Honda CB750 Sandcast

The Restoration Shop => Gauges - Levers and Cables => Topic started by: jkp2240 on January 18, 2011, 04:20:40 pm

Title: Gauge housing
Post by: jkp2240 on January 18, 2011, 04:20:40 pm
Does anyone reproduce housings for either meter?
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: markb on January 18, 2011, 04:39:17 pm
This is the only ones I know of.  Not cheap, but Yamiya's been good quality for what I've purchased.
http://www.yamiya750e.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_98&products_id=460 (http://www.yamiya750e.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_98&products_id=460)
Mark
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: Riccardo on January 18, 2011, 06:41:44 pm
I've purchased 2 of this set but never mount on my bikes, i've evere restored the original.

This set needs a lot of work to appears the same of original.

There are 4 great differences from the original housing:

1)the housing is short respect the original and not cover all the metal frame of the gauge, it's not possible do the same welded lock;
2)the inner housing is not painted with reflective paint and so needs to be paint with "light green" color paint;
3)the housing of the glass do not  have the silver ring base that appears under the original glass;
4)in the fase of assembling the housing do not have the step where the metal frame remains locked to leave the exact space, under the glass, from face to the glass.

I will post some photos ASAP.
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: jkp2240 on January 18, 2011, 06:42:48 pm
Mark
Thanks! I was looking in face section, did not look in electrical section. I need to study his catalog as there are MANY items needed.
John
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: CB750faces.com (Lecram) on January 19, 2011, 05:43:33 am
I have also found these on the internet, but the reproduction is not perfect.

http://benzboy.com/parts2/index.php?action=listingview&listingID=100 (http://benzboy.com/parts2/index.php?action=listingview&listingID=100)
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: Riccardo on January 19, 2011, 06:40:31 am
http://benzboy.com/parts2/index.php?action=listingview&listingID=100 (http://benzboy.com/parts2/index.php?action=listingview&listingID=100)

They are poor quality.

The best are Yamiya but needs work to apper like the originals.
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: ashimotok0 on January 19, 2011, 07:29:50 am
I looked into tooling up to make these but the tooling costs were way too high, as there are two separate pieces to make (black body and clear lens). Problem is nobody is likely to commit to buy until they have seen the finished article and I was not prepared to risk many thousands of pounds as a gamble. I would imagine the outer surface texture of the black part would be hard to reproduce exactly and not sure how the clear is bonded to the black piece. I imagine today it would be done with ultrasonic welding or perhaps ultra clear adhesive and vacuumed to remove any air. Not sure how it was done back in '69 though.  

What is the silver ring like Riccardo ?

One thing which I reckon would work would be to use the glass from a later gauge in place of the plastic. The contour is the same (as on the the K7 glass lenses  I have  anyway) and so is the diameter. I have never had a scrap K0 plastic cover to try this on,  however.

One thing that could be done though is to make silicone tooling from an original. I have had this done on previous projects and the process will reproduce a fingerprint in the original. The tooling will only last for around 20 pieces maximum though and the finished black part would be a resin material and not a thermoplastic like the original.

This is the company I used  (Also our local University (University of Hull) offers a similar service)

http://www.theproductworkshop.co.uk/ (http://www.theproductworkshop.co.uk/)

I used to work for a company where I designed a starter solenoid switch and during the development,  my MD told me that in the early 70's he went  for a factory tour around the Nippon Denso factory in Japan and left totally despondant. The whole factory was run by a handful of people and the production techniques were way ahead of anything in Europe.

Cheers! AshD
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: jkp2240 on January 19, 2011, 07:59:02 am
Well one of mine is almost cracked in half and other has a crack starting at the base and I would not like to reuse if possible. I find it hard to believe this question was not asked at an earlier date!
John
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: Steve Swan on January 19, 2011, 09:40:46 am
No one but Yamiya makes the gauge cases and lenses.  They've been available for quite some time, it's been common knowledge, so probably no need to mention them until you asked, John.  Other than what Riccardo mentioned, really a great item.  I've used several sets over the years.  The 'silver' ring Riccardo refers to is probably because of where and how the clear plastic of the lens around the periphery of the clear plastic reflects light, probably in part due to how the lens is fixed to the black case.
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: CB750faces.com (Lecram) on January 19, 2011, 12:21:28 pm
Today I received 6 sets of Yamiya housings and I found another difference: the surface texture is in reverse mode of the original. I mean: at the original, the texture is IN the surface and at the Yamiya housing ON the surface.

I think that it is no rocket science to bond the lens to the housing. It can be glued with some very small dots at the outer side of the lens. That would be barely visible (in theory)

If someone has connections within the plastic industry in China, it would cost much less than producing these in the US or Europe.
But I am also investigating to produce the jewels and found a small company here in Holland that can do it against reasonable costs. I will ask them what it will cost to produce the housings. It could be risky if nobody wants to buy these.

What kind of glue can be used to bind the housing to the metal body?
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: Steve Swan on January 19, 2011, 03:46:36 pm
i have sealed the entire lens w/o any showing of adhesive which bonds black plastic to clear plastic.   waterproof.

i use another product to adhese steel case to plastic case.  waterproof.

i will list soon these 2 adhesive products (avialable in USA)
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: Steve Swan on January 19, 2011, 07:20:59 pm
To adhese black plastic case to steel frame, "Original Shoo Goo."  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_Goo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_Goo)

To adhese clear plastic lens to black plastic case, "Barge - All Purpose Cement."  http://www.quabaug.com/barge (http://www.quabaug.com/barge)

These are both products of USA.  Overseas countries must have similar products.
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: ashimotok0 on January 20, 2011, 02:24:58 am
 Lecram quoted "I found another difference: the surface texture is in reverse mode of the original. I mean: at the original, the texture is IN the surface and at the Yamiya housing ON the surface."

This confirms my comment that the texture would be hard to reproduce. I reckon that the mould was probably created using an impression of an original part and hence the surface texture contour is 'reversed'.

Cheers

Ash
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: Riccardo on January 20, 2011, 12:48:00 pm
The housing of the gauges was composed from two parts fused togheter, an outside of black color and an inside of light-green color, clearly necessary to the reflection of the inner light, this part finished exactly under the glass and in contact,  this part was of color silver.

I have tried, with the help of a turner, to extract the green part clearly, but this part is not possible to reuse it in the huising of Yamiya production.

The Yamiya product is, at my advice, the best one on the market.

I proceed so:

1) the black part comes painted to the inside, with a light green varnish, till climbs under the glass.
I give 5/6 hands of varnish in order to cover the black fund well and for giving more body/deep to the varnish;
2)the upper part under the glass, comes covered from a color ring silver that is made with the plotter;
3)at this point can be mounted the glass, having attention to only put the glue on the external edge of the glass, in order to avoid that the glue goes under the glass  and soil all.

There is from noticing a thing, the original housing had in the inside lower part a little one step, where he went to rest the iron frame (look the photo at the tweezers point)

In this way the face/dial did not arrive end under the glass and left to filter the light of the light bulbs in diffuse way.

The housing of Yamiya, obviously, they do not have this little one step and, for this reason, when the inner part is mounted must be made attention to leave the space under the top end ring ring in order to make to pass the light.
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: Riccardo on January 20, 2011, 12:49:26 pm
I’ve also attached some photos of 2 late gauges (with Yamiya faces), ready for my future diecast K0 project (2012-2013).
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: Riccardo on January 22, 2011, 03:01:24 am
Gems..........................on Yamiya store!!!!!!! ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)


http://www.yamiya750e.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=38&products_id=977 (http://www.yamiya750e.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=38&products_id=977)
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: vnz00 on January 22, 2011, 04:40:49 am
I just was about to post that too!  They look nice and reasonably Priced too ;)

Steven.
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: CB750faces.com (Lecram) on January 22, 2011, 05:31:16 pm
Gems..........................on Yamiya store!!!!!!! ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)


http://www.yamiya750e.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=38&products_id=977 (http://www.yamiya750e.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=38&products_id=977)

Not bad at all. A reason to stop my investigation for producing these. Happy with this as I didn't feel much for producing these gems.

However, a guy from the SOHC4 forum, who produces a lot of plastic stuff for the old Hondas, is investigating as well to produce those gems. It could be possible that he is able to supply these cheaper and faster, especially for our American friends.
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: Riccardo on January 22, 2011, 05:35:06 pm
Marcel,

i've seen the Yamiya gems but i'm not sure about the quality.
These gems are not solid colored plastic but they appears me as painted.
Let me know what you think about.
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: CB750faces.com (Lecram) on January 22, 2011, 06:53:04 pm
Marcel,

i've seen the Yamiya gems but i'm not sure about the quality.
These gems are not solid colored plastic but they appears me as painted.
Let me know what you think about.

Hi Riccardo,

To be honest, I thought about candies when I saw those  :)

It could be hard to produce those gems for a reasonable price and if you see those from a certain distance you wouldn't see the difference, but the edges are too smooth.
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: Riccardo on January 23, 2011, 03:40:27 am
I'll order 2 set to see the quality in person.
A little investment.
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: ashimotok0 on January 23, 2011, 09:12:51 am
Just bought 4 1/2 sets of CB350K0 (plastic body) twin gauges (tacho/speedo) from the USA - Anyone know if the two jewels in the tacho are the same as the CB750? Hail from the same year 1968/69

Cheers

AshD
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: CB750faces.com (Lecram) on January 23, 2011, 09:15:10 am
Just bought 4 1/2 sets of CB350K0 (plastic body) twin gauges (tacho/speedo) from the USA - Anyone know if the two jewels in the tacho are the same as the CB750? Hail from the same year 1968/69

Cheers

AshD

If you put the pictures and dimensions here, I can check it for you (please dimensions in metric)
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: ashimotok0 on January 23, 2011, 11:13:36 am
Just bought 4 1/2 sets of CB350K0 (plastic body) twin gauges (tacho/speedo) from the USA - Anyone know if the two jewels in the tacho are the same as the CB750? Hail from the same year 1968/69

Cheers

AshD

If you put the pictures and dimensions here, I can check it for you (please dimensions in metric)

They have not arrived from the US yet (two weeks). I  do have some 750 ones to compare with. I just wondered if anyone knows if they are the same before I recieve them.

Cheers

Ash
Title: Re: Gauge housing
Post by: Riccardo on January 23, 2011, 11:49:51 am
Hi Ash and Marcel,

please look my gauges restore in the page 1 of this thread.