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tygaboy
EDIT on 6/6/2021
I made 6 SpeedHut gauge panels today. See my post on page 4 of this thread for a "fresh off the plasma table" pic.

If you're still interested, I should have these ready to go in a week or so.

- these are .063 3003 aluminum
- they will not be painted
- they do not have the raised stamping for the dimmer
- they are set up for a 4.5" center gauge, 4" outer gauges
- 3 have holes for the dimmer, 3 don't

$35 plus shipping from 94952.

Yes, I'd said $20 earlier but that was a year ago and I was being too generous with my time and consumables. Just be thankful I'm not making them out of wood. laugh.gif

Let me know if you're interested. I'll probably make more once I get more material.
Thanks again for your patience.
Chris


EDIT on 6/24/20:
To the interested parties who've already contacted me or posted here to date:

The plasma table is back in action so now I'm tuning the design. See my post from today (6/24) for the latest updates re: what's new and what I still have to do.
_______________

As to price, it'll be the same thing I try and pull off whenever I do stuff for friends:
Cost of materials and consumables and you buy me a coffee if we ever meet.

I'm thinking $20 plus shipping.

Thanks for your patience.

Chris

_____________

For those using or contemplating SpeedHut gauges, you'll find they are just a bit undersized compared to the stock gauges and require some sort of wrapping or spacer in order to fit well in the stock panel.

I opted to give a go to working up a replacement panel and as I was making it, I thought, while I'm cutting one, I could cut a few more, if there was interest.

This is V1 and it needs a couple minor tweaks, but you get the idea.

Note that it has a 90 degree fold along the bottom edge that I'll stretch so the panel curves a bit, like the factory part.

This one is .060 aluminum but I could do steel, too.

Would anyone be interested in one?

PM me, thanks,
Chris
Tdskip
Looks like a brand new / modern cluster. Neat.
Rotary'14
I'd be interested, how much do you plan on selling them for?
GermermanCarGuy
I'd be interested, price dependent.

RobF
flmont
I might need one.aswell
ahycaramba
I am interested! Count me in please.
Chris H.
Interested for sure! Been thinking about doing the same thing.
76-914
Chris, I'm the "there's always one in the crowd" guy. I'd like one that uses just the Speed Hut Speedo as I use the other two OEM gages. I made my last one out of Aluminum but didn't have the capability to flange the opening so you can imagine what it looks like behind the panel. wacko.gif

Click to view attachment

Click to view attachment
pdlightning
QUOTE(tygaboy @ Jun 11 2020, 01:15 PM) *

For those using or contemplating SpeedHut gauges, you'll find they are just a bit undersized compared to the stock gauges and require some sort of wrapping or spacer in order to fit well in the stock panel.

I opted to give a go to working up a replacement panel and as I was making it, I thought, while I'm cutting one, I could cut a few more, if there was interest.

This is V1 and it needs a couple minor tweaks, but you get the idea.

Note that it has a 90 degree fold along the bottom edge that I'll stretch so the panel curves a bit, like the factory part.

This one is .060 aluminum but I could do steel, too.

Would anyone be interested in one?

PM me, thanks,
Chris


I would be interested also.PM sent
tygaboy
To the interested parties who've already contacted me or posted here to date:

Apologies - this effort is on hold while I work through an issue I'm having with my plasma table. Hopefully, I can get it resolved quickly.

As to price, it'll be the same thing I try and pull off whenever I do stuff for friends:
Cost of materials and consumables and you buy me a coffee if we ever meet.

I'm thinking $20 plus shipping.

Thanks for your patience.

Chris
Chris H.
Thanks for the update Chris. No rush at all, but I would love to have one.
fiacra
QUOTE(tygaboy @ Jun 16 2020, 09:46 AM) *

To the interested parties who've already contacted me or posted here to date:

Apologies - this effort is on hold while I work through an issue I'm having with my plasma table. Hopefully, I can get it resolved quickly.

As to price, it'll be the same thing I try and pull off whenever I do stuff for friends:
Cost of materials and consumables and you buy me a coffee if we ever meet.

I'm thinking $20 plus shipping.

Thanks for your patience.

Chris


Chris,

As always, amazed at the work you do and your willingness to share your expertise, tools, and time with everyone else. Thanks for that. You've really paid it forward and I hope you will let us know if you ever need anything.
tygaboy
@fiacra - Thanks Broheen, you're too kind.

The good news is that ArcLight Dynamics (my table mfg) has awesome support and when I told them what I was struggling with, they said "OK, we'll e-mail you a quick 'how-to' that enables you to check/reset a value that should correct your issue..."

I ran the test and, sure enough, I needed to update the value that is key to correcting my issue.

I didn't have time to verify it with a test cut but I'm pretty confident I'll be back in business tomorrow!

I'll update this thread as I make progress on the panel design and fab.
GregAmy
I have interest in two ways.

First, I have the tach for my race car. But I use data acq and a separate DASH-4 so I'd like one with only the center tach hole cut.

Second, I'm actually Ok with the stock speedo and combo gauge, but would like to add a Speedhut tach...how about one with the stock holes cut left and right but the smaller hole in the center for the Speedhut tach?

I'm curious on others' experience on the total cost, including sensors, for replacing the whole thing as in the first post?
pdlightning
Chris, we appreciate your work and your desire to help the group out. I would gladly pay you more than asking because it saves me a lot of work!

I still want mine and again thanks!
Jack Standz
Please include me for either aluminum or steel (plan to wrinkle powder coat anyway). Thanks very much I appreciate your generous offer.
tygaboy
I've updated the outer panel shape and it now fits and looks better. I also moved the tach hole down a bit - I think it looks better with less space at the bottom.

I also remembered that the SpeedHut gauges offer a gauge lighting dimmer so I opted to add the dimmer knob to the front of the panel.
Others may want to mount it elsewhere so I can offer the panel with or without this hole.

Next, I'm going to stamp a small raised circular area around that knob, just to break up all the flatness of the panel. We'll see how I like that...

Anyway, here's a front and back shot as things stand now.
tygaboy
A bit of stretching to get things to sit nicely against the dash frame.

One item I still have to work up is a stamp/punch to set the recesses in the mounting holes so those stock tapered back screws sit nicely.

Though I could opt to use a nicer looking fastener and change out the stock screw plates for something else... idea.gif
Cairo94507
I have to say those gauges look so darn nice that if I had another 914 that would absolutely be the gauge panel and gauges for that car. beerchug.gif
sixnotfour
Please include me for either aluminum or steel
76-914
QUOTE(tygaboy @ Jun 24 2020, 04:41 PM) *

A bit of stretching to get things to sit nicely against the dash frame.

One item I still have to work up is a stamp/punch to set the recesses in the mounting holes so those stock tapered back screws sit nicely.

Though I could opt to use a nicer looking fastener and change out the stock screw plates for something else... idea.gif

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/search/searc...e%20dies%203/16
tygaboy
QUOTE(76-914 @ Jun 25 2020, 10:53 AM) *

QUOTE(tygaboy @ Jun 24 2020, 04:41 PM) *

A bit of stretching to get things to sit nicely against the dash frame.

One item I still have to work up is a stamp/punch to set the recesses in the mounting holes so those stock tapered back screws sit nicely.

Though I could opt to use a nicer looking fastener and change out the stock screw plates for something else... idea.gif

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/search/searc...e%20dies%203/16

@76-914 OK, that's what I'm talking about! Thanks for the lead!
tygaboy
Something I want to be sure and point out is that while the tach is essentially centered in the same place as the stock tach, I moved the outer gauges down and in a bit. This make it easier to see more of the gauges, especially for those of us with aftermarket steering wheels that have thicker rims and smaller diameters.
Here's a comparison with the stock panel set on top of mine.
tygaboy
Why, oh why do I seem unable to keep things simple? blink.gif

I figured I'd go for a few more style points and rather than raise a circle around the dimmer knob, I went with this.
tygaboy
I ended up with a small flaw in one of the dies so there's a hiccup at the 1:00-ish position of the stamped area. It's more visible in the next pic.

I may be able to address it with a bit of careful filing.

But I think I'll end up redoing the die set and making a whole new panel because:
Tygaboy...

The panel is totally serviceable so I'm happy to offer it to someone willing to live with this horror! laugh.gif
tygaboy
Then I gave it a squirt of SEM trim black and assembled everything.
I will say, I think it looks pretty good, that one flaw aside. That raised area is the sort of thing that most folks won't even notice and is the very reason I think it's such a neat little detail.

Note: Stamping the raised area for the dimmer is a real fiddly process. So unless the solution I use to make my personal panel turns out to be reliable and repeatable, it likely won't be practical for me to offer this feature.
Fingers crossed I can pull it off.
dakotaewing
QUOTE(tygaboy @ Jun 25 2020, 01:29 PM) *

Then I gave it a squirt of SEM trim black and assembled everything.
I will say, I think it looks pretty good, that one flaw aside. That raised area is the sort of thing that most folks won't even notice and is the very reason I think it's such a neat little detail.

Note: Stamping the raised area for the dimmer is a real fiddly process. So unless the solution I use to make my personal panel turns out to be reliable and repeatable, it likely won't be practical for me to offer this feature.
Fingers crossed I can pull it off.



DAMN!
I'm in -
Tell me where to send my money!
pdlightning
QUOTE(tygaboy @ Jun 25 2020, 11:29 AM) *

Then I gave it a squirt of SEM trim black and assembled everything.
I will say, I think it looks pretty good, that one flaw aside. That raised area is the sort of thing that most folks won't even notice and is the very reason I think it's such a neat little detail.

Note: Stamping the raised area for the dimmer is a real fiddly process. So unless the solution I use to make my personal panel turns out to be reliable and repeatable, it likely won't be practical for me to offer this feature.
Fingers crossed I can pull it off.



That looks great, those Are the same gauges I purchased and we appreciate you doing this! Thanks
no1uno
Please add me to the list.
Cairo94507
That gauge set and bezel look so good I want to get one and cut it into the top of my desk....and it ain't a cheap desk. beerchug.gif
kid914
QUOTE(tygaboy @ Jun 24 2020, 07:35 PM) *

I've updated the outer panel shape and it now fits and looks better. I also moved the tach hole down a bit - I think it looks better with less space at the bottom.

I also remembered that the SpeedHut gauges offer a gauge lighting dimmer so I opted to add the dimmer knob to the front of the panel.
Others may want to mount it elsewhere so I can offer the panel with or without this hole.

Next, I'm going to stamp a small raised circular area around that knob, just to break up all the flatness of the panel. We'll see how I like that...

Anyway, here's a front and back shot as things stand now.


Where are those gauges from?
Gearup
I’m in. I have 2 speedhut 4 inch gauge and the center tach is 4.5 speedhut. If that’s your dimensions I definately want one. Brett
tygaboy
QUOTE(kid914 @ Jun 27 2020, 03:43 PM) *

QUOTE(tygaboy @ Jun 24 2020, 07:35 PM) *

I've updated the outer panel shape and it now fits and looks better. I also moved the tach hole down a bit - I think it looks better with less space at the bottom.

I also remembered that the SpeedHut gauges offer a gauge lighting dimmer so I opted to add the dimmer knob to the front of the panel.
Others may want to mount it elsewhere so I can offer the panel with or without this hole.

Next, I'm going to stamp a small raised circular area around that knob, just to break up all the flatness of the panel. We'll see how I like that...

Anyway, here's a front and back shot as things stand now.


Where are those gauges from?

@kid914 @Gearup They are from SpeedHut. 4.5" tach, 4" speedo and quad. Check out their site - they offer a lot of great options.
Chris H.
QUOTE(dakotaewing @ Jun 26 2020, 10:24 PM) *



DAMN!
I'm in -
Tell me where to send my money!


Yeah that looks GREAT! Excellent idea adding the dimmer. Just tell us when/where to send money!
tygaboy
So I went all in and made a stamping die set so I can reliably create the dimmer knob element. What can I say? I love you guys and want to provide a nice piece so what the heck...

Here's the die set and an earlier version panel I "repaired" with it. It's not perfect but you get the idea.
tygaboy
Each of these three panels have some sort of flaw so I'm willing to part with them for cost of shipping.

You can have one of these OR wait a bit and for $20 plus shipping, you can have a "good" one.

PM me and it'll be first come, first served for this lot.

#1, the black one with no gauges in it: the dimmer knob stamp isn't even around it's perimeter.

#2, the grey one with no gauges: you can see it's got a small crease above the dimmer area and the stamping itself isn't great. What do you expect for free? happy11.gif

#3, the black one with gauges (no, they aren't included) has a hiccup at the 1:30-ish position of the dimmer knob area, called out by the red arrow.
76-914
Just curious. What stumbling blocks, if any, were incurred during the development phase Chris? e.g warpage, distortion, etc. What is used for pressing the dies together? Vise, hammer, press? Something tells me a few hours went into making the dies. Nice job. beerchug.gif
ValcoOscar
@tygaboy

Sweet Chris beer3.gif

D'MAN OF THE DAY aktion035.gif

Oscar

tygaboy
QUOTE(76-914 @ Jul 5 2020, 06:21 PM) *

Just curious. What stumbling blocks, if any, were incurred during the development phase Chris? e.g warpage, distortion, etc. What is used for pressing the dies together? Vise, hammer, press? Something tells me a few hours went into making the dies. Nice job. beerchug.gif


@76-914 Kent - All three panels pictured were done with the "quick & dirty" die set pictured below. It's too small (which allowed its edges to damage the panel, as in #2, above). It required manual positioning of both pieces on either side of the panel so it was a total crap shoot that things would turn out well... hence the freebie panels with the various issues.

I should know better by now that, getting lucky aside, if I want a quality result, I need to do what I know works: build a die set that is the same size as the panel.

Note that on the male side of this "full size" die set, I welded the dimmer area stamp to its panel. With the die set and the panel all cut to the exact same shape, it's easy to be sure everything is aligned and I get the best result.

As to warpage or distortion, I get none! Why? I use a powered H press and a sizable set of aluminum plates on both sides of the dies. It stamps the shape and flattens any distortion as it completes it's cycle.

When I make the next panel, I'll video the whole process and post it so you can see how it all works.
76-914
QUOTE(tygaboy @ Jul 5 2020, 08:25 PM) *

QUOTE(76-914 @ Jul 5 2020, 06:21 PM) *

Just curious. What stumbling blocks, if any, were incurred during the development phase Chris? e.g warpage, distortion, etc. What is used for pressing the dies together? Vise, hammer, press? Something tells me a few hours went into making the dies. Nice job. beerchug.gif


@76-914 Kent - All three panels pictured were done with the "quick & dirty" die set pictured below. It's too small (which allowed its edges to damage the panel, as in #2, above). It required manual positioning of both pieces on either side of the panel so it was a total crap shoot that things would turn out well... hence the freebie panels with the various issues.

I should know better by now that, getting lucky aside, if I want a quality result, I need to do what I know works: build a die set that is the same size as the panel.

Note that on the male side of this "full size" die set, I welded the dimmer area stamp to its panel. With the die set and the panel all cut to the exact same shape, it's easy to be sure everything is aligned and I get the best result.

As to warpage or distortion, I get none! Why? I use a powered H press and a sizable set of aluminum plates on both sides of the dies. It stamps the shape and flattens any distortion as it completes it's cycle.

When I make the next panel, I'll video the whole process and post it so you can see how it all works.

popcorn[1].gif Interested in seeing that. Thx beerchug.gif
Gearup
Tygaboy,
I want one in black.
I already have the 2 4 inch speedhut and 1
41/2. Let me know where to send the money.

Brett
tygaboy
@76-914 - Kent , here's an overview of the process, complete with some exciting video! laugh.gif

First, here's the assembly order, top to bottom:
- male die
- panel
- female die

Then, the assembly aligned, using the dimmer hole and the one gauge hole.
This isn't a perfect "indexing" set up so there is some opportunity for minor alignment error.

But isn't that part of the beauty of "handmade"? happy11.gif
tygaboy
For anyone who may be interested, let me back up and show you the plasma table in action, wrapping up the final cuts on the latest panel.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u-BEwS66oo
tygaboy
I use a couple Vice Grips to hold things in place. Into the press it goes, then I set the aluminum block on top of the area that will be pressed.

This all but guarantees there's no distortion anywhere on the panel as it mashes everything back to flat.

Oh, and don't forget to be sure the blocks are tall enough to clear any flanges AND that you don't get one of the Vice Grips in a spot where they'll be part of the stamping area.

Ask me how I learned those lessons... headbang.gif
tygaboy
Here's the pressing process and the result. It works like a charm!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmlvB9JlPZw
tygaboy
A trip to the stretcher to get the needed curve so it sits nicely against the dash frame, a lick of paint and:

I tried to get the pic to really show the dimmer stamp area.

I think I can live with this version.

Hope you enjoyed the details about how I make these panels.
76-914
Loved the videos! Thx Chris, you've satisfied my curiosity for the moment. biggrin.gif
76-914
QUOTE(tygaboy @ Jul 6 2020, 10:02 AM) *

For anyone who may be interested, let me back up and show you the plasma table in action, wrapping up the final cuts on the latest panel.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u-BEwS66oo


That cutter is the Cat's Meow. pray.gif
Gearup
QUOTE(tygaboy @ Jun 25 2020, 11:29 AM) *

Then I gave it a squirt of SEM trim black and assembled everything.
I will say, I think it looks pretty good, that one flaw aside. That raised area is the sort of thing that most folks won't even notice and is the very reason I think it's such a neat little detail.

Note: Stamping the raised area for the dimmer is a real fiddly process. So unless the solution I use to make my personal panel turns out to be reliable and repeatable, it likely won't be practical for me to offer this feature.
Fingers crossed I can pull it off.



Must have One. I have the same gauges. Beautiful work
pploco
Hi Chris, if it's not too late I'll take one too.
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