Laser cut light switch surrounds. - None left

Solarphil · Post by **Solarphil** » Jun 25, 2017 6:28 PM

Put me down for one, unpainted. Thanks!

demetk · Post by **demetk** » Jun 25, 2017 7:09 PM

86GT635 1-painted
afeustel 1-painted
athayer187 1-painted
atibbitts 1-painted
Bimmerman 1
camplo 1-unpainted
cibie 2-painted
dsmith 2-unpainted
flywheel86 1-painted
kittenmittonz 1-painted
ma.jomaa 1-painted
matchgrade 2-painted
MattC 1-painted
MicahO -2
Nebraska_e28 1-painted
onceler 1-unpainted
Philo 1
Rich in Tupelo 1-unpainted
russellrh72 1-painted
Sam 84, 533i 1-painted
SlickDizzy 1-painted
tangerineman91 1-painted
TCBimmer 2-painted
Valve_clatter 1-painted
Wolf1971 1-painted
Tempest22 1-unpainted
LandCruzer94 1-painted
Solarphil 1-unpainted
Sascha_cooper 1-painted

Total = 34

Apologies for the delay but I had visitors last week and didn't do anything. I have the sample in hand. Just need to try it out.

jeffg · Post by **jeffg** » Jun 25, 2017 8:11 PM

I will take one painted. Thanks.

demetk · Post by **demetk** » Jun 25, 2017 8:38 PM

demetk wrote:I have the sample in hand. Just need to try it out.

Marked and drilled the holes and the sample fits nicely. But at 18 gauge steel, it's too thin and the switches flop around because the locking tabs on the switches don't make contact. I'll probably have to make it out of something thicker like maybe aluminum. Thoughts?

onceler · Post by **onceler** » Jun 25, 2017 10:09 PM

Machined from billet aluminum would probably be great, but surely significantly more costly than a die cut sheet metal component.

demetk · Post by **demetk** » Jun 25, 2017 10:27 PM

Thanks. I'll call the shop tomorrow and talk to them about options. I'm assuming you can still laser cut aluminum?

Post by **tig** » Jun 26, 2017 2:00 AM

I'll almost always buy something forum members make.

Put me down for 3, painted.

wkohler · Post by **wkohler** » Jun 26, 2017 2:03 AM

What about doing a wrinkle powder coat? I understand it will raise prices a bit, but it will mimic the original part better and will also increase the material thickness. Also, it will be supremely durable. I'd want to do that with mine, but economies of scale and whatnot...

Post by **tig** » Jun 26, 2017 2:04 AM

wkohler wrote:What about doing a wrinkle powder coat? I understand it will raise prices a bit, but it will mimic the original part better and will also increase the material thickness. Also, it will be supremely durable. I'd want to do that with mine, but economies of scale and whatnot...

This.

Solarphil · Post by **Solarphil** » Jun 26, 2017 9:35 AM

Thicker aluminum would be ideal. Match the thickness of where the switch tabs grab. Advantage, it won't rust and it will be lighter and easier to work than thick steel. Yes, you can laser cut aluminum.

demetk · Post by **demetk** » Jun 26, 2017 10:32 AM

Thanks for the comments. If you guys are serious about crinkle powder coat, I'll look into it. Would it still be satin?

Solarphil · Post by **Solarphil** » Jun 26, 2017 7:08 PM

If you can crinkle coat to match the original, then change my order to painted

Press22 · Post by **Press22** » Jun 26, 2017 8:24 PM

I'll take one as well. Painted.

onceler · Post by **onceler** » Jun 27, 2017 12:04 AM

The crinkle finish sounds pretty appealing, if that comes together, I'd also like to change my preference to painted.

86GT635 · Post by **86GT635** » Jun 27, 2017 9:43 PM

just make it as thick as it needs to be. Crinkle cut or waffle fries are only going to upset the people when it "doesn't match" the original grain of the "sand cast" plastic.

-- Added Jun 27, 2017 8:49 PM --

Im not trying to be a naysayer, but crinkle black looks like this

Not like this:

Satin black is going to be fine. You want something factory, you know what to do.

demetk · Post by **demetk** » Jun 27, 2017 10:24 PM

Thanks 86GT635. I think you guys need to have the debate on the crinkle finish. I can certainly send them to powder coating if there's consensus. Just let me know. I guess I can do a batch in powder coat, another in painted satin, and just plain vanilla.

I need to take another drive up to the shop for them to run another sample in something thicker. So far they have not charged me for running off samples. Hopefully this will the be last one.

And I appreciate your patience on this.

wkohler · Post by **wkohler** » Jun 29, 2017 4:00 AM

No one said anything about matching. If you look at the original part, it's not as far off as you would think and a helluva lot closer than the painted finish which won't be particularly durable. I think enough people would go for it and considering there really isn't another way to make a piece of metal mimic the finish on the plastic, so whether or not it perfectly matches the original is
Immaterial. Take this to a powdercoater and ask to have it done and it would cost $20 on its own. Take 50 of them in and it might add $2 to the overall cost.

But if people don't want it, whatever. I just thought it was a good suggestion.

bkbimmer · Post by **bkbimmer** » Jun 29, 2017 4:51 AM

demetk wrote:
demetk wrote:I have the sample in hand. Just need to try it out.
Marked and drilled the holes and the sample fits nicely. But at 18 gauge steel, it's too thin and the switches flop around because the locking tabs on the switches don't make contact. I'll probably have to make it out of something thicker like maybe aluminum. Thoughts?

Make small spacers and tig fuse weld them in place.

Or just 3-d print them out of plastic.

RonW · Post by **RonW** » Jul 01, 2017 5:27 PM

If you take a look at the original part in place with the blank covering on the right, you can hardly see the surround itself, much less its texture. My guess is that if you painted it flat black, once you installed it with the blank, the fact that the texture was "wrong" would be invisible unless you really scrutinized it and were looking for that specific aspect.

demetk · Post by **demetk** » Jul 09, 2017 12:10 AM

RonW wrote:If you take a look at the original part in place with the blank covering on the right, you can hardly see the surround itself, much less its texture. My guess is that if you painted it flat black, once you installed it with the blank, the fact that the texture was "wrong" would be invisible unless you really scrutinized it and were looking for that specific aspect.

The only way you will be able to install the blank will be to glue it on or if you drill your own holes to snap it in place. That could be problematic for some.

The shop has been closed for 2 weeks so nothing has been done on this. I'll call them Monday and get the ball rolling again.

The proposed 18 gauge steel version will work if I can get some small extensions cut and bent to match the extensions on the original oem piece. The laser will hardly break a sweat making them.

carlb · Post by **carlb** » Jul 11, 2017 2:30 PM

Can you update the pics? Can't see them right now. I love the idea. Put me down for two. I'll decide painted or unpainted once I can see some pics.

demetk · Post by **demetk** » Jul 11, 2017 3:13 PM

Pbucket is causing issues.

I'll have to use another hosting site.

BimmerDan · Post by **BimmerDan** » Jul 14, 2017 3:59 PM

I would be in for a painted one too...

demetk · Post by **demetk** » Jul 18, 2017 7:06 PM

86GT635 1 painted
afeustel 1 painted
athayer187 1 painted
atibbitts 1 painted
Bimmerman 1
camplo 1 unpainted
cibie 2 painted
dsmith 2 unpainted
flywheel86 1 painted
kittenmittonz 1 painted
ma.jomaa 1 painted
matchgrade 2 painted
MattC 1 painted
MicahO 2
Nebraska_e28 1 painted
onceler 2 unpainted/crinkle
Philo 1
Rich in Tupelo 1 unpainted
russellrh72 1 painted
Sam 84, 533i 1 painted
SlickDizzy 1 painted
tangerineman91 1 painted
TCBimmer 2 painted
Valve_clatter 1 painted
Wolf1971 1 painted
Tempest22 1 unpainted
LandCruzer94 1 painted
Solarphil 1 unpainted
Sascha_cooper 1 painted
jeffg 1 painted
cek 3 painted
carlb 1 ?
BimmerDan 1 painted

Total 41

I'll be finalizing the adjustments to the prototype this week.

I'm also going talk to a shop to see how much it would cost to powder coat them.

wkohler · Post by **wkohler** » Jul 18, 2017 7:25 PM

I'd be in for two.

jc72 · Post by **jc72** » Jul 18, 2017 7:39 PM

I'll take 1 painted.

glowell222 · Post by **glowell222** » Jul 19, 2017 5:24 AM

Don't see my name in the list-please add me for one painted as well.

harrypalmer · Post by **harrypalmer** » Jul 19, 2017 1:01 PM

demetk wrote:Pbucket is causing issues. I'll have to use another hosting site.

Jim, Flickr is best.

austin8753 · Post by **austin8753** » Jul 19, 2017 3:25 PM

Please put me down for one painted surround. If the wrinkle finish becomes an option, I would go for that.

demetk · Post by **demetk** » Jul 19, 2017 3:50 PM

harrypalmer wrote:
demetk wrote:Pbucket is causing issues. I'll have to use another hosting site.
Jim, Flickr is best.

Yup, I downloaded all my albums for a move but somehow the pics came back. Did pbucket change their minds?

-- Added Wed Jul 19, 2017 2:53 pm --

Updated (in alpha order),

austin8753 1 painted/crinkle
BimmerDan 1 painted
Bimmerman 1
camplo 1 unpainted
carlb 1 ?
cek 3 painted
cibie 2 painted
dsmith 2 unpainted
flywheel86 1 painted
glowell222 1 painted
jc72 1 painted
jeffg 1 painted
kittenmittonz 1 painted
LandCruzer94 1 painted
ma.jomaa 1 painted
matchgrade 2 painted
MattC 1 painted
MicahO 2
Nebraska_e28 1 painted
onceler 2 unpainted/crinkle
Philo 1
Rich in Tupelo 1 unpainted
russellrh72 1 painted
Sam 84, 533i 1 painted
Sascha_cooper 1 painted
SlickDizzy 1 painted
Solarphil 1 unpainted
tangerineman91 1 painted
TCBimmer 2 painted
Tempest22 1 unpainted
Valve_clatter 1 painted
wkohler 2 painted/crinkle
Wolf1971 1 painted

Total 46

atibbitts · Post by **atibbitts** » Jul 23, 2017 2:53 PM

Please check your list. Looks like four of us at the top (alphabetically) got chopped...

demetk · Post by **demetk** » Jul 23, 2017 4:13 PM

atibbitts wrote:Please check your list. Looks like four of us at the top (alphabetically) got chopped...

You were right,

86GT635 1 painted
afeustel 1 painted
athayer187 1 painted
atibbitts 1 painted
austin8753 1 painted/crinkle
BimmerDan 1 painted
Bimmerman 1
camplo 1 unpainted
carlb 1 ?
cek 3 painted
cibie 2 painted
dsmith 2 unpainted
flywheel86 1 painted
glowell222 1 painted
jc72 1 painted
jeffg 1 painted
kittenmittonz 1 painted
LandCruzer94 1 painted
ma.jomaa 1 painted
matchgrade 2 painted
MattC 1 painted
MicahO 2
Nebraska_e28 1 painted
onceler 2 unpainted/crinkle
Philo 1
Rich in Tupelo 1 unpainted
russellrh72 1 painted
Sam 84, 533i 1 painted
Sascha_cooper 1 painted
SlickDizzy 1 painted
Solarphil 1 unpainted
tangerineman91 1 painted
TCBimmer 2 painted
Tempest22 1 unpainted
Valve_clatter 1 painted
wkohler 2 painted/crinkle
Wolf1971 1 painted

Total 46

BRRV · Post by **BRRV** » Jul 23, 2017 6:29 PM

I'd like a painted one please.

J2Gmaddog · Post by **J2Gmaddog** » Jul 23, 2017 6:40 PM

I'd like a painted one. Thanks.

demetk · Post by **demetk** » Jul 23, 2017 8:01 PM

Added you guys to the list. Looks like we'll break the 50 piece barrier shortly.

The shop is doing one more revision to fix the lack of locking tabs to lock the switches in place. The oem plastic piece has them and I think the ones being cut onto the new piece should be able to be bent in place. The shop said that there may be a better solution and I will be speaking with them on Tuesday to finalize that last bit.

I should be able to find a local painter/powdercoater to paint them for me. More on that in a bit.

Crazy_Canuck · Post by **Crazy_Canuck** » Jul 23, 2017 11:18 PM

I'll take 1 painted surround.

demetk · Post by **demetk** » Aug 01, 2017 11:02 PM

Small update. The light surround project is slow going at this point because I have to wait to be put into the shop's queue for the small updates I requested to the design. I guess I'm small potatoes when compared to their other clients. I don't think they realize how important this is.

86GT635 · Post by **86GT635** » Aug 13, 2017 11:44 PM

It's not important but sure would be cool. I check back on this site once a week or two looking for a update. This is the only thing that's keeping me coming back lol. Car has been running great.

demetk · Post by **demetk** » Aug 14, 2017 9:16 AM

I know what you mean.

I'm still waiting on the final adjustment to be made. After that I need to test fit it on the car to make sure it fits nicely. Now that my sanden brackets are done, hopefully there will be some movement.

jbw · Post by **jbw** » Aug 14, 2017 6:36 PM

If it's not too late, I'd like to order one of these. Painted please.

Thanks!