Different Approach To Illuminating Gauges - Will It Work?

[jyl]

I have a disassembled 911 speedometer on my dining table. I took it apart to see how it can be better illuminated.

Here is an idea - tell me if you think it will work.
- Replace the sheet metal face with a thin, round piece of clear or translucent plastic.
- Scan the original gauge face
- Use Photoshop to create an image that looks like the gauge face - all black, except that the white parts of the original face (the markers, lettering, and numerals) and the windows (for the odometers) are clear.
- Print the image onto a sheet of clear transparency.
- Cut the transparency to fit the gauge and glue the transparency onto the round plastic face, to create the new gauge face.
- Reassemble the gauge.
- Now (hopefully) the light from the bulbs will not penetrate the black parts of the new gauge face, but will shine through the clear portions of the gauge face - the gauge will be "backlit", after a fashion.

Make sense? If yes, does anyone know how to create the image file from a scan, and print it on a transparency?

[kellzey]

Well. photocopying doesn't make an all black finish. Light will still shine through it. But you could silk screen it on to clear plastic.

Maybe milky colored plastic would be better and then light the plastic internall (fiber optic effect) and it will shine through where there isn't any black ink?

Good idea... work with it a little more. You may be on to something.

The needle won't be illuminated either, so that might be an issue.

[jyl]

Tell me more about silk screening - I don't know anything about it. Can I take an image file to a graphics shop and have them make a silk screen from it?

Not worried about the needle, it shows up pretty well already.

[kellzey]

I haven't done it, but I'm pretty sure you can take a computer file or even a printout and have it done.

[911pcars]

If you want to make just a few, you can create your design in Photoshop, Illustrator or equivalent, then have it printed on some translucent acetate, heavy vellum, etc. on a high-end color laser printer. There's lots of plastic materials you can use. Not sure about printing on these materials, but on regular paper stock, it's looks great. You could also have it printed or silk-screened, then die cut in any shape/cutout you want; more bucks involved for setup but cheaper per unit for mass production. I believe that's how the white-faced gauges are made.

Sherwood

[Wil Ferch]

I've always wondered about this...all the griping about visibility and the gauge face itself is solid...wht not something transluscent that allows a bit of light to migrate through?... I like the idea.

--Wil Ferch

[DIANA]

I shall used by support "EL SHEET".
I´m very interenting in this proyect.
One idea--- transparent paper(with logos in this) and to overstrike it in this EL sheet.

information for EL Sheet---
www.beingseen.com.

Luis(carrera euro 86)