UPDATE!!
The last few steps were as follows:
- Got the gauge face printed on glossy sticker paper. Couldn't find a place to do it with UV vinyl or whatever but this way only cost me $1.50 and I can always change it later on if I want.
- Cut out the backing for the face out of acrylic.
- Had a few mishaps trying to weld the thin sheet metal of the housing with my crappy welder, so had to patch and do some body work to get everything smooth again.
- Put down a layer of epoxy resin/hardener on the bottom to fill all the voids and make the base more solid.
- Smoothed out the base (the little tab is part of the latch mechanism I made to hold the gauge tightly together)
- Primed the housing and painted it (the tab seen here is part of the hinge)
- This is how the tab/slot on the back goes together to form the hinge
- Got the LED strips mounted inside the base.
- Cut the tach needle to shorten it and silver soldered it together again
- Put everything back together and voila (you can see in a few of these pics the extension springs used to keep the housing closed)
Note that at the moment the whole assembly has not been fully sealed/waterproofed etc. but I have a plan for accomplishing this with various rubber seals from old gauges and the ubiquitous "box-o-parts-box".
- Here is what is looks like lit up in the dark. I don't like the way some of the face is darkened by the needle mechanisms inside... I'll think of a way to sort it. At some point I'll probably I'll end up making the whole face non translucent and just use the old "light around the edges" method employed by the factory gauges.
Well that's it guys. There are certainly a few things I plan on changing eventually, but having the bike out of commission this long has taken a toll and I need to get out and ride.
What do you think?
P.S. - Keep your eyes peeled for a thread regarding my unconventional method for achieving the "fully shaved" triple tree look I so desired:
P.P.S. - I'm still looking for the various speedo drive parts mentioned on the first page, so if any of you know where I can obtain them for cheaper than cheap, do let me know!
-Davis
