Re-Painting Dash Knobs

[billrigsby]

 

Got done sorting through all my dash knobs,

 

and picked out the winners.....

 

Need to buff up the chrome on all of them and then repaint.

 

Have been trolling around looking for information on repainting them.

Currently have seven and should have the last two next Monday.

 

It is obvious that these cannot be disassembled, or at least not

disassembled and then reassembled, anything can be torn apart.

 

Plan is to mask the chrome outer shell and do a light primer and

then two coats of  black, probably an appliance paint, with a sanding 

in between to fix any surface irregularities, and a quick bake in a low

temp oven for curing. Followed by some thinned out white model paint

to 'flow-fill' the lettering. Seems safer than trying to do the hand painting

route, not being an artist.

 

I am wondering if anyone has been this route, my big concern is having the

centers still rotate after painting, anything to do, to be sure this is not an

issue?

 

 

Edited March 25, 2021 by billrigsby

[ccudahy]

For the recessed letters, you can also use water based hobby acrylic paint found at any department store for usually under $2 for a small container. Paint with a brush or even wipe with a finger across the depressions. Wipe the excess off with a damp cloth. Repeat as needed to get fuller coverage in the recesses. It won't harm black finish and will get nice crisp lines. Let dry really well, and take another slightly damp cloth to wipe any haze that might occur off.

 

Kinda like grouting tile.  

Edited March 25, 2021 by ccudahy

[Plymouthy Adams]

for highlighting the lettering, I always use a paint crayon...they are available in many colors....simply rub across the lettering till the etched letter if full of paint, come behind with a soft cloth to remove the excess...done and done...we just called them paint marker/pencil back in the day but the art world has contaminated the market as they use these terms now for water color pencils as so called "painting"

 

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Edited March 25, 2021 by Plymouthy Adams

[billrigsby]

 

I like those ideas, either paint or paint pen of different composition than the base for easy cleanup.

As far as color, White on Black IS the correct standard?

 

I notice most of my knobs after cleanup are Black on Brass metal, one is Copper metal.

I am only guessing that the entire embossed shell was painted black and the paint in the

lettering did not come out in the cleaning process. I did soak all of them in paint remover

but the letters did not come loose.

 

All of the photos in my reference books are black and white,

these are the only original photos I have. As bad as they are.

 

 

[ccudahy]

I would agree with the black background and white or cream letters. I was looking on Ebay and they were that way. I was trying to see if they had any picture from the back down the threaded hole. I was thinking...if the knobs are hollow, and the embossed disk is visible, a drop or two of clear strong glue (ex. Super or Loctite Gel) down the hole and place the knob horizontal so the drops run across the seam and keep that way until cured should keep the disks from turning. Just to get some glue in the seam will hold it.

Edited March 27, 2021 by ccudahy

[billrigsby]

It is my understanding that you want the label disc to rotate

so it can be properly aligned during installation.

I found that when I was threading them on a long screw to act 

as a handle to buff them, once the screw got tight, the disc did

not rotate.

[billrigsby]

Here is the inner workings of one of the knobs;

 

 

[ggdad1951]

Yes you want the front face to spin.  The notch on the cable end goes in a half moon to keep things aligned horizontally.  Every NOS knob I have (all on FEF) are back with WHITE lettering).