718 Sports Chrono Bezel Progress

[Bob Z]

Lot of choices! I guess we will not know for sure what works for everyone until Tom gets them done and we get them tested, but I have been popping off the OEM SC trim rings and painting and/or wrapping them for years. However, it is the nighttime reflection from the SC that got me thinking there must be a way to eliminate it but the windshield rake and angle of the SC requires an eyelid that has to be 2 1/2", which may look funny to some, so Tom thought about doing a clip-on version. Anyway, everyone can be assured the final products will be great...it is the little things like this that make one's car their own.

[Larry C]

Any update on the 718 (and hopefully the 991) bezel covers?

[Tom]

Any update on the 718 (and hopefully the 991) bezel covers?

Yes, just been busy over the holidays, and had a set back with a lost file, but I'm back on track now. The new file is even a better replica of the original I believe. I have the replica bezels ready to send to @Bob Z for test fitting. So now I have started on modeling the clip-on version. With Bob's factory bezel in hand, I'm highly optimistic we can do a clip on version that will work well. Should be able to post shots of a beta version this week. In the meantime, I thought I'd post some "how it's made" shots which might be of interest.

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They start as a CAD drawing I do in Fusion 360 by Autocad. Fusion 360 is a game-changer for hacks like me -- so powerful yet so much easier to use than most of the others.

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The Form 3 printer is way different than traditional (FDM) printers. The build plate dips down into the resin, and a special light draws out and cures each layer of the part -- 1/20th of mm per layer, creating a near blow-molded smoothness.... The 3D -printed part ends up hanging upside down on the build plate like a vampire bat.

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The build plate slides out of the printer so you can get the part off. Notice how it is suspended on tiny little support structures that break away to reveal the actual part.

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Once the part is off the build plate and all the support structures are removed, it goes into a little washing machine filled with 99% Isopropyl Alcohol to dissolve away all wet uncured resin.

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Once all clean, this particular resin then needs to spend 15 minutes in a chamber at 176F with special lights that further cure and harden the plastic. This bezel is only .6mm thick, yet it's more than strong enough for bezel duty.

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Here is one of the replica bezels for Bob Z, along with his original and one of the many measuring tools I came up with to make sure all the dimensions are spot on. With three clips spread evenly around the circle, I could not find a traditional measuring tool that got to the precision I wanted. So custom tools like this let me adjust the clips down .1mm increments!

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I've also 3D printed paint stands (the big one is for the 992 Tachometer) so I can paint them without anything interfering with the painted surface.

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The paint stands then go on a little paint board that I can turn to get all angles evenly.

[Larry C]

Holy **** @Tom I had know idea how complex this process is. You should be charging at least $250 each just to help with R&D costs. Thanks so much for turning a fun idea into a reality.

[Bob Z]

Wow indeed! Nice work Tom and as we discussed you can keep my bezel as long as you need!

[Dichael]

Renaissance Tom! Really amazed…!

[Bob Z]

I showed this to my Dad and he is equally amazed. He was a tool & die maker for his whole career and he said how tech has changed over the years...he is glad he retired when he did though since the new stuff scares him!

[Tom]

I showed this to my Dad and he is equally amazed. He was a tool & die maker for his whole career and he said how tech has changed over the years...he is glad he retired when he did though since the new stuff scares him!

My dad was a graphic artist his entire career and feels the same way. He is/was a master with a straight edge, razor blades and paste -- physically putting everything just where he wanted it. It's pretty stunning how many highly-specialized skills like that are now mostly gone. And equally amazing how much manufacturing and computing power John Q Public has available for peanuts these days. The resin printing process may look complicated, but 90+% of the time is spent on the computer designing the model.

Bob -- I have two test bezels for you to try. I can send them tomorrow unpainted, or if you'd rather I paint them black (on the assumption that one of them will serve as a temp replacement for you) just let me know. Once painted and installed, there's pretty much no way to tell from the factory part by just looking at it.... Here is mine and your original back-to-back......

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[Bob Z]

Times are changing for sure! If you planning to paint some other parts you can throw the bezels in as well but don't go out of your way Tom!

[Tom]

Times are changing for sure! If you planning to paint some other parts you can throw the bezels in as well but don't go out of your way Tom!

Takes 2 minutes, no problem. I'll do that today (if it ever stops raining) and give them a day or so to cure before putting them in the mail (with the other things btw).