Hey guys, I know A LOT of people have been talking about doing a triple gauge pod so I thought I would offer up some motivation and how I did mine.
First I went with the most popular spot that people have been discussing. It is a great spot and can easily fit three gauges.
Next I used a Dremel and cut the inside out with a cutting bit. Hint there is a lil outline that will help guide you for a nice clean cut.
Then I had a triple gauge pillar pod that I had laying around so I used that. Take a Dremel again and cut out each individual pod so that you can move and position them the way you want. You will want to glue them together next to each other and about the same height. A good tip is to use Hot Glue, it's strong and fast acting especially with plastics. Once you have them glued together and positioned where you'd like them, take a piece of fleece (I got mine from JoAnn Fabrics, off the scrap bin for about $.72, also the thinner it is the easier it will be to stretch and maneuver.) and begin stretching it over the entire area. Fast acting Super glue will help to ensure a quick solid adhesion.
Trim off all the excess fleece as this will help later on when the fiberglass dries. Also, the tighter and less wrinkles you have, the better and easier it will be to sand afterwards. Mix your fiberglass resin and hardener accordingly and using a paintbrush that is expendable, pour and paint the resin onto the fleece. Make sure to completely saturate the fleece as the more resin you use, the harder it will become. Also try to get extra resin on the contact points of the fleece and plastics to secure the bonds. Once the fiberglass dries, use 80 grit sandpaper or coarser and smooth out the fiberglass. You'll then be able to use body filler to cover the entire area of your pod.
Now is the fun part. Sand the filler until all is smooth. This will most likely take many coats and time sanding. If you plan to paint your pod, you will need to make it as straight, smooth and as least imperfections as you can. I would Highly recommend hand sanding as any power sander will most likely take the filler down too much and too fast. Once you have it sanded to a point that you are satisfied with, carve out the holes for the pods and test fit them. It is also a good idea to test the pod in place so you can see if any other areas need to be sanded to fit. A good tip is to spray a coat of primer over your pod then resand to show any high or low spots.
Finally paint your pod to your choice or wrap it in some material, hook your gauges up and enjoy!
First I went with the most popular spot that people have been discussing. It is a great spot and can easily fit three gauges.
Next I used a Dremel and cut the inside out with a cutting bit. Hint there is a lil outline that will help guide you for a nice clean cut.
Then I had a triple gauge pillar pod that I had laying around so I used that. Take a Dremel again and cut out each individual pod so that you can move and position them the way you want. You will want to glue them together next to each other and about the same height. A good tip is to use Hot Glue, it's strong and fast acting especially with plastics. Once you have them glued together and positioned where you'd like them, take a piece of fleece (I got mine from JoAnn Fabrics, off the scrap bin for about $.72, also the thinner it is the easier it will be to stretch and maneuver.) and begin stretching it over the entire area. Fast acting Super glue will help to ensure a quick solid adhesion.
Trim off all the excess fleece as this will help later on when the fiberglass dries. Also, the tighter and less wrinkles you have, the better and easier it will be to sand afterwards. Mix your fiberglass resin and hardener accordingly and using a paintbrush that is expendable, pour and paint the resin onto the fleece. Make sure to completely saturate the fleece as the more resin you use, the harder it will become. Also try to get extra resin on the contact points of the fleece and plastics to secure the bonds. Once the fiberglass dries, use 80 grit sandpaper or coarser and smooth out the fiberglass. You'll then be able to use body filler to cover the entire area of your pod.
Now is the fun part. Sand the filler until all is smooth. This will most likely take many coats and time sanding. If you plan to paint your pod, you will need to make it as straight, smooth and as least imperfections as you can. I would Highly recommend hand sanding as any power sander will most likely take the filler down too much and too fast. Once you have it sanded to a point that you are satisfied with, carve out the holes for the pods and test fit them. It is also a good idea to test the pod in place so you can see if any other areas need to be sanded to fit. A good tip is to spray a coat of primer over your pod then resand to show any high or low spots.
Finally paint your pod to your choice or wrap it in some material, hook your gauges up and enjoy!
