[simpits-tech] A couple questions

[idekkers at clicksoftware.com]

Hi Brian,

if you are going to use fiberglass, i think it would be better to use
something stronger as a base then cardboard.
if you need to keep it thin you can use the special ply wood used in RC
planes it's very thin and very strong - though a lot more expensive then
cardboard.

as for the lights , did you try using good quality transparancies with a
laser printer ? it looks like it would could do the job and they are
designed for being back lit.
as for the boxes, you can do the thin plywood way or thin aluminum which
would be a bit harder to shape, but the boxes look simple enough.

Ido



                                                                           
             "Brian Sikkema"                                               
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             05/05/2004 05:01          [simpits-tech] A couple questions   
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Hey all,

I'm hoping to start construction of some of my panels once I get home for
the summer, so I have a couple of questions I'm trying to get answers to.

First off, a little picture, to help explain my questions:
http://www.me.mtu.edu/~bjsikkem/ma10_13.jpg

Now, first and foremost, I'm trying to decide what exactly to make the
panel out of. As you can see, unlike a normal aircraft panel, the Merc's
basically sat out in the middle of nowhere. In other words, it's supported
in the center, not along the edges like an aircraft panel. It was also
pretty large, one continuous peice for most of it. Therefore, it needs to
be fairly strong and stiff, so pushing buttons, etc, on the outer edges
won't result in me bending and flexing the panel.

My thoughts right now are to make the panel out of cardboard and fiberglass
it. Unfortunately the only hands-on experience I have with fiberglass is on
model rockets, and in that case you have the cylinder of the body tube
adding considerable strength - I'm not sure how strong it would be in a
flat design like this. Anyone have any experience, good or bad?

Secondly, I'm trying to decide how to do the indicator lights. The red
arrows in the picture are pointing to the lights I'm referring to. The top
arrow is pointing to a light that has had it's cover removed. MA-10 has
been quite thouroughly scavenged, which has been helpful in this case,
allowing me to see how the light worked. You can see it has two red lights
on the outside, and one in the center. The second arrow shows one with the
cover still there. And then on the bottom, I've pasted in the indicator
light graphic that we're using in Mercury 5.0, to give you an idea of the
three states.

My questions are these: 1st, any suggestions on how to make the cover
"boxes?" And 2nd, what material should I use for the front face? It needs
to be translucent to allow the light through, and I also need to figure out
some way to put words on the front. The graphic I've put on there is blank,
but each of the lights had writing on the front face - Retro Seq, 05g, etc.
etc.

As always, any and all help is greatly appreciated!
Brian

The ultimate responsibility of the pilot is to fulfill the dreams of the
countless millions of earthbound ancestors who could only stare skyward and
wish.



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