(26) Panel (Mike)

[planecrazzzy]

Hey Guys,
I bought Instruments to start my Panel...

I was waiting until I got them all before setting the "Distance" from the Fuel Tank...

I waited a long time for a Turn Coordinator from ACS.... No Joy

So I re-ordered it from "Chief".... more headaches.... no joy....

OK... Forget the Damn Thing... we're moving on...

Something "not" in the picture is my ASI

160 mph gave me a good look at the lower speeds also...

This is especially good , since slow flight is around 40
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Gotta Fly...
Mike & "Jaz" the Flying Dogz
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[planecrazzzy]

Hey Guys,

I'm making brackets to hold the panel away from the Fuel Tank...

The bracket needs to zig zag so the door "Swing" will clear it...

After a couple tries with paper... I got the right angles to make them out

of Aluminum.... I used 6061 .032 thick

Then I made some "tabs" with 8-32 nuts tack welded on them...

The tabs get welded to the Fuselage/ Door tubing....

This will hold the Brackets in place...
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. Gotta Fly...
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[planecrazzzy]

Hey Guys,
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I trimmed the tabs to fit...

a spacer block was used to hold it in place for Tack Welding...

I usually tack with MIG and weld with TIG
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Gotta Fly...

[planecrazzzy]

Hey Guys,
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I made more "Tabs"

I call them Finger Tabs , because they are so long...

I used two to hold the Transponder "slide mount" in place...

I'll use the other six to hold the top of the panel...

The tabs will be welded on the cross tube... But first , I need

to get the panels shape figured out.... and the transponder in place...

Next I will "lay-out" the holes where the screws will go...

Drill them and screw the Finger Tabs on the panel...

Then I can tack the finger Tabs to the cross tube...

This will be the best way to keep everything aliened...
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I put a couple bends on the bottom of the panel...

This really stiffened it...

The panel is 6061 T-6 , .05 thick

It was a BEAR to bend 37-1/2" of it...

Two people pulling , one on each side would have been better...
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[planecrazzzy]

Hey Guys,

OK , Panel is fitting pretty good...

I'll need to put the screws in the side brackets before I lay-out the top for cutting...
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Gotta Fly...

[planecrazzzy]

Hey Guys,

I got the sides of the panel secured to the brackets...

I put six "Inserts" in the brackets ( 8-32 )

Now I can get a radius mark on the upper panel...

I've tried several ways to get a smooth line ...

The best way I found , was to make some accurate marks...

go ahead and draw your best line.... Take it down and

use a thin piece of metal.... bowing it to fit ...

This can transfer a perfect arching line....
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Gotta Fly...
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[planecrazzzy]

Hey Guys,
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I cut the upper radius with my band saw... it has a "Wood" blade...

But works fine on aluminum...
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After I cut it the best I could... I used a file to true out the radius...

I took some time , but turned out very nice....
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Next , I put the panel back on the plane... and traced the inside of the

transponder box... Next... cut out the hole to slide in the Transponder....

Now....after securing the transponder in place...

I'll check "lay-out" for the Finger Tabs...

This should finish "Securing" the panel....

Gotta Fly...
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[planecrazzzy]

Hey Guys,

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I have the Finger tabs in place...

But I'll need to custom bend a few before I tack weld them....

I don't want to pull them down to the cross tube...

I need them to touch it while relaxed ...

Then everything will bolt "Back" together smoothly...
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Gotta Fly...
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[planecrazzzy]

Hey Guys,
I trimmed and fit the tabs today...

I got them in a position to weld them without any tension on them...

This should help when I need to pull the panel , and put it back...

And we all know... when building... putting things together and taking them apart

happens A LOT.....
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Here's the welded tabs... I'm waiting for things to cool "in place" before

I remove the panel and clean things up...
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Gotta Fly...

PS I can grab the panel... and MOVE the whole plane...
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[planecrazzzy]

Hey Guys,
Time to mount my GPS...

I've wanted this in my plane ever since I saw it in Paul Baron's Tailwind...
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I mounted it like he did... Split the unit... and put it back together with

the panel in between the unit....

Not much room for a good fit.... I split it and measured the amount I needed...

It turned out great !!! I love it.
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It didn't come apart like I thought it would.... But Iwas able to assemble it through the hole...
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Gotta Fly...
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[planecrazzzy]

Hey Guys,
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Here it is "in" the panel...
Gotta Fly...

[planecrazzzy]

Hey Guys,
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I think this looks pretty cool in the panel.

I have a protective cover that goes on it too.
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The GPS will have a power cord... and a remote antenna
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Gotta Fly...
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[planecrazzzy]

Instrument holes...
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Gotta Fly...

[planecrazzzy]

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Details in a couple holes...(Alt & VSI)

Next I have a couple small instruments to mount.
I'm going to keep the 3in spacing.
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Gotta Fly...

[planecrazzzy]

Starting to look like a Panel.
When I need to make a tiny "Transfer Mark"
I use a transfer punch... But I can't 'HIT it...
So i use a Sharpie , and blacken around the screw.
Then i use the transfer punch to mark a spot just by twisting it.
After...I can see it and punch the spot for drilling.
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Gotta Fly...
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