After running out of time last year, prior to flying season, I am ready to wrap this up. Does anyone have advise on how to label the lower panel. I am getting ready to pull the lower panel apart and make a metal overlay. I will most likely have the lower panel powder coated matte black. Any suggestions or advise on labeling would be much appreciated. Here is the before and current pic
https://backcountrypilot.org/images/ori ... a04323.jpg
https://backcountrypilot.org/me/my-phot ... toid=49082

I get 24" x 32" screens printed by a couple of screen printers for about $65 with the frame. I just give them the .ai file.

Epoxy inks work well. I buy off of Amazon and heat cure them under a heat lamp.

If you add reference marks to the artwork, you can align multiple screens for multiple colors. I've used this method to make prototype quantities of large muticolor metal product nameplates.

It is an easy process you can get the hang of really fast. It is easy enough and cheap enough to use for one-off work like this.

I plan on going the screen printing route too but will DIY it in smaller sections.

Easy to do. You can put different sections on different parts of the screen for economy. Painter tape works to cover up the art you aren't using.

I'm a cheapskate, I use a little electronic label maker.
For a row of CB's or switches, you can make one long label to make sure the labels all line up nicely.
Sometimes it takes a little experimentation to get the spacing right though.
The higher-tech (and more expensive) methods might look better,
but the lablmaker ones look good enough for me.
I have moved switches breakers & instruments around a few times on my last two airplanes,
using the cheap & easily re-made labels makes it real easy to keep the placarding up with the renovations.

Printed tags are easy. But not the look I was shooting for. I didn’t realise you could order screens with prints already on them. This will probably be the way I go. ON. OFF. Those 2 should go a long ways. So just to be clear. You order your screen with all the desired lettering and numbering etched into the silk. You then painter tape the ones your not using. Squeeze the paint through silk. Heat gun dry.
Thanks for help.

You need to provide the print to the screenmaker. Painters tape holds the screen in place.

Screens are easy to make yourself with a little practice

https://ezscreenprint.com/products/diy- ... tarter-kit

I’m using MS Word to print the negative with a home printer. Most of my screens are 4x6 inches.
A few YouTube videos and you’re ready to go.

ezscreen seems pretty easy. ill give it a go. thanks

Hey guys,

I'm prepping to replace my instrument panel this fall, and I'm looking for a low cost option for printing text right onto the panel. I'm wondering if you guys had any more feedback on the EZ Screen product?

In the 5 years I've had it, I've moved instruments & switches / CB's around to different locations on the panel several times.
Therefore permanent markings / placards wouldn't have worked out too well for me.
I'd suggest using one of those electronic label makers.
With care, you can end up with a nice looking panel that is relocation-friendly and doesn't cost a fortune.
I like a nice looking panel, but for my airplane it doesn't have to be a show-winner.

I should update my opinion on the EZ-Screen idea.
It wasn't so easy.
Making the screens proved to be a lot of trail and error.
Laying down the ink proved more difficult than expected. Small fonts bleed in a frustrating way.
In all, it turned out to be a huge and frustrating time suck.

In the end, I used vinyl transfers made by aerographics.com.
I use MS word to make the labels.
Make a table, hide the grid and you can easily get the spacing you want on breakers. Or leave table grid on and have a cool placard with a boarder.
Print it out on your home printer to verify it's what you want and email the file to aerographics.

The vinyl is semi permanent. You can get it off with your fingernail just in case you need to move something.
Very happy and the price was less than I had in EZ-Screen materials :/

In the end I used a local silk screener. I pdf filed the panel with all wording. He transferred to his format then printed on a screen. I can’t recall the type of paint he used but I recall him saying it was a one off as it ruined the silk. Lower panel was a lot more running around then the upper panel.

For those of you revamping C180 panels,
it's an eye-opener to read the TCDS & discover all the placards that are required.

https://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guid ... Rev_68.pdf

They start at page 17 & run all the way to the top of page 24, specific to the various sub-models.
The newer the airplane, the more placards required.
I think the real reason Cessna put taller panels on the later model airplanes was to make room for all the placards.
The required placards for the early models aren't too over the top-- I fit them all on this one small label.

Aerobatics Fellas, Aerobatics

hotrod180 wrote:For those of you revamping C180 panels,
it's an eye-opener to read the TCDS & discover all the placards that are required.

https://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guid ... Rev_68.pdf

They start at page 17 & run all the way to the top of page 24, specific to the various sub-models.
The newer the airplane, the more placards required.
I think the real reason Cessna put taller panels on the later model airplanes was to make room for all the placards.
The required placards for the early models aren't too over the top-- I fit them all on this one small label.

Whoever is doing your annual should always read note 2 of the type certificate. Required in the minimum scope of the annual inspection per FAR43.
John

xeyes wrote:Aerobatics Fellas, Aerobatics

FYI the C180 TCDS sez "acrobatic", not "aerobatic".

We have a company here in Bellingham that double powder coats the panels and then laser cuts out the top coat for lettering. It looks fantastic and will never wear off. It looks like factory lettering. Your panel can be whatever color you want and the white lettering pops out.