How to make your own carbon dash panels

Marc Rainaldo

Marc Rainaldo

Active Member
Apr 18, 2019
260
Netherlands
Boat Info
Sea Ray 500 DA 1994
Engines
Detroit diesel 6v92
Hello all, one of the things why we fell in love of our 500da was the layout from the dashboard. It’s almost a cockpit from a plane. When we signed the owners contract I start to fantasise what I gonna do with the dash when our ship arrived in the Netherlands. Definitely it would be one of the first things I start with.

Unfortunately the dash project started 1,5 years later due the many, many other problems we faced. During that period I do had the time to think the dash over and over.

A difficult part was the panel with all the switches. Many switches that needs a assignment what the switch will do. Most (switch) panels has a complete sticker with all the words, lines etc. In our case the letters were cut out of the overlapping sticker. The panel itself was made from white plastic were light shines true. Behind the panel were led lights mounted and when you turn navigation lights on the text function of the switch lighted up.

When I wanted the text function lighted up I need a sticker…..
My idea of the dash would be carbon panels so I looked the carbon wrap foil. Must say there are really good looking carbon wrap foils but I don’t like wrap, for me it’s a bit fake. But I knew it. I want carbon panels. The prices from carbon plates were expensive and here in the Netherlands they were max 110cm. Damn need 150cm. I bought 2 from 110cm and thought I make a nice cover over the juncture. Really paid a lot for those 2 panels and when they arrived I couldn’t believe what I saw. So many flaws in the panels unbelievable. I returned them immediately and luckily they refunded me in couple days.

After that great disappointment I start googling and talking to some expoxy specialist. I gonna make my own carbon panels…

Before
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After
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In the following post I gonna try to explain how to make your own carbon panels.
 
This tutorial about making your own carbon panels is maybe the easiest way to make these panels but be aware, with this proces you can get some flaws in the panels. Luckily when you see the end result the panel looks awesome overall.

I made photos during the process from different size of panels. I use the best pictures so sometimes you see a different size.

What you need is a new glass plate. The glass plate is your mold. Make sure it’s a glass plate with zero scratches.
I bought a thin glass plate but better you buy a thicker one because it’s stronger. When detaching the panel from the glass plate a thin plate could break.


I paced the glass plate on wooden supports (srry don’t know the word in English). The main reason why is that during the process you can look from below.
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For an easier detachment from the panel of the glass we start to preparing the glass plate with a mold releasing wax.
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First tape a working space on the glass plate.
Rub the wax on the glass plate.
After 10 minutes rub with a new piece of cloth the wax out and polish.
Let it rest for a hour.
Rub new layer wax on the plate.
After 10 minutes rub with a (new) piece of cloth the wax out and polish.
Let it rest for a hour.
Do this 5 times in total.
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In the long period of waxing you can prepare the carbon fibre and the glass fiber.

Preparing the carbon fibre is a stressful thing because the carbon fibre fabric is easy to mess up.

I used 200gr/m2 carbon fibre. When ordering the carbon fibre make sure you have a good shop that cut the carbon fibre with highest careful precautions.
The glass fibre I used is also 200gr/m2.

As I mentioned before you can get some flaws in the end result. Therefore I made a much bigger plate then required. When the plate is ready you can saw your panel out on a part of the plate with less or none flaws.

When cutting the carbon fibre you get thrums very fast. Therefore I tape the carbon and cut on the tape. To put the tape on the carbon make sure you do it in 1 time good because you can’t get the tape off the carbon fibre without messing up the fabric.

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To create the desired thickness of your panel you can add at much fibre glass as you want. I did 1 carbon fibre layer and 7 glass fibre layers. When you want a technical plate you can use all carbon fibre layers.
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Cut the fibre glass in the same size as the carbon fibre. It doesn’t need to be exactly the same.
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When you finish cutting every layer roll them up. When placing them during the process it’s easy to unroll without air bubbels.
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It’s now time to make the epoxy. I use slow hardener for a relax time to work.

First weigh all your layers to determine the weight of epoxy to make. I rather have some epoxy left then to short so I added a 10% of weight more.

Now mix the hardener very very good. Take your time to do this.

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Now it’s time to make your carbon fibre plate.
Make sure your working area is dust free.
Have your plastic spatula by hand.
Use gloves.
Put a sort of wooden piece where you can place your spatula on nearby your working area.

Put a bit less then 1/3 of your epoxy mix on the glass plate and spread it out with your spatula. Make sure it bounds everywhere. You can do this by pressing the spatula. Then spread it again gently. It doesn’t matter that the epoxy mix is not the same on each part on your working area.
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Now roll your carbon fibre layer out. During the unrolling use your spatula gently. Be aware that you don’t mess up te fabric. Gently place the spatula on the carbon fibre.
When your carbon fibre layer is placed go everywhere with your spatula. Look from below the glass plate if you don’t have places that don’t have enough epoxy mix. When needed add some more epoxy mix on it.

When you are sure that it looks oké from below roll a layer of glass fibre out in the same way with the spatula. Without adding epoxy mix u see that the epoxymix gets impregnated in the glass fibre.
Add some more epoxy mix and spread out with the spatula.
Take note that you add some expoxymix after each layer so divide good.

When finished the last layer it should look ‘dry’ on top but impregnated everywhere. Epoxymix that is to much rub it to the edges.

Now wait 2 days (depending on environment temperature).
You definitely want to be sure that the chemical epoxy process is done so wait 2 days :).

Now take your carbon plate off the glass.

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The flaws you can get are like scratches. Didn’t figure out yet what causes them (maybe the epoxy mix wasn’t mixed good).

The flaws can be restored. An expert told me the best thing you can do after is to sand the whole plate and use a transparant coating on top. I didn’t had the time to do that but for sure that I gonna test that. In that way the panels are more solid and protected.

Well done!!!! You made your own carbon plate.
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To protect your plate when you’re gonna saw the panel, tape your whole plate. Also it protects for burst and cracks while drilling.

I use metal drills and saws.

In my project I wanted not only new panels, I also wanted new gauges, switches etc etc.

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While preparing the switch panel, it is a story apart.
To make the panel was the same way as the other panels but now I have to assign a function word above the switch.

I called so many sticker shops but the letters I wanted were to small (4mm high). The only solution they came up with was a transparant sticker with white letters. Cost me €250.
Wauw and what happened when I make a mistake? For €350 I got an extra set. Pfffff omg. My wife mentioned me that maybe there is like a dymo machine or something.

Brother PT-P700 makes transparent stickers with white letters or black stickers with white letters. I spend €135 for the machine including 3 cassettes of tape.
Made the letters 4mm high, got some tweezers and a sharp scissor, a good light and some real patient.

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Overall it was a really nice project. You can change the carbon fibre for glass fibre layer and add some pigment.
Options enough.
When i ever make a test with adding a coating i will post the results and maybe one of you guys will test sooner and when you do, please post your results.

For now, good luck with making your own panels.
 
That was amazing!! Jim should give you "Technical Contributor" status for this.

Hopefully one of the Moderators will jump on this and get the "TECHNICAL Contributor" recognition added to your signature. You truly deserve this Marc.
 
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What was your inspiration to tackle this amazing project in the first place? Did it actually cost less than the commercial reproductions that are available? How and where did you ever dream up the step by step process for the end product that turned out so great?
 
electricaldoctor said:
What was your inspiration to tackle this amazing project in the first place? Did it actually cost less than the commercial reproductions that are available? How and where did you ever dream up the step by step process for the end product that turned out so great?
Click to expand...
Well the dash panels were in bad shape, the instruments were old and I like new touchscreens. This 500 is for the first time a boat that we like. Most previous boats I own after a year ownership I knew that that boat ain’t the one that suits my preferences. So every boat became a bit bigger.
But now we are really satisfied. Therefore we don’t mind to put a lot of effort to make our boat even more better bit by bit.

On internet you can buy new dash panels, however, in my opinion they are a bit classic and pricy. As I wrote in tutorial a carbon wrap I found a bit fake so then I looked for carbon plates. Carbon plates are very expensive and i did order them but they came with a lot of flaws and all max 110cm width.

The cost of making your own carbon plates are not that much. It’s doable for half the price I spend because I made 2,5 the size that i needed, just to get the best result of the panals. I am also a guy that starts making/building/repairing and study in prior. And a long the way I see what happens. If someone else can make it, then I can. And you create a unique panel.

I also choose for new gauges and instruments because we want to keep this boat for many years. With the Raymarine devices and new gauges it did cost me a bit more then I told my wife lol but only the panels is not that expensive.

Carbon fibre 200gr/m2
Glass fibre 200gr/m2
Epoxy (slow hardener)
Glass plate
Mixing cups
Tape

Needed tools:
jigsaw with metal saws
Drill with metal drills
Spatula
Sharp scissors
Brother p700 for stickers
 
Great write up. Very detailed.

Another way to get your carbon to be glassy and free of defects is to use two layers of 4oz fabric. I would wax a aluminum sheet two times and then spray with PVA. lay the two 4oz layers and wet out good. Lay the carbon or aramid down the wet. Lay the heavier fabric and wet out really good. The 4oz layer will give the depth to the look as well as stop from having those flaws in the fabric.
 
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