I had a little free time at work this morning and came up with a bezel design that I could have 3D printed. A bezel from LMC costs $26.00.
Materials to 3D print this would be $40. or you could probably buy a blank one at the junkyard for 5 bucks and not waste money on coolness...
I thought it looked cool. I might make a set for my truck but i'd say it'd be a hard sell at $40 per pc.

 

I like it! not worth $40 to me, but if you have access to the 3D printer, go for it! we just got one at work, the fidelity isn't that great. you see all the lines of where the material melts together.

I grabbed a pair of these from a junkyard one time as backups - i'll have to paint them, though as they're that horrible silver color from an early 90's bronco. they looks like sleezy used car salesman's silver suit!

now, if you're really adventurous, you should re-model the whole bezel, relocate the diesel warning lights and headlight switch and make room for some extra gauges in there - I'd buy that for $40, or even $100 - though I'm sure it'd cost much more than that to make something that size. I made up a sheetmetal gauge pop that mounted in the dead space in the bezel above the cubby hole. you could see great through the steering wheel, but I bought my new truck before finishing the project and haven't transferred it over yet...

 

hmm. a gage area sounds interesting old woods.
Our printer is pretty high quality and I will probably print me a set eventually but I more or less just like coming up with cool graphics. haha.

 

I hear you. I like to 'leverage' my CAD software at work (solidworks for me) to design truck stuff at lunchtime. I've started on a grill guard (posted some pics in a thread a while back), but haven't built it yet. I really need to do step bars first. I want to design a gas-spring-counter-balanced articulating set. I know these exist, but they're crazy expensive and I just like fiddling with stuff.

 

Honestly, you should focus your attention to making 95-97crew cab window switch bezels. I bet you could charge 100-150 for one made from billet aluminum and anodized black.

2 different designs. One with power mirrors, on without

 

that's a good idea. i'll be needing one myself soon actually. anyone have one they can spare. is the inner door panel the same - its just a different bezel to hold the rear window switches?


I could model it all up in CAD and get some quotes from local shops to have them made. I bet they could be CNC'd for ~$50, then anodized for ~20-30 a piece (both assuming quantities of 100), so a sell price of $100-150 would be doable - since my design time is free :-)

 

What Brad said!!

I am working on an overhead counsel to fit between the visors. The one I am currently working on is to fit 3 separate gauges with no overhead storage so it can be as low profile as possible. I am tall and in a RC dont have much room.

 

are you modeling this console up, or free-handing it? if modeling, care to share?

i ask because i have plans to do the exact same thing, sort of. i want to build a surround for the 2003 explorer overhead console i picked. the idea would be it would hold the explorer console in place, but also have a spot for 3 gauges right above the rear view mirror. I'm also considering loading it up with switches and things for stuff like external work lights, GP control switch, and maybe even a central power window cluster if i can't find a set of CC power door panels.

nothing is on paper/computer yet - just all up in my head, but i imagine it to be awesome!

 

Hey I use Solidworks too! been a user since 2001. haha. small world.
Lot's of great ideas guys. Wish I had money for gauges and lights to make it worth while for me to design it an overhead c. lol. I don't have power windows so that's all you old woods!

 

well, I don't know either, but I want them! I have a set of power front doors, but no CC driver's panel and no rear door panels. I'm thinking of just adding all the internal electronics and then doing just one overhead switch panel that both the driver and passenger can reach - kind of like some jeeps have/had just one set of switches up front in the middle.

too many other "important" things to do first, though...

and solidworks is pretty great. I've only been at it for 2 years now, but they're all pretty similar. I started on ProE back in 2000 (or thereabouts), then used SolidEdge for a few years (that was probably my least favorite), then my current company switched over to SW 2 years ago. I think the sheetmetal stuff is the most useful - the ability to visualize all the bends and have it do all the stretch/forming calcs for you, then just send it to the laser and poof, you have an intricate flat part all ready to bend.

I plan to do my overhead console in 16 ga aluminum and just screw all the seams together. again, looks pretty badass in my head right now!

 

I have been playing with solidworks for a long time.... and I have my own CNC mill.... hmmm....

I just need to get the mill running....

Richard

 

I currently have it all drawn up with dimensions on paper. I haven't gotten to put anything into solidworks yet though..
Its sad because I received a full version right before winter break started. lol

Well get it running! I will have to finish my design and you can produce!

I will certainly share if I get something working. I am in charge of my race teams body panel design this year and will be doing experiments with carbon fiber and kevlar weaves.
The team is footin the bill for all the tooling and since my overhead console will be small it is a good test piece.

 

Trust me, no one wants that mill running more than me. I am currently building a new control for it. After I get the hardware done and wired (about halfway there) I have to do software configuration.

Once I get it cutting, and produce a few parts, I will make an enclosure for the control (currently everything is mounted on plywood) and then make a enclosure for the mill it's self.

Richard

 

X2 Big Time. Extremely hard to come by

 

as far as the trim pieces with custom touches, it might be easier to get the factory stuff hydro dipped.. Just an idea.