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Instrument panels - 6 vs 7

JanRV6UK

JanRV6UK

Well Known Member
Flipped the fuselage today ? big milestone ? Now it is the right way up. :)

Now looking at the instrument panel ? Can someone tell me if the 7 instrument panel will fit in a 6 ? I believe the 7 panel is slightly taller to allow for mounting switches at the bottom. I plan to make a sectional panels and was thinking of buying a 7 panel and use my original 6 panel as the blank for the cut out sections. Looking at photos of 6 and 7 ? it looks like the 7 have more space at the bottom. Have I got this right ??

I am building a tip up 6
 
Nope

RV-7 is wider. The panel will not fit. I would just use the one you have as a template, trace it, and extend it lower if you desire. May also want to rivet some angle along the bottom to increase stiffness.
 
If the 7 panel is wider than the 6 - is it not just a matter of cutting it down to fit the 6 ? Or has the curvature been cut - Hence the size is wrong so will not fit the curvature of the 6 ?
 
You need the oversize 6 panel, it is 13" tall, about 2" taller than the stock panel. Van's part number is F-6103 OVSZ.

Stewart Willoughby
6, finishing.
 
Thanks ! Just what I was looking for Stewart .. Have you used this panel ? Does it have a flange bent on the bottom or is it just a flat sheet 13 x 42 ?

Have a good weekend
 
Yes, this is what I used, and yes, it has the flange bent on the bottom with 13" of panel height above the flange.

Stewart Willoughby (ex UK)
6, finishing
 
Jan,

If you have your original RV-6 instrument panel blank and can find someone nearby that has a sheet bending brake then it is very easy to make a new taller panel from a plain sheet of ally. This is what I did for my -7. Many GA a/c maintenance outfits will have a bending brake and I'm sure will let you bend a single piece of ally.

Bend the bottom flange in the sheet first then overlay the original on the sheet so the top is where you want it. Match drill and cleco sufficient rivet holes to hold the two panels together. Match drill the rest of the rivet holes and screw holes then mark around the outside of the original panel.

How you cut out around the mark-up is up to you. I used a woodwork router with an appropriate cutter that allowed me to use the original panel as the template. I was very happy with the outcome. The advantage over the taller non-standard panel from Van's is twofold:
a) cheaper - buy ally locally rather than ship 5000 miles
b) you can make the panel exactly as tall as you want.

Steve
 
shuttle said:
Jan,

If you have your original RV-6 instrument panel blank and can find someone nearby that has a sheet bending brake then it is very easy to make a new taller panel from a plain sheet of ally. This is what I did for my -7. Many GA a/c maintenance outfits will have a bending brake and I'm sure will let you bend a single piece of ally.

Bend the bottom flange in the sheet first then overlay the original on the sheet so the top is where you want it. Match drill and cleco sufficient rivet holes to hold the two panels together. Match drill the rest of the rivet holes and screw holes then mark around the outside of the original panel.

How you cut out around the mark-up is up to you. I used a woodwork router with an appropriate cutter that allowed me to use the original panel as the template. I was very happy with the outcome. The advantage over the taller non-standard panel from Van's is twofold:
a) cheaper - buy ally locally rather than ship 5000 miles
b) you can make the panel exactly as tall as you want.

Steve
Click to expand...

Steve,

Note that the RV-6 panels are not pre-shaped, you mark and cut it yourself....:)

It is just shipped as a square sheet with a bend along one long edge - at least in the early kits.

Also, if you are sourcing locally, the plans call for the cheaper 6061-T6 material which might be easier to obtain.
 
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panel

A guy from florida builds three piece panels with stack off set so you have more panel in front of you and they are stanard or 1.5 wider I have one and its so nice to not have to climb under to work on with my slider if anyone wants info ill post.
Bob
 
Jan,

If you do decide to go with a multi-section panel, I have all the 2D cad files for mine. The software to modify them is free and very easy to use. All together I think it cost around $200 for all that panel parts CNC cut to my drawing (including material). I would be happy to step you through the tool if you want to go the CAD route, it is really easy to use.

Since you have a tipup, you would have to re-draw the panel a bit. The plans have all the tip-up panel coordinates, so that makes it pretty easy. I may even have a drawing of the tip-up version already, I'll have to take a look.

FP03052012A0005A.jpg
 
Thanks Colin

Appreciate if you can email me the info. I have to go overseas later on in August - will be gone for several weeks .. probably close to 8 ... so was hoping to work on the panel layout then
 
Panel

Hi Jan
I got my modular panel from Affordable Panels Inc.They have a great web sight and it would work out time wise to arrive before you get back the panels are laser cut and fit well and not hard to install and you can cut your vans panel to make a shelf behind baggage compartment to mount AHARS ect.
Bob
 
Panel

Unfortunately, Affordable Panels does not supply RV-6 panels any more - I wanted to go with their product, but missed the window about 6 months...
 
Jan,

I'll send you what I have this evening. The thing I really like about the company I used is that they supply the free software and you can quote a price on the panel as you design it. Lay out the panel, hit the button and it will tell you the cost including shipping. See what different materials cost too. Since setup cost are a huge part of any CNC work, you can buy duplicate pieces for little added cost.

I ended up redong the right side of my panel since I changed the circuit breaker layout and eliminated the map-box. Luckily I had them make a second panel but with no holes cut. Was very easy to fit the new panel.

The whole process was done without a single phone-call or e-mail to the company. I placed the order through their software, parts arrived within a week.

I did a writup on it a while back: I will only add that all the mounting holes ect should be undersized. The water-jet doesn't leave a smooth finish on the edge so it has to be deburred (just like the factory edge on Vans parts). If you have them cut the holes to exact size then the fit will be loose once deburred. For the instrument holes the fit is less critical, so those can be cut to exact size.

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=75053&highlight=emachineshop

JanRV6UK said:
Thanks Colin

Appreciate if you can email me the info. I have to go overseas later on in August - will be gone for several weeks .. probably close to 8 ... so was hoping to work on the panel layout then
Click to expand...
 
Panel

Reply from Fabian at Affordable Panels on April 8: "We discontinued the RV-6 panel a few months ago and no longer have the cutting file. We have a few pieces in stock for replacement parts, but no all for the panel. We will be removing the RV-6 panel option from the website at our next website update."

They still sell panels for the 7 and 9, just not the 6. I'm currently working one up from scratch, as we all do for the 6. :>

6 Gun said:
Did they go out of business there web site is up and the RV-6 is on order page?
Bob
Click to expand...
 
Seperate switch strip

Another option is to add a seperate channel (legs to front) below the original panel for all the switches. I have seen this before, I belive on VAF. One advantage is that it can be bolted on, allowing you to detach it from the panel.
 
Frank Smidler said:
Another option is to add a seperate channel (legs to front) below the original panel for all the switches. I have seen this before, I belive on VAF. One advantage is that it can be bolted on, allowing you to detach it from the panel.
Click to expand...

Though I didn't do this for all switches in my recent panel rebuild, I did for all control cables. Should I need to pull the panel in the future, that will save me from feeding all the control cables back through the firewall so that I can remove them. Something to be considered.
 
Would like to order panel blank

Does anyone know the Van's part no. I would use to order a RV-6A panel blank ---- thinking about future panel upgrade.

Thanks,

Ron
 
RONSIM said:
Does anyone know the Van's part no. I would use to order a RV-6A panel blank ---- thinking about future panel upgrade.

Thanks,

Ron
Click to expand...

The panel blank for an RV6 is simple a rectangular piece of aluminum with a bend on the bottom.....there are other options as well. If you have an idea of what you're going to do you can have one made for you in a cutom size, or have a rectangle cut with cutouts in it that you can later trim to match your existing panel.

Cheers,
Stein
 
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