gauge needle painting - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

chops333 · 11-12-2005, 10:11 PM

do you remove the needles or just paint them on the gauge any help app.if you have to remove them how do you do it

LUV2XCLR8 · 11-12-2005, 10:17 PM

Pm BYRD, I think he is the resident expert on guages

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/member.php?u=15834

Longhorn Man · 11-12-2005, 10:18 PM

Personally, I don't like removing them. Chance of breakage, and then there's the question of acurate placement on reassembly.
I get thick paper cut a slit in it, slide it under the needle and shoot the paint.

chops333 · 11-12-2005, 10:36 PM

thanks thats what ill do the paper thing

lamar · 11-12-2005, 10:49 PM

I only remove the speedo needle. The only reason for removing it is to clean, lube and reset it to zero. The other gauge needles can be removed but not advised as they will need to be either put back in the same spot ( which is very hard) or recalibrated. The paper idea or model paint and brush is easy to do. Lamar.

70GMCer · 11-13-2005, 08:45 AM

I had an old speedo gauge to try and get the needle off, and it broke off part of the shaft. So I then decided to just use glow orange paint with a brush and didn't pull off any needles. If you have a steady hand, you don't even have to cover the gauge face. Just don't use a big "glob" of the paint on them. Here's a picture of the paint I used. I got this at Wall-Mart. Works great!!

byrd · 11-13-2005, 09:51 AM

no paper needed, just a small hobby type brush for painting models and such, and a steady hand. Should take at least two, maybe three very thin coats as to not disfigure the needles from too much paint . I have found that the best way for me to remove the speedo needle is to pull up and twist downward towards the bottom of the speedo and they always pop right off and the gearing of the speede itself help to hold the shaft in place so that the needle should/will slip right off. Randy

HeavyD · 11-13-2005, 06:06 PM

So were the needles painted red or orange? I have seen flourescent model paint in both shades and I would like to know what is factory correct.

70GMCer · 11-13-2005, 06:51 PM

as far as I have ever seen.....orange.....

Longhorn Man · 11-13-2005, 08:12 PM

I have always thought they were redish

byrd · 11-13-2005, 11:09 PM

I have a few NOS gauges are they are more orange than red, but I would not call it orange, but rather a redish orange.

**67sss** · 11-14-2005, 01:40 AM

use the end of a paper match instead of a paint brush...they're free.

byrd · 11-14-2005, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 67sss

use the end of a paper match instead of a paint brush...they're free.

That way would for sure be cost effective, but I'm unsure of how smooth the coverage would be.

Tx Firefighter · 11-14-2005, 09:27 AM

I differ from all of you.

I use the paper with a slit like Andy recomended to avoid "needle trauma", but I use flourescent orange spray paint instead of brush on. It gives much smoother results than brushing does. I used to do the brush thing, this works better.

11-12-2005, 10:11 PM	#1
chops333 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: mount airy n.c. Posts: 243	gauge needle painting do you remove the needles or just paint them on the gauge any help app.if you have to remove them how do you do it

11-12-2005, 10:17 PM	#2
LUV2XCLR8 The LuvShack Garage Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Maple Grove, TN (West Side) Posts: 30,468	Re: gauge needle painting Pm BYRD, I think he is the resident expert on guages http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/member.php?u=15834 __________________ Owner/Op: "TN Classic Transport Carriers" The Toy: "Square Vette" 72 Hybrid Blazer Toy Barn: "LuvShack" 40 x 60 x 20 Shop Tow Piggy:"Maddy" 88 Silverado 3500 Hauler: "Feathers" 14 Aluma 8218T Last edited by LUV2XCLR8; 11-12-2005 at 10:17 PM.

11-12-2005, 10:18 PM	#3
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	Re: gauge needle painting Personally, I don't like removing them. Chance of breakage, and then there's the question of acurate placement on reassembly. I get thick paper cut a slit in it, slide it under the needle and shoot the paint.

11-12-2005, 10:36 PM	#4
chops333 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: mount airy n.c. Posts: 243	Re: gauge needle painting thanks thats what ill do the paper thing

11-12-2005, 10:49 PM	#5
lamar Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Covington,Ga Posts: 453	Re: gauge needle painting I only remove the speedo needle. The only reason for removing it is to clean, lube and reset it to zero. The other gauge needles can be removed but not advised as they will need to be either put back in the same spot ( which is very hard) or recalibrated. The paper idea or model paint and brush is easy to do. Lamar. __________________ 72 C-10

11-13-2005, 08:45 AM	#6
70GMCer Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Joppa, Maryland Posts: 4,408	Re: gauge needle painting I had an old speedo gauge to try and get the needle off, and it broke off part of the shaft. So I then decided to just use glow orange paint with a brush and didn't pull off any needles. If you have a steady hand, you don't even have to cover the gauge face. Just don't use a big "glob" of the paint on them. Here's a picture of the paint I used. I got this at Wall-Mart. Works great!! Attached Images __________________ 1997 GMC Sierra Ext 1965 Mustang

11-13-2005, 06:06 PM	#8
HeavyD Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Wakaw, Sask, Canada Posts: 3,180	Re: gauge needle painting So were the needles painted red or orange? I have seen flourescent model paint in both shades and I would like to know what is factory correct. __________________ "You can take the man out of PA, but you can't take PA out of the man"

11-13-2005, 06:51 PM	#9
70GMCer Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Joppa, Maryland Posts: 4,408	Re: gauge needle painting as far as I have ever seen.....orange..... __________________ 1997 GMC Sierra Ext 1965 Mustang

11-13-2005, 08:12 PM	#10
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	Re: gauge needle painting I have always thought they were redish

11-14-2005, 01:40 AM	#12
67sss Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Mt. Vernon, WA.. Posts: 2,325	Re: gauge needle painting use the end of a paper match instead of a paint brush...they're free.

11-14-2005, 09:27 AM	#14
Tx Firefighter Watch out for your cornhole ! Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Azle, Texas Posts: 14,162	Re: gauge needle painting I differ from all of you. I use the paper with a slit like Andy recomended to avoid "needle trauma", but I use flourescent orange spray paint instead of brush on. It gives much smoother results than brushing does. I used to do the brush thing, this works better. __________________ I'm on the Instagram- @Gearhead_Kevin



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