I saw this and I thought of you!

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/rfq_request_quote/

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

I'll post a a couple pics in a couple hours. no sharp corners on the inside though!

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

https://picasaweb.google.com/AquaticEdge/VMRR?authkey=Gv1sRgCImY1qq3jqmY5QE#5575891137008557666 This And

https://picasaweb.google.com/AquaticEdge/VMRR?authkey=Gv1sRgCImY1qq3jqmY5QE#5575891146612097986

These two.

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

its not a CNC job unfortunately. you could not mill the "w" and a few other letters. if you could it would never look right as those are cast and have a lot of charactor that would be sharpened up with a machined part. Im afraid you will need to ask a sand caster or someone with EDM capabilities. It will take multiple EDM setups so that not going to be cheap and likely will still not look right. I would try to find someone with a small foundry and cast them from a pattern made from a sample.

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1982 300CD Turbo (Otis, "ups & downs") parts for sale
2003 TJ with Hemi (to go anywhere, quickly) sold
2001 Excursion Powerstroke (to go dependably)
1970 Mustang 428SCJ (to go fast)
1962 Corvette LS1 (to go in style)
2001 Schwinn Grape Krate 10spd (if all else fails)

I kind of agree that the best way would be to take the original plates and use them as masters. I am not sure of who does castings around me. There will be shrinkage of the casting, so the plates would be just a bit smaller. I don't think anything you'd notice.
I was more worried on the 'N's, than the 'W'. Is this for an original machine, replica or miniture? I still think it could be machined, then some hand work with an engraver. It still wouldn't look original. It might be easier to machine a casting master. It might be easier to cast in aluminum, then paint it bronze and black. There are web sources for cheap and easy aluminum melters. Bronze will take a higher temp.
It would be a few months before I could take on this as a project. I am way behind on some prototype fly reels. I also should make some miniture pulling tractor wheels, hubs and shafts.
Tom

another method that is gaining ground is to laser scan one, then with the 3D model you could expand it by the shrinkrate and rapid proto a master for the sand cast. laser scan ~750, rapid proto ~200, then you could take that to a caster but I really dont know their costs

if you want it dirt cheap and dont care if its plastic you could do it in urethane for $100 material and some time

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1982 300CD Turbo (Otis, "ups & downs") parts for sale
2003 TJ with Hemi (to go anywhere, quickly) sold
2001 Excursion Powerstroke (to go dependably)
1970 Mustang 428SCJ (to go fast)
1962 Corvette LS1 (to go in style)
2001 Schwinn Grape Krate 10spd (if all else fails)

Sort of this same vien, what do you have for colleges around your part. Some of them have machine shop classes. They might have laser scanners and such. Also, a digital probe or CMM (coordinate Measuring machine) should work as well. I don't know if I have enough strings to pull to get that done around me.
A quick and dirty way, would be to make a rubber mold. I think Hobby Lobby carries a kit, or do a web search. Then make a cast of that in acrylic or pastic. Again, avialable in a kit. If plastic is OK, then you done or paint it. If not, and some shrinkage is OK, then take the plastic part. Try and build up the top of the lettering and the sides. You generally wat 1/8 of an inch. You could glue on wood and cut. Balsa would do. Spray over with a teflon type paint. Then either find some one doing brass or aluminum casting. Or check the web for sources for backyard casting. This would be a plate or pit type. Just indent the pattern into the sand molding material. Probably a runner to the side. Pour in molten matterial.
I'd check around PA. The Amish seem to do some casting fairly cheap. Other states also have Amish or possibly Menonite populations. I think if you made the master as described, then the casting of it would be doable by them. Then a machine shop could mill off the top and bottom (to make it flat).
I looked at the CNCZone sight. Another idea pop into my head. You could use a duplicator or panagraph to cut the master. In a way you could size up the carving to compensate for shrinkage. There are plans on the web. Leave the top of the lettering and sides 1/8 above. That would make you a master for casting. Find someone to cast it or think about aluminum casting yourself.

Tom

You could build the positive side (tool) ---after accounting for the thickness crosssection of the part--and you could possibly use what you have for the tool for a sand casting outfit to use--As the other half, depending on if you have some wiggle room to account for shrinkage.

Here's plans for a fairly simple Panagraph or copier:
http://www.copycarver.com/index.htm

I might be able to dig up a place that has ties to some Amish foundry in PA.
Tom

hmmm. I dont know if the plates are removable I was going to cast them with plaster, let it cure and then make a silicone positive maybe it would be enough for a sand caster... Guess I need to think this one through a little more

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

My college (uc.edu) had a small foundry for (sand)casting aluminum in one of its labs- Brass/Bronze might be doable in the same Gas furnace. If' expect that if you found the right lab supervisor, he might be able to help you as part of a class

-John

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2009 Kia Sedona
2009 Honda Odyssey EX-L
12006 Jetta Pumpe Duse
(insert Mercedes here)

Husband, Father, sometimes friend =)

Try here-
http://btmco.com/boat.html

I E-mailed them. We'll see what they say. Thanks for the suggestion

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

Closed until the 27th. not sure why. just the one line Email I got back..

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

Don't bother to try taking a casting with plaster that shrinks too. Go for the more expensive modeling clay (may be this is good for you http://www.columbusclay.com/Modeling_Clay.htm) or do a layer of latex (often used for mask making) as a first layer and then use the shrinkable stuff as the next.

X2 or 3 or 4 or whatever for the shrinkage of a casting though

http://www.shelmetcastings.com/shrinkage-allowance-for-metal-casting.html

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!