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Opinion needed

Av8torTom

Well Known Member
I'll be mounting a Garmin comm radio and the autopilot head in my panel one on top of the other. Would you make one big rectangular hole or two smaller ones?

Thanks again,

T.
 
If you are making a frame to stack the equipment and using the trays supplied with most equipment, I would cut one hole to fit both items. The hole should be cut to allow the equipment to slide in and allow the edges of the equipment to overlap and cover the hole to create a neat appearance.

Roberta
 
If the mounting is on the sides, I'd make one hole. The thin strip that would remain with two holes isn't doing much for you.

You might need to reinforce the side edges, I can't say.

Dave
 
Update

Upon further examination, the autopilot head is mounted with screws on the front side of the unit thru the panel, and the comm is mounted in a tray, therefore they will need different size openings. I can still do it as one opening, but it will have to be narrower where the autopilot is located.

Next question, would you mount the autopilot over the comm or vise versa. Since the comm sticks out of the panel about a half inch, putting the autopilot under it may hide some of the buttons - or at least make them a little harder to see. Thoughts? Pictures?

Thanks again,

T.
 
Update 2

I had some black Delrin and cut a couple of spacers so that the autopilot head will stick out from the panel the same distance as the radio. Gives me the option now to put the autopilot under the comm which is where I really wanted it.

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Last edited:
I did a similar thing and made a spacer that surrounds the autopilot. Then I used angle to mount it all to the rails of my radio stack. I had Front Panel Express cut the spacer so I could provide that file if you are interested.
 
Thanks

I did a similar thing and made a spacer that surrounds the autopilot. Then I used angle to mount it all to the rails of my radio stack. I had Front Panel Express cut the spacer so I could provide that file if you are interested.

Thanks Ray, spacers cut. The radio will hide the top, and the bottom won't be seen
 
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