ideas for restoring gauge panel plates--replacing the labels

[dwe]

The flat, removable panels that the gauges sit in ( 5 on my '95 ps190) are bubbled and worn from sun exposure. I would like to pull them off, sand them, and repaint. My only concern is how to get the labels for the buttons back on (the lower 2 panels) and have them look sort of factory. A dealer mentioned that he had heard of customers having them refinished in a veneer wood, as an example, but didn't have much advice on doing the labels. Does anyone have any experience with this? It seems like some kind of stenciling might work

Also, I asked about getting some of the warning stickers for replacement. He didn't think mc still made them.

thanks!
David

[ski_king]

My boat is a good bit older than your. It came with a wood grain wallpaper type of material on the upper dash and the lower dash was made of plastic about a 1/4 of an inch thick that had the same wood grain. It started looking pretty bad and faded, so I replaced it all with 1/4 in. thick oak plywood. I stained it and put on about 10 coats of Helmsman Spar Urethane. It seems to be holding up real well.

I also replaced the Speedo's and tack with new ones and added a depth finder. I am using the old fuel, temp, amp and oil pressure gauges for now but hope to replace them soon as well.

I made a label to but with the switches on an engraving machine I have at work. The font is to big for my taste, so that will be replaced as soon as I get the chance. I have similar labels made for other purposes at shops that supply trophies. Most of them have the same engraving machine.