Boltz's A-10 Build

Looking forward to making parts but I decided to move the mill and build an enclosure for it. Didn't quite expect so many chips to come off it and being inside the house I need to keep them contained.

Started to paint some 6mm acrylic to try engraving that. Then I'll try a proper lightplate with backlighting.

John, I'm not using single line fonts as I'm actually not a fan of very thin engravings on panels. Instead I'm using a pocket operation to engrave every letter. 0.010" bit is making a couple of passes per letter so I could go smaller by easily reducing the thickness but I much prefer thicker letters on light plates. It really helps me to see the labels a lot easier when backlighting is not on.

I've also been learning about how to make PCBs and got a couple test files made up to try out. I can't wait to see these come to life.

Just need to finish this enclosure and wait for a couple more things to arrive then it will be good to go

When you start to make PCB's Calum, there are two ways to design them and I have tried both.

The first one is the single line between traces method. You draw your traces and then use "engrave" to cut them. Its a fast way to produce a PCB. But there is a problem with this method. Tiny pieces of copper, almost dust like, hides in the lines you just cut. You can't see them but they are there. And sometimes when you plug something in "there is a short". I started examining all of my boards with a good dissecting microscope. Sure enough, the little bastards are hiding in the grooves. Not always, but enough times I found problems that I started inspecting the PCBs before I soldered them up with components.

It was taking a bit of time to clean the crap out of the grooves or to at least ensure there was no crap so I tried another method. AFter drawing the traces as I always did, I started doing an offset of .006" for each trace. The result filled in the spaces between the traces with additional lines to engrave. Its still all one engraving operation but now it removes all of the material between traces. Its like pocketing but you don't need to make any tool changes for a larger dia bit. Eventually I used the BPoly command in AutoCAD to create and outline between traces and then offset this outline. That was an even faster way of doing it.

So with much great advice from Warhog and others I've started making some parts. Most of my time is spent testing and adjusting things but hopefully I'll start speeding up now.

For panels I plan to use 6mm acrylic for the lightplates and 1.5mm aluminium backplates. Backlighting is provided by a PCB pocketed into the back of the lightplate. This construction will mean the panels are built very similar to real CAT 7 panels. I'm working towards a proper lightplate now I've got engraving tests done so I'll put up some pictures when that is done.

Panel backlighting PCB:

LEDs are 3528 package and resistors 0805 package so quite small for soldering. LEDs weren't super cheap because I needed specific wavelength, brightness, package and in 125 degree viewing angle but there not bad price either. I've tested the backlighting in the various lightplate ideas and it looks perfect.

Next image shows 3 engraving tests

From left to right: 6mm white acrylic painted black; 6mm clear acrylic painted white layer then black layer; 1.5mm Rowmark engraving plastic. These pieces were simply cut to test the process so have plenty of scratch marks and lines cut by tablesaw :)

White acrylic does seem far too "milky" for me and light does not work great behind it. 6mm clear is my favourite method and I think looks the best. I need to work on paint process to get its quality better. Engraving plastic has too much of a glossy finish for me. It looks more professional but I'm a big fan of sharp white text on a matte panel so clear acrylic is the way to go for me.

It saves having to cut multiple layers and stack them together. Also room to round over the front edges before paint for a neater finish but again this needs testing.

I've got parts cut for engine instruments so they are coming along nicely but parts to reassemble the tubes are not due until Monday. But I have plenty more to make for when they arrive.

Cheers

Still looking great, Calum! Just for fun, try hitting your engraving plastic with a quick coat of clear matte spray paint. I've found it puts a really nice, professional looking finish on it.

Whoa that looks really great Calum :thumbup: Looks like you have nailed that paint thickness perfectly that you can remove just the black paint. Really pro job there. Can't wait to see some light on those panels

Keep up the excellent work Sir

Cheers

Hans

Trying to find a small roundover bit for the front edge of panels at the moment. It will only be 1mm but will take the sharp edge off easily.

Started working on engine instruments now. All faceplates and needles cut but waiting on more motors to mount them. These are original tubes with some faceplates changed and all converted to be driven by VID29 stepper motors.

Oil pressure gauges are finished. APU gauges need backplates and motors. Fuel flow needs soldered motors and then can be finished. Fan RPM needs gears to increase travel of motors. Dual pointer gauges need a bit more work :)

Working on a faceplate and mount for them all at the moment

Fantastic looking Calum!

Absolutly fantastic, you sure some of them aren't the real deal ?

Home made tubes or real ones? The wear and tear seems beyond possible to recreate and the faceplate looks great

Cheers

Gus

Thank you very much mac and gus!

The "tubes" each instrument is in are real original 2 inch instruments from eBay. I got them with random faceplates and needles for cheap. Only the 4 dual pointer gauges and APU EGT have the original faceplates. The others I had to replace with my own versions. I also had to change 4 needles for homemade ones and salvage 2 others from some other instruments. You can see 3 neeeles in the bottom row are just hanging down at the moment. They need some small brass tube to fix to the motor shaft.

Hi Boltz,

keep up the good work.

Looks like you are constructing the frontplate and backlight the way I thought of making them :thumbup:

You just have one advantage, you've bought a cnc router :)

I'll probably ask a local rc plane manufacturer if he can make my frontplates and pcbs.

Cheers Sven

Looking for the following parts at the moment. If anyone can help then please let me know. It would be much appreciated.

- AQU-6/A HSI or equivalent like used in C-130

- TACAN Panel

- ILS Panel

- Airspeed Indicator - Just needs correct bezel, drum and a barber pole. Scale can be off etc.

If I can't find the airspeed indicator with the bezel with 8 small screws, then I'll probably use a cheap (if only) altimeter case with the internals from another gauge. Hopefully they would fit.

Many thanks

First Lightplate Made!

After a lot of testing and waiting for parts I got the first light plate engraved this evening

Last picture shows the backlighting PCB in place within the light plate. This allows aluminium backplates to be used instead of acrylic as I've found these to break on me when connecting them into a frame or just with heavier components.

I'm quite happy with it. They can be made better by tweaking the process slightly but each panel will take a long time to make by this method.

Next step is to start a couple more lightplates so that if one goes wrong I haven't lost all the work and start on building an IO system.

Nice Calum! Very nice!

Nice Calum! Very nice!

Excellent work Callum and yes that is exactly the same plate I use.

Front panel cut with original post lights and the instruments fitted for a mockup. Waiting for clamps to get them fixed properly. Also plenty more work to get them all finished and running. Front panel needs engraved and painted as well.

Nicely done i ordered some small head nylon fillister head screws because the layout is so tight. Let me know if you need a dozen i picked up a bag of 100.

Sweet Jesus that looks awesome Boltz. Really impressive work Sir. Really looking forward to see you get those gauges up and running. And good catch on those post light

Cheers

Hans

Anti-G Panel Completed

Finally something is finished :pilotfly:

Most processes are down for making some more panels

Engine instrument mounting plate is engraved and painted black. Waiting for the white paint to fill engraving

Some panels in wrong order on the console because wooden structure is in the way. Won't be a problem with metal consoles

Spiffy looking backplates you got going on there Calum! Nicely done yet again!

I had to laugh when I saw that picture Calum. It so reminded me of my own build in various stages of destruction... I meant construction.:smilewink:

Looking good my friend.

excellent work!!! looks like it is turning out quite well.

I had to laugh when I saw that picture Calum. It so reminded me of my own build in various stages of destruction... I meant construction.:smilewink:

 

Looking good my friend.

Haha so true many old versions of panels off to the side. I think I've got it right this time

LASTE Panel light plate milled. Still lots of work to do on it :pilotfly:

Uhhhh that looks very nicely done Boltz. Really looking forward for seeing it once you have engraved it.

Looks like you have made recess for pcb to be embedded for backlighting?

Cheers

Hans

Yes PCB pocket milled and cutouts for LEDs and resistors. Going to make the PCB tonight. Then hardest part is the painting