Help needed in building process

[sharkfin61]

Dear fellow builders,
I think the time has come to ask for a little more advice and knowledge from your experience.
As I'm in the middle of building my A-10C pit, I'm about to lose track and a bit of my motivation. I have the feeling that I am ordering more than I am building.
It feels like I have done so little and there is so much left to do. Perhaps your advice can give a bit more structure to my efforts.

(I certainly know that there is no "golden way" in the building process)

Here's what I've done so far:

- Read the forums, watched hundreds of helpful videos.
- Getting the plans for the "woodwork" and starting to saw the front and side console parts, sanding, laying the foundation, sanding, painting, sanding, ...., screwing the parts together.
- Choosing the right acrylic panels, cutting/milling the panels, sanding, painting, engraving, gluing.
- Installing the LED backlight, soldering the small resistors and the tiny glowing suckers, wiring and leaving some wires for the electrical connection. 
(not finished yet)
- Crimping the cables for the switches, buttons, encoders, potis, etc., wiring and soldering them, and finally installing them in the panel(s). 
(not finished yet)
- Insert and wire any analogue gauges with their steppers. 
(not finished yet)
- Installing metal rails with threaded rivets on my side consoles to screw in the panels. 
(not finished yet)
- Planning how and where to connect them. (not finished yet)
- Choosing the specific microprocessors or boards for each panel. 
(not finished yet)
- Write or copy and modify the Arduino sketches for the panels.
 (not finished yet)
- Ordering more and more parts that I forgot ... (here I am now)
- ....
So, maybe someone can help me with advice if I'm on the right track or if I've skipped a step (or more) in the process, as I'm kind of "wildly weaseling" between the steps.

I hope this can be a small guide for the following people who are willing to take the plunge, accompanied by sweat, blood, tears of frustration and wonderful moments when things work out the way they should.
My deepest thanks go out to all the people who have helped me so much to get this far.

 

(Sorry for sounding frustrated, but that's just how I feel now)

Edited May 25, 2024 by sharkfin61
additions

[Deadman]

Hey we all go threw it I would subject using the Arduino system that Han solo Pioneered. Get a master working and a few slave panels with working switches and knobs you will be surprised at the feeling of just getting one or two working panels does.

[Rapti]

I would create one panel after another. It always motivated me, when I saw the result of a running panel.
But it is a long journey. Keep on going. Keep posting your results.
Below the first photo and the last on my phone of my pit.
2.5 years between

[sharkfin61]

Thank you Rapti , already made some progress. Let's see what tomorrow has planned with me

 

Edited May 22, 2024 by sharkfin61

[sharkfin61]

nullBaby steps, but at least not crawling...