Pre-war instrument panel placard

[baldeagle27]

Re: Pre-war instrument panel placard

So how do you do engine turning with straight sides on some of the swirls?



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[Ragwing nut]

Re: Pre-war instrument panel placard

only way I would believe that was paint is if it was silk screened and would have to see 2 panels that had identical panels to prove it. Personally i think it is a poor pic and is turned, maybe with a different medium, but anything else including paint would be very time consuming to replicate

[baldeagle27]

Re: Pre-war instrument panel placard

On the Ryan the cowlings were far too big to use a drill press. I experimented with several methods, wire brush was too harsh, and didn't like what I got from scotch brite pad either. I ended up using a sanding disc, stuck to a scotch brite pad so that it wouldn't walk all over the place when using a hand drill (had some give). But, on topic, this isn't that process on that instrument panel, it's some kind of paint process I think. Again, anybody with any ideas on what process?


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[Larry Lyons]

Re: Pre-war instrument panel placard

Having done a little engine turning I can tell you it not as easy as you might think. At least it isn't if you have absolutly no idea what your doing. The scotch brite is what I used, you can buy the little pads at any automotive store and the mandrel too. They are used in an airdrill to clean engine surfaces for reassembly and are a quick change thing.
L

[Mark Julicher]

Re: Pre-war instrument panel placard

Also called Jeweling. There are several standard pattens. Several good techniques. I prefer to use the scotchbrite pads in my drill press. Some guys use water-based lapping compound on the end of a cork bottle stopper - again use a drill press if at all possible. Would make a good thread to compare notes on the process...

[baldeagle27]

Re: Pre-war instrument panel placard

Look at how random it is, and some of the swirls have straight edges, which you can't do with engine turning. Also, they didn't tend to do anything fancy (unless maybe it was a show plane, doesn't seem likely, but could be). It was probably some cheap, quick process.


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[Howard Wilson]

Re: Pre-war instrument panel placard

Should've thought of Noel, I just bought some stuff from him.

Re the instrument panel, I don't think that's engine turning, it's too dark for natural aluminum, it looks to me like some kind of swirled paint process. I've done plenty of engine turning on my old plane...

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Yup, I heard that it was some kind of 'crackle process' ? h

[M Towsley]

Re: Pre-war instrument panel placard

It looks turned, maybe anodized afterward?

[baldeagle27]

Re: Pre-war instrument panel placard

Should've thought of Noel, I just bought some stuff from him.

Re the instrument panel, I don't think that's engine turning, it's too dark for natural aluminum, it looks to me like some kind of swirled paint process. I've done plenty of engine turning on my old plane...





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[ajfriz]

Re: Pre-war instrument panel placard

Noels stuff is good. sometimes the etchings are not as deep as original, but is done in the same manor as original

X3. Noel does great work.

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Pre-war instrument panel placard

This was taken from another forum. The date was April 2010. He has a nice copy. Tom

Noel Allard
Decals-Data Plates
P.O. Box 53
Park Rapids, MN 56464

[email protected]

Noels stuff is good. sometimes the etchings are not as deep as original, but is done in the same manor as original

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Pre-war instrument panel placard

look at that panel closely and the turning is not all the same size which means it had to have been hand done. You can buy "turned" metal sheet, but it is uniform.

[3Dreaming]

Re: Pre-war instrument panel placard

This was taken from another forum. The date was April 2010. He has a nice copy. Tom

Noel Allard
Decals-Data Plates
P.O. Box 53
Park Rapids, MN 56464

[email protected]

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Pre-war instrument panel placard

Practice on a scrap sheet of aluminum! Don't want to screw up your panel while learning. I had seen someone doing it once and he used a thing that looked like a really big exhaust valve with a Scotch Bright pad stuck on the end of it. It looked like he was using tooth paste with the pad. Probably not really tooth paste, can you imagine how long the cockpit would smell like that? ;-) Not bad, but STRANGE for an airplane cockpit!
I would try some different methods for keeping the lines straight and even spaced swirls. Great, ANOTHER thing I want to learn to do!
Hank

Whoever does it, TAKE PICTURES and post your process!

[NY86]

Re: Pre-war instrument panel placard

The "swirled" finish is called "Engine Turning" and is done with a drill and VERY steady hand.

Use a wire brush sort of like this in a drill press.

Start at one corner and make rows across the piece, overlapping slightly each row and column