bB2NER

I've gotten one from chadfo and another one from someone else and they were both glossy al heck. Kinda looked weird behind the plastic lens. I making my next one flat or matte finish. I may hit office max or something and see what products they have that would give me that look.

fztcar

let me know what you find so i can get some and print out a couple of my gauges.

bB2NER

I got a roll of stuff I didn't even know about. My wife thinks she got it at Walmart or Office Max. It's made by Contact and it's a matte finish contact paper that should dull those speedo faces just like the OEM one.

fztcar

couple new ones.



This one is just a very light background. You can put something else behind it. Lights, a matchbox car, whatever you want.

bB2NER

Looks like you are having fun with it. I'm jealous.

fztcar

totally. did you try printing one? or did you figure out how to make them work in the car?

fztcar

ok. i had one of the professionals from ebay tell me what they are printed on. He said "they're made from either 3mil sony paper thats been lamated or backlit plastic material ". There ya go.

bB2NER

I printed one from ebay and had to resize it myself. The thing was friggen huge at first.
Did it on regular copy paper and coated both sides with the matte finish contact paper. Looks ok and actually installed it. The light transmits good too. Actually better than ones I've paid for in the past.
It would probably work better on maybe film paper then peel off the backside to thin it out? That will be my next experiment.
I'll try and get some pics sometime when things slow down. Tomorrow is a trip to lowes to get 75 ft of chainlink fencing.

bB2NER

I wonder if the printer would print directly onto the contact paper??? Might try that too.

fztcar

one new one. ive been busy. ill make a couple more tonight. i have some ideas.

snowromance

so is it official yet? do these work well and transmit light well at night?? i'd like to pick one up if they dont cost too much and work well.

bB2NER

It prints onto the contact paper stuff but never quite dries enough. It works better just copying it to reguale paper and coating both sides with the matte finish contact paper.
I made on already using the stock speedo and adding my avatar to the white section. I'll have to post up a pic later.

bB2NER

Here is my latest speedo face. I like it cause it has my avatar on it.

burstaneurysm

Jeff, if you really wanna go bB on it, you should make one that looks like the bB gauge.

bB2NER

What exactly does that look like? I thought it was the same as the xB stock one but with the numbers switched around.

burstaneurysm

It's very similar, but the arch is a bit different.

bB2NER

That would be cool. I'll have to play some more now.

CREEPINGONCHROME

WATCHING!!

fztcar

well there you have it snowromance. apparently printing on regular paper works just fine.

Jeff, what did it cost to print it out and coat it? No more then a couple bucks im sure.

I havent tried them myself yet. I still need to do that. But im off work on Friday so hopefully I can get some made and put in for pics.

CreepingonChrome, do you have any ideas for what you would like to see on your gauge? PM if you do and ill see if i can make something up for you.

bB2NER

This matte finish contact paper is like pennies per square inch. I may try better quality paper but that wouldn't add much. My main problem is that when I scan in the stock speedo then edit it my program screws up the sizing. Then I waste all kinds of paper printing it out till I get the right size back. PITA!
This last one I made with my avatar in the middle will be fine for me till my next idea. I can see it real nice at night and during the day.
Whoever makes one like this must coat both sides of the paper before cutting it out. This way the 3 layers give it just the right stiffness to lay flat. I also use small pieces of masking tape tape on 2 sides to pull it flat and tight before I put the needles back on. Just be sure to keep the tape away from the parts that show when everything is back in place.