Gauge faces - anyone make their own?

Has anyone out there made their own custom gauge faces? If so, tell us how you did it and show us some pictures. I'm ordering some gauges in the very near future, but always wanted my own face designs. The quotes I've been getting are INSANE for custom faces. There HAS to be a clever idea out there!

Screen printing on aluminum plates? Vinyl stick-ons? Painted? What's the process.

I don't know what anyone else thinks, but I've always believed that one of the most important details inside a car's interior is it's gauges. They can make or break the whole thing.

Let's hear it!

 

Man, I don't know. I think all the processes listed above will work even a Water Slide decal might to the trick. It really is one of the most important parts of an interior if not the whole car. I could go back and forth on which ones I would like to use but availability has led me to my '39 Cadillac sweep cluster. Early European ones would be cool but who has that kind of money.

I would say that screen printing on an aluminum plate would be the best bet. I would try to stick to the original typeface that was used but differ them in the slightest but so that it does not become obvious.

 

You could just print your designs with a printer on plastic sheet. I bet you have local printers that can do it for you for under $20. Draw up what you want on photoshop and take the file to them. Shade the numbers the color you want them to light up or leave them semi clear and use colored bulbs.

 

Scooter,

There are a couple ways you could do it. Some mentioned above.
There are other digital printing service that can print to plastic like photo paper called cibachrome or lambda film.
Its pretty high tech shit though.
Silk screen would have a cool raised look and would be real easy to do.
Most early ones I would guess had been silk screened using the techniques of the time.
I know an artist designer guy you could talk to about it.... ~

 

http://www.customgaugefaces.com/index.htm

He makes stuff for OT cars... but his prices are way way cheap and I'm sure he could whip something up if you persuaded him. I've bought from him before, really nice guy.

 

Scooter, search Kirk! s thread, he did em using an acid etch.

Also Whizzerick had a thread here and one on the Jockey (pics gone) may need to PM him


Several others as well, I forget the posters though

 

scooter,

valkokir did a thread on the subject- did a nice job, too.

 

Any decent sign shop can handle this.... you'll get small vinyl stickers that fit your guage and stick in place. You can choose font, size, colors, the whole nine.....

 

Acid etch. That is the way to go, plus you can do that at home. I did a lot of printmaking when I was in college and I believe this method can achieve some great results. Like Tman said PM Whizzerick his tech over on the Jockey Journal kicked ass!

I would really like to match my tach to my gauges so I had thoughts of cutting a vinyl graphic using the same font as my gauges and then getting some litho plates made and printing my own gauge face. I believe lithography is how they printed them back then.

 

Here is Kirks thread, it was actually timing tags but it is the same process.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=288089&highlight=acid

I was worried when i typed in Kirk AND acid

 

Ive talked to this guy personally, super nice guy. My friend had some gauge faces made for his car and they are AMAZING, he says basically whatever you want he can do...but im really telling you guys he does badass work at a very reasonable price. I think the custom gauges for his car were like 120bucks.

 

Wow! Some good feedback here!

The etching thread that Kirk did is AWESOME. I've long subscribed to that. Didn't think of doing that for gauges. That would be pretty neat!

Why YES! I do! You are correct! I'll have to keep that in mind!

I checked out that guy's website from customgaugefaces. Interesting. I would be curious to see some more examples. Anyone who has used him, care to share some pictures?

 

Valkokir rocked my face off with this, he doesn't offer it as a service but good info nonetheless...... good luck
Pete.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=318111&highlight=valkokir

 

Great thread! Gives me some ideas.

 

I am in the process of making a fake cop special for my 27 roadster. I have a T5 with electronic speedometer sensor. So I pulled an electronic speedo for 7 bucks at the "Pull a Part" I also built an electronic speedometer adjust circuit from a kit that allows you to change the speed + and - 100%



For the face I made a file in photoshop including creating a font for the stewart warner logo and useing the same speed numbers as the donner speedometer. I then had that silkscreened on to alumminum sheet (I work for a printing place) I also obtained a curved 5" glass from a clock repair place. all I have to do now is order a bezel and make a case, you can get a cheap 5" bezel as a replacment Harley one from Harley after market places

 

AWESOME!! Keep us posted! Can't wait to see!

 

That Police Special project is cool!

 

woooord!

 

That is how my side business got started!
I started printing on adhesive backed vinyl, them moved to rub-down transfers on painted laer cut aluminum. Now I have a local screen printing shop screen onto polycarbonate and laser cut them. I use adobe illustrator for the artwork.

Here is a pic of the first set I made in my 914:

 

Do you have a website?

 

Is it OK with admins to post business websites? Some folks are kind of uptite about that.

Mark

 

You're not spamming and we're asking for your info, so unless the boss says otherwise, I would say you're more than fine with posting the info. It would be different if you started a thread to promote your business, or something. I say post your link.

 

the Police Special is killer.

 

Ok then.
You guys will probably be mopre interested in the woodward series stuff.
our website is :
http://newvintageusa.com

I would suggest having parts screened onto polycarbonate and laser cut. Or doing some water jet aluminum pieces with rub-downs would be good too. The paints/colors can be all color matched. If you can do the artwork and assembly, then the cheaper it will be.
Here is an example of the gauges that started out as home made gauges and are going into production now. I have the real pics being taked this week, this is the home made prototype:

Mark

admins, if this is inappropriate, please let me know and I will edit it.

 

That is some gooood looking stuff!

 

WOW! Those are super neat!!!!!! I would say you are definitely within your rights to post here!!!

 

Hey marks914, I see that you offer LED light kits, I have a neat NOS guage (thanks to GMC BUbba) that needs light so we will be talking!

 

really nice work!

 

Guys,
Thanks for the compliments. The side stuff just keeps us afloat, we have 2 little boys and my wife does not work now, so the gauge stuff helps.

On doing your own faces, just remember, the more work you can do the cheaper it gets. If you can do all of your artwork, it will pretty much just the cost of the dials/rub-downs. Its really pretty easy to do. If you really want to be cheapo, order some printable adhesive backed vinyl onlune, that is how I started, or have some printed at a sign shop.

Hope this helps, any questions, I would be more than happy to answer them

Mark

 

Everything you need to design your own gauge faces.

http://www.thehoffmangroup.com/aurora/designergauges.php