Hi!
I am new in this forum and is stsrting to build a mcp for the 737-800.
Right now i am stuck om selecting a material that will work as a layer where i can add the switched and lights.
I guess i need some cardboard or something strong enough but still easy to cut and make whole etc.
What material do you use?
"Panels" are usually made of two layers
One metal backer (aluminum) on which switches, rotaries, digit displays etc are firmly mounted (cardboard is a no no)
One overlay panel with engraved legends and backlighting, made of polycarbonate (plastic) which fits over the backer and has openings for the hardware to go through.
Your project of an MCP is probably the most difficult part to build of the whole cockpit and might take you an eternity to build.
Unless you can access a laser cutting shop,I would suggest buying at least the front panel from one of many suppliers and concentrating yours efforts on the electronic and software side of it.
IMHO
Jack
Hi and thank you very much for your answer.
I forgot to say i have bought the frontpanel from Simworld, i will buy all my panels from them. My MCP that i bought also include a "backlight" panel, but i don´t think that one is for mounting electronic components on, just to block the lights so the light that coming through is "perfect".
So i need some kind of more "metal/hard-material" that i can place a bit behind and maybe then also one more "layer-panel" that will be infront of the electric components where i can attach my led strip for the backlighting of the whole MCP.
I am doing this for x-plane, so i have a C++ program that read from the COM-port and made a arduino program that sends the commands from the potensiometers and button/switches etc.
I have all the software/electronics figured out, but i am stuck on the "mounting" of the electronic components. =)
i work as a programmer, but my crafting skills is rediculous low! haha
The aluminum backpanel on which you install the hardware is included.
Not sure I understand your initial question ?
http://www.simworld.pl/shop/product_info.php?cPath=16&products_id=48&osCsid=gg8sud6s5gbr7bnb0u4180oie3 (http://www.simworld.pl/shop/product_info.php?cPath=16&products_id=48&osCsid=gg8sud6s5gbr7bnb0u4180oie3)
Its me who is bad at explaining. =)
The first panel is just the "face" and the other panel is "backlight" panel.
I still think i need another panel to mount all the custom made buttons and potentiometers on that is behind the backlighting panel.
i need a third layer that i can position in exact position depending on how far away the buttons and switches is so to say.
I think i found something good,will post some pictures later. ????
You might look at my blog's backlighting page: http://elephantair737.blogspot.ca/p/backlighting.html (http://elephantair737.blogspot.ca/p/backlighting.html) - I show in detail how I did the MIP and overhead backlighting. The pictures show all panels in detail, and you can see how hardware and backligting are attached. MIP panel and overhead are from FDS.
Nick
Hello,
or check here to get some ideas...
http://lowtone.de/wordpress/?page_id=310 (http://lowtone.de/wordpress/?page_id=310)
Cheers
Andy