Author Topic: Fuse Box Lettering - How did they do it?  (Read 3512 times)

Offline midlife

  • Wiring Guru---let me check your shorts!
  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2155
    • Midlife Harness Restorations
Fuse Box Lettering - How did they do it?
« on: October 14, 2017, 02:22:17 PM »
My question is how the fuse box letters are painted white with sunken letters.   There must be a quick way of dipping the fuse box face into paint such that the recessed letters retain the paint, but how do you get the paint off of the higher surface, leaving the paint in the recesses?

I'm scratching my head on this...
I don't think there were lots of folks using hypodermic needles full of white paint carefully painting the letters...
Midlife Harness Restorations - http://midlifeharness.com

Offline carlite65

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2362
Re: Fuse Box Lettering - How did they do it?
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2017, 03:30:57 PM »
i've used a water based paint, laying the paint into the letters then wiping the face with water....have no idea how the factory did it.
5F09C331248

Offline 67gtasanjose

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5084
  • "Take the MUSTANG PLEDGE"
Re: Fuse Box Lettering - How did they do it?
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2017, 04:13:26 PM »
i've used a water based paint, laying the paint into the letters then wiping the face with water....have no idea how the factory did it.

i've used a water based paint, laying the paint into the letters then wiping the face with water....have no idea how the factory did it.

Similarly, I did mine with a light brushed on pass of white Testers model paint and cleaned off excess with a single layer toilet paper, not the thick-fluffy kind, dampened with lacquer thinner and came out perfect in my opinion.
Richard Urch

1967 (11/2/66, S.J.) GTA Luxury Coupe, 289-4V w/Thermactor Emissions, C-4, Int./Ext. Decor +many options

2005 (04/05) GT Premium Convertible, Windveil Blue, Parchment Top w/Med. Parchment interior,  Roush Body Appointments

Offline jwc66k

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7098
Re: Fuse Box Lettering - How did they do it?
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2017, 04:31:58 PM »
When I worked in "Hi-Tech" in the 60's, we used a rubber "squeegee" like device to remove excessive paint from engraved lettering. That's about all I can remember.
Jim
I promise to be politically correct in all my posts to keep the BBBB from vociferating.

Offline Bob Gaines

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 8950
Re: Fuse Box Lettering - How did they do it?
« Reply #4 on: October 14, 2017, 05:52:47 PM »
Similarly, I did mine with a light brushed on pass of white Testers model paint and cleaned off excess with a single layer toilet paper, not the thick-fluffy kind, dampened with lacquer thinner and came out perfect in my opinion.
+1. Me too.
Bob Gaines,Shelby enthusiast, Shelby collector , Shelby concours judge SAAC,MCA,Mid America Shelby

Offline J_Speegle

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 24173
Re: Fuse Box Lettering - How did they do it?
« Reply #5 on: October 14, 2017, 05:58:18 PM »
Ran across a couple of people that were using Liquid Paper years ago, Guess it might not be a good choice if you lived in a humid climate

For those that are not old enough to remember the stuff  ::) This was correcting liquid to correct typing errors on paper when we use to use those things. Originally invented by the mother of one of the members of a famous  TV musical band of the 60's
Jeff Speegle

Anything worth doing is worth doing concours ;)

Offline midlife

  • Wiring Guru---let me check your shorts!
  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2155
    • Midlife Harness Restorations
Re: Fuse Box Lettering - How did they do it?
« Reply #6 on: October 14, 2017, 06:49:57 PM »
Ran across a couple of people that were using Liquid Paper years ago, Guess it might not be a good choice if you lived in a humid climate

For those that are not old enough to remember the stuff  ::) This was correcting liquid to correct typing errors on paper when we use to use those things. Originally invented by the mother of one of the members of a famous  TV musical band of the 60's
Yup, the Monkees' Michael Nesmith.  The inventor was Bette Nesmith Graham.
Midlife Harness Restorations - http://midlifeharness.com

Offline Bossbill

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3249
  • In the middle of project hell
Re: Fuse Box Lettering - How did they do it?
« Reply #7 on: October 14, 2017, 08:04:52 PM »
Reconditioning my fuse box for me?  ;)
Bill
Concours  Actual Ford Build 3/2/67 GT350 01375
Driven      6/6/70 0T02G160xxx Boss 302
Modified   5/18/65 5F09A728xxx 347 Terminator-X 8-Stack
Race        65 2+2 Coupe conversion

Offline midlife

  • Wiring Guru---let me check your shorts!
  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2155
    • Midlife Harness Restorations
Re: Fuse Box Lettering - How did they do it?
« Reply #8 on: October 14, 2017, 09:00:00 PM »
Reconditioning my fuse box for me?  ;)
No...there's not enough money in your bank account for me to do that!  Dammit, Jim, I'm a Doctor, not a painter! 

I'm just curious.

I thought that the manufacturers of the boxes would dip each one into a wet wax pan to just cover the surface, let dry.  Then dip it in a bit deeper pan of white paint, let dry,  Then apply a bit of heat or go back to the first pan to wet the wax and wash off.  If they did this, I would expect to see a bit of white paint into the fuse receptacles themselves, so that's not the way they did this.  I still think a huge workbench of school lunch ladies working carefully to apply white paint with needles is a more interesting image...

Silk screening?
Midlife Harness Restorations - http://midlifeharness.com

Offline drummingrocks

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1291
Re: Fuse Box Lettering - How did they do it?
« Reply #9 on: October 14, 2017, 09:20:06 PM »
But if it was silk screened, would there still be a need for recessed letters?  Seems like the silk screening would wear off because the letters would be slightly raised from the surface of the box itself.
Too much junk, too little time.

Offline Bossbill

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3249
  • In the middle of project hell
Re: Fuse Box Lettering - How did they do it?
« Reply #10 on: October 23, 2017, 09:33:26 PM »
I now have many fuse boxes to experiment with.
I had one that had some rust stains on the interior from the fuse clips.
So I used that one and my original broken tab version for this experiment.
First stop is into the sink to remove all of the old grunge using Dawn and a toothbrush.

Here is what I used to clean the rust and polish the outside:


That nets this:


On the inside of the fuse area I used a small wooden stick to polish that area and remove rust:


A toothbrush removed the left over polish.

On to paint. I found some acrylic paint in the wife's studio along with a very small brush. I also found a patch of some linen. I wanted linen as it has almost no fuzzies on it. You need cloth that will not go into recessed paint area. Paper towels are also out.

Apply enough paint to go into the recessed area. That may take some daubing. No air bubbles should be present in the lettering areas:


I only let the paint sit 30 seconds or so before I applied a slightly wetter than damp linen to the top surface. It took a few passes and I ended up with this:


It looks really sharp and takes only a few minutes.
Bill
Concours  Actual Ford Build 3/2/67 GT350 01375
Driven      6/6/70 0T02G160xxx Boss 302
Modified   5/18/65 5F09A728xxx 347 Terminator-X 8-Stack
Race        65 2+2 Coupe conversion

Offline midlife

  • Wiring Guru---let me check your shorts!
  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2155
    • Midlife Harness Restorations
Re: Fuse Box Lettering - How did they do it?
« Reply #11 on: October 23, 2017, 10:31:09 PM »
Nice work!
Midlife Harness Restorations - http://midlifeharness.com

Offline Mike_B_SVT

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 382
Re: Fuse Box Lettering - How did they do it?
« Reply #12 on: October 25, 2017, 05:55:39 PM »
Ok, at the risk of exposing my inner-geek...

https://youtu.be/6BYZNCn6WoE?t=17

Now "back in the day" we would use a wax crayon to fill in the lettering, then wipe the surface with a paper towel.  But I guess the "kids" nowadays use a Deco marker from the craft store.
Mike B.

2003 Mustang Cobra Convertible
1 of 354 in Sonic Blue

1970 Cougar Eliminator (Competition Gold / Black Decor Interior), 428SCJ, Ram-Air, 4-speed w/ Hurst shifter
Built: Dearborn, Oct 6th, 1969
Cat Bites Man!

Offline midlife

  • Wiring Guru---let me check your shorts!
  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 2155
    • Midlife Harness Restorations
Re: Fuse Box Lettering - How did they do it?
« Reply #13 on: October 25, 2017, 07:49:30 PM »
Ok, at the risk of exposing my inner-geek...

https://youtu.be/6BYZNCn6WoE?t=17

Now "back in the day" we would use a wax crayon to fill in the lettering, then wipe the surface with a paper towel.  But I guess the "kids" nowadays use a Deco marker from the craft store.
Wow!  I think that's the way to do it in the future!  Nice find, Mike!!  Now...where's the nearest Hobby Lobby? DecoColor Paint Pens by Marvy.
Midlife Harness Restorations - http://midlifeharness.com

Offline BKnapp

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 237
Re: Fuse Box Lettering - How did they do it?
« Reply #14 on: October 26, 2017, 08:26:18 AM »
Mike - awesome link. Thanks for sharing! I tried something similar on my heater controls, but that looks way easier.
Bill

‘67 390 Coupe A/T  P/S  P/B. (Built 1/4/1967)  7R01S145xxx
‘67 390 FB A/T P/S P/B (Built 3/10/1967) 7F02S173xxx
2007 Shelby GT500 40th Anniv.  Convert. #125