Looking for Options for Redoing Yokes and Throttle Quadrant

Ted

Ted

The pilot formerly known as Twin Engine Ted
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The interior on the 310 is nice (at least we're happy with it ;) ), which makes the two worn spots stand out even more: the yokes and the metal cover/plate on the throttle quadrant. The paint or whatever the covering on the yokes is has been chipping off over the years, and the throttle quadrant cover/plate (not sure the technical term) is very scratched up. I could do both of them, but I'd rather send them out to someone who can do a better job. Any recommendations? For the yokes we'd consider a leather wrapping option, but to be honest I think we'd probably prefer just having them redone in the original hard plastic/epoxy/whatever it is.
 
Is it possible to powder coat these?

The work with a local sign shop for any silk screening needed?
 
The lawn-furniture refurb guy near Stemmons Freeway powder-coated a set for one of my older-model Cessnas. Every third day he rotates through a batch of black, tan and putty and will hang yokes, panels and whatever else you want painted on a hook and do them too. I think the cost was ~$35 for both yokes, and the same for the pilot-side panel.

Along the way I learned that he's a pilot too.

AggieMike88 said:
Is it possible to powder coat these?

The work with a local sign shop for any silk screening needed?
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Wayne, do you know if the covering on the originals was powder coating or something else? It's glossy, but seems to have come off in a rather thick solid form. I suppose I could always sand it down to make it smooth and find someone to powder coat.

Something I don't know about powder coating with respect to the throttle quadrant cover: would that end up also filling in the indented lettering?
 
I really don't know much about the process other than it worked.

I don't think the quadrant covers are prospects for the PC guy, but numerous sources for either aftermarket replacement or refinishing are available. There's also a web source for DIY decals of printed material on panels, like CB labels or ON/OFF for panel-mounted switches.

If I'd known I would have skunked around at the convention in Wichita to find a source for you.

Ted DuPuis said:
Wayne, do you know if the covering on the originals was powder coating or something else? It's glossy, but seems to have come off in a rather thick solid form. I suppose I could always sand it down to make it smooth and find someone to powder coat.

Something I don't know about powder coating with respect to the throttle quadrant cover: would that end up also filling in the indented lettering?
Click to expand...
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Wayne, do you know if the covering on the originals was powder coating or something else? It's glossy, but seems to have come off in a rather thick solid form. I suppose I could always sand it down to make it smooth and find someone to powder coat.

Something I don't know about powder coating with respect to the throttle quadrant cover: would that end up also filling in the indented lettering?
Click to expand...

I am betting the 310 was born LONG before powder coating was being used... IMHO..
 
wabower said:
If I'd known I would have skunked around at the convention in Wichita to find a source for you.
Click to expand...

It was something Laurie and I were talking about on this weekend's flight from Nebraska. We'd been thinking about it for a while but after the weekend's flight decided it was time to investigate further. So my own fault for not thinking sooner.

The TTCF guys had a couple suggestion so far on the forum there, and I thought I'd see if Tony had any suggestions as well. But I always like to get multiple options.
 
N801BH said:
I am betting the 310 was born LONG before powder coating was being used... IMHO..
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That's what I'm thinking. It feels like some sort of epoxy/resin kinda deal.
 
How about getting the yoke covered in leather?
 
The shop just did some for my friend's 180. The only tricky part was fabricating and incorporating a "box" for the autopilot control buttons (freshly installed S-tec 30A) to attach above the top left corner of the pilot's yoke. But after several attempts they got it right and it looks quite good. I may have a similar treatment applied on 48T.

SCCutler said:
How about getting the yoke covered in leather?
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Buy a can of black Chassis Saver paint and spray them yourself. Looks like wet glass when dry and is almost bullet proof. Wears like steel and sprays nicely with a cheap gun and can even be brushed. Cheap easy and beautiful.
 
the old beech throttle quadrant knobs are all dull black and I wanted color. Based on a recommendation from a guy on the beechlist I tried testors model paint of all things. Figured for $2 anything is worth a try. Took my time and applied another coat every time i went to the airport until it had about 10 coats. Couple years later it still shines and has no chips.
 

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SCCutler said:
How about getting the yoke covered in leather?
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I've got a couple of suggestions for that, although I'd take more. We aren't sure if the leather look would be "right" for the plane, though, and the factory hard surface is quite nice.
 
JHW said:
the old beech throttle quadrant knobs are all dull black and I wanted color. Based on a recommendation from a guy on the beechlist I tried testors model paint of all things. Figured for $2 anything is worth a try. Took my time and applied another coat every time i went to the airport until it had about 10 coats. Couple years later it still shines and has no chips.
Click to expand...

Jeff, the knobs aren't the pproblem in our case. They look good and we even recently painted the prop knobs blue (factory had them black like the throttle knobs). The part that needs painting is the metal plate that the levers go through, where on yours it has the mixture/prop/throttle indications. We have similar indications, but you can't read them anymore.
 
I would contract a sign shop to make a decal for the quadrant, and have an extra or two churned out as well.

MY yoke I would strip down, likely abrasive blast and paint-IF I elected not to go leather wrapped.
 
I'd get one of those computer label maker gizmos, probably the same stuff the sign shops use and lots cheaper.
 
I had AeroComfort in San Antonio leather-wrap my Mooney yokes years ago and LOVE the way they turned out. http://www.aerocomfort.com/index/cessna/ They were OEM for Mooney and the look and feel of the finished product is so much nicer than any hard coating IMO. Also less "slippery" on a hot day with a sweaty hand, too. It ain't cheap, but I would make the same decision again and again...

They'll do custom colors, embroidery, etc. and know how to work around switches.
 
To those who have leather yokes, how have you found the leather has looked after use and several years? Our hard yokes look pretty beat up after 45 years and 8,000+ hours, but I'd expect them to after that long. I'd think the hard surface would tend to wear quicker.

I am somewhat leaning towards the leather after being referenced to a good source that sent me pictures of some examples that are very attractive, but the wear issue is more or less my final question for folks who've had it done.
 
My leather still looks/feels great after ~5 years. I need to clean/condition the pilot side, though, and keep forgetting to bring my leather stuff to the hangar. I keep it in a hangar at home, and use a full cabin cover while tied-down away from home to keep the sun out.

I have no illusions that it will last 45 years...but so far so good!
 
Well, here's the finished product installed:

quadrant.jpg

It looks better in person than in my bad camera phone picture. The quadrant cover really does look brand new, and combined with the blue prop knobs really updates that part of the plane. Of course, this also draws attention to the fact that the yokes are in need of work and a few other visual imperfections, but we'll get there.

Larry at Saircorp was very easy to deal with and honest. He gave me a price range for what this might cost depending on the condition when he got it, and it was at the bottom of the price range. I would recommend going Saircorp for sure, and will be going back to them when it's time to do the yokes.

I'm quite happy with the result. :)
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I suppose I could always sand it down to make it smooth and find someone to powder coat.

Something I don't know about powder coating with respect to the throttle quadrant cover: would that end up also filling in the indented lettering?
Click to expand...

They used that same stuff on the 182 yokes and it was a crystal ***** kitty to get off. It doesn't CHIP so much as it PEELS. And it sticks like the devil to the metal yoke underneath.

Honest, I can't remember how I got it off. Probably a case of beer, some sharp tools, and a vocabulary lesson.

Jim
 
weirdjim said:
They used that same stuff on the 182 yokes and it was a crystal ***** kitty to get off. It doesn't CHIP so much as it PEELS. And it sticks like the devil to the metal yoke underneath.

Honest, I can't remember how I got it off. Probably a case of beer, some sharp tools, and a vocabulary lesson.

Jim
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Irrelevant now if you see the last post on the first page. :)
 
Glad to see you have joined the "rave about Larry" club...


Looks goooood!
 
SoloEqs said:
Nice!

But now it makes your autopilot look like you got it on eBay . . . XD
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That's the problem with cosmetic upgrades. Yeah, the C-III could use a similar refurbishment. I'm going to work on it little by little.
 
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