any ideas on illuminated panels?
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Lights, Neon, LEDs, HIDs
Forum Discription: Under Car Lighting, Strobe Lights, Fog Lights, Headlights, HIDs, DRL, Tail Lights, Brake Lights, Dashboard Lights, WigWag, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=53782
Printed Date: May 15, 2024 at 6:15 PM
Topic: any ideas on illuminated panels?
Posted By: crudeau
Subject: any ideas on illuminated panels?
Date Posted: April 12, 2005 at 3:18 PM
I recently purchased a 2005 F150. It has a double din head unit. Already bought a single din head unit for it. I want to install a single din switch panel under it. But I would really like to know what switch is which when it's dark out. As of now I want to have a switch to turn on the CB, front spot lights, reverse lights, and some truck bed lights. I'm sure there will be one or two more switches I will want. But I am having a hard time figuring out how to illuminate some switch labels. I am going to do some switches with led's in them to know when they are one. I am thinking I need to figure out how manufactures produce gauge face overlays. That would probably help me in figuring it out. As of now I am thinking about havesome thin sheet metal etched through, and doing some plexi work with LED's behind it. Any idea's??
Replies:
Posted By: Calgarysouth
Date Posted: May 02, 2005 at 3:54 PM
look into buying some EL panelling....rockford uses it in their demo cars
Posted By: shesaidshewas18
Date Posted: May 30, 2005 at 1:13 PM
Why not memorize what each switch controls, and get the switches that have LED's in them already?
Posted By: bluesbreaker33
Date Posted: June 21, 2005 at 10:30 AM
you could make a panel out of plexi, etch the labels onto the plexi above each switch hole, and then run EL wire around the edge; that would light up the labels.
Posted By: 89sunbird
Date Posted: June 23, 2005 at 10:04 PM
Glow in the dark paint, with a very fine brush?
Posted By: oonikfraleyoo
Date Posted: June 23, 2005 at 10:36 PM
Have someone CNC you a plastic panel. Have them cut out the letters or symbols you want illuminated. Then fill the holes with liquid plexi and backlight it with LEDs. I've done it one time. It came out great. ------------- Nik
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Posted By: ff-mike
Date Posted: June 28, 2005 at 10:22 AM
I just passed that stage in my current project. What I did was used plexiglass as the base, and then I did an overlay for it on the computer- I created a graphic (similiar to the one below) in Paint and printed it onto a self-adhesive transparency. Trimmed and stuck that to the plexi, and covered with clear contact paper (to resist smearing) The buttom row is where the switches actually went, 1/2" illuminated squares.
Posted By: maglin
Date Posted: July 02, 2005 at 1:49 AM
oh cool... a status box... now that could be REALLY useful... hmm. *thought process goes WEEEEE* hahaha.
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