Tach (pic of back)

[Expidia]

My new Teleflex tach came yesterday. I had some questions which I found the answers to.

But I saw a few other questions about Tach's or installation questions that usually involved what settings to put the dial on the back on and what does the switch look like?

Since most of us can't see their tach's after they have been already installed to see what that dial looks like and since many of us can't fit our heads back there to see what has to be adjusted without removing the whole tach . . .

I'd thought I'd post a pic of what the average tach looks like and the switch that sometimes has to be tried in different positions.

That black circle at the top is where you can change the bulb.

Also keep in mind some tachs use dip switches (they look like a row of little "room light" on and of switches).

 

[Expidia]

Re: Tach (pic of back)

Ok, finally got the boat back today from the Merc guy who did the prop seals.

Had a chance to mount the tach. Always a breeze when you have the right tools on hand.

For those that sometimes ask what to use to cut out a speaker hole etc . . . I love using what's called a RotoZip spiral saw (it's like a really big Dremel) and it's for cutting holes in stuff. Made fast work carving out the 3 1/4 inch hole for the tach in the dash.

The trick with a RotoZip is you have to buy the thicker zip bits. When I first got it I snapped probably 10 thin bits it came with. Buy a few of the thicker ones at Lowes or HD. They come 3 in a pack and are much thicker than the few they give you when you buy the tool. Also make sure when you buy bits you get some for metal, some for plastic/wood and some for sheet rock.

Have not snapped a bit in a year now.

So Teleflex was not very sporty supplying a template with the new tach. Spent most of my time making up one from a paper plate and then taped that circle to the dash.
Cut the hole out with the RotoZip and it slipped in like a glove.
Will wire it up tommorrow. It lights up at night when the key is on and the face throws off a nice red glow.

Left a space for a future stereo below it.

 

[rjwoodrome]

Re: Tach (pic of back)

Yea carpenters use them for trimming out around light switches and other device boxes in sheet rock. make sure to use the depth guage so as not to catch any wires. those buggers get mine occasionally...

 

[marcortez]

Re: Tach (pic of back)

That's a slick looking little tool you have there.

It looks like just an ordinary drill bit mounted?...is that the case?

 

[Expidia]

Re: Tach (pic of back)

That's a slick looking little tool you have there.

It looks like just an ordinary drill bit mounted?...is that the case?

It's closer to a big Dremel. If you look closer at the bit in that picture you can see the spirals which are more stretched out than a drill bit.

This allows the bit to cut sideways.

The first one I ever saw was about 5 years ago when an electrician was installing a light fixture in my ceiling and it took him 30 secs to cut the hole out.

I just saw one in Lowes today. They run around $50.

Man, I can remember how long it used to take me when I was a kid to cut holes in an auto door for speakers. That was a real pain drilling a few holes in a circle and then using an old hacksaw blade holding it with a rag . . . took me hours for two speaker holes. Usually sliced up a few fingers by the time the job was done

 

[carbineone]

Re: Tach (pic of back)

Thats the identical Tach I have..Instead of making a template the easier way I have found is to just use one of the kids compass or protractor to make the outline for the hole.Cannot remember which one is the right name as its been a long time since I have been in grade school...Just know it makes perfect circles...

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Tach (pic of back)

It's called a compass. And a far easier way to make nice round holes without drawing circles is to by an adjustable hole cutter. They are less than 10 bucks at any decent hardware store and can be adjusted from about an inch to six inches. They look like this:

http://www.ostartools.com/products/holesaws/adjustable/adjustable.htm

The one in the center, top row is similar to mine but uses a standard drill bit for the pilot and a tool steel cutter in the outer arm. You chuck it in a drill and drill slowly. Mine will go through sheet aluminum and easily through 3/4 to 1-inch thick wood.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Tach (pic of back)

Got it wired up tonight. Won't know if I tapped into the correct grey wire in the harness until I can run it on the muffs in the morning.

Check out this night pic though. At least I got the correct purple wire, so it's only on when the key is on.

This Teleflex has a nice warm red glow to it:

 

[Expidia]

Re: Tach (pic of back)

Ya Baby, nice to see the needle move when I fired her up this AM.

Thx to all in other threads who helped me install it. Idling a tad fast probably cause it's cold and on muffs: