Spray Masking?... Not Masking For Spraying

Does a product like this exist? Namely you paint an object, spray on a mask and let it dry, then machine the object THRU the masking, then paint the parts you machined and then remove the masking.

The reason I'm asking is because that's the only way I can figure that old aircraft instrument panels were made as the lettering is painted at the same level as the rest of the panel. It as if the paint filled in the engraved lettering but didn't bleed over the rest of the panel.

Is there an easier way I'm not seeing here? I really am a noob here. I want to make an Apollo era command module dashboard you see.

I think that most aircraft instrument dials would be made using screen printing or a similar technique, rather than painting through a mask. That might be worth investigating.

EDIT: These guys still do it in the UK, I'm sure there will be other companies too. http://www.cotswoldscreenprinters.co.uk/instrument_panels.asp

Actually checking one of these panels... the lettering is painted but BELOW the rest of the panel paintwork. Reverse stencil maybe? The labels are illuminated you see.

Sounds like paint-filled engraved labels then. A bit of googling turned up this which might be of use... http://www.engraverssolutions.com/PDFs/tips&tricks-color_filling.pdf

HughB said:

Sounds like paint-filled engraved labels then. A bit of googling turned up this which might be of use... http://www.engraverssolutions.com/PDFs/tips&tricks-color_filling.pdf

Click to expand...

This is JUST the information I was looking for. Examining the old panel I have it really does look like paint filled engraving. Thank you, this is just the info I need to reproduce something too.