My TARDIS

[MacFevre]

As an aside, here's some steam gauges that I've saved up. Hopefully I will implement these into the pit at a later date. (Thanks to Mikeshardware for explaining how, Gadroc and duckling for their sites and knowledge share, and Deadman for his ability to know the hardware and how it should be.)

 

 

(I realize some aren't the correct gauges, but give me time. ;) )

[Hansolo]

Thanks MacFevre. I am trying to figure out how the pull mechanism is working in order to see if I make some easy lookalikes for fire extingushing handles.

 

Thanks a lot for your assistance and keep up the good work :thumbup:

 

Cheers

Hans

[Milli]

So then MacFevre, why do men have nipples?

 

Regards,

Milli

[Lord Merlin]

Thanks MacFevre. I am trying to figure out how the pull mechanism is working in order to see if I make some easy lookalikes for fire extingushing handles.

 

Well, it is actually dumb stupid. They are a simple rod with a T-Head on the front. When the engine is on fire, the lamps in the hangle lit up (usually) red. Then you cut the engine, close the fuel and if the fire does not go out you pull the handle.It will come out about aninch or two. But once it is pulled forward th actual switch behind it is opened. It can not be then pulled back into place to warn you that that engine is actually out of comission. If the fire goes out, the lamp in the handle goes dark.

 

In commercial areoplanes we have stuff like agent 1 discharge, and agent 2 discharge, rotate the handle, use supplementary switched, etc. depending on the type and manufacturer.

 

But this is a fighter jet. We like to keep things nice and simple :joystick:

Pull the rod, and then that will CLOSE the fire extinguish switch once it is FULLY out. (or just put in a momentary OFF switch behind the (usually square) bar, and be happy :D

[MacFevre]

Correct, sir. I'm sure it's just like the heavies, of which I am used to. You pull the handle, that will cut out all fuel flow to that engine, also cutting all power and other accessories. If that doesn't do it, rotate the handle left (again, not the A-10) and that will explode the first squib on the fire bottle. If that didn't work, you had one more bottle to try, using the right rotation.

[Hansolo]

But this is a fighter jet. We like to keep things nice and simple :joystick:

Pull the rod, and then that will CLOSE the fire extinguish switch once it is FULLY out. (or just put in a momentary OFF switch behind the (usually square) bar, and be happy :D

Well in the A-10C you pull the handle which cuts off fuel supply and designate where the fire agent can go. But it doesn't release the fire agent. If fire handle is pushed in again the fuel flow is resumed.

Fire agent doesn't release until you select right or left on Fire Extinguisher Discharge on the right side of the glareshield.

Source: http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1831604&postcount=5

& http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1242891&postcount=2

 

 

Cheers

Hans

[ronin516]

panels

 

I must have missed it somewhere. What are you using for your panels that the switches are mounted to? And how are you getting the switch descriptions printed in them? Also what are you using to place your gauges on the display behind the front panel?

 

Oh and are you having them cut somewhere using a mill?

Edited January 4, 2014 by ronin516

[MacFevre]

Seems like it been some time since I updated anything. Just a quick message to say Happy New Year to everyone. I've been working on my UFC and Caution Panel.

 

Here's the Caution Panel.

 

And UFC

 

But, now I've taken the UFC apart again. :eek: Reason being is I wasn't real happy with the way the buttons were attached to the caps, and that I still need to backlight it and wire the button LEDs.

 

The caps were basically just a square piece of plexi, painted and etched. That meant to attach the cap to the button, it was simply placed on top with some glue. (I used clear RTV as I wanted to be able to separate them if I needed to.)

 

Now I've been experimenting with drilling a small cutout in the back of the cap to sit over the button. I will still have to glue it, but now it won't be moving around. It's not the best, but unless someone is making real caps with letters on them, it will have to do.

 

Also unfortunately, I've ordered several different "green" LED buttons from different manufacturers, and they still come more as a "yellow/green." Anyone know for sure if anyone does NVIS green or real green??

 

This is how I've made the cap back, for now at least. (Unless someone can suggest differently?) I tried with a regular jobber drill, but that left it too bowl shape. I've tried a brad point bit, but that had a large center that would poke through the front. I even tried to grind down the center, but it still didn't come out like I wanted. Finally tried a 1/4" Dremel router bit that seems to work pretty well. Note, I didn't square up the switch very well before I took the picture.

 

[Boltz]

Nice caution panel. Was it CNC or laser engraved?

[MacFevre]

It was lasered. From Linden. I wish I had one, but I don't.

 

Ronin - the guages are a 24" screen. The switch panel is just a drilled plastic panel, just like Duckling's. All of the buttons are done with laser by Linden.

[Panthro]

@MacFevre thats the right way to do the buttons (i.e. idea stolen:) )

 

Damn, seems I'm a little envious of that stash of steam gauges, any tips if I want to try my luck getting some

[WildBillKelsoe]

Awesome work!!! My hat is off to you, Sir!

[Deadman]

Before every one over at VP went to the EL sheets they used true green LEDs

or real green I don't remember the exact term use the post must still be there some where if i find it I will get you a link

[MacFevre]

My TARDIS

 

Thank you Wild Bill! Really appreciate it. Can't believe I've been working on just about a year now. Honestly can't tell if time's flying or not! Of course, I feel like it's just my "Version 1" of who knows how many. :)

 

Panthro, I've gotten some gauges from our fellow board members, and others off of eBay. If you go the eBay route, don't look for only A-10 gauges. You pretty much have to comb the aircraft parts because a lot of the time they're mislabeled or posted under different aircraft. Most of the time, the gauges or panels aren't exclusive to just one a/c. Good luck!

[MacFevre]

DM, I thought I remembered they were having problems with the EL sheets. I was looking into them, but as soon as I saw that, I started looking at other options.

 

Lately I've been looking at SMD LEDs. I think that might have some potential, that is if the EL sheets do or don't have problems. Might have to look again if they're starting to get used more.

 

And hey, on a more personal note, are you getting that cold, or are you too far West? Well regardless, stay warm!

[MacFevre]

Panthro, one more thing. If the idea was "stolen," who was the first? I'd like to ask how they went about attaching it to the switch. If it was glue, what type? And all the rest of the details. Thanks!

[Deadman]

Mac as far as I know the EL sheet still have the same problem from the hum of the transformer to shorting out and others there was quite a list at VP.

Oh the cold well it is relative to what your prepared for and what is usually in your area here it was minus 25 today

but no Ice build up so no problems with power. I have personal seen it at minus 65 in the past.

Winter it is not fun and limits my time in the garage.

[bnepethomas]

My F16 is built using EL sheets, it was a great solution at the time, but the transformers are noisy, and the

EL sheets do degrade. Net-net the A10 is Leds and I'll probably change the F16 to leds over time. Having acrylic sheets as the back panel, along with lasering the holes makes leds a good just. By having a 3mm spacer plate you get good spread of the light.

[MacFevre]

It's looking like good old fashioned LEDs are the way I'll be going then. Still interested in looking at the SMD LEDs though. Thanks for the tips.

[Boltz]

Lately I've been looking at SMD LEDs. I think that might have some potential, that is if the EL sheets do or don't have problems. Might have to look again if they're starting to get used more.

 

I was looking through Viperpits yesterday for some ideas and found this build by AlbertJ. His HUD looked incredible but he also tried SMD LEDs for backlighting as well as using the PCB as the back plate to mount the switches on. You'll have to read back a couple of pages and also forward.

 

http://www.viperpits.org/smf/index.php?topic=7674.135

[MacFevre]

Hey thanks for the link, BoltZ! Appreciate it. I'll go take a look now.

[bnepethomas]

SMDs for backlighting will work, but it does mean another PCB, and some more soldering. I explored that, and whilst it worked, it was a little slower. It you use acrylic here's what you can do:

From start to finish it should take around an hour per panel to glue leds in and wire up.

 

Cheers

 

Peter

[Extranajero]

 

This is how I've made the cap back, for now at least. (Unless someone can suggest differently?) I tried with a regular jobber drill, but that left it too bowl shape. I've tried a brad point bit, but that had a large center that would poke through the front. I even tried to grind down the center, but it still didn't come out like I wanted. Finally tried a 1/4" Dremel router bit that seems to work pretty well. Note, I didn't square up the switch very well before I took the picture.

 

 

A good way to do this, especially if you have a lot of buttons to modify, would be to buy a milling cutter called a 'slot drill' - it makes a very clean flat bottomed hole. Normally using a milling cutter in a drill press is a Bad Idea ( it can cause the chuck to fall off it's taper ) but just for a plunging cut into plastic you'll be OK.

Then to make sure that you get your button square to the cutter and not get an angled hole you might want to scrounge a piece of steel to go into the vice for the button to sit on. An improvised machinist's parallel in other words.

Place your button onto the steel, just lightly 'nip' up the vice and you'll see that the button now probably has a slight tilt due to the moveable jaw of the vice moving upwards as it closes. So give the button a light tap with a rubber or plastic mallet to seat it back down onto your improvised parallel and tighten just a little more. Then it's nice and flat.

 

It might sound like a lot of messing around written down like that, but it's very quick and easy to do when you get the hang of the procedure - and every hole will come out right. So it saves wastage and time in the long run.

 

You really are making a great job of your pit, I'll be following your build.

[MacFevre]

Fantastic advise! Thank you! Just got the new Travers catalogue in the mail so it looks like I got something to search for. ;)

[X93355]

Where's home DM?

 

Mac as far as I know the EL sheet still have the same problem from the hum of the transformer to shorting out and others there was quite a list at VP.

Oh the cold well it is relative to what your prepared for and what is usually in your area here it was minus 25 today

but no Ice build up so no problems with power. I have personal seen it at minus 65 in the past.

Winter it is not fun and limits my time in the garage.