flat black looks much better.....the carbon fiber look is to busy looking.....especially when it is going in different directions....

I like the flat grey as well.... In my picture above the only reason that one section is going in the wrong direction is that is a plate cover for where we have already placed the rack for the Garmin GFC 500.

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9 hours ago, G Miller said:

I wrote an article for the July 2016 issue of the Mooney Flyer describing my panel overlay upgrade. You may find the attached article of interest.

article.pdf 415.24 kB · 7 downloads

That is great! Thanks for the info. It doesn't look like I have a plastic overlay plus my panel looks very busy with lots of screws (see pic, sorry for the bad light...). Do you guys think I can add an aluminum overlay like Gary did?

On a separate note, maybe we should write an article on how to cover the yokes with about $20! Not perfect, but it looks clean and it will be better next time.

 

20200725_085619.jpg

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For next time...
 

Find where Peter Garmin put his own leather on his yokes...

Not a lot of Money, but a good bit of skill has to be there...

Peter must have good fine motor skills, and strong cognitive abilities, to see what needsEd to be done, and then got it done...

 

As for adding aluminum overlay...?

There is a sheet of aluminum that is the panel...

That sheet gets finished any way you like...

Or refinished anyway you like...

Remove old finish, apply new...

Lots of work involved...

 

Best regards,

-a-

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