ho scale digital gas station sign

[Mr. New Guy]

Hello

I'm currently working on my ho scale, Summit Custom Cuts, Shell gas station.  I'm thinking of making a sign where I can change the price of gas electronicly.  All I need are some ideas of how to do this.

 

Thanks

 

Mr. New Guy

[BroadwayLion]

Well... How about this item. (click-on for details)

 

More stuff here.

Of couse LION would not do it electronically... Him would down load an LCD sort of a font, print some prices out on some paper, and slip them into the display by hand. I think that would look a lot better than using an electronic display.

You might also do well to buy a cheap calculator, and take the display from it and adapt that to your sigh.

 

 

 

ROAR

[RR_Mel]

I have one on order from Amazon.  Here is a couple of links;

 

 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M7U01VX?psc=1

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Powered-Scrolling-Name-Badge/dp/B00IMTDOFY

 

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Red-Blue-Green-Yellow-or-White-LED-Name-Badge-With-Scrolling-Message-/161026568342?var=&hash=item257dee7096:m:m1JZNGrp434_qMT4Fu85mgA

 

I'm going to use the one in the top link for an HO billboard.

 

 

Mel

 

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

[chutton01]

BroadwayLion

Of couse LION would not do it electronically... Him would down load an LCD sort of a font, print some prices out on some paper, and slip them into the display by hand. I think that would look a lot better than using an electronic display.

Although I hate agreeing with Brother Elias, this time I believe he is correct. Affordable 7 Segment display elements seem pretty thick, so if you were thinking of a sign like this one it wouldn't really work (unless the view of the sign is restricted enough so the depth cannot be seen).
If that is workable, then you'd just need some driver circuits for the LEDs and some Arduino equivalent.
RR_Mel scrolling nametags look like they'd work to represent those scrolling signs mounted on many repair and autobody shops around my area - thickness would not be that critical in this case, as they could be recessed within the model building wall.

[carl425]

It would be humorous to have the gas price go up a penny a gallon every few minutes during an operating session. 

[gmpullman]

carl425

It would be humorous to have the gas price go up a penny a gallon every few minutes during an operating session. 

 

  

One of the vendors at a local train show has many varieties of "marquee" LED chase lights and clip-on pocket "signs" that have various messages on them. I really don't know his source, but they're out there.

Sometimes All Electronics has such devices:

http://www.allelectronics.com/category/345/led-displays/1.html

There's LCD displays, too but usually they need a separate light source.

{edit} I see LION and Mel have pointed you to sources, mine is redundant

Have Fun, Ed