3D Printing of Fender Tags in Large Display Size

[MoparCarGuy]

I am interested in knowing if anyone has considered using their 3D printer to print a large size fender tag for display. I would like to display my car's tag on my garage wall. I figured about 8-1/2" x 11" would be a good size. Obviously, it would be printed in full relief with the upper and lower ribs of an original tag.

Does anyone have a 3D printer or know of of a company that could do this type of work?

[Filthy Filbert]

Interesting idea.   I have a printer and solid works, so creating the file and printing would be easy.   The challenge would be to model the font exactly. 

[anlauto]

That is a neat idea  I'd want to go bigger though 

[cuda hunter]

I like it!  Great idea.  The search begins.....

[headejm]

  Great idea. I'll take one too!

[70vert]

Interesting idea.   I have a printer and solid works, so creating the file and printing would be easy.   The challenge would be to model the font exactly.

Is the downside though that each tag would have to be unique? Verses say a radio bezel that would be the same every time. Admittedly I am not a 3-D printer guru   

[Filthy Filbert]

Interesting idea.   I have a printer and solid works, so creating the file and printing would be easy.   The challenge would be to model the font exactly.

Is the downside though that each tag would have to be unique? Verses say a radio bezel that would be the same every time. Admittedly I am not a 3-D printer guru   

Yes.  Every one would be a one-off .stl file.  So whoever does this would have to spend some time building the virtual part and making the file, vs nesting a bunch of identical parts and just hitting print.

Also, have you seen the way people nit-pic fender tags?   Every print would get ridiculed for correctness

[anlauto]

In the mean time...you could take a nice high resolution photo of your tag and blow it up poster size 

[Skdmark]

3D scan your fender tag, rescale and print.

[Filthy Filbert]

3D scan your fender tag, rescale and print.

I mean, so simple!  Every hobbyist has access to a laser scanning CMM arm, to build a stp file to convert to an stl file to print on their own home owned 3D printer!  Lol.

[Skdmark]

3D scan your fender tag, rescale and print.

I mean, so simple!  Every hobbyist has access to a laser scanning CMM arm, to build a stp file to convert to an stl file to print on their own home owned 3D printer!  Lol.

There are services out there.
No different than getting parts media blasted , powder coated etc.

[YellowThumper]

Interesting idea.   I have a printer and solid works, so creating the file and printing would be easy.   The challenge would be to model the font exactly.

@Filthy Filbert you can import a picture into Solidworks and have it attempt to find all the profile lines on it to create a sketch.
My experience with this has been less than exacting.
I always end up overlaying a drawing over it.
Now I am going to try this with my tag.

Designed this circuit board from a pic just the other day.

[Filthy Filbert]

Interesting idea.   I have a printer and solid works, so creating the file and printing would be easy.   The challenge would be to model the font exactly.

@Filthy Filbert you can import a picture into Solidworks and have it attempt to find all the profile lines on it to create a sketch.
My experience with this has been less than exacting.
I always end up overlaying a drawing over it.
Now I am going to try this with my tag.

Designed this circuit board from a pic just the other day.

Yea, I did a project where I did that in autocad's Inventor program to build a fire ring.  It was a pain in the butt to be honest.  I ended up having to trace the lines I wanted while clicking the mouse repeatedly to create very short straight lines to create a representation of the outline of the state of Ohio.   It came out OK, but I wouldn't trust doing that to create a fender tag that looks real. 

Fire ring details: 304 stainless, 1/4" thick, plates were 12"x18"   I had a local shop laser cut them for me, then I welded it at home using a 308LL filler wire.


Now where I work, I have access to Solidworks again, so I'll have to give that a shot on a project.

[YellowThumper]

Interesting idea.   I have a printer and solid works, so creating the file and printing would be easy.   The challenge would be to model the font exactly.

@Filthy Filbert you can import a picture into Solidworks and have it attempt to find all the profile lines on it to create a sketch.
My experience with this has been less than exacting.
I always end up overlaying a drawing over it.
Now I am going to try this with my tag.

Designed this circuit board from a pic just the other day.

Yea, I did a project where I did that in autocad's Inventor program to build a fire ring.  It was a pain in the butt to be honest.  I ended up having to trace the lines I wanted while clicking the mouse repeatedly to create very short straight lines to create a representation of the outline of the state of Ohio.   It came out OK, but I wouldn't trust doing that to create a fender tag that looks real. 

Fire ring details: 304 stainless, 1/4" thick, plates were 12"x18"   I had a local shop laser cut them for me, then I welded it at home using a 308LL filler wire.


Now where I work, I have access to Solidworks again, so I'll have to give that a shot on a project.

Nice.
This was my "fun" design. 12' x 12' Jacuuzi covering.

Sorry for going off topic @MoparCarGuy
Have a pic of my tag and will see if it can work out.