Painting instrument covers

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tross

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My Simrad IS12 instrument cover are showing the signs of UV and weathering and are looking a bit tatty against the new instrument pod. I can't find any replacements and most blogs talk about extortionate pricing for them. Has anyone tried painting these and if so, what paint did you / you would recommend.
 
What about using the existing one as a pattern and have one made up by a boat upholsterer?

I'm having winch covers made up and the cost is quite reasonable.
 
coopec said:
What about using the existing one as a pattern and have one made up by a boat upholsterer?
Click to expand...

I don't think plastic moulding is usually within their repertoire :)

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Pete
 
Pete

I don't think plastic moulding is usually within their repertoire

I'm not sure what you are saying. The one pictured is probably vinyl but I'm having winch covers made up by my boat upholsterer and I can have whatever material I want. (I've gone for blue canvas)
 
Simrad instruments are either PVC or more likely ABS and could be fabricated using 3 mm thick white ABS sheet or even white Perspex by amy descent sign maker.

They could also be vacuum molded but some one who does vacuum molding would need a quantity for make it cost effective ,

My IS 11 (same size as IS 12) are 110 mm square so you might find similar sizes in other instrument suppliers like NASA or Raymarine.

The NASA clipper says it's 110 square so one of these for a clipper may do you

http://www.nasamarine.com/proddetail.php?prod=Dustcover
 
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coopec said:
I'm not sure what you are saying. The one pictured is probably vinyl but I'm having winch covers made up by my boat upholsterer and I can have whatever material I want. (I've gone for blue canvas)
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Instrument covers (at least the type being discussed in this thread) are rigid plastic. They clip over the face of the instrument. Some of the simpler ones are interchangeable (eg NASA Clipper and very early Raymarine) but most are specific to one particular range of instruments by one manufacturer.

Your upholsterer can't make these, unless perhaps he's also into 3D printing or vacuum-forming.

Pete
 
Rogershaw said:
Simrad instruments are either PVC or more likely ABS and could be fabricated using 3 mm thick white ABS sheet or even white Perspex by amy descent sign maker.

They could also be vacuum molded but some one who does vacuum molding would need a quantity for make it cost effective ,

My IS 11 (same size as IS 12) are 110 mm square so you might find similar sizes in other instrument suppliers like NASA or Raymarine.

The NASA clipper says it's 110 square so one of these for a clipper may do you

http://www.nasamarine.com/proddetail.php?prod=Dustcover
Click to expand...

When I boat my boat it had IS15 instruments (it now has IS20) and someone had sourced NASA covers as replacements presumably having lost the original. They did not fit very well.
 
I don't remember really but I think the issue was that they tapered slightly, so when pushed onto the instruments they were sort of jammed on, and then had eventually split, and were then too loose as a result. They are cheap though so worth a shot. The price of suncovers in general is ridiculous.
 
If you do get new ones, keep the old ones for the winter - less likely to get nicked. Alternatively, just keep the old ones on the boat all the time for the same reason.
 
My Nasa target wind unit cover fell into many pieces today. It however lasted much longer than the masthead unit - which fell into little pieces many years ago !

Shame they can't make the instrument as good as the cover !:(
 
tross said:
My Simrad IS12 instrument cover are showing the signs of UV and weathering and are looking a bit tatty against the new instrument pod. I can't find any replacements and most blogs talk about extortionate pricing for them. Has anyone tried painting these and if so, what paint did you / you would recommend.
Click to expand...

This will do it. Rustoleum All-surface paint

I have used it on plastic garden furniture and some mushroom ventilators

125054_R_Z001
http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/rust-oleum-white---gloss-paint---250ml-125054

There is a matt finish one if you prefer it and other colours
 
This topic was covered in a previous thread.
http://www.ybw.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-339535.html

Roger says "If they were too big a bit of self adhesive foam strip would solve the problem" Why not adhesive backed industrial velcro tape (bought by the meter on eBay)

The link (above) suggests "Next option will be to fabricate something somehow......"

Well why not F/G? And I suppose the answer is if you have never used F/G you would probably find it difficult.
 
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I have made up a cover out of old sail cloth that velcros onto velcro strips around the compass. A bit tatty perhaps but easily replaced and OP could make a larger cover for the whole pod. good luck olewill
 
Interesting you use Rust oleum for painting those items. I use "Rustguard" or Killrust" gloss epoxy to paint my fiberglass.
It's good but the gloss really shows up imperfections.

I also paint my funnel ventilators gloss white and internals with a crimson spray can and it has brought them up to look new
 
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