Yet another vintage panel upgrade

[podair]

Hi

I am looking to re-arrange my old left hand side scatter gun panel into something (relatively!) more modern. I'd love to go glass etc but for now this will do. I looked at Hendricks Manufacturing fantastic panels and was going to go that route until it appeared my hangar neighbour owns a metalwork facility and CNC machines and offered to help! 

I have produced the sketch using Front Panel Express and am looking to order from them and then refine it if needed using my friend's help. PDF attached, let me know what you think. I still need to re-arrange some holes etc but that's most of the design work done so far. I am going to have that panel vertical so will need to include the bend on the right hand side to accommodate the old panel layout. Anyone know what the dimensions of the side triangle are? Any advice on replacing the mounts and how to best mount the panel? Also anything to watch out when placing the magneto switch?

 

oydfd left panel curved v1.pdf

[MIm20c]

I think you can buy blank panels pretty cheap which should already have the basic size and bend. 

[cctsurf]

I've been desiring to do this for quite some time.  My IA would prefer to have me go LASAR's direction so that he can have some preliminary 337 paperwork to follow...  I'd prefer to buy a panel from Aircraft Spruce and go to town.  I think I could do the sheet metal work pretty easily, it's the mounting system that has both of us concerned.

I like how you have moved the clock (the 2.25" hole) to the left side, above the ignition switch, I have similar thoughts.  I'm not certain how everyone deals with the keys hanging over the instrument (clock) there.  The square instrument hole, is that for an HSI and are you centering your panel closer to the center of the cockpit or I guess I'm curious what your plans are there.

 

[cctsurf]

'course, then there's this post:  

 

[podair]

yes I have looked at a lot of different posts and admiring some great panels. 

Specifically I am looking at the dimension of the curved triangle edge between the avionics stack and the new upright panel. I guess we could start off with an larger approximation and then adjust as needed but if anyone has the dimensions it would be helpful, ie by how much does the top of the vertical new panel stick out.

[Raptor05121]

I can't offer much help, but damn that looks nice. I wish I could do the same. Is there any interest in your friend cutting and selling for the public?

[gsxrpilot]

Any of you who are EAA members can download a copy of Solidworks. Use that to create the CAD file to take to your local metal shop and get the panel cut.

Practice with a piece of plexiglass or lexan from HomeDepot. That way you can draw on it with a sharpie and see the frame through it to line up mounting holes and see possible obstructions.

The panel in our Mooneys isn't structural and so it's easy to do this as an owner produced part.

Here's the finished product.

 

[kris_adams]

1 hour ago, gsxrpilot said:

These pictures should be considered cruel and unusual punishment!!!  Beautiful...

[DualRatedFlyer]

1 hour ago, gsxrpilot said:

Any of you who are EAA members can download a copy of Solidworks. Use that to create the CAD file to take to your local metal shop and get the panel cut.

Practice with a piece of plexiglass or lexan from HomeDepot. That way you can draw on it with a sharpie and see the frame through it to line up mounting holes and see possible obstructions.

The panel in our Mooneys isn't structural and so it's easy to do this as an owner produced part.

Here's the finished product.

 

Where might one find a pre-existing file with base panel dimensions that have been validated in an effort to cut back on spending hours in a cockpit with a tape measure? 

Asking for a friend... 

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Kris_Adams said:

These pictures should be considered cruel and unusual punishment!!!  Beautiful...

You’re right, it’s cruel that the Aspen is lonely!

Clarence

[Marauder]

You’re right, it’s cruel that the Aspen is lonely!
Clarence

Yeah what kind of owner does that. Even when I committed to installing just the PFD, it taken long for me realize it looked lonely.


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[gsxrpilot]

5 hours ago, DualRatedFlyer said:

Where might one find a pre-existing file with base panel dimensions that have been validated in an effort to cut back on spending hours in a cockpit with a tape measure? 

Asking for a friend... 

 

@"Chocks" did the panel measuring, layout, paint, label etching, etc... I'm sure he'd send you the dimensions... for a price.  Or he could spit out the whole panel for you :-)

It's really pretty easy with the old panel out of the way, to mock it up with a piece of $5 plexiglass/lexan. Drill holes, mount it up and then mark it up with a sharpie. Much easier than with a tape measure.

[gsxrpilot]

4 hours ago, M20Doc said:

You’re right, it’s cruel that the Aspen is lonely!

 

3 hours ago, Marauder said:

Yeah what kind of owner does that. Even when I committed to installing just the PFD, it taken long for me realize it looked lonely.

 

Yeah, yeah, yeah... I completely agree and really wanted to put the MFD in as well. But adding the Aspens is all about removing other instruments for me. And while normally adding the MFD with battery backup would allow me to remove the ASI and Altimeter, not in this case. I'm stuck with retaining the altimeter for the altitude pre-select for the KFC150.  So with a beautiful moving map with SV, etc. already on the IFD540, and only able to replace a single steam gauge, I decided it wasn't worth the cost and panel space to add the MFD.  If Aspen would support altitude pre-select with vertical speed, etc for the KFC150, I'd add the MFD in a minute.

[OzM20F]

I've just redone the panels on my '67 F.  In the interests of economy, the only new instrument is a Garmin G5.  Most of the work was rearranging the old instruments into something more conventional.  My local avionics guys custom made the panel to suit a mix of instruments that could cope with not being exactly vertical and a couple that had to be vertical.  It was still not a cheap job and cost a few avcoins (that's the aviation equivalent of a bitcoin).  Here are the before and after photos of the left panel.  I had the right side redone to match but didn't install anything new apart from replacing an ancient Collins VHF with a new Trig TY96 and made only a few minor rearrangements.  I'm surprised and very pleased with the changes and how much easier it is to fly in IMC now.

 

[podair]

great stuff! the G5 is an upgrade I'd like to do in the near future, possibly a dual one. Oh I want a modern EDM too, I have the EDM700 which is great but so 1980s tech...

Going back at my quest to figure out the right dimensions, just looking at various photos seen on Mooneyspace it looks like the top edge of the panel on those with a bend on the side and a triangle fill is max 1/1.25in , so the top of the panel sticks out 1.25in to be vertical, probably less. I guess we could allow for 1.5 and cut it to adjust but looks like 1.25in (ie 3cm) looks plenty. 

I have drawn a .DXF outline file of the panel if anyone wants to have a look with a simple CAD software.

Edited November 8, 2017 by podair

[Raptor05121]

Those look great. Can anyone share the approximate cost to have one of these cut and drilled?

[gsxrpilot]

1 minute ago, Raptor05121 said:

Those look great. Can anyone share the approximate cost to have one of these cut and drilled?

$50

[Bob_Belville]

With a little modification to the panel support mounts the entire panel can be flat and vertical. Mine is made in 2 pieces for ease of installation/removal. Cutting and silkscreening the panel was a trivial part of the upgrade.

VID_20171029_131933117[1].mp4

[podair]

On 11/7/2017 at 9:59 PM, Raptor05121 said:

I can't offer much help, but damn that looks nice. I wish I could do the same. Is there any interest in your friend cutting and selling for the public?

He's based in France and so am I so not quite sure it is worth the shipping costs! That's partly the reason I am not using Hendricks or LASAR 's panels, as for the cost of shipping alone you could probably have one cut here. Compared to any panel cutting service I have come across, Hendricks is most probably a notch above in quality and helpful with the instrument placement options as they know Mooneys, which obviously LASAR does as well and they sell a good kit. However most of the cost is getting the dimensions and instrument placement right  as it is very time consuming , the cutting of the panel itself seems pretty trivial. By doing it locally I can afford to get it wrong the first time around and have another panel cut. Interestingly I looked at having one done in plexiglas first as suggested and the price delta vs aluminium is not that big (but I guess you lose the advantage of doing it transparently first!).

The other key thing to consider is how to light the instruments as you are getting rid of the plastic overlay with the post lights. I think I am going to fit Nulites.

Edited November 9, 2017 by podair

[macosxuser]

Mine is similar to yours, I just finished the major installation stuff, doing a couple wiring fixes, and tying everything up. This is a interim panel until I do a full Hendricks with a JPI900 or JPI930.

PS8000BT

GNS480

KX155/GS

KN64

Sandel SN3308

G5 Attitude

[podair]

nice! that's pretty much exactly what I want to do. I notice you also move the HSI slightly off centre to the right, I guess to avoid the control wheel shaft. Also it is probably more directly in front of the pilot that way. Anything else in particular to watch out for?  Did you use Nulites? I think I am going to go ahead with it this winter, if only as an interim panel before a nicer Hendricks one when I upgrade my avionics. I'm leaving the copilot side as is for now. 

 

Edited November 15, 2017 by podair

[podair]

On 11/7/2017 at 5:40 PM, podair said:

I am going to have that panel vertical so will need to include the bend on the right hand side to accommodate the old panel layout. Anyone know what the dimensions of the side triangle are?

Thanks to the extremely Mooney supportive folks at LASAR I can answer my own question. They supplied me with a complete kit with shock mounts and the elusive litte triangle covering the bit that sticks out if your panel goes vertical. The triangle sides are 9.6in x 1.8 in x 9.5in

[Chris from PA]

The avionics shop custom fabricated this piece of aluminum and then powder coated it.  Less than $200 If I remember correctly.

[gsxrpilot]

2 hours ago, Chris from PA said:

The avionics shop custom fabricated this piece of aluminum and then powder coated it.  Less than $200 If I remember correctly.

Since cutting a new panel, I'd have recessed the Sandia.

[tigers2007]

Did Garmin ever officially come out with a recessed mount for the G5?


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