 Making my own gauge faces, Using a viny cutter and lexan |
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| CptTripps |
 Dec 12 2013, 12:15 PM
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#1
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:: Punch and Pie ::  Group: Members Posts: 3,584 Joined: 26-December 04 From: Mentor, OH Member No.: 3,342 Region Association: Upper MidWest  |
I've been thinking a lot about the gauges I'm going to be using, and wanting to do something special. I was just going to go with the stock gauges and use modern innards (search for the Sunpro Tach thread) but realized that I am putting a 8,000rpm motor in.
So I busted out my handy vinyl cutter and Adode Illustrator to see if I could make my own. |
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| CptTripps |
Dec 12 2013, 12:16 PM
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#2
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:: Punch and Pie :: Group: Members Posts: 3,584 Joined: 26-December 04 From: Mentor, OH Member No.: 3,342 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
First step was making the gauge template. This is JUST A TEST so I wasn't going for scale.
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| CptTripps |
Dec 12 2013, 12:16 PM
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#3
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:: Punch and Pie :: Group: Members Posts: 3,584 Joined: 26-December 04 From: Mentor, OH Member No.: 3,342 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
Then I transferred it to my Vinyl Cutting program and loaded it up.
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| CptTripps |
Dec 12 2013, 12:17 PM
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#4
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:: Punch and Pie :: Group: Members Posts: 3,584 Joined: 26-December 04 From: Mentor, OH Member No.: 3,342 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
Cut it on Silver vinyl. Not the best vinyl, but worked for the test.
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| CptTripps |
Dec 12 2013, 12:18 PM
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#5
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:: Punch and Pie :: Group: Members Posts: 3,584 Joined: 26-December 04 From: Mentor, OH Member No.: 3,342 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
Next I transferred it to some thick-ish Lexan.
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| CptTripps |
Dec 12 2013, 12:20 PM
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#6
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:: Punch and Pie :: Group: Members Posts: 3,584 Joined: 26-December 04 From: Mentor, OH Member No.: 3,342 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
Using my "RC Car Body" skills, I hit the redline with a sharpie real quick before the backing.
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| CptTripps |
Dec 12 2013, 12:21 PM
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#7
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:: Punch and Pie :: Group: Members Posts: 3,584 Joined: 26-December 04 From: Mentor, OH Member No.: 3,342 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
Next I painted over the back with a quick coat of white primer. I'll use proper Lexan paint later, but this would give me an idea.
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| CptTripps |
Dec 12 2013, 12:24 PM
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#8
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:: Punch and Pie :: Group: Members Posts: 3,584 Joined: 26-December 04 From: Mentor, OH Member No.: 3,342 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
Viola! After a second coat, I'm getting an idea of how it'll look.
I'm going to let it dry a little more and then cut it out. I can already tell that the red sharpie isn't going to cut it. I have some red vinyl that I'll eventually use on the back before paint. That should do the trick a little better. Attached thumbnail(s) 
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| CptTripps |
Dec 12 2013, 12:29 PM
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#9
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:: Punch and Pie :: Group: Members Posts: 3,584 Joined: 26-December 04 From: Mentor, OH Member No.: 3,342 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
I'm going to have to get rid of the bubbles before I put it through the laminator again. (Just a thought...it may not work at all.)
So...at the end of the day, I think it was worth 30min of time to see if I had a viable plan or not. Some things I learned: 1: The lettering is a little TOO thin to do reverses on the PORSCHE and the RPM piece. Perhaps I'll do those in black vinyl and apply after the fact. 2: I need to pull the centers for the 4, 6, 8 so I can apply them afterwards. No biggie there. 3: Maybe a little thicker plastic with an additional black backer that's the reverse. That'll help focus the light on the numbers and I won't have any bleed for the light hitting the silver vinyl. I'm going to thicken up the middle-ticks so they are a LITTLE thicker. That's all I got for now...what do you think? |
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| nathansnathan |
Dec 12 2013, 12:48 PM
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#10
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,052 Joined: 31-May 10 From: Laguna Beach, CA Member No.: 11,782 Region Association: None |
You should use this typeface to match the original gauges
http://fontzone.net/font-details/dinmittelschrift Also, maybe do the "UPM/RPM" - it seems more euro and cool that way? |
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| zymurgist |
Dec 12 2013, 12:52 PM
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#11
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"Ace" Mechanic Group: Members Posts: 7,411 Joined: 9-June 05 From: Hagerstown, MD Member No.: 4,238 Region Association: None |
Cool!
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| CptTripps |
Dec 12 2013, 12:59 PM
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#12
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:: Punch and Pie :: Group: Members Posts: 3,584 Joined: 26-December 04 From: Mentor, OH Member No.: 3,342 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
My other thought was to use the font from the Boxster or new 911.
Another was to make the gauges look more like airplane gauges. I'm a watch guy and could make them out like a Bell & Ross or Panerai. Lots of fun ideas. I just trimmed this one. Came out pretty bad, but now I know what I need to do. You never learn until you try! Attached thumbnail(s) 
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| ripper911 |
Dec 12 2013, 01:40 PM
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#13
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corde pulsum tangite Group: Members Posts: 2,920 Joined: 25-April 10 From: Powder Springs, GA Member No.: 11,654 Region Association: South East States |
QUOTE(CptTripps @ Dec 12 2013, 01:24 PM)  Viola! Viola? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i1131.photobucket.com-11654-1386877207.1.jpg) |
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| euro911 |
Dec 12 2013, 08:04 PM
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#14
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Retired & living the dream. God help me if I wake up! Group: Members Posts: 8,849 Joined: 2-December 06 From: So.Cal. & No.AZ (USA) Member No.: 7,300 Region Association: Southern California 
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| r_towle |
Dec 12 2013, 08:14 PM
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#15
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Custom Member Group: Members Posts: 24,574 Joined: 9-January 03 From: Taxachusetts Member No.: 124 Region Association: North East States
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How did you cut the lexan without chipping it?
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| mikesmith |
Dec 12 2013, 09:19 PM
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#16
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Member Group: Members Posts: 202 Joined: 5-September 13 From: SF Member No.: 16,354 Region Association: Northern California |
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| CptTripps |
Dec 12 2013, 09:31 PM
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#17
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:: Punch and Pie :: Group: Members Posts: 3,584 Joined: 26-December 04 From: Mentor, OH Member No.: 3,342 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
QUOTE(r_towle @ Dec 12 2013, 09:14 PM) How did you cut the lexan without chipping it? Lexan Scissors from any hobby store. QUOTE(mikesmith @ Dec 12 2013, 10:19 PM) Those are bad-ass. Maybe I'll just bag the whole idea and buy those. |
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| CptTripps |
Dec 13 2013, 08:36 AM
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#18
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:: Punch and Pie :: Group: Members Posts: 3,584 Joined: 26-December 04 From: Mentor, OH Member No.: 3,342 Region Association: Upper MidWest |
Attempt #2: Much better.
Used a thicker vinyl and thin white plastic backing. Light comes through evenly and the red was a lot easier too. Attached thumbnail(s)  
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| Dave_Darling |
Dec 13 2013, 10:54 AM
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#19
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914 Idiot Group: Members Posts: 14,986 Joined: 9-January 03 From: Silicon Valley / Kailua-Kona Member No.: 121 Region Association: Northern California
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The minor ticks still need to be fatter. Especially the red ones; the darker color (red vs. white) will look thinner so you need to thicken it up a bit to compensate.
(I used to do this stuff in software for a living. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) ) --DD |
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