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New IFR panel cut

Cheapest

Is to simply cut your own using a jig saw and files...Takes a lot longer though.

If I were doing it again I might get it cut professionally...They do an awesome job but of course you have to give the panel cutter an exact layout.

Frank
 
I used Affordable Panels in Florida, but he is shut down right now while his wife is cleaning his clock in divorce court. Several others that do laser or water cutting of panels, but I can't remember their names right now. I think it is money well spent, (about 300 dollars) because it is hard to cut and drill so many holes perfectly by hand.
 
Been there done that

Of all the various jobs the panel did not present as big of a concern as correctly aligning and drilling the spars and several other tasks. I am willing to bet that you can do the panel. If you are at that point you have been through a lot more difficult problems.
 
Use a router

If you have a router (you don't even have to admit you are a woodworker :) ); one option is that you can use the old panel and a 1/2" bit with a bearing, (called a patterm-making bit) to make plywood templates for the various gauges and their respective screw mounting holes.

Then lay out the panel and drill the screw holes in your panel blank; mount the template using the screw holes and drill a starting hole (most router bits won't cut straight down) and cut the hole. This is especially nice for instruments with knobs and funky cutouts.

In case you're wondering, aluminum cuts just like good hardwood, just be sure to wear eye protection. This method also works well to cut glass panel cutouts, etc. For straight lines, you just clamp a piece of plywood with a clean, straight edge to the metal.
 
I have heard of panel design computer programs that allow you to design the panel layout and send the output to a firm that will laser cut or water jet cut to those specifications. I want to build my own but don't relish the thought of trying to get all those holes in exactly the right spot from a visual perspective. You know, a bit off here a bit off there... @#$@$%%&&* Ok, lets do it again!!

Steve
 
We weren't sure we had an exact layout, so
we had a water jet firm cut us a 'proof'
panel out of some hard plastic material first.
Mounted the proof panel, adjusted some holes
slightly and the aluminum panel fit great.
This way we also didn't have to move or modify
any of the panel braces. This was a 22 hole
steam gauge panel in a '7' slider.
Tom
 
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