How to make low cost panels...

[icemaker]

I dont have so much money to buy all panels for my pit so i needed to find a way to create panels fast an cheap, keeping in mind that i want to be robust.

So i have found a way to do this:

 

First print panels on photo paper or with a color laser printer to have the best colors possible.

 

 

Then cut out the panel

 

 

Place the printed panel into a laminator pouches (Not shure of the google translation! :huh:)

 

 

Add another panels if they fit, and place in the laminator.

 

 

Cut out again the laminated panels...

 

 

Cut a white plexiglass to fit the panel dimensions

 

 

Put some glue on it and place the laminated panel over it.

 

 

 

Here is the result

 

 

 

The good point is that panels made this way have a better resistance to scratches, the time will say if the ink resits well to UV too.

 

Here are the panels i have, they are from A-10A, so, some are not accurate

 

If someone have CMSP CDU VHF and Warn panels, i'm searching them.

 

Updated!

A-10C.rar

Edited September 13, 2011 by icemaker

[Mike Powell]

Nicely done!

[Swaty]

Cool!

 

Thanks icemaker!

[Succellus]

Nice cheap solution!

[HitchHikingFlatlander]

That is an awesome solution there I think I'll be taking your approach. Like you I have no access to laser engravers or CNC's. Great idea.

[Duckling]

...

Here are the panels i have, they are from A-10A, so, some are not accurate

If someone have CMSP CDU VHF and Warn panels, i'm searching them.

Updated!

 

Hi Icemaker. Got my versions of CMSP, VHF and Warning quad posted here: http://www.strandedduckling.com/html/quad_ref.html

 

Agree that some of the oldies needs adjustments. Most of'em in the bundle been updated several versions since those you got there and not all is posted. Ping me with suggestions of improvments/updates and I'll do my best :-)

 

I started to minimize the overlay "white areas" also prior to printing them to avoid missing the center of baseplate and lightpanels. Alignment is a bitch using the crude tools I got at hand

 

 

Cheers

Gus

[avlolga]

Amazing work !!!

 

I dont have so much money to buy all panels for my pit so i needed to find a way to create panels fast an cheap, keeping in mind that i want to be robust.

So i have found a way to do this:

 

First print panels on photo paper or with a color laser printer to have the best colors possible.

 

 

Then cut out the panel

 

 

Place the printed panel into a laminator pouches (Not shure of the google translation! :huh:)

 

 

Add another panels if they fit, and place in the laminator.

 

 

Cut out again the laminated panels...

 

 

Cut a white plexiglass to fit the panel dimensions

 

 

Put some glue on it and place the laminated panel over it.

 

 

 

Here is the result

 

 

 

The good point is that panels made this way have a better resistance to scratches, the time will say if the ink resits well to UV too.

 

Here are the panels i have, they are from A-10A, so, some are not accurate

 

If someone have CMSP CDU VHF and Warn panels, i'm searching them.

 

Updated!

 

 

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

[hog_driver111th]

Avlolga, please keep in mind for future reference that when quoting someone with pictures, most of us don't need to see the pics twice Especially if you are only replying with some smilies. Double posting the pictures uses up bandwidth.

[firestick22]

Beautiful! Simply beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

[TulsA-10]

This is an awesome way of doing it. I tested using flat clear spray paint on a laminated panel I cut out and the flat clear knocks off the shine and looks more real and may help with uv

[Deadman]

you can all so get the film in matt

[TulsA-10]

That would be better. I checked hobby lobby but no go. I guess I'd have to order it

[Deadman]

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?pq=lamination+film&hl=en&sugexp=bvie&cp=25&gs_id=16&xhr=t&client=firefox-a&hs=N4c&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=np&biw=1366&bih=664&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&q=lamination+film+matte+finish&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=16600900766730905083&sa=X&ei=XaR_Tu26Ao7TiAKfsoi6Aw&sqi=2&ved=0CDUQ8wIwAg

[TulsA-10]

Cool man thanks for the link

[PanelBuilder]

This is cool. I don't have a laminator, or even a printer, so here's how I've managed in the past:

 

Step 1. Take the artwork on a CD, and a chunk of material, to photo store and tell them to laminate the one onto the other, and to trim flush, no borders.

 

Step 2. Center punch and drill the holes.

 

Here's a sample artwork:

 

WSCFaciaFinal.bmp

 

The textured bckground is intentional btw.

 

Cheers,

Colin

[PanelBuilder]

Step 3. Add switches and other stuff:

 

 

Cheers,

Colin

[y2kiah]

niiice, that looks sweet.

 

man... why didn't I got that route? I would be done with my panels already