they definately aren't finished, i made better cuts in pre-school.

i had expected a little better but that was my own fault. the material is much thicker then it needs to be and the cuts are very unclean, i've seen less waves at the ocean. yet another product i have to spend countless hours on to get it where it should be.



however i did get them in a timely mannor so it was my own fault for not asking the seller more questions and just assuming when it said laser cut that it would be a clean, proper design. charge the $12 for material and the $10 for the 1 hour you'd have cutting them plus shipping at it would be very fair.

I'm sorry you guys are dissapointed with them, I thought mine were really nice although I didn't buy them with high expectations I guess. Mine are from a different batch but I didn't think the quality would be any different.

it happens....

i think the price is why many expected better, i know i did.

I would not say that I am disappointed with them, but with the phrase of laser cut edges you tend to expect a nice clean, straight cut. I know that I made the same assumption on this as kandied91z. However, I do not regret buying them as they will work well with the long term plans for my interior and I think that they will look really good once finished. Just more work to get them ready to install.

Yeah, Thats pretty much my thoughts............jt

i got mine today and didnt think it was them when i got the box because these things are pretty heavy . Which is good because it makes it harder to bend them . I dont think they look that bad. The edges need to be sanded and im either gonna powdercoat them almost chrome or polish them up . Does anyone have any pics of what almost chrome looks like compared to chrome .

sure...put your wheels next to chrome.

like everyone else said, im happy with the construction but the finish could be better, but im not complaining. A small amount of sanding with some 2000 - 8000 grit should give em a mirror finish.

Good work -- I'll always congratulate someone pioneering ideas and putting in the effort for our thirdgens.
Thanks again . . . now about those dash trim rings . . .

yes with the trim rings, powermite has to get on that . Im wondering if the machine shop i go to would do something like that for me and how much they would charge. I would really love a set of the trim rings .

Don't use almost chrome on anything with large flat surfaces as it tends to look very cheap. Also, clear powdercoat tends to yellow and dull ever so slightly over polished aluminum. If you want my advice, get stickers made in negative (large sheet with the letters removed in other words) and sand blast etch the letters into the polished surface.

I used to make door sills for SVT Contours, Cobras, Lightnings, etc until SVT came out with their own... Ours were a stainless laminate though, which doesn't scratch nearly as easy as aluminum would... Hummmmm, wonder if I can get some bent around here somewheres... or I could get a longer bending brake...

what grade sand was used for the etching proces... that's a great, subtle idea.

Use glass bead media, it will give a more uniform finish...a nice satin one too.

so pretty much standard stripping material then...

i'll have to try it. would the same work on standard steel as a test piece or more aluminum for the material?

It will "work" on steel but the finish will be different than alumnium's because the alumnium is softer.

Get a scrap piece of aluminum from Home Depot and practice on it. Even if it's not the same grade aluminum, at least you'll be closer than a steel scrap piece would give you.

We've used everything from glass bead to aluminum oxide and always get similar results, with varying pressures of course. Glass bead, I tend to run 40-50 psi, aluminum oxide I lower it to 25-30 psi. I get my stickers made at a local vinyl sign shop, where they can scan images or take jpegs and use their plotter for precise edges. The cool part is, most of the time they can use scrap pieces of ugly color vinyl to lower my cost 10% or so just to get rid of it.

If you need any help, let me know. I should be on aim later tonight (around 8-9 central). bnoonsilvie is my screen name (at least I think it is...) I can send you some pics of my work and give you tips/etc about doing them yourself. For now, it's off to the gym...

thanks.... it'll be a bit for i get started but it sounds like a good idea.

bnoon, could you post a pic or 2? Your technique has aroused my interest, would like to see what it looks like.

....

Here's a set of sail panels I did for an SVT Contour a couple of years ago. Brushed stainless laminate material with etched SVT font letters...



Sail panels for my Contour SE and matching Bullit gas cap. Etched with "BNM Edition" for my old side business of BNMotorsports. (I made Contour performance and shiney parts)



Door sill plates that I used to make for the Contours. Laser cut full stainless material...

Those are awsome man you need to make some for our cars. Ill take mine with Camaro RS on them .

no shiyet man, how much are you charging for these.. if its reasonable, I'll by some IROC-Z door sills..

LOL! No thanks, not here to steal anyone's thunder, just giving you guys ideas. Besides, I don't have a bending brake big enough to do the bends on F-body sills.