About 2 years ago I ordered and received a gauge cluster plate from a former mud vendor. It took a lot of effort to get it, but it eventually arrived.
Fast forward to now. I bought my gauges and went to install them in the plate; nada, no way, no go. The two large gauge holes were cut too close to each other.
I sent an email to the vendor, but really didn't expect a reply given my previous experience. Besides, it's my bad that I didn't check it upon arrival.
So, I talked to a buddy that owns a machine shop with a brand spanking new, super duper, fancy pants LASER cutting machine.
To say it's cool is an understatement. It's friggin HUGE and cuts metal like a hot knife through butter.
I ask him, "Hey good buddy, would you be willing to cut me a new gauge plate with your fancy new machine"? He says "No problem!"
Now, that's a Good Buddy 
I gave him the original plate and all my gauges so he could make up a new one. Well, what I didn't really realize until after, is that his brand spanking new, super duper, fancy pants LASER cutting machine is totally computer controlled and requires someone to PROGRAM the gauge plate design into it. I know, I know, DUH! of course it's computer controlled. (gimme a break, I only spend my entire day evaluating computer systems,
)
Don't worry, pics are coming.... (sheesh)
He proceeds to have his Computer Whiz Girl (yup, I said Girl) create a program for the brand spanking new, super duper, fancy pants LASER cutting machine to cut me a new gauge plate. And he proceeds to cut me not 1, not 2, but THREE new gauge plates He said that's how many he could get from the 1/4" aluminum piece he used and he doesn't like to waste material 
. Did I mention he's a Good Buddy?
Ok, so where in the heck am I going will this story? Well, I'll tell ya. Since my Good Buddy now has a computer program for his brand spanking new, super duper, fancy pants LASER cutting machine to cut FJ40 Aftermarket Gauge Cluster plates, does anybody else want one?
If there's enough interest for him to do one run of plates, I'll have a run produced. The pricing will be reasonable but I won't know what it is until I can give him some idea of interest. They will be 1/4" aluminum. They will be unfinished, unless everyone wants black powdercoat, then I might coordinate a powdercoat run.
If there's no interest, I hope you enjoyed my story
Ok, on to the pics...
Fast forward to now. I bought my gauges and went to install them in the plate; nada, no way, no go. The two large gauge holes were cut too close to each other.
I sent an email to the vendor, but really didn't expect a reply given my previous experience. Besides, it's my bad that I didn't check it upon arrival.
So, I talked to a buddy that owns a machine shop with a brand spanking new, super duper, fancy pants LASER cutting machine.
To say it's cool is an understatement. It's friggin HUGE and cuts metal like a hot knife through butter. I ask him, "Hey good buddy, would you be willing to cut me a new gauge plate with your fancy new machine"? He says "No problem!"
Now, that's a Good Buddy I gave him the original plate and all my gauges so he could make up a new one. Well, what I didn't really realize until after, is that his brand spanking new, super duper, fancy pants LASER cutting machine is totally computer controlled and requires someone to PROGRAM the gauge plate design into it. I know, I know, DUH! of course it's computer controlled. (gimme a break, I only spend my entire day evaluating computer systems,
)Don't worry, pics are coming.... (sheesh)
He proceeds to have his Computer Whiz Girl (yup, I said Girl) create a program for the brand spanking new, super duper, fancy pants LASER cutting machine to cut me a new gauge plate. And he proceeds to cut me not 1, not 2, but THREE new gauge plates
He said that's how many he could get from the 1/4" aluminum piece he used and he doesn't like to waste material . Did I mention he's a Good Buddy?Ok, so where in the heck am I going will this story? Well, I'll tell ya. Since my Good Buddy now has a computer program for his brand spanking new, super duper, fancy pants LASER cutting machine to cut FJ40 Aftermarket Gauge Cluster plates, does anybody else want one?
If there's enough interest for him to do one run of plates, I'll have a run produced. The pricing will be reasonable but I won't know what it is until I can give him some idea of interest. They will be 1/4" aluminum. They will be unfinished, unless everyone wants black powdercoat, then I might coordinate a powdercoat run.
If there's no interest, I hope you enjoyed my story
Ok, on to the pics...
