View Full Version : Fiberglassed gauge pod


rkostolni
10-20-2005, 10:56 PM
Here is a pic of the gauge pod I made for one of the rx8club members. If more people want one, I can make a few more. If anyone wants something else, let me know, I'm always up for new projects. Another project I am working on is fiberglassing a turbo timer into the ash tray, I'll post some pics when that is done.

PUR NRG
10-20-2005, 11:13 PM
Nicely done. What weight cloth and how many layers did you lay? From the last photo it looks like the glass is 1/4" thick! I wouldn't sand in the kitchen but hey--it's your choice. :)
________
CALIFORNIA MEDICAL MARIJUANA (http://california.dispensaries.org/)

EZZY
10-20-2005, 11:15 PM
looks good
feeling itchy lately..?

rkostolni
10-20-2005, 11:26 PM
I didn't use cloth for this, I used kitty hair. I think its much easier to work with for projects with alot of curves, that need to be smooth, and don't need a great deal of structural strength.

Moostafa29
10-20-2005, 11:44 PM
The quality was excellent. I highly recommend this! I'll try to take some day time pics this weekend. I keep putting it off...

Gerael
10-21-2005, 12:43 AM
kitty hair.. never heard of that... guage pod look good... what kinda finish is on it?

the only thing i would change on it is.. if you look from the side view... you can really
see the cylinder shape of the guages.... so maybe smoothing that out and making it flow slowly into the dash part... that would be sweet

EZZY
10-21-2005, 12:59 AM
kitty hair.. never heard of that... guage pod look good... what kinda finish is on it?

pre-mixed fibreglass putty :eyetwitch

Rotary Rasp
10-21-2005, 01:31 AM
awesome work! how about some custom LCD mounts also?

Gerael
10-21-2005, 01:48 AM
pre-mixed fibreglass putty :eyetwitch

that eye kinda twitchy eh? heh

i wanna get into making my own fiberglass/cf parts... wonder where to start..
i have experience with the material... but not a whole lot...

hrm

Asmoran
10-21-2005, 07:03 AM
www.glassmanscustomforum.com

You can get a lot of good info here, but be forewarned that they're going to want you to buy Glassman's How-To DVDs. They seem pretty good, but they're $50 each and you can learn it all from posts on the board anyway.

rkostolni
10-21-2005, 08:58 AM
The first one I made had the pods flowing more smoothly. I posted pics of that one on here about a month ago if you want to compare them. Here's the link.

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=70476&page=1&highlight=custom+gauge+pod

This one looks much more like the one that PTP makes, theirs really has defined pods.

CajunTexan8
10-21-2005, 10:49 AM
I'm with Rotary Rasp on this one... Any plans to make a custom piece for mounting a nav LCD?

Great work!

Cajun

Spyder_doo
10-21-2005, 11:08 AM
How much you selling them for if you decide to make more?

Jabberwock
10-21-2005, 11:09 AM
Yeah LCD mount would be great.

I would be really interested in a DIN Mount like R*Magics.

Maybe a Double DIN if its not too high(Blocking View).

rkostolni
10-21-2005, 11:15 AM
I can make one like this if anyone wants it. PM me for a price. If someone has something else in mind, send me a pic of it.
http://www.rx8club.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=54509

r0tor
10-21-2005, 06:41 PM
I can make one like this if anyone wants it. PM me for a price. If someone has something else in mind, send me a pic of it.
http://www.rx8club.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=54509


how about something similar to that but with a door to conceal everything when its not working... and better yet make the slot the size of the thickness of a 7" screen (that you would then pull up and fold up) and without the lump in the dash

rkostolni
10-21-2005, 07:11 PM
Wow, so you want the lcd screen to slide out from inside some kind of pocket with a door and then flip up 90degrees. That would be pretty tough. I could probably do it, maybe even make it motorized, but it would be pretty expensive. But in all fairness go to your local car audio store ask them for a quote for the same thing and it'll be over $1000.

But winters coming up, so I'm going to be bored, and I've run outta money to buy more stuff for my car, so I would probably be willing to try to make it.

Gerael
10-21-2005, 08:46 PM
yah that lcd one in the picture is kinda ugly...

i like your smoother pods too... look more fitting... not just like you tried to shove guage pods under a blanket/dash

bgreene
10-21-2005, 09:38 PM
I can make one like this if anyone wants it. PM me for a price. If someone has something else in mind, send me a pic of it.
http://www.rx8club.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=54509


Could you make somethinkg like that, with the single wide hump, but put 3 gauges in it instead of a DIN? Maybe kind of a lateral stair-step arrangement to face the dials to the driver (LHD, obviously)?

I've been thinking about trying something like that in either CF or fiberglass fabric, probably using the stock panel to cast a base mold in silicone, then adding on shaped features for the pods and laying up laminate. unfortunately for me, my only experience with the stuff is more thoretical in aerospace applications (meaning I can't afford to work with the materials or methods that I know much about....)

Jabberwock
10-22-2005, 12:49 AM
If its a reasonable price, I wouldn't mind going with that LCD DIN setup you pictured, which was the RMagic one I think.

Moostafa29
10-26-2005, 11:00 PM
Sorry, I haven't got a chance to take more pictures. I've been busy doing something else with the car :jump:

Japan8
10-27-2005, 09:59 PM
Would it be more simple to just make the screen fold down flush with the dash and just flip up, rather than come out of a slot in the dash?

Best would be to make a replica of the OEM nav hood... motorized or semi-auto (spring loaded?) that fits a 7" LCD.

Tamas
10-27-2005, 10:05 PM
Best would be to make a replica of the OEM nav hood... motorized or semi-auto (spring loaded?) that fits a 7" LCD.Exactly. :biggthump

stanknasty56
07-07-2009, 01:59 AM
how do u get the textured look on this looks great btw