cardboard boat gauge panel

[produceguy]

Here is my latest project. I'm very excited to do this one because it's something I've wanted to do for a year or so and I'm finally starting it. This is were I'm at.

I ordered a 7 piece gauge set( Eclipse series ) to redo and redesign my dash. I'm useing cardboard and maybe foam to design and build it.

I've done a lot of searches on the net on how to do this but I need all the help I get.

 

[produceguy]

Re: cardboard boat gauge panel

I want to incorperate the radio into the panel and somehow make a cup holder that's not in the way.

 

[rickryder]

Re: cardboard boat gauge panel

Look like your on the right path

 

[dsiekman]

Re: cardboard boat gauge panel

I rebuilt my dash this winter. It's a lot of work but can be very rewarding. I ended up using aluminum as a backing panel. It is fairly easy to get from a metal supplier. In my case I was able to by scrap and got all I needed for about $30. I posted my process on the forum, so feel free to take a look if you're interested.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: cardboard boat gauge panel

Hey PG,

The first issue I see is your current dash is actually beveled so it has two levels. (Click the Pic to enlarge and see circled area) Are you going to "Even it out" So it is FLAT? That's what I'd recommend. Easy enough to do using some plywood and glass it in.

Is that what you're thinkin??

 

[produceguy]

Re: cardboard boat gauge panel

Look like your on the right path

I'm going to try to fiberglass over car bondo and foam.

What do you think?

 

[produceguy]

Re: cardboard boat gauge panel

I rebuilt my dash this winter. It's a lot of work but can be very rewarding. I ended up using aluminum as a backing panel. It is fairly easy to get from a metal supplier. In my case I was able to by scrap and got all I needed for about $30. I posted my process on the forum, so feel free to take a look if you're interested.

That's awsome!
I hope this turns out half as nice as yours.

 

[produceguy]

Re: cardboard boat gauge panel

Hey PG,

The first issue I see is your current dash is actually beveled so it has two levels. (Click the Pic to enlarge and see circled area) Are you going to "Even it out" So it is FLAT? That's what I'd recommend. Easy enough to do using some plywood and glass it in.

Is that what you're thinkin??


View attachment 102434

I didn't think of that.
I was going to use a mold out of foam and cover it with car bondo and then glass it.
I'll take all the ideals I can.

 

[Bondo]

Re: cardboard boat gauge panel

I'll take all the ideals I can.

Ayuh,... You can make the panel outa yer cardboard cut-out....
Soaked in resin, 'n covered with glass,....
It'll be easily paintable to any color ya want...

I've built body parts outa cardboard patterns, 'n glass...
The cardboard just holds the shape, til the glass sets up...
'couse, it also provides abit of bulk, 'n strength, by structure...

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: cardboard boat gauge panel

I'm going to try to fiberglass over car bondo and foam.

What do you think?

You could also Wax up a piece of flat safety glass .. put a few layers of 1.5 oz mat .. one layer of 1708..then top off with a few more layers of 1.5 oz mat. Pop that off your "mold" ( the glass ) and use the cardboard cutout for a template . .

You can now gel or Paint it .. Drill it etc. If this is what your thinking is ..

YD.

 

[relocyo]

Re: cardboard boat gauge panel

Im planning on doing mine out of lexan, sand the back and rattle can black on the back, I have seen this done with great sucess , end result looks sharp as heck too! Looks like colored glass when your done, I think I may have seen a youtube vid of someone doing it, but have had some custom car stereo guys around here do it and I think it looks bad arse!

 

[oops!]

Re: cardboard boat gauge panel

if you use the car bondo over foam with out glass.......it will crack if the bondo is too thick.
the two dont expand or contract at the same rate...

btdt.

its in the link in my sig

 

[produceguy]

Ayuh,... You can make the panel outa yer cardboard cut-out....
Soaked in resin, 'n covered with glass,....
It'll be easily paintable to any color ya want...

I've built body parts outa cardboard patterns, 'n glass...
The cardboard just holds the shape, til the glass sets up...
'couse, it also provides abit of bulk, 'n strength, by structure...

That was my first plan but I'm getting more detailed and need the foam.

You could also Wax up a piece of flat safety glass .. put a few layers of 1.5 oz mat .. one layer of 1708..then top off with a few more layers of 1.5 oz mat. Pop that off your "mold" ( the glass ) and use the cardboard cutout for a template . .

You can now gel or Paint it .. Drill it etc. If this is what your thinking is ..

YD.

I read that you can also use protrolem jelly ( vaseline ) for a mold releasing ajent.
Sorry about the spelling.
Would that work.

if you use the car bondo over foam with out glass.......it will crack if the bondo is too thick.
the two dont expand or contract at the same rate...

btdt.

its in the link in my sig

I was thinking the bondo over the foam so it wouldn't melt and then glass it. If the bondo happens to crack it should be ok cause I'm glassing over it.
I would use fiberglass bondo, I think I've seen it at the store, but doesn't that need resin to harden?





Started on the foam mold.

 

[dsiekman]

Re: cardboard boat gauge panel

That's awsome!
I hope this turns out half as nice as yours.

Thanks, man. I'm sure your's will turn out nice. Just take your time. I built at least a half dozen templates before I got to the final. You might want to transfer your cardboard template to luan plywood. It's cheap, thin, and will hold a better edge than cardboard.

I have zero experience working with fiberglass, so I stuck with what I know - wood and metal.

I like your trick with the plexi. That sounds pretty cool. When I was in architecture school we built a lot of models and plexi was one of my favorite materials. You might play with backlighting it for a nice glow, too. If I remember right, after sanding it you can "edge light" it and get the whole piece to glow. Might be fun to play with some LEDs.

Good luck and keep posting pics!

 

[dsiekman]

Re: cardboard boat gauge panel

Sorry, guess that was relocyo's idea with the plexi (lexan, actually). Anyway, cool idea.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: cardboard boat gauge panel

PG .. are you planning on building a PART .. or a MOLD .. or a PLUG ... ??

Basically Im asking if the Part your making going to be the same One up part your going to be using on the boat.

OR.. are you making a Plug .. waxing that..building a Mold..then Making a Part for install. ..

If you talking about making a One up Part ..then yes you can use the foam. Shape it to where you want. Lightly spray/brush coat with resin..fill existing pinholes with bondo..let set. .. lam One 1.5 oz mat ( Tear your pieces do not cut and have small little circles of mat for those corners etc .. NO WAX ) .. let cure..Deburr wipe with acetone and lam a few 3-4 layers of mat on that.

Im assuming your making a Plug..and not a part because there is much more difficulty doing an Inside out lammed complex Part. ( Just Way too much Rework/Refinishing to deal with with complex radi's and such ) ..

YD.

 

[produceguy]

Re: cardboard boat gauge panel

PG .. are you planning on building a PART .. or a MOLD .. or a PLUG ... ??

Basically Im asking if the Part your making going to be the same One up part your going to be using on the boat.

OR.. are you making a Plug .. waxing that..building a Mold..then Making a Part for install. ..

If you talking about making a One up Part ..then yes you can use the foam. Shape it to where you want. Lightly spray/brush coat with resin..fill existing pinholes with bondo..let set. .. lam One 1.5 oz mat ( Tear your pieces do not cut and have small little circles of mat for those corners etc .. NO WAX ) .. let cure..Deburr wipe with acetone and lam a few 3-4 layers of mat on that.

Im assuming your making a Plug..and not a part because there is much more difficulty doing an Inside out lammed complex Part. ( Just Way too much Rework/Refinishing to deal with with complex radi's and such ) ..

YD.

I planned on making it just how it is and maybe screwing it down to the exsiting glass. So I guess what I'm saying is that the mould you see is the part that will be attached to the boat. Does that make any sense?
This is somekind of poly foam, I couldn't find the urathane foam at the store. I'm afraid if I use resin on it with no protection it'll melt on me. That's why I was going to us the bondo and to shape it a bit.

 

[produceguy]

Re: cardboard boat gauge panel

Im planning on doing mine out of lexan, sand the back and rattle can black on the back, I have seen this done with great sucess , end result looks sharp as heck too! Looks like colored glass when your done, I think I may have seen a youtube vid of someone doing it, but have had some custom car stereo guys around here do it and I think it looks bad arse!

That sounds pretty cool.

 

[produceguy]

Re: cardboard boat gauge panel

I did a test on the foam to see how much it will melt with the resin and it really distorts it.
So I put some masking tape over the foam to see how it reacts and had the same reults.
The bondo is not really working out around the corners. When sanding it wants to break and crack.
I am going to cover the entire project with some cardboard and try to us the bondo around the eges.

Any tips on how to make the eges look nice or am I going in the right direction?

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[rickryder]

Re: cardboard boat gauge panel

What about making it out of 1/4" ply and glassing that?