It's been awhile, but I'm back with a new problem...

Question

Hello guys, it's been quite some time since I've been stumped and needed to resort to the best resource on the net... You Guys! lol anyway, here is an image of what I need to create and I've been trying to do this using line segment or pen, but my problem with line segment is the blunt ends and the pen does not allow me to change the stroke width to reflect the wider lines.  I'm still a newbie and probably always will be, so easy to understand instructions are as always, greatly appreciated.
The "Dial" is actually this wierd rectangle shape with the odd dip at the top, but all I need is the black artwork inside the dial.  You can see that the side lines are a different width then the top and the sides slant inward a bit.  What would be the easiest way to re-create this and keep the stroke width correct?
Thanks guys!

Answer 1

Jber,
Or, starting over you may get both the slanting and the constant widths and horizontal top/bottom ends if you:
1) Create vertical straight stroke/nofill paths with the same widths as the original (one width for the three long ones that are to form part of the Compound Path and one width for the six short ones within) and distances as the (almost) vertical ones measured at the bottom, you may make them all full length (top to bottom) and maybe a bit to bite off;
2) Select all and Distort with the Free Transform Tool, dragging (inwards) by the top left corner while holding Ctrl+Alt+Shift/Cmd+Option+Shift until you have the right slanting/perspective;
3) Object>Path>Outline Stroke;
4) Lock/hide the three wide paths;
5) Create horizontal paths where you want to cut the six shorter/thinner ones, and Object>Path>Divide Objects below, and remove the unwanted parts;
6) Unlock/unhide the three wide paths;
7) Create horizontal paths at top and bottom with the desired width (same as the original) as Stroke Weight and Object>Path>Outline Stroke;
7) Select 5) and 6), Pathfinder>Divide, and remove the unwanted parts;
8) Pathfinder>Merge and delete the empty paths inside the Compound Path.