Hello,
I want to make gauges for my RJ85. If you have already made gauges, how would you proceed?
I plan to make them with Gimp and have them printed on a professional laser printer. I'll start with the electrical panel gauges.
(https://s18.postimg.org/7y9e2144p/Detail_OVHElectric_Haut.jpg)
Hello Emmanuel,
I have tried to replicate these gauges a number of ways from scratch, but they just don't look realistic.
What I have done with instruments that I cannot interface, either due to clearance behind the panel or otherwise, is to purchase instruments off of eBay that will fit into the hole, then gut them and modify the face plate with 146 specific (RJ85) text.
I have found much success doing this on large instruments such as the standby altimeter, cabin pressure indicator, and standby attitude indicator.
Although I do not have a current pic of my standby indicator, I only have about 1/2 inch of room behind the panel, but I will bet you even money you cannot tell that it is not a real instrument. Same for the aforementioned gauges.
This way you retain the glass face and the depth of the instrument.
-Jim
Thanks Jim,
You always have inspiring ideas Jim :)
I designed a gauge for generator amperage in SVG with Inskape. Not perfect but not bad. I need to find a printer who can make impressions with deep blacks.
(https://s18.postimg.org/ha983z7w9/amp.png)
You could most definitely print this using an ink jet printer on photo paper, or probably better yet a matte finish as there is too much gloss with photo paper.
Personally what I would do is use some semi heavy cardboard. You can find this anywhere, for example if you buy something like a keyboard or mouse, the box that it comes in is the thickness that you want.
Cut out the desired dimension then use flat black paint and spray a base coat on the cardboard.
You can then print the brighter colors onto label paper, then cut out the decals and place them on the black matte finish.
The label paper is ideal as you do not have to work with glue and risk damaging the product.
With respect to the indicator needle, make sure it is "raised" a tiny bit off the instrument base so that it looks operational.
I use matt finish photo paper for all my customer's gauges. And since there is always a glass faceplate, it looks great.
Thank you both. I'll do some tests and put some pictures of the result.
Here are some examples of gauges that I have made from scratch.
The standby attitude indicator, Cabin pressure, Outside air temperature and standby altimeter look as though they are standard OEM units that slide into the panel.
Truth be known, the LCD monitor is directly behind the flight instrument cutout, therefore I have less than 1/2 inch to play with.
So my ultimate goal was to have a "thin" instrument model that could click into place that would look three dimensional to the naked eye.
Although the pictures do not do justice, I have had friends over that were amazed when they looked behind the panel and did not see the rest of the instrument body.
The instrument bezels were made with a 3D printer, then painted flat grey to mesh into the instrument panel. I had some old lens laying around, so I was able to design the bezel(s) to 'tight' fit the glass.
I then cut a thin heavy paper base, spray painted it flat black, and added the rest with printed matte finish copies of the instrument bits.
There are a number of tricks you learn to enhance the depth of the gauge. For example, the altimeter setting of 29.92 is printed, then rolled and glued to a small wooden dowel to give it the impression that it rotates.
Outstanding work Jim!
Nick
Thanks Nick!
Very nice Jim 8) I still have a long way to go.
And there, a new gauges