Re: safe dial numbers! map sketch to surface?

Do you need actually embossed numbers or just a representation? For a
representation you could create a circular sketch on a plane parallel
to the dial face. Then use sketch text and constrain it to the circle
(2005 and on feature I think). Finally use split face to project the
numbers onto the dial and get your shape. Now depending how curved
your dial face is you won't get perfect letters, but I'm thinking the
face shouldn't be two crazy and this will work fine.

Now if you want embossed letters you can do the same thing but extrude
the sketch and use the offset from surface option so that you get nice
rounded letters.

.