Re: Reproduction Ekco A22 Dials
I have completely recreated these dials from scratch using graphics software and they are the result of several months of work. They are not cleaned up or reworked scans of original dials. However a scan of the Type-2 dial from my own A22 was used as a starting point and reference to ensure the reproductions accurately and faithfully copy the originals in all respects, such as dimensions and size/placement of the legend detail.
Initially I tried printing just the dial scan itself but quickly rejected the idea due to the imperfections of the scanned dial being too noticeable in the reproduction. Reworking the scan to the point where it would have been acceptable would have probably taken longer and involved more work than starting afresh. Recreating the dials ensures they have sharp, clear detail and legends with bright even colours.
The dial artworks are printed on to photo quality paper using an A3 inkjet printer and then laminated several times in an A3 hot pouch laminator to build up the thickness to approximately that of an original dial. At present each dial needs to be trimmed by hand which is quite time consuming and the finished edges are not as accurate as I would like. I am currently trying various methods of trimming using MDF templates to achieve a more cleaner looking end product in a fraction of the time. Fortunately even when trimmed by hand all cut edges are totally concealed when the dial is fitted into an actual set.
The first image below shows a Type-1 dial after it has been hand cut and trimmed, the next four images are of the same dial fitted into my A22 in place of the original. Please note that the photographs of the dial fitted in the set were taken under a flourescent light source and appear a good deal lighter in colour than they actually are, the earlier images are more accurate in this respect. Likewise the illuminated pointer is hard to see for the same reason, it can just be made out between 'Dublin' and 'Plymouth' on the full face image.
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