Robotron CP overlay prep

Mr Do

Well-known member

Donor 6 years: 2012-2013, 2015-2016, 2019, 2025
Joined
May 29, 2006
Messages
1,394
Reaction score
32
Location
Basking Ridge, New Jersey
So my Robotron control panel is stripped down to the original wood.
I hear different ways to prepare the surface for the CPO.

Should the CPO be applied to
Bare wood, if so why?
Primed wood, if so which prime?
Clear coated wood, if so which clear coat?
 
Don't take my advice as gospel, but..for me - Bare wood, no. However, the original overlay was probably stuck on bare wood. Stripping the old off, we tend to sand, maybe even gouge the wood. Some prep is good.

I think a clear finish, paint, and primer would work nearly the same. Personally, I've found that vinyl sideart sticks really well to slick, sanded white primer. So, I have done a few control panels with primer on the surface that the overlay is going on.

If the whole panel needs to be painted, I spray the whole panel satin black or whatever. On my Jungle King though..I sanded the metal panel, primed it with white RustOleum primer, then sprayed it black so that the underside and edges were painted black, but not the surface where the overlay would go. If you have white paint or primer under the overlay vs black, it will look a little bit brighter and 'pop'.

So, for the Williams panel, I'd do all the prep, clean up, sanding on the wood panel, then mask the sides and underside. Shoot a coat of white primer on the surface where the overlay would go. Ideally, you wouldn't see a trace of the white primer after the overlay is installed.
 
Some Robotron CP restores use bondo over the metal plates to prevent getting a ridge in the CPO around the plate.

For my Robotron CP, after I had installed the dust washers and plates, I used bondo to make the metal/wood transition smooth. I also filled gouges the wood. I was happy with the result. I suppose it will be a huge pain if I ever have to remove the plates, but I don't foresee having to do that.
 

Attachments

  • CPOBondo.jpg
    CPOBondo.jpg
    193 KB · Views: 68
Couldn't you just shim the plates?

At the time, I was worried shims would allow the dust washers to slip out or get stuck in the gap they created, but I was thinking about using washers.

I suppose you could cut out some thin aluminum flashing pieces with the same footprint as the plates. That would probably work pretty well. Kinda wish I tried that now.
 
When I did my Bubbles CP (same basic thing), I stripped it, filled all the holes with dowels, evened everything out with Bodo, sanded it all and then applied 2 coats of Rustoleum clearcoat in a rattle can. After the clear coat dried I wiped it down and installed the metal plate and applied the CPO:

21833749281_fd7946f7a0_b.jpg

21817582156_9359acf0b8_b.jpg

21269240223_9e1919d7ac_b.jpg

22225194080_efe69d4a38_b.jpg

22736936629_22807713f7_b.jpg

22507990643_198faa8542_b.jpg

22856212000_b61f219a6b_b.jpg
 
Back
Top Bottom