Jump to content

Authentic light panel dissection


hoel6466

Recommended Posts

Hello folks!

 

First post here. I've been collecting (obsessing about) information about my cockpit that I'd like to build for the past few months. I currently in the process of building a CNC router/mill to help with the project.

 

While deciding how I wanted to make the backlit switch panels I remembered that I had kept a bad light panel from an F/A-18 as a keepsake from my time in the service. After scouring the internet for everthing I could find for this thing I decided to see how it was made.

 

http://www.parttarget.com/6220-01-115-5531_6220011155531_74B800070-199.html

 

4A2CB4C3-28C8-478F-A61C-0529A6E42180-145-00000012CF177237_zps1787e590.jpg

 

 

 

I started by grinding down the area near a few of the leds. I noticed that it seemed to be made of acrylic that was painted white first then painted with a thick coat of black.

 

89E524E5-CA1F-4B31-8572-92B5B7B81911-145-00000012BB5683F9_zps9eb36a4f.jpg

 

I couldn't quite tell if the parts were molded in the plastic or if they were epoxied into the plastic so I decided to toss it in the mill and go for broke...

 

29F1E1CE-3761-4417-97A6-533B1E0D897E-145-00000012EC3F2029_zps3d34e2f9.jpg

 

 

E7B7AC4F-F27E-4513-B204-A18698E3E98D-145-00000012F5F01A79_zps5764f001.jpg

 

225C2EF7-1DC0-4205-99E1-C45A2D7A9A48-145-00000012E50EA9AE_zpsbfc426c9.jpg

 

A7E52BDF-9CF4-4903-A306-AF231B4D6B04-145-00000012DDA76A66_zps9e31eaa8.jpg

 

So from what I can tell this started out as a solid block of plastic which had the wire channels/led holes routed out and then once it was installed they epoxied over the entire piece.

 

I don't know how many times I tried in the past to get this thing to light up. Maybe the stress fixed a loose connection...

 

D6A20D35-7FBF-4189-905D-E416E9F6754D-145-000000173F11CD26_zps59d8aa87.jpg

 

If you have any questions let me know.

 

I can't wait to start building!

 

 

Luc

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice, thanks for sharing the pics.

 

EDIT: Oh, and Welcome to the Forum! :)

ASUS ROG Maximus VIII Hero, i7-6700K, Noctua NH-D14 Cooler, Crucial 32GB DDR4 2133, Samsung 950 Pro NVMe 256GB, Samsung EVO 250GB & 500GB SSD, 2TB Caviar Black, Zotac GTX 1080 AMP! Extreme 8GB, Corsair HX1000i, Phillips BDM4065UC 40" 4k monitor, VX2258 TouchScreen, TIR 5 w/ProClip, TM Warthog, VKB Gladiator Pro, Saitek X56, et. al., MFG Crosswind Pedals #1199, VolairSim Pit, Rift CV1 :thumbup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Woah! Looks like you REALLY wanted to know how those panels were done!

Thanks a lot for sharing!:thumbup:

Can you say wether the channels were routed into the front or the back side of the panel? It's hard to tell from the pictures.

If I had to do it, I'd probably route the channels into the front because the front is flat (no connector) and thus easy to sand after filling in those channels.

 

Cheers,

DSP

Link to comment
Share on other sites

agrasyuk,

yep, that's an original panel. However, I can't tell from the pictures if those channels were routed into the front or the back.

The comment

If I had to do it, I'd probably route the channels into the front because the front is flat (no connector) and thus easy to sand after filling in those channels.

was just made to show a possible reason for having those channels milled into the front. As I don't know how it's actually done I can only speculate.

 

Cheers,

DSP

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This was an awesome post. Thanks!

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

 

Creator of:

 

F-18C VFA-195 "Dambusters" 1998 CAG Livery

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=213788

 

F-18C VFA-195 "Dambusters" July 2001 CAG Livery

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=215950

 

Pilot avatars for DCS Logbook

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=221160

 

How to make a DCS A-10C Panel

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=65998

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not a resistor in sight. I believe the LEDs probably have resistors built in.

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

 

Creator of:

 

F-18C VFA-195 "Dambusters" 1998 CAG Livery

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=213788

 

F-18C VFA-195 "Dambusters" July 2001 CAG Livery

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=215950

 

Pilot avatars for DCS Logbook

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=221160

 

How to make a DCS A-10C Panel

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=65998

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've run into a few air bubbles that shouldn't be there if it was cut from the front. I've also found that the leds are only about .030" from the backside of the plate which leads me to believe they are cut from the back side of the plate.

 

The back side of the plate was far from flat. It had a few high spots around the connector.


Edited by hoel6466
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are the LED's shaped like regular ones or do they have flat tops?

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

 

Creator of:

 

F-18C VFA-195 "Dambusters" 1998 CAG Livery

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=213788

 

F-18C VFA-195 "Dambusters" July 2001 CAG Livery

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=215950

 

Pilot avatars for DCS Logbook

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=221160

 

How to make a DCS A-10C Panel

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=65998

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've run into a few air bubbles that shouldn't be there if it was cut from the front. I've also found that the leds are only about .030" from the backside of the plate which leads me to believe they are cut from the back side of the plate.

 

The back side of the plate was far from flat. It had a few high spots around the connector.

 

That makes sense. That way they don't have to worry about the finish being perfectly flat.

ASUS ROG Maximus VIII Hero, i7-6700K, Noctua NH-D14 Cooler, Crucial 32GB DDR4 2133, Samsung 950 Pro NVMe 256GB, Samsung EVO 250GB & 500GB SSD, 2TB Caviar Black, Zotac GTX 1080 AMP! Extreme 8GB, Corsair HX1000i, Phillips BDM4065UC 40" 4k monitor, VX2258 TouchScreen, TIR 5 w/ProClip, TM Warthog, VKB Gladiator Pro, Saitek X56, et. al., MFG Crosswind Pedals #1199, VolairSim Pit, Rift CV1 :thumbup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is really cool that frankly, I don't think I would have had the nerve. It does answer a few questions that I had about the construction of those panels. So Thanks! :thumbsup:

Buttons aren't toys! :smilewink:

 

My new Version 2 Pit: MacFevre A-10C SimPit V2

My first pit thread: A-10C Simulator Pit "The TARDIS."

Dzus Fastener tutorial, on the inexpensive side: DIY Dzus Fastener

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...