Before you suggest chromecarletters.com those don’t really match the font of the brand.
I’d be happy to learn about any sources for this, but specifically I’m looking for the font used on the back of a Toyota RAV4 which seems to be consistent for the past 15 or so model years. It’d be very cool if someone sold the OEM lettering.
dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world 1 day ago
This is one of those jobs that seems tailor made for 3D printing.
You may not find the font you need exactly, but you can probably doodle something up that’ll be close enough to get the point across, especially if you can get a good scan or image of the letters you have got, and copy them (and their style).
3D print your parts (in ASA/ABS or a fairly heat resistant material is probably a good idea) and use copper electroplating spray on it and then nickel plate the shit out of it to make it silver and shiny. Nickel plating is easy to do at home (unlike chrome plating) and pretty tough to screw up.
Lv_InSaNe_vL@lemmy.world 17 hours ago
Most car badges aren’t actually plated anyways, they could save themselves a whole lot of trouble and just get some chrome spray paint and make it shiny still
dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world 17 hours ago
I’ve never actually successfully made anything shiny with that type of “chrome” spray paint. But they can give it a shot.
You’re right that most car badges are plastic anyway, covered with a thin veneer of that flaky chrome effect stuff. I have no idea if it’s actually chrome or just some kind of shiny plastic, a hot-dip process, some kind of PVD or sputtering, or what.