Deuce instrument cluster painting template

[3dAngus]

Here is a template you can use to paint your instrument cluster without hassle or tape. Print this out and cut around the lines. The black lines should barely show, and it need be precision cut round so get your wife to do it.

You can tape them down if you wish inside the gauges, but just a few drops of water or vegetable oil, allowing it to soak through, and setting inside the gauge on your instrument cluster and you should be able to paint the rim cleanly while painting the entire cluster. It works better with cluster removed and on a paint bench, but try it however you like.

The very thin 20 pound printer paper should lay flat and be thin enough you can paint cleanly to the bottom of the rim, without getting paint on the glass.

It may help. Enjoy.

Oh, and I converted it to .pdf so everyone can print it from Adobe reader. Please let me know if there are any issues. Works fine here, but may need some fine tuning, so if you see anything irregular, let me know.

edit: Also, if you want to keep it thin, you can take your standard blue paint tape, carefully keeping it absolutely flat, tape across the back, then cut. It will give you some backing and firm up the flimsy paper if you are not happy with the handling of the paper alone.

 

[wildbilly1760]

That is awesome!!!! That is going on my to do list now.

 

[Torisco]

Thoughtful, helpful, and greatly appreciated.

Hoo Rah! to another great SS contributor.


Getting ready to paint in a week.....

 

[boondock]

Thanks for sharing!
Another 'tricks of the trade' item to add to my 'how-to-do-it' notebook.

 

[JAYHAWK 1962]

Thank you! that will make it easy.

 

[Flyingvan911]

That will make the job easier when I get around to it. You are a scholar and a gentleman.

 

[hilber]

Thanks. I needed that.

 

[59apache]

thanks! a sign shop can plot it in frisk / mask film too.... with your PDF its easy!
Artcoe - Frisk Film

 

[nk14zp]

Thanks. Great tips on holding them on too.

 

[3dAngus]

Minor issue in converting from my software vector graphics (highly accurate) to .pdf (fair).

It is off just a tad. In my vector graphics program, I cut on the line.

Again,...
In the .pdf format, you cut with minimal white space on the paper, to just where the black line shows after cutting and removal.

Some expermentation may be required as a result by the cutter, so I recommend you print it out twice and make the adjustments on cutting as necessary after the first cut. In all liklihood, the first will do, but every cutter sees things, and does things a little differently.
I've tried both graphics packages and they work perfectly for me.

 

[SCSG-G4]

May not work with all instrument clusters, but the concept remains the same!

 

[russ132]

Awesome template, worked perfect

 

[3dAngus]

May not work with all instrument clusters, but the concept remains the same!

Mike, its not really meant for the panel, just the meters within them. The meters should all be the same size, but if I'm wrong, you're right.

 

[SCSG-G4]

Dell,

You are right about the sizes, but I have five deuces and none of the instrument panels are exactly alike - some are real close but the MWO for the brake light indicator can be almost anywhere on the panel (and it's a teensy little circle!).

 

[3dAngus]

I know what you mean. I've seen a couple weird ones, and others with gauges where they are not suppossed to be.

With these circles, I am proposing you just cut out the circles and lay them down on the glass, regardless of where they are, and just spray paint the entire panel once the glass is covered.

It doesn't cover those special lights. The user has to work that out himself however he/she sees fit.

Did you send me one of these weird ones?

Just kidding. I have some of those lights that go in there. Turns out, the M109A3, while it didn't have an instrument panels in it, did have the blank panel the instruments go in, but it had three of those lights you screw in there, so I'm in good shape now. Also have some more gauges coming, I hope. Thanks for all your help MIke.

 

[marsman]

Great little trick. Thanks.

 

[m816]

I cut the circles and glued it to the instrument panel. Now it looks like I have to scrape the paint off the glass?

 

[Jimma]

Thanks, your awesome!

 

[3dAngus]

The five minute paint job. Looks better than the final pic which is blurry. Sorry. Even so, I should have sanded the panel with instruments removed first, but this will be a backup. I have another sanded and painted panel without gauges I am going to move these gauges to. This was just a quick demo. Meters edges, which are the hardest to get to properly, came out great.

 

[SCSG-G4]

Dell,
Looks great! The step by step pictures really make it simple for some of the cyphering challenged.