3d printing guys!

How big and complicated of parts can we get made on this forum? 

Id like to have a custom gauge cluster made for my 64 el Camino.  I could do it out of various other stuff, but the idea of a single printed piece appeals to me. 

Tbe cluster would be roughly3 feet long, 6 inches deep amd 8 inches high.

Is this feasable for a home printer? Is there software that i can use to make the model of it for free? Should i just break out my abs/pvc/fiberglass? Settle for the single aftermarket dash that comes without holes?

That 3 feet long part could be a problem for most home printers. I don't know of anyone selling one that big actually. 

Could be done in sections and molded together, but that is well beyond my personal experience level

Those dimensions are probably a little on the larger than real life side, but not by a lot.

But what im understandingyou to say is that 3d printing this is probably not feasible for the home setup.

I suspect I have the largest print area here, and that's only 10" cubed. They don't get a heck of a lot larger. 

Yeah, for home use (and 99% of industrial use), that's outside of the size available.  You should be planning to make it in 4 parts and glue it together. 

You might have trouble with a 3d printed dash in the temperatures that car interiors get to anyway.  Make sure you research the material before you commit to that expense..

In reply to WonkoTheSane :

Hadn't thought about the heat. Crap.

Back to the old fashioned way. 

You could make a metal cast from several dovetailed 3d prints...  from the bad ideas department...

https://makezine.com/projects/guide-to-3d-printing-2014/metal-casting-with-your-3d-printer/

I think it would be possible to make something like this out of interlocking sections, from ABS. But you'd probably want to design it with an intent to cover it with...something. The printed surface won't be very attractive. My Creality CR-10S has a working envelope of 12x12x16. 

Interesting note about the work envelope.. one of our partners is a company called Renishaw. They're big in professional additive machines.

Their work envelopes are all 250mm X 250mm X 350mm based on the market research that 94+% of the market will be covered by that.

lots of printers can do ABS plastic, that shouldn't be too bad at putting up with the heat of a car.  My printer (a prusa i3 mk2s) can do nylon out of the box, that would definitely hold up to car heat, but it would require a bunch of parts glued together to make a few feet.  There are some RC planes printed in multiple parts, glued together it's strong enough to handle flight and landing.  Should be strong enough for a dash.  Of course, you could print multiple parts for a fiberglass mold or something and make the whole dash out of fiberglass.  

My anet a8 prints 8” x 8” x 8”

As everyone said, size is limited for home gamers. We have a plastic one at work which is 8 feet by 4 feet, but I can't use it without a special need. Shop around online, perhaps someone has invested and will take orders.

How would I go about that? 

Also, i probably need to design the part first. Any reccomendations for a luddite?