ANTI-GLARE HOOD for instrument panel

[wordsmith]

In these tropic parts glare from the instrument panel can at times, however briefly, be a nuisance and even downright dangerous.   I want to do something about it, as conventional stick-on anti-glare films only work to a small degree.
 
I recall seeing here some time ago reference to a small clip-on hood, or canopy, or shield that goes across the top and sides of the panel and cuts glare.
 
Despite using many variations on the theme I cannot find any references on-line – can anyone here help, please, and maybe post a link, or at least maybe a pic?   I’d like to have a go at making my own variation, and if successful I'll post some info and pix.... thank you.
 
 

[wordsmith]

In these tropic parts glare from the instrument panel can at times, however briefly, be a nuisance and even downright dangerous.   I want to do something about it, as conventional stick-on anti-glare films only work to a small degree. 
I recall seeing here some time ago reference to a small clip-on hood, or canopy, or shield that goes across the top and sides of the panel and cuts glare.
 
Despite using many variations on the theme I cannot find any references on-line – can anyone here help, please, and maybe post a link, or at least maybe a pic?   I’d like to have a go at making my own variation, and if successful I'll post some info and pix.... thank you.
 

LATER EDIT AND UPDATE... 
While awaiting possible inspiration from seeing the professional product that I asked about, I decided to proceed with my own solution, which could be temporary if not effective.
 
Searching the left-overs box, I simply cut a piece of thin aluminium sheet to a 22cm x 13cm (9”x 5”) rectangle to sit above the instrument panel.    I then stuck to both sides some 3mm thick self-adhesive neoprene sheet to absorb reflected rays, and to help the upper surface to blend-in visually.
Matte black paint would be just as good.
 
A couple of lengths of foam-core double-sided tape stuck to the top of the instrument panel were then used to hold the neoprene/ aluminium 'sandwich' in place, pushed as far forward as it would go underneath the two little support brackets either side of the back of the screen.
 
The sandwich protrudes about 6.5cm (2.5”) over the rearmost edge of the screen, and should give good protection against overhead rays that produce the annoyingly harsh glare.
 
I’ll report on results later – and if it doesn’t work it’s back to the drawing-board and the left-overs box!
 
 
(Pic below - green double-sided securing tape)


 
(Pic below - as seen from rider's seat.   No information on the screen is obscured)
 

 
(Pic below -installed - looks grey (gray) here but is actually matte black and chimes nicely with surrounding elements)
 

 
(Pic below - sandwich protrudes about 6.5cm/ 2.5" behind display screen to give good cover from overhead rays)
 

 

[steveb]

Your temporary shade looks effective, but I have to say I get nervous thinking about the edge of a metal sheet being aimed at me.
 
I bought the following shade for my GPS and really like it
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009N9JXD4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504071528&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=GlareStomper&dpPl=1&dpID=41so4wN3PhL&ref=plSrch
It can fold down over the screen (great protection when the GPS is taken off of the bike). I'm wondering if something similar could be found/created for the instrument panel. It attaches with velcro around the edge which makes it easily removable. That may or may not be important to you. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[wordsmith]

Your temporary shade looks effective, but I have to say I get nervous thinking about the edge of a metal sheet being aimed at me.  
I bought the following shade for my GPS and really like it
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009N9JXD4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504071528&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=GlareStomper&dpPl=1&dpID=41so4wN3PhL&ref=plSrch
It can fold down over the screen (great protection when the GPS is taken off of the bike). I'm wondering if something similar could be found/created for the instrument panel. It attaches with velcro around the edge which makes it easily removable. That may or may not be important to you. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Steve - that is indeed the very article I wanted info on!   Thanks for the link -  Glare Stomper was NOT one of the search terms I used!   But I must say that if my own version is 'aimed' at me at any time I'd be in desperate trouble already!

[suncoaster]

Your temporary shade looks effective, but I have to say I get nervous thinking about the edge of a metal sheet being aimed at me.  
I bought the following shade for my GPS and really like it
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009N9JXD4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504071528&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=GlareStomper&dpPl=1&dpID=41so4wN3PhL&ref=plSrch
It can fold down over the screen (great protection when the GPS is taken off of the bike). I'm wondering if something similar could be found/created for the instrument panel. It attaches with velcro around the edge which makes it easily removable. That may or may not be important to you. Good luck with whatever you decide.

I like that canvas/fabric idea. 
One of the local lads has a rat bike that he's added a metal windshield to. And welded a sissy bar to the frame..
If he hits something he may become a castrato.
 
    
 

[steveb]

Let's just say that it doesn't take any speed at all to do real damage. Years ago I ran into the rear bumper of a car at about 2 mph. One of those stop and go traffic situations and I let myself be distracted for just a second looking at my tank bag map (Pre GPS technology :^). Let's just say it was a tie. My nose broke my windshield, and my windshield broke my nose. Big lesson on paying attention! I hate to think what a metal windshield would have done to me. So I'm a big fan of soft options (as well as keeping my face shield down when riding).

[wordsmith]

Let's just say that it doesn't take any speed at all to do real damage. Years ago I ran into the rear bumper of a car at about 2 mph. One of those stop and go traffic situations and I let myself be distracted for just a second looking at my tank bag map (Pre GPS technology :^). Let's just say it was a tie. My nose broke my windshield, and my windshield broke my nose. Big lesson on paying attention! I hate to think what a metal windshield would have done to me. So I'm a big fan of soft options (as well as keeping my face shield down when riding).

While I am deeply touched by the concerns for my well-being, I consider that the likelihood of any part of my so-called body coming into contact with my 'sandwich' is infinitely less than colliding with the top of the screen.    Nevertheless, should I need or decide to modify the sandwich I'll take these concerns onto consideration!   Thank you for your support - I shall always wear it...

[wordsmith]

+1 for Glare Stomper. They run sales frequently too, not that it's expensive or anything... and made in the U.S. You can cut/trim the material as needed to fit it properly as needed. I imagine you could fit it over the panel somehow.... stuff is very adaptable. 
 

 

Looking at the link provided by Suncoaster it appears that there are a number of similar devices of differing sizes, mainly for GPS units, but also for cell-phones, etc.   Doubtless one of these would fit the size of our instrument panel...   depending on the efficiency of my prototype I may make another, if necessary, with some vertical sides to cut-out any side glare, though I'm certain that the major source of such glare comes from directly above..

[steveb]

+1 for Glare Stomper. They run sales frequently too, not that it's expensive or anything... and made in the U.S. You can cut/trim the material as needed to fit it properly as needed. I imagine you could fit it over the panel somehow.... stuff is very adaptable. 
 

 

 
Looking at the Glare Stomper website it looks like they would recommend the 324. They come flat with adhesive backed velcro that you can cut to fit. Looks like this one would only be about an inch short on the sides, which may not matter. https://www.glarestomper.com/324/

[wordsmith]

+1 for Glare Stomper. They run sales frequently too, not that it's expensive or anything... and made in the U.S. You can cut/trim the material as needed to fit it properly as needed. I imagine you could fit it over the panel somehow.... stuff is very adaptable. 
 

 

Looking at the Glare Stomper website it looks like they would recommend the 324. They come flat with adhesive backed velcro that you can cut to fit. Looks like this one would only be about an inch short on the sides, which may not matter. https://www.glarestomper.com/324/

My prototype works very well, judging from today's outing in bright cloudless sunshine and with the bike at every (horizontal) angle possible to the sun throughout the mid-morning to early afternoon ride, which is when I've been most glared-at.   As I still have some left-over neoprene sheet I plan now to make up a model based on the lines of the #324 above, with the side pieces coming right down to the bottom of the display - which I can use to give additional support to the hood - and with the rear edge still overhanging the display screen by about 2.5".   Should work well - I'll make a cardboard mock-up first.    
I'm also going to discard the aluminium plate 'sandwich' in the interests of not being decapitated (highly unlikely, if not impossible, but look where D Trump is now!) and will make the hood out of either Corflute or foam sandwich sheet: either will do and be quite strong enough.

[wordsmith]

The final story, with pix!  

My simple prototype anti-glare hood works well, so I decided to make a MkII version finished a bit more professionally.   Back to the leftovers box for another piece of aluminium and some more neoprene, plus some faux carbon fibre vinyl.
 
To get it right first time – hopefully – I made a cardboard mock-up, which helped, and it’s worth mentioning that I found it easier to work on this little job with the screen removed.
 
The top surface is now narrower front to back and no longer butted-up hard against the windscreen lest I be decapitated if coming into contact with it at speed.
 
The overhang protecting the screen is left at about 7cm/ 2.5” but now with a lip slightly angled downwards to increase rigidity and give a little added cover.
To further aid rigidity I added a triangular vertical ‘arm’ to each side, which will also minimise any glare from the side.
 
The external top and sides of the hood were covered with the carbon sheet, giving it a nice visual touch, IMHO, but a matte black paint finish would do the same job.   Inside, I again stuck the glare-minimising black neoprene.
 
Finally, the shield was secured to the display unit with double-sided adhesive tape at the top, just above the indicator warning lights, and along the sides of each vertical triangular arm.
 
Pix below show the various stages…
 
(below) - cardboard mock-up made things easier...
 

 
(below) - outline marked onto aluminium sheet from the mock-up - ready to cut out


 
(below) - shape cut out, edges then smoothed and corners rounded
 

 
(below) - folded and creased
 

 
(below) - neoprene anti-reflection sheet covers the hood's inside surfaces
 

 
(below) - installed
 

 
(below) - another view
 

 
(below) - view from the cockpit - no more blinding glare!


 

[BBB]

Good fabrication work wordsmith.
 
[ the ironic flash reflection in your last photo made me smile though]

[wordsmith]

Good fabrication work wordsmith. 
[ the ironic flash reflection in your last photo made me smile though]

Well spotted, BBB - I hadn't!   And thanks - I might change my name to Tinsmith!    
Pic was taken in the garage so flash came on - I'll do another later today in bright sunlight!   The object of that pic was to show that my view of the instrument panel right up to the indicator lights at the very top is unobstructed by the 'lip' and overhang.  
 
The pic was not well thought-out as it wasn't my line-of-sight as seated, but was taken at a lower angle.   More haste, less speed!

[wordsmith]

The final final words and pix.

Took the bike out today for a regular ~200km circuit of mine, in glorious early spring sunshine and 26°C (79°F) warmth, the main purpose being to check the efficiency of the new screen hood.
 
In a nutshell, tho’ I sez it meself, it worked a treat, the day's only glare experienced being from an irate woman driver who objected to my gentle ‘toot’ warning her that she was blindly drifting into my lane.
 
It was interesting watching the changing patterns of shading on the bike's display screen as the bike moved in its orientation to the late morning and early afternoon sun.   When the sun was dead ahead (and almost directly overhead nearing midday), or at right angles (judged by the shadows of trees, poles, etc.) the screen was totally shaded, as if riding in a tunnel.
 
At other times only the top (say) inch or two was shaded, and it constantly changed as I rode the twisting highway.   But the important thing is that at no time did I experience any sun-glare, as I would have done previously. Mission accomplished!

It will be interesting to see how it works very early and very late in the day, when the sun is very low on the horizon and may influence the hood’s performance.   But that appraisal will have to wait until I head north in a few weeks time, when early starts and late finishes will be the order of the day.
 
On the road the hood was perfectly rigid with no vibration whatsoever.   And stopping to take a pic, I discovered another use for the hood, using it as a handy shelf on which to place my gloves while briefly stopped.   If I market this device I’ll be able to claim it as being dual-purpose – Shield-‘n-Shelf©!
 
Back home, I decided to embellish the hood a little, placing a spare gold chrome Tracer decal on it, for no better reason except that I had one.   Hope nobody mis-reads that as my name and starts calling me Tracey!

Happy days!
 
(Below) - Stopped by the roadside to snap this pic - note handy shelf!   This is my line-of-sight view seated on the bike.


 
(Below) - Gold chrome Tracer decal as on the panniers.   Glare is from windscreen...