luckyou03

iTrader: (8)

been thinking about this for a while. Thought it'd share.

You could use the acrylic like a white face gauge overlay. Probably make some type of black vinyl overlay so the stock numbers dont show. You can easily see the number day with no backlighting and at night there sweet.

I used 1 led in the demo below. 2 or 3 would be needed for the car probably.

You could also layer the arylic so you have a red trans am in the packground with white numbers on top.

BTW ignore my freehand etching skills, this was just for a demo. You could have a lazer etcher do it up perfect.

by day:


the lighting...


Night:


Night at angle:

AKidsDreamZ28

I see no pics?

emerica4601

iTrader: (5)

pictures arent working for me

luckyou03

iTrader: (8)

fixed

Tainted

iTrader: (9)

ehhhhhhhh

AKidsDreamZ28

pretty cool idea, make it a little cleaner and it will look sweet. especially if it had black overlay to keep it from being clear.

luckyou03

iTrader: (8)

I wouldn't use blue, probably white. I only have blue leds laying around. I dunno if i'd even try this. I was just messing around. In person it's looks crazy.

My example is kinda cheezy but here are a few others:

3800RS

iTrader: (15)

what is it ? is it suppossed to be like a hud in the vettes ?

luckyou03

iTrader: (8)

If you think about gauges, there aren't really that much in customization. There are factory, silver and white. This idea is to illuminate the guages, make what you stare at all everyday in your car more interesting and cool. I though about it and realized almost every part of the automobile (all cars, not just f-bodies) have been fully customized but the gauges.

StrobinSS

iTrader: (13)

That's a pretty neat idea.

WsFirebird6

badass, ez to change colors too, and then u could be a pimp and get a rainbow colored led strip,

BitViper

iTrader: (63)

If done rigt and well that couls be hot!

luckyou03

iTrader: (8)

by day, it would look like high class factory. but it really comes alive at night.

TUMBLRws6

iTrader: (1)

ok timeout im lost lol so you trace onto the glass with (? fill in blank) and place an LED on the side of the glass and it alluminates what ever is traced? i think im getting the basic idea...but how do you put the design on the glass?
this is an awesome idea by the way

SPLATT

iTrader: (1)

yea im with tumblr im kinda lost as well. looks like a great idea tho

*KANDY SS*

I think the original poster is talking about the product being an etched piece of arcrylic...that would be fuggin amazing...where is that Firehawk guy? He needs to get to work! The original poster is right about one thing...we just don't have anything custom about gauges except useless white face ones...they still look cheap. These would be innovative...nothing like it

'96 Z28SS

cool idea, you could get a nice look with a CnC mill, just have to make up a camm file. you could even do multi-color leds for a fade from 1 color to another.

TUMBLRws6

iTrader: (1)

OHHHH ok so its etched in the glass...your right GENIUS!!!
this is pretty sweet! i think you have something big!! great idea...i may try this as well...while the guages are prob the best application for this...this could be used for a few different "show" aspects! just get creative with it...
im workin on a heads up display for the TA great work...make a product and im sure you will get LOTS of buyers

SmokeySS

iTrader: (7)

Okay so if what you're seeing is etched into glass, how are you going to see your speed/rpms go up/down? I'm a little confused by the pictures.

luckyou03

iTrader: (8)

it's just a sheet of acrylic that youd cut out like a white faced gauge. then youd put a black overlay to hid the stock gauge numbers. By day the etch is white and look like the stock lettering under a peice of glass, but night all of the lettering lights up.

The needles sit on top of the glass like stock. Think of the acrylic and just a white face gauge overlay.

I etched it with a dremel, but of course you'd need a cnc mill or better yet a laser etcher like you see glasses(cups), plaques and awards made out of.

You could do 2 sheets, one with like a "CAMARO" in red in the back with the white speedometer letter on the top peice.

I was actually hiding this idea for about a year now and i dont have the fund to pursue my own business. Maybe if someone takes my idea and runs with it I could be a partner or something. The cheapest lazer etcher i could find to do this for mass production is around $10k