# Dash material to flush-mount new finder/GPS



## dgodek (Apr 5, 2012)

Just got a new fish finder and I'm thinking about flush-mounting it in the dash. Question is: what's a good, easy-to-work-with, cheap-ish material I can use for the replacement dash panel? Any one have any suggestions, a place in the Cleveland area to get the material and/or maybe pics of what you've done previously? Thanks!


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

You can buy sheets of plastic with a carbon fiber look to it on ebay. I've seen a bunch of guys on bass boat central that have done that.


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

I had a unit flush mounted which I took out leaving a gaping hole in the dash, I got a piece of aluminum and got it powder coated black and mounted the new unit directly to the aluminum, looks great.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

K gonefishin said:


> I had a unit flush mounted which I took out leaving a gaping hole in the dash, I got a piece of aluminum and got it powder coated black and mounted the new unit directly to the aluminum, looks great.


Another fantastic idea! Maybe a piece of polished aluminum diamond plate if you don't want to deal with painting....


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## Workdog (Jan 10, 2007)

A 1/4" thick piece of Lexan works great as a backing. The black is very hard to find...unless you know a glass shop. You could use a smoke gray piece of lexan (easier to find) and spray paint the back black. Lexan is easy to work with, and in black covers all behind it. Here is a pic of what I did to flush mount my gps's. I angled the front piece and added lexan wings. It really helps my neck problems by angling the electronics to make them easier to see. At the top is a stainless hinge so I can get to the wiring and use the electronics box for accessible storage.

Some guys use starboard too. Black starboard gives a decent look.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Workdog said:


> A 1/4" thick piece of Lexan works great as a backing. The black is very hard to find...unless you know a glass shop. You could use a smoke gray piece of lexan (easier to find) and spray paint the back black. Lexan is easy to work with, and in black covers all behind it. Here is a pic of what I did to flush mount my gps's. I angled the front piece and added lexan wings. It really helps my neck problems by angling the electronics to make them easier to see. At the top is a stainless hinge so I can get to the wiring and use the electronics box for accessible storage.
> 
> Some guys use starboard too. Black starboard gives a decent look.


That looks really nice and clean!


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## dgodek (Apr 5, 2012)

Thanks for the ideas, guys. And the pictures, too! I reached out to a colleague at Mentor-area sign shop to see if she has any scraps and I'm thinking about looking at the thin-ish cutting boards that Walmart has. They're cheap, strong and opaque which might look cool with some LEDs behind it.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

dgodek said:


> Thanks for the ideas, guys. And the pictures, too! I reached out to a colleague at Mentor-area sign shop to see if she has any scraps and I'm thinking about looking at the thin-ish cutting boards that Walmart has. They're cheap, strong and opaque which might look cool with some LEDs behind it.


Whatever you use, make sure it's UV resistant. The sun will fade and warp/crack regular plastic in no time.


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## capt j-rod (Feb 14, 2008)

SAMs club has giant white cutting boards for $8.00 that stuff can be drilled and tapped, routered, and is easy to work with!


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