If you can't find it, Build it!
#1
If you can't find it, Build it!
Here's a couple of pics of an overhead switch cluster I'm making. Any ideas on how to finish it?
I heated and formed the plastic around a pipe then fitted and "welded" the face to it. Then using a cardboard template marked the curve of the headliner and cut it out. Final shaping was done on a bench grinder with a wire wheel.
To mount it I'll screw an angle to the headliner on both sides and fasten it to that. Should I try to match the interior trim color with some paint or cover it with headliner fabric? I want to mount some lighted rocker switches on the face and mount the relays inside for the lightbar. Woodgrain for the face and black it out to match the dash? Throw me some ideas.
I heated and formed the plastic around a pipe then fitted and "welded" the face to it. Then using a cardboard template marked the curve of the headliner and cut it out. Final shaping was done on a bench grinder with a wire wheel.
To mount it I'll screw an angle to the headliner on both sides and fasten it to that. Should I try to match the interior trim color with some paint or cover it with headliner fabric? I want to mount some lighted rocker switches on the face and mount the relays inside for the lightbar. Woodgrain for the face and black it out to match the dash? Throw me some ideas.
#4
#5
Nice idea and great work!
My thoughts - I would not cover it with headliner material if it is going to be touched. The sides and bottom I would probably paint to match the headliner color, so I didn't feel like there was this big blob hanging up there in my peripheral vision while driving.
The control panel end should be something that can take finger wear and smudges since switches will be there. Matching the dash would always be a safe designer choice. But I would temporarily mount it, then look out the windshield like I was driving, and see if the panel end was standing out in my peripheral vision or not. If not, I would go with matching the dash.
As they say, YMMV
My thoughts - I would not cover it with headliner material if it is going to be touched. The sides and bottom I would probably paint to match the headliner color, so I didn't feel like there was this big blob hanging up there in my peripheral vision while driving.
The control panel end should be something that can take finger wear and smudges since switches will be there. Matching the dash would always be a safe designer choice. But I would temporarily mount it, then look out the windshield like I was driving, and see if the panel end was standing out in my peripheral vision or not. If not, I would go with matching the dash.
As they say, YMMV
#7
I got creative tonight and dug out some of my carpentry tools, carved out a moulding from some 3/8 pvc plastic sheet scraps(collected from previous employment) Used hot glue gun to stick it together for now, then robbed the kid's supply of testors model paints and gav a shot at getting the wood grain close...
waddaya think? I have to wait for the paint to fully cure before I can wet sand with some 2500 grit and see if that helps or makes it uglier.
waddaya think? I have to wait for the paint to fully cure before I can wet sand with some 2500 grit and see if that helps or makes it uglier.
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#10
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i mixed my own color as close as I could starting with a brown then adding a couple drops of black and red and mixing and testing the color against the factory panel. Sarted by painting the white plastic with black fusion paint for plastic then alternated between the black and brown only wiping the brush off between colors. i found this lets the brown and black blend together nicely without mixing together too much. the testors paint seems to take a couple days to cure enough to wet sand. A 3/8" round over bit matches the curve on the factory panel close enough and setting it a hair lower leaves the small raised stripe I'll paint silver.
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mikeyc0120
1999 - 2003 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel
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11-09-2010 10:05 PM