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Dash blank design software
Pdlewis - 14/12/07 at 10:45 AM

Hi,

Not sure this is the right place but here we go:

what is the easiest program to use to design say switch pannels to go on my dash. I already have the carbon these little pannels are going to be made from i just need something i can make some templates so all the switches/lights are spaced correctly etc all templates will be smaller than a4 so can be printed.

I have tried autocad but i cant work out how to make it do auto spacing to be honest the problem with autocad was defiantly between the keyboard and the seat!! any suggesttions?

Cheers

Paul

Mr Whippy - 14/12/07 at 10:53 AM

Piece of paper and a pencil, tape it to the dash and be creative.

a ruler is also a good idea

[Edited on 14/12/07 by Mr Whippy]

rayward - 14/12/07 at 11:02 AM

THIS? ay use

Ray

Mr Whippy - 14/12/07 at 11:13 AM

quote:
Originally posted by rayward
THIS? ay use

Ray



I've seen this before but it will not print out the layout which is a pity

02GF74 - 14/12/07 at 11:14 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
Piece of paper and a pencil, tape it to the dash and be creative.

a ruler is also a good idea



yep, the ice cream man is right.

trial fit dash in car and stick on carboard templates of the instruments/switches etc so you can see whcih ones are in line of sight with you sitting in it and hold steering wheel.

no fancy software is gonna do that for you.

westcost1 - 14/12/07 at 11:23 AM

i just got it to print fine

rallyingden - 14/12/07 at 11:24 AM

Liker this ?


Just grab it with Ctrl Alt Print screen. Put it in painshop pro, crop & print....

[Edited on 14/12/07 by rallyingden] Rescued attachment Dash.jpg
Rescued attachment Dash.jpg

02GF74 - 14/12/07 at 11:38 AM

Sorry, what am I supposed to be looking at? My eyes keep drifting off to the left

rallyingden - 14/12/07 at 11:44 AM

Does This Help


RD Rescued attachment miss clock.jpg
Rescued attachment miss clock.jpg

MikeRJ - 14/12/07 at 12:03 PM

quote:
Originally posted by rallyingden
Liker this ?

Just grab it with Ctrl Alt Print screen. Put it in painshop pro, crop & print....


Why not use the "Print Page" button which you find by clicking the right arrow on the "controls" box all the way to the end of the options?

Humbug - 14/12/07 at 12:05 PM

I took photos of my main gauges, printed them out (on normal paper) and stuck them on the dash with bits of masking tape, moved them about until I was happy, then marked out and drilled/cut the holes.

Pdlewis - 14/12/07 at 12:06 PM

I was after something less generic i dont want to design my entire dash just a few squares arround 200mm x 100mm which have button evently spaced and central with bolt holes the same spacing form the corner. It may be easier to use a pencil and graph paper just thought this sort of thing should be easy on a pc

davidosullivan - 14/12/07 at 12:54 PM

If anyone you know has a mac you could use OMNIGRAFFLE it has a free trial but you cant use on microbluff windoesnt

Its a simple drawing package but uses "smart guides" that lines everything up.

Although, I have it and I'll be sitting in the car to line mine up
D

Confused but excited. - 14/12/07 at 02:43 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Pdlewis
just thought this sort of thing should be easy on a pc


If you are running XP, can't you just use Visio?

Humbug - 14/12/07 at 04:59 PM

quote:
Originally posted by rallyingden
Does This Help


RD


is this more appropriate? Rescued attachment Miss_Santa_small4.jpg
Rescued attachment Miss_Santa_small4.jpg

trextr7monkey - 14/12/07 at 06:01 PM

Hi Paul ,
Not sure If I'm advising Granny about egg sucking but you can use Excel for drawing

- if you highlight whole sheet then set column width to 1.71 you get a square grid, you can snap things to the grid, copy and paste etc

-if you have the drawing tool bar out as wellas auto shapes it should do whatyou want with no CAD qualification being required

If you make sure it prints the gridlines you will be able to align different bits of your dash easily

HTH

atb
Mike