mounting nav desk electronics

[janders]

Hey all,

I'm redoing our nav desk electronics area. I'm trying to find a source for the material to mount the electronics onto. I don't know if this is something you buy pre-laminated or if you buy the plastic and glue it to wood.

I'm talking about the material the 12v panel and electronics are mounted on on this Caliber 40 nav desk:



Any ideas how to source this stuff? What it's called? I've been googling formica laminate but I'm not sure that's what I'm looking for.

Thanks!

Jason

[gtod25]

???

[scottyt]

or for one that will hold up is g10 fiberglass laminate. kydex in a thicker piece would be easy to work with, but it would hold up well too. from the link below a piece 24 square .25 thick is 53 bucks

Interstate Plastics - Product List

[paulk]

Not familiar with the boat, but looks like it could be formica, a sheet plastic of some type, or a painted metal panel. Have you contacted Caliber to find out? Formica, you buy and then glue onto the wood with contact cement. Wilsonart is another brand if you can't seem to find exactly the right color match with what you have. Get it positioned right the first time!!! If you decide to use plastic or painted metal, it should probably be mechanically fastened with hardware because of the differing expansion rates between them and the (we assume) plywood base it's attached to.

[thekeip]

If you have a reasonably well stocked lumber yard near you, see if they have teak, mahogany, etc vaneers in stock. These are usually about .065 (1/16)" thick, and cement readily to a substrate like starboard. It looks like a virgin wood panel and, in many ways, it is.
Howard Keiper
Berkeley

[patrickrea]

You could always do an aluminum panel and the have it anodized to match your colours. Aluminum is pretty easy to work with in terms of cutting tools and is reasonably priced these days. You would want something like 3/32" thickness (0.090). A 2'x2' panel is roughly US$30 but will last a long time.

[Omatako]

If you're after a wood finish to match the rest of the boat, the first place obviously to start is to identify the wood you already have.

Then get a piece of 9mm marine ply (or whatever they call that size in the US ).

Then get some iron-on veneer to match your existing timber. I don't know what suppliers you have near you but this UK site will give you an idea of the product I'm speaking about. ** Vale Veneers } - iron-on veneer

The iron-on veneer is really easy to apply. I used an ordinary domestic iron set to a hottish setting (cotton) and applied with baking paper in between (more to protect the iron than the veneer).

Once the veneer is on, cut out as with any other product.

[janders]

Originally Posted by Omatako

If you're after a wood finish to match the rest of the boat, the first place obviously to start is to identify the wood you already have.

Actually, the material I'm after is the plastic laminated plywood that makes up the portion of the nav desk that the 12v panel and electronics are mounted on. I don't have all that shiny fancy wood that this Caliber 40 has.

[dsmylie]

Originally Posted by janders

I don't have all that shiny fancy wood that this Caliber 40 has.

An actual picture of yours would be helpful

[Omatako]

Originally Posted by janders

Actually, the material I'm after is the plastic laminated plywood that makes up the portion of the nav desk that the 12v panel and electronics are mounted on. I don't have all that shiny fancy wood that this Caliber 40 has.

Sorry I probably wasn't paying attention when I read your first post. I thought the picture was your boat.