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Instrument Bezels

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  • Member since
    October 2019
  • From: New Braunfels, Texas
Instrument Bezels
Posted by Tanker-Builder on Sunday, December 17, 2023 10:43 AM

here's one!

          When I am making my Wooden, hand carved boats in Close to1/25 scale, I make my own instrument clusters. I use the usual automotive decals and then create my own bezels. This is what makes (besides the soft seat surfaces) my boats unique. I use aluminum tubing the right diameter. At least it's easy to find.

          I have one of those tyeensy tubing cutters and cut a pile of Bezels. Then I sand them down with fine grit wet or dry sandpaper glued on glass. This way they are wet and can get reasonably good edges. I white glue About six on a Popsicle stick and rub them back and forth till I get a nice smooth edge. Cut them loose ,clean them up a reglue for the passes on the other side.

         This way the surfaces are flat. Then I take them all off and clean the glue residue off. I then glue them to the panel after installing the Instrument face decals, in a row or a specific instrument panel design. Here comes the nice part, after letting them set overnite after super gluing them carefully over the guages I then polish them carefully with an extra fine sanding stick on the sides.

         Gotta get that shine! After I am satisfied I then coat them with BOYD'S cear. I don't know if you can even get that now(It was a Model master  product). Did you know that clear paint comes in different shades as you look at it in the bottles? Yessir!

        The Clear you want to use is gloss, and it's a clear as water! It must NOT be the honey or tea colored stuff you see. Now after carefully coating the whole panel with clear, then take a dot of canopy glue and dip it in each instrument bezel to create the "Glass" over the instruments. You airplane builders know what I am talking about.

       See, you don't have to buy "Joe Blows, Instrument Bezels"! Make your own, It's labor intensive, when you get down to it, but cheaper in the long run if you are doing a lot of instruments! And size is not a problem either!

  • Member since
    March 2022
  • From: Twin cities, MN
Posted by missileman2000 on Thursday, December 21, 2023 10:15 AM

I do use that technique on larger scale models, but find it hard to do on 1/32 or smaller.  I have a different technique for the smaller scales.

I found, at a craft store, some coils of copper wire that is coated (maybe nickel?) with a shiny chrome-like plating.  I wind a coil around a small dowel, rod, wire or whatever to get the right diameter, then cut the coil lengthwise.  This results in  series of rings.  The ends are a bit offset, but my flatnose pliers sqeeze the ends together fine.  I then put the instrument decal down, and apply some gloss lacquer to each instrument with a toothpick.  I then apply the rings to each instrument, making sure the lacquer wicks between the ring and the decal.

 

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