VDO replacement parts

[helidoc]

I was taking a part my tachometer from my 68 911 L and found a broken "light chute", a very brittle piece of plastic that keeps the light confined to the indicator. Speedo shops don't want to sell the part so does anyone have a source for these older VDO gauges?

[RNajarian]

This is the perfect part to be reproduced by a 3 D printer.

If someone has a clean one it can be scanned and uploaded to the unit.

My Nephew has one. I wonder if he could do it.

[jakz]

Could you post a picture and dimensions? I can model it in 3d and print it, I have my tach disassembled at the moment and has 3 "chutes" is it the same for the speedo?

[SBell]

Hey guys, my dad (jbell959) an I have been working on a lot of custom gauge parts, including a lot of 3d printing. One thing I would consider is that the stock gauge lights get quite hot, evidenced by the discolored paint on the inside of the gauge face. Common 3D printing materials have low melting points and will likely warp at the very least in the position.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[porschyard]

Originally Posted by SBell

Hey guys, my dad (jbell959) an I have been working on a lot of custom gauge parts, including a lot of 3d printing. One thing I would consider is that the stock gauge lights get quite hot, evidenced by the discolored paint on the inside of the gauge face. Common 3D printing materials have low melting points and will likely warp at the very least in the position.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Welcome to the forum SBell and thanks for that info. I am sure you will find the family here informative, interesting and entertaining and we all appreciate good information.

Sounds like you and your Dad are having fun with the gauge stuff, great for you guy's.

Again welcome to the forum

Richard Danvers

[SBell]

Originally Posted by porschyard

Welcome to the forum SBell and thanks for that info. I am sure you will find the family here informative, interesting and entertaining and we all appreciate good information.

Sounds like you and your Dad are having fun with the gauge stuff, great for you guy's.

Again welcome to the forum

Richard Danvers

Thanks for the welcome! I've been lurking around here for a while before posting and am glad I could offer my insight on this. That said, we have a bunch of gauge parts laying around the house so I can make a CAD file of that rubber piece but I'm not sure atm of the best way to make it cost effectively.

[RNajarian]

Originally Posted by SBell

Hey guys, my dad (jbell959) an I have been working on a lot of custom gauge parts, including a lot of 3d printing. Ona thing I would consider is that the stock gauge lights get quite hot, evidenced by the discolored paint on the inside of the gauge face. Common 3D printing materials have low melting points and will likely warp at the very least in the position.

Excellent point, however, would it be a factor in an instrument using LEDs?

[helidoc]

Here are some photos with measurements. I glued up the pieces the best I could. Note the other 2 chutes are rubber. I bought another tach on line and hope to use the rubber ones to replace my plastic one.

[SBell]

Originally Posted by RNajarian

Excellent point, however, would it be a factor in an instrument using LEDs?

Not as much but the thermal deflection temp of these plastics is still somewhat low so I'd still stay away from PLA. PETG may work.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[jakz]

Here is the 3d part, you can download it on thingiverse https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4551773, also I can print it for you If you want send me a PM.

btw if you have it printed in PLA I would change the bulbs to LED, PLA melting point is 302ºF

best regards

Jake

[RNajarian]

Jakz, thanks for the link. I’m going to get my nephew to print me one ASAP

[jakz]

Originally Posted by RNajarian

Jakz, thanks for the link. I’m going to get my nephew to print me one ASAP

happy to help, let us know how it goes

best regards

Jake

[RNajarian]

My nephew printed out one of the “light chutes.”

I haven’t gone to visit him and pick it up but he did send me a photo. Sorry for the quality of the photo. Not sure if there was an error in printing it or not. The end seems “unfinished.”

[jakz]

Originally Posted by RNajarian

My nephew printed out one of the “light chutes.”

I haven’t gone to visit him and pick it up but he did send me a photo. Sorry for the quality of the photo. Not sure if there was an error in printing it or not. The end seems “unfinished.”

It seems he did not orient the piece right, looks like it was printed horizontally, layer height quality should not be an issue although it seems a bit high, I´ll print a test piece in the afternoon and post the results

[jakz]

printed it vertically, .28 layer height, make overhangs printable so no supports, 110% scale

[RNajarian]

Here is a shot of the piece my nephew did. . .

Jakz’s is a little nicer.