Powercoat or Paint a new panel?

[JMH23]

Nate,
I talked with 3 or 4 different lettering shops and they all had different ideas on how small of letters they could cut. I think the machine they have is a factor, but it also is a major PIA to peel the letters free especially when they are small. For the smallest letters, I had the shop print the black letters on a clear pressure senitive adhesive label. Then you only have to place the label instead of the individual letters. Once I sprayed the flatted clear coat of urethane over the finished lettered panels, the edges of the label are almost invisible. The clear coat also helps protect the label edges from peeling up. Hope this helps

Joe Hand

[JMH23]

Nate,
I talked with 3 or 4 different lettering shops and they all had different ideas on how small of letters they could cut. I think the machine they have is a factor, but it also is a major PIA to peel the letters free especially when they are small. For the smallest letters, I had the shop print the black letters on a clear pressure senitive adhesive label. Then you only have to place the label instead of the individual letters. Once I sprayed the flatted clear coat of urethane over the finished lettered panels, the edges of the label are almost invisible. The clear coat also helps protect the label edges from peeling up. Hope this helps

Joe Hand

[rt48]

Nate, I happened to be at a Citation Service Center and asked the same question. They took me to the paint room and gave me a partial can of water based polyurethane made by Sherwin-Williams. (Jet Glo I believe). I bought some more at an aircraft paint supply and painted my panel. This stuff dries as hard as a rock, and it only takes water to clean up the equipment, assuming you don't let it dry. Also no HazMat shipping issues.
Robert Tanner

[Nate Zieman]

Thanks guys for all your replies, went with a PPG military coating lear uses on thier jets. Panel looks great, hope to have it in by the end of the week!
Now its time to get some placards made up

Nate

[aiu0462]

When you put your new panel in......how much cutting did you have to do on the old panel to make room for all the extra holes??

[Nate Zieman]

Allot, you pretty much cut the entire panel out leaving just a lip for the new panel to attatch to using 45 nuts and bolts. Here is a pic... (sorry, im a bit in the way)


Nate

[Spy Av8r]

I also purchased my panel from Ron & John, who powder coated it. This turned out fine for me.

[AlanBreen]

[Don Ostergard]

I built a new panel from scratch 25+ years ago. After I had cut out all the openings and drilled all the holes I sent it out and had it anodized. In my case I chose to have it black in colour but that is a matter of personal choice. One could have it anodized clear, or gold, or whatever. When it came back from the anodizing process, I did all the necessary lettering using "Letraset" lettering sheets which are available at any drafting supply outlets and probably at Staples or Office Depot. I suppose Letraset is still in existence but if not there are other similar products out there. After I had done all the necessary lettering I sprayed a clear transparent coating of lacquer over the entire panel before installing it. The lacquer has stood up OK but I know there are better clear coatings out there today.

Anodizing would still probably be my choice today, but only because it worked well for me. My panel still looks like new.

I am posting this solely to point out an additional choice.

[Nick]