DIY White Gauges -- part II
Thread Starter
Registered!!
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 540
Likes: 0
From: Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
Rep Power: 0 
DIY White Gauges -- part II
A few more possibilities...
Gauge Style - Honda Logo
Gauge Style - Oldskool Civic
Gauge Style - Carbon Fiber
Gauge Style - Uncle Ben's [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG]
I actually did print the "honda logo" set and install them... by the time i got them in my car, however, it was getting dark... and the LEDs i wired in to the housing didn't work (probably had to do with my ghetto-azz wiring, lol) so illumination is temporarily provided by a silver Mag-Lite taped to the steering column [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG]
pics of the installation will be up soon, and the DIY instructions will follow too.
comments/suggestions about the templates?
Gauge Style - Honda Logo
Gauge Style - Oldskool Civic
Gauge Style - Carbon Fiber
Gauge Style - Uncle Ben's [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG]
I actually did print the "honda logo" set and install them... by the time i got them in my car, however, it was getting dark... and the LEDs i wired in to the housing didn't work (probably had to do with my ghetto-azz wiring, lol) so illumination is temporarily provided by a silver Mag-Lite taped to the steering column [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG]
pics of the installation will be up soon, and the DIY instructions will follow too.
comments/suggestions about the templates?
YO....those templates are hott!!......are u planning to produce some of those and sell em on the market? I bet you could find a dealer that would back u up..... COuld be a start of a good bizness........I like the carbon template myself......and ol skool civic template. All a them pretty nice though......Good JOb.....Peaze out
Thread Starter
Registered!!
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 540
Likes: 0
From: Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
Rep Power: 0 thanks for the feedback, guys!
the templates that i made with photoshop (the tach jpgs i've posted are just "previews") are ALMOST exact size... i'm still workin on 'em to get them to line up PERFECTLY... but for now, it's pretty damn close (it's actually off by about 1-2mm around the border... must have had ray charles do the measuring for me! [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG] the biggest problem though IS the light source. these apply right over the stock gauges, and because the light comes from BEHIND the gauges, the new layer blocks the light from coming thru. i stuck a few LEDs around the upper lip of the gauge cluster (diffused with some hot-glue "lenses"), but i have yet to wire those up correctly.
now, on to makin' some more styles... hook me up with some pictures! i noticed that the manual's tach has its numbers spread farther apart from each other (it still goes to 8000, but stretches around to the 3-o'clock position or so). and, it would be a lot easier to do the international version with a pic, too.. i'll probably screw up converting MPH to KMH pretty bad [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG] so, if you could do a huge favor for me and send some HIGH-RES (at least 800x600... preferably... anything will do though) of the manual tach and metric speedo, i'll make some templates for those too!
the templates that i made with photoshop (the tach jpgs i've posted are just "previews") are ALMOST exact size... i'm still workin on 'em to get them to line up PERFECTLY... but for now, it's pretty damn close (it's actually off by about 1-2mm around the border... must have had ray charles do the measuring for me! [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG] the biggest problem though IS the light source. these apply right over the stock gauges, and because the light comes from BEHIND the gauges, the new layer blocks the light from coming thru. i stuck a few LEDs around the upper lip of the gauge cluster (diffused with some hot-glue "lenses"), but i have yet to wire those up correctly.
now, on to makin' some more styles... hook me up with some pictures! i noticed that the manual's tach has its numbers spread farther apart from each other (it still goes to 8000, but stretches around to the 3-o'clock position or so). and, it would be a lot easier to do the international version with a pic, too.. i'll probably screw up converting MPH to KMH pretty bad [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG] so, if you could do a huge favor for me and send some HIGH-RES (at least 800x600... preferably... anything will do though) of the manual tach and metric speedo, i'll make some templates for those too!
Thread Starter
Registered!!
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 540
Likes: 0
From: Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
Rep Power: 0 FURY --
wanna know what kind of printer i have? a POS hewlett-packard 712c. it's at LEAST 2 years old; takes forever to print anything, not to mention it uses 98-100% of my processor (a pIII/900 mobile) power THE WHOLE TIME it's printing. basically (when i get this whole thing done!) if you want to do it, all you'll need is a decent printer that produces near-photo-quality stuff. for the gauges i have installed right now, they were 1275x1275 px (stock tach/speedo size @ 300dpi) and printed on kodak ultima satin-finish paper at 300 dpi. i was VERY impressed with the results -- there aren't any rough edges, blurs, color shifts, banding -- the only evidence that they are home-made is the gold "kodak" logo on the back (just like the back of regular photos)... anyway, pretty much any inkjet printer that was purchased in the last year or two should be perfectly capable for this.
now, for those that wanna test their printer to see what it may look like, i'll post the final file i used to print my gauges with. for those that wanna try installing them, go ahead -- BUT -- be warned, it's not quite perfect yet! the hole for the odometer is misaligned, and the holes for the needles on the fuel and temp gauges are too close to the center by about 1mm. if you install 'em, just make the hole a bit wider and closer to the edge (horizontally). stay tuned for the final version soon!
layout.jpg (721k)
wanna know what kind of printer i have? a POS hewlett-packard 712c. it's at LEAST 2 years old; takes forever to print anything, not to mention it uses 98-100% of my processor (a pIII/900 mobile) power THE WHOLE TIME it's printing. basically (when i get this whole thing done!) if you want to do it, all you'll need is a decent printer that produces near-photo-quality stuff. for the gauges i have installed right now, they were 1275x1275 px (stock tach/speedo size @ 300dpi) and printed on kodak ultima satin-finish paper at 300 dpi. i was VERY impressed with the results -- there aren't any rough edges, blurs, color shifts, banding -- the only evidence that they are home-made is the gold "kodak" logo on the back (just like the back of regular photos)... anyway, pretty much any inkjet printer that was purchased in the last year or two should be perfectly capable for this.
now, for those that wanna test their printer to see what it may look like, i'll post the final file i used to print my gauges with. for those that wanna try installing them, go ahead -- BUT -- be warned, it's not quite perfect yet! the hole for the odometer is misaligned, and the holes for the needles on the fuel and temp gauges are too close to the center by about 1mm. if you install 'em, just make the hole a bit wider and closer to the edge (horizontally). stay tuned for the final version soon!
layout.jpg (721k)
Thread Starter
Registered!!
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 540
Likes: 0
From: Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
Rep Power: 0 and for windows users -- DON'T print directly from Internet Explorer! Use SOME kind of image editor... you might need something a bit more advanced than Paint though [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG]
Registered!!
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 183
Likes: 0
From: McChord AFB, Washington, US
Rep Power: 0 I just thought of something. It shouldn't be to hard to photo copy your gauge cluster. Then you would have the exact size for everything. I'm gonna go to Kinko's and ask them if there is any high quality thin paper. Then the light from the back should show through.
You said you are using a maglight to light your gauges. What if to light the gauges you used a projected light from the front. Maybe even use something like those windshield washer lights.
Forgive me if this makes no sence, I've had a couple [IMG]i/expressions/beer_yum.gif[/IMG], ok a lot of [IMG]i/expressions/beer_yum.gif[/IMG]
You said you are using a maglight to light your gauges. What if to light the gauges you used a projected light from the front. Maybe even use something like those windshield washer lights.
Forgive me if this makes no sence, I've had a couple [IMG]i/expressions/beer_yum.gif[/IMG], ok a lot of [IMG]i/expressions/beer_yum.gif[/IMG]
Registered!!
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Dayton, Ohio, US
Rep Power: 0 Bey Bhayes, I've used photoshop nearly proffesionally for around 4 years now, and just a tip. You said that the center holes were missaligned by about a mm. Well, set the center holes as their own layer (if you havent already) ad use the keyboard's arrow keys to move it only slightly. I think you can adjust how much it notches them also. Just a tip, although it looks like your already a substantial user of photoshop. Maybe if you want to send me the .psd and email back and forth we could fix it together. Don't worry bout me stealin graphics or anything.. just eager to help =) Email me if ya want.
Chris
Chris4559@yahoo.com
Chris
Chris4559@yahoo.com
Registered!!
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
From: Columbus, Ohio, US
Rep Power: 0 first off, very nice job!
i was also thinking that kinko's might be able to print you up something with a thin paper or at least be able to get you something that was extremely high quality. if you go in ask and have it printed on something like their Firey Ink Printer (i THINK that's what they called it, but i'm not totally sure...). i had a bunch of CG images printed out there (they printed at 11"x17" @ 300dpi, and looked AMAZING).
oh and the Uncle Ben's... that is HILARIOUS! i'm still laughing [IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG]
i was also thinking that kinko's might be able to print you up something with a thin paper or at least be able to get you something that was extremely high quality. if you go in ask and have it printed on something like their Firey Ink Printer (i THINK that's what they called it, but i'm not totally sure...). i had a bunch of CG images printed out there (they printed at 11"x17" @ 300dpi, and looked AMAZING).
oh and the Uncle Ben's... that is HILARIOUS! i'm still laughing [IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG]
Registered!!
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 316
Likes: 0
From: Austin, Texas, US
Rep Power: 0 NOS... Turbo.... haha that Uncle Ben's **** was funny!!![IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG]
seriously though... personalized guages... that's off the chain! wish i didn't have indiglows already in... maybe i could jsut use a smaller ring and do something similar on the inside. I really do like the first example.
seriously though... personalized guages... that's off the chain! wish i didn't have indiglows already in... maybe i could jsut use a smaller ring and do something similar on the inside. I really do like the first example.
Thread
Thread Starter
Honda Civic Forum
Replies
Last Post
Default_Slayer
Electrical DIY
10
Dec 4, 2022 07:56 AM
cooldan1
Mechanical Problems/Vehicle Issues and Fix-it Forum
2
Apr 23, 2015 10:49 AM
