I'm doing an LS swap into my '90 chevy pickup and have been unimpressed with the gauge cluster offerings the web has been showing. This is exactly the kind of idea I've been looking for- just didn't realize it. Great job and thanks for passing on some really useful stuff!
Hey Eric, as a high school-er that use to mess with acrylic/plexiglass to make projects, etc., I found it helpful to use 2 or 3 layers of green painters tape over the areas you want to drill a hole prevents the bit from wandering (same effect as the center punch in metal). Use painters tape as is far less likely for the tape adhesive to melt to the material as you drill. Also, a use spray bottle with some water to keep the larger hole cuts cool :)
Also a small tip for when going through with a drill bit. I like to use a really high speed with almost no pressure when i am close to exiting the piece. This will melt the acrylic a bit but it will not force itself through and crack. This is really important with thin pieces of acrylic.
Other tricks that can also work (depending on what you're doing and what equipment you're using): - clamping the acrylic between two pieces of wood so it can't lift up - putting the drill in reverse and run it fast enough to melt its way through so if it grabs the piece, it just pushes it down
Good morning Eric. I saw a contractor do something 2 years ago that would have saved me many years of troubles, and I want to share it with you. When drilling a hole using a hole saw. Use the pilot bit by itself to drill the pilot hole. Then attach the hole saw so you don't get that "Oh shit" moment when the pilot breaks through.
I always liked the gauge cluster in these 1500 model years. I know many people hated this cluster, but I thought it was a bit different, and that was why I guess I liked it. Anyways, with that being said, I like your custom gauge cluster the best! It is very clean and looks amazing! Hopefully one day I will be able to get another 1500. I bought a 1995 GMC Sierra with the Vortec 350 in 1999. I got the deal of a lifetime from a soldier who was getting deployed, and it was like new with only 20,000 miles at the time. I wish I never sold her when the gas prices went super crazy in 2008. Thank you for the video and take care. Peace
WOW! Fussing, fiddling and fitting galore, Eric! Having done some panels myself, I know how just a little variation can ruin the intended look. Cameraman Brian was spot on throughout all this, and made sure we could see every step quite well. Thanks, Brian!
After watching your videos you inspired me to start tinkering with cars/trucks again. As luck would have it i picked up a 95 silverado for $300 that runs but is dirty AF and needs love. your vids (though diff interior) are helpful to me to get me motivated and putting my head in a place that helps me go for it. Thanks for videos, and your format, I appreciate the hell out of them.
A little helpful tip. Use the back side of the painted acrylic as the faceplate. It looks so much better. When we paint the body’s of rc cars, we always paint them on the inside. Makes the paint job look like a pro did it 👍🏻😉
Appreciate the effort that went into the project, perhaps if you reverse the hole saw and try and cut it that way might not melt the the plexi.... all that fussing at end reminds me of myself. You are the best!!!
When cutting holes in acrylic/plexiglas I found if you Cool the material with cold water you reduce the risk of cracking. An added benefit is the edges of the cut will also be polished.
I have a boat that I’ve done the same with. The acrylic I used was mirrored with leds for accents. It looks good, but I had an awful time working with it. Till me a few times to get it right, kept cracking. When I finished the 2nd I went to clean it with glass wax, and it cracked it. but I did get it all finished and turned out better than I thought. That acrylic is very difficult to work with more so than I would’ve ever thought. Your gauges are gonna look pretty cool Eric, good job thanks for sharing...
Thanks for the idea. I did this in my far less equipped and much more "I don't need all that fancy equipment" style..... Then I stepped on the curved plastic.... snapped off a hole for a screw completely destroyed a tachometer....proceeded past losing charge light plastic piece and bought a voltmeter.... Installed the voltmeter only to find the charge light indicator. All in all, not bad for me. Now I'm just watching again to see how you do the rest. Lol.
That is some great work, Eric! I've been thoroughly enjoying your truck and fairmont project. I'm learning a lot and have learned a lot from your videos over the years. It's helped me with my own car project. You are a true craftsman and artist.
Next time, if you cut all the holes in a piece of plywood and then clamp that on top, you won't need the centering drill on your large hole saws. They will be held by the large holes in the plywood. This also works if there is already a hole in something and there is nothing for the centering drill bit to follow. Thanks for the video. I am thinking of doing this for my '93 GMC and my '97 Chevy.
Awesome man, I’m working on a 76 f100 with possibly the most disappointing cluster of them all and you’ve inspired me to do some miracle work! Well done on the video. New subscriber!
Nice job! I have a 1990 C1500 Silverado, just dropped a create 396ci w/Holley Sniper 4bbl TBI, programable ignition, fuel pump and pressure regulator, headers, custom exhaust, etc. Now starting body work(which isn't really that bad). The interior/dash is in nice shape got factory a/c, am/fm/cassette w/EQ, even an ashtray, but! couldn't find an OEM cluster to replace mine which has a couple gauges that don't work. Thank you for the custom setup idea that will work with my mix of factory/custom
Eric, I did audio/visual installation and service work for quite a number of years and I cut many a hole in acrylic pulpits and I learned two tricks to cutting round holes in them, one run the hole saw in reverse and keep a spray bottle with water in it handy and get someone to keep the acrylic and hole saw wet at all times and I never ruined a pulpit because of those two things that I did, try it on a scrap piece sometime, Good Luck.
Looks good. I did the same steps on building a cluster for my ‘72 Nova. The only thing I did different is that instead of black paint I covered the plastic sheet with black leather. Just a preference thing.
We need a Playlist for this truck at this point 😆 Been following this build forever! Love it cause I have the same truck and at a very slower speed im doing alot of the same things. Very informative and entertaining 👏
I have installed aircraft windshields. They make special twist drills for plastics. Conventional bits bite too hard, dig in, and pull themselves into the material, leaving microscopic stress risers that will eventually cause a crack.....guaranteed. Use a dedicated 1/8" drill for pilot holes, then use a step drill for the final dimension. Then de-burr the hole to remove any stress risers.
When painting plastic, I found that using a random orbital sander with 240 grit paper gave a really even and slightly matte finish when painted. For that extra 1% more smoothness :D
I was a machinist and manufactured parts from acrylic sheet. You want to drill with a fast rpm and low pressure before you break through. Make sure the part doesn't lift.
When drilling any kind of plastic, I found that for some reason a step bit will not bite or chatter the way a spiral cut bit will. Just make a minimal hole all the way thru with the smallest size step nit, then bring the hole to the desired size with the appropriate size bit.
I love the idea of modifying the stock bezel. This is pretty similiar to what I'm doing to my S-10 Blazer. A trick I like to use is flip the acrylic when you're about half way through. Not only do you start on the second side with a little cooler acrylic, the cutout and drill will start to free spin before you start cutting a circle into the wood/benchtop. This let's me know it's through and avoids unnecessary heat build up.
I really enjoyed this video Eric, custom work fascinates me...it's always so cool to know that no one else has the item you do! Great work. I'd have put a few coats of low gloss clear on the paint though, one scratch and it'll show up like no body's business...!
For your fluted twist bit holes, as you approach your 'tearout zone' at end of hole switch bit to reverse direction, and go faster. The heat will punch it through without cracking, Debur the backside with dril flutes or chamfer bit. Also when cutting ABS bezels, I've found that a hot, flat soldering tip, is nice to score, then snap out with pliers. Much less mess, than a dremel. Then finish edge with file or sanding board.
Smashing job eric :-D, that plastic is such a bugger to work with. I used to work in a sunbed factory when i was 17, the surface people lay on to get tanned was bowed and made of Perspex as i knew it. Drilling holes for screws was always a worry, we drilled a 1/8th pilot hole then slowly drilled it up to size, they were all near the edge of the perspex :-(. We also had some 'Special polish' in a tube to rub away scratches, it dissolved the plastic. Care was needed.
Just a quick fyi. They make a sign board thats plastic. Its the same 1/8, 3/16” options as acrylic. The better part is. Its slightly softer. So its easier to drill. It also comes in black with a slight grain texture to it. Its what i used for my 90 wrangler build back in the day.
RotoZip bits are made for the cutting you did. They also make the tool, which I believe you’ll need because the diameter of the bits is greater than 1/8” that Dremel uses. I made custom boat dashes using them. They’ll also cut through fiberglass like a hot knife thru butter.
I really love the dad's truck series. Everything you're doing to that truck I'm wanting to do to my 96 s10. But with far cheaper parts. I don't have the money for all the fancy stuff. I found a used Silverado 1500 engine for 700 doing a new rear axle new brakes front and rear suspension new gage cluster and a new front bumper and headlights.
Only changes I'd have made is spreading the guages a little, removes some of the "dead space" on the left and right, and placing the turn signal indicators equidistant from both the small centered guage and each large guage rather than right above each large guage...outside that, nicely done.....
Hey Eric, I am an aircraft mechanic. When drilling acrylic, plexi, or lexan, there are 2 easy methods. If you are going to do alot of it, (which you are not, but for science sake) you can re-tip a set of drill bits with a (nearly) flat tip. They will be useless for anything else, but they dont grab and crack the material. The better option for those of us that don't do it all the time, if use a UNIBIT, or a stepdrill bit to cut it. It will not grab the material and crack it either. Just a tip! Cheers!
Even if you cracked it, you could use the proper glue to fill the crack, sand it down and then apply a tan or colour of your choic paint over the entire surface and cover everything up. The tan paint would be a nice contrast and would make the instrument cluster stand out. Plus you could cover any mishaps that way.
I love your video, exactly what Im doing to my 90 ss 454 gauges (I hate those "moonies") except Im using Dolphin Gauges which comes with a custom made backing plate to mount the gauges in. So this morning I went to the local boneyard and found a cherry "hood" like you used, figure if I screw up cutting it out Ill have a backup lol. Wish me luck
Eric I know this is a bit late on this video but when you're working with acrylic I personally use rubbing alcohol for coolant on the hole saw works great every time
Great video man. It makes me appreciate some of the stuff I have learned working part time in a machine shop for the past few years part time. Keep your eyes open for a drill press. I think the extra rigidity could help you in your future projects! But very interesting series!
I actually laughed out loud when you thought one coat of paint would be enough lol. That is never how that works hehe. Great job man, it looks incredible.
ERIC, It may help when you use a hole saw to run a little praffin wax around the inside & outside of the saw. This helps on any saw blade either round are straight. Only making a little sugestion. Man I really enjoy your videos. There is a lot of information a little humor well presented and very intresting. I just bought a 1994 GMC Sierra 1500 extended cab sb pu & when I googled rear disc brak upgrade your video came up as a choice. after watching a couple of videos i joined your websight. Pleas keep doing this work!!!
If you have seen a dashboard area of a 1992 suzuki swift, and/ or a 1992 holden barina, I am using your idea to house 4 car guages in the area that actually holds the basic air and heater, as I don't ever use it, I cleared out this area and hand fitted a piece of perspex, to hold the 4 guages. thank you for the idea. and greetings from Australia
As is typical for ETCG you chose the toughest possible method to do this job. The correct tool is a plunge router with a circle cutting jig and an "O" flute bit specifically designed for cutting Plexiglas. If you would have come over to my house (only about 2,000 miles away from Ohio) I could have knocked this out for you in 15 minutes and the holes would be perfectly clean. One thing I like about you is that you always chose the toughest way possible. Me, I'm lazy and I always look for the easy way out.
I would argue that's your opinion, not necessarily reality. To me, this didn't seem all too difficult considering the time I had to complete this job (which was next to nothing). Thanks for your input.
I’ve been watching the dads truck and fairmont builds and for some reason thought they were both done. I’m currently building a 1991 ford bronco and I’m going to be using Holley EFI analog gauges in a custom cluster to be installed in a custom dash. None of which I’ve built yet. Seeing this I thought I was going to get some good ideas on setting up blinkers and high beam indicators and such. Guess I get to do it the hard way.
I totally get that nervous feeling when drilling, i'm toying with the idea of getting some different cabinet door faces from Ikea but to fit those drawer faces I have to tap my own holes to modify it to fit my face mounting system as opposed to Ikea's mount, I did 1 test face by hand, if I decide to go this route I plan to find someone with a drill press with a depth stop so I can tap them all faster.
After having a few SpeedHut gauges, the quality is impeccable but the mounting ring things are a dumb design and don't fit into many gauge pods. They went out of their way to make great gauges in slim packages and use the huge spin on plastic rings that muck up the profile. Also the backlight transformer makes a lot of high pitched noise (probably not a big deal to old timers) so you have to extend the wiring and hide it away well.
Next time...drill partially through the one side, then flip the acrylic over and drill from the outside. Much cleaner hole that way. I was watching and thought ...yea, he's going to need to raise that scrap plywood up...LOL
