A Pillar Gauge Pods That Replaces Stock?!?
Evolving Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 333
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From: Down bai da Beach.
im sure it wouldnt be extremely diffucult to get an oem a pillar and get some 60 mm cups for the gauges, trim a bit off,position the cups, use some plastic filler, sand, bondo, sand, sand sand sand, and then texture and paint. heh
http://www.hzemall.com has a few projects working with plastics and all the plastic filler etc that ya would need to undertake the project.
fiberglass could also be an option, but would be more difficult due to having to start the a-pillar from scratch.
just my 2 cents.
http://www.hzemall.com has a few projects working with plastics and all the plastic filler etc that ya would need to undertake the project.
fiberglass could also be an option, but would be more difficult due to having to start the a-pillar from scratch.
just my 2 cents.
Evolving Member
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 104
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Originally Posted by 2kjettaguy
Well, consider this...
A-pillar pods are thermoformed. Thermoformed parts offer great bang for the buck. Here's why:
Sheet plastic is easy to get, form, trim, and finish
Thermoforming machines are much less expensive than injection molders
Thermoforming molds can be hand made and are very low tech
Thermoformed parts are typically hand trimmed after being formed and finished by hand
The one downside is that thermoformed parts are almost all the time used as "skins" to cover an existing part. provisions for mounting are almost impossible to incorporate.
Injection molding is how the stock pillar is made. Consider an injection molder the size needed to make the pillar would cost at least $100k. The mold for an a-pillar pod would cost at least 100k. Injection molding will allow you to make alot of parts with incredible complexity over and over again. The lead time to build to mold would be very long.
The money just isn't there for a 200k invest in one a-pillar pod. A company can make a rather small investment in a low volume thermoforming operation and be able to accomplish their initial goal - make a-pillar pods. The other option if you can pay $500 for an a-pillar pod so that the company who made the $200k investment can get that paiud back.
Not bashing, just food for thought. Most people don't have much idea how these type of things are made.
Evan
A-pillar pods are thermoformed. Thermoformed parts offer great bang for the buck. Here's why:
Sheet plastic is easy to get, form, trim, and finish
Thermoforming machines are much less expensive than injection molders
Thermoforming molds can be hand made and are very low tech
Thermoformed parts are typically hand trimmed after being formed and finished by hand
The one downside is that thermoformed parts are almost all the time used as "skins" to cover an existing part. provisions for mounting are almost impossible to incorporate.
Injection molding is how the stock pillar is made. Consider an injection molder the size needed to make the pillar would cost at least $100k. The mold for an a-pillar pod would cost at least 100k. Injection molding will allow you to make alot of parts with incredible complexity over and over again. The lead time to build to mold would be very long.
The money just isn't there for a 200k invest in one a-pillar pod. A company can make a rather small investment in a low volume thermoforming operation and be able to accomplish their initial goal - make a-pillar pods. The other option if you can pay $500 for an a-pillar pod so that the company who made the $200k investment can get that paiud back.
Not bashing, just food for thought. Most people don't have much idea how these type of things are made.
Evan
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