Scale Looking Instrument "How To Tutorial"

Scale Looking Instrument "How To Tutorial" (Full Version)

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Countryboy -> Scale Looking Instrument "How To Tutorial" (9/3/2010 10:06 PM)
Recently started to work in adding a little eye candy to the F-4 cockpit. I wanted to try to reproduce what would look like a scale instrument and the photo shows what I have been able to come up with. Would like feedback on what you guys think the panel will look like loaded with these. If anyone is interested in a short tutorial on how to make them... speak up.

rcjets_63 -> RE: Scale Looking Instrument "How To Tutorial" (9/3/2010 10:18 PM)
They look great and I'd love to see how you make them. Regards, Jim

ww2birds -> RE: Scale Looking Instrument "How To Tutorial" (9/3/2010 10:20 PM)
I'll second that! nice work .. would love to see how... Dave

kdubose -> RE: Scale Looking Instrument "How To Tutorial" (9/3/2010 10:58 PM)
Do it! -KD

Countryboy -> RE: Scale Looking Instrument "How To Tutorial" (9/3/2010 11:02 PM)
OK guy's, I'll see what I can put together for a tutorial. Stay tuned!

Countryboy -> RE: Scale Looking Instrument "How To Tutorial" (9/4/2010 4:15 PM)
Alright, here we go. First off, let me say there is room for improvement in the final outcome but the following explained technique makes for a realistic looking gauge without much effort. Obviously you will need a set of printed gauges to start with. Just so happens that I had these on hand and they are made by JP products out of Harrisburg, ILL. I picked these up at the Toledo Expo several years ago where they were a vendor. There are also several web sites where gauges could be printed and sized accordingly using your favorite editing software. http://www.aerocockpit.com/instruments/a17.php

Countryboy -> RE: Scale Looking Instrument "How To Tutorial" (9/4/2010 4:34 PM)
Here are the materials required. The faceplate & bezel are made from plastic stock from Plastruct... http://www.plastruct.com/ Missing from the photo is clear acetate used for the lens, flat black paint and contact cement The round tube stock which is what is used to form the bezel needs to have an inside diameter that is large enough to expose the gauge face, so depending on the size of your gauge you need to size the bezel & faceplate accordingly. The faceplate plastic sheet stock used in this example is .040 thick material.

Countryboy -> RE: Scale Looking Instrument "How To Tutorial" (9/4/2010 4:54 PM)
To make the bezel, make a thin slice in the plastic tube stock that is slightly thicker than the thickness of the final product. Reason for this is that you will probably not make a straight cut to the exact uniform thickness required. Once the off cut has been made, place the section on a sanding bar and work it down to the uniform thickness that you want. In this case, the bezel is 1.3 mm thick.

Countryboy -> RE: Scale Looking Instrument "How To Tutorial" (9/4/2010 5:05 PM)
To make the faceplate, take a small section of the .040 flat sheet stock and mark off the size that you want the faceplate to be. In this case, the plate is marked at about a 12 mm square. Once the faceplate is marked off, place & center one of the bezels you have made onto the faceplate and using thin CA glue the bezel to the plate.

Countryboy -> RE: Scale Looking Instrument "How To Tutorial" (9/4/2010 5:18 PM)
Using a drill bit slightly smaller in diameter than the I/D of the bezel opening, drill through the faceplate being careful not to get into the bezel. Using a dremel bit, grind away until you almost reach the I/D of the bezel opening. Final sizing/cleanup is done with a wrap of sandpaper around a wood dowel that is an exact match to the bezel I/D.

Countryboy -> RE: Scale Looking Instrument "How To Tutorial" (9/4/2010 5:31 PM)
Once the final sizing has been done, trim the faceplate from the sheet stock on the previously drawn lines. Using the sandpaper wrapped dowel, place your master (first one made that was acceptable) and the one you just made on the dowel with the faceplates back to back. Now trim/sand the one you just made to match your master. This keeps them sized/shaped accordingly.

Countryboy -> RE: Scale Looking Instrument "How To Tutorial" (9/4/2010 5:55 PM)
Once final shaping is done, you should have what looks like the one in the middle. Now, spray paint the faceplate/bezel flat black using your favorite method/brand and you should end up with what looks like the one on the left. After the paint is dried, a little flaking/scuffing on the structure with an x-acto will give it a weathered look. After adding simulated corner screws/bolts or rivets which in this case was done with canopy glue with a dab of silver paint mixed in, you can now glue the faceplate to a small section of clear acetate. Once dried, trim the clear acetate to match the faceplate. Now, using contact cement placed around the perimeter of the faceplate... position the faceplate onto your decal sheet over the instrument you want to use being careful the instrument is centered/oriented correctly in the opening of the bezel. Once dry, trim the decal to the edge of the faceplate. Once you have established your gauge layout on the instrument panel, you can now glue the completed assembly in place.

Boomerang1 -> RE: Scale Looking Instrument (9/5/2010 8:19 AM)
Thanks for doing this how-to. As a scratch builder I'm more than interested in learning new methods. John.

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