Custom panels on offer.

[metalnwood]

Hi all, this has turned out to be very coincidental timing that two of use have decided to offer our services at the same time.

 

No matter, hopefully thats good for all the pit builders. I have always been happy when I have been selling as well as not selling that there are a number of people about helping pit builders get their dream pit going.

 

I have in the past mentioned that I would offer full panels for sale, including electronics etc but the reality is that this may not happen for a long time, or ever. There is a lot of work to develop all of the software for the pc, micro-controllers and interfacing in to the games. There are other alternatives around to fill the electronics void like joystick controllers, sioc and what I plan to use myself Gadrocs EOS based boards.

 

What I can offer more immediately is a service for a diy pit builder who is happy to get his hands dirty with assembly of parts but wanting to buy some things that are difficult to get done to a high quality without some expensive equipment.

 

The panels that I am offering are generally three piece panels. A front, a light plate and a back. All panels will have the ability to be backlit with standard LED's. The material used for the lightplate is not a standard clear acrylic but a product called plexiglas endlighten which was designed for even illumination across the panel.

 

For the faceplate I use a product called lasermax. This is specifically made for laser and rotary engraving. It has a very durable finish that can be molested all day by grubby fingers, the odd poke with other things and will not fade or wear off. It gives a very high contrast finish for daylight use and is excellent for backlighting.

 

All panels are checked at design for component interference between parts so you can add your own switches, as long as they fall within the dimensions designed for the panels and everything will fit.

 

As well as panels for the a10 the same procedure can be used for making boeing and airbus panels with the colour combinations of RAL 7011 and RAL 7031 available for each respective manufacturer.

 

I have provided a few pictures below to give you an indication of what you would receive with a panel and what you would need to do to finish the panel.

 

For each panel there are three pieces, here you can see the backplate, lightplate and front plate. Note that in this picture the backplate used for illustration does not match the other panels.

 

To complete the panel you would paint the rear side of the light plate as well as the sides. This only needs one coat of white spray paint to do the job.

 

 

The faceplate and light plate need to be either glued or adhered together with something like a good quality double sided tape. Then the edges should be painted black. Here they are stuck together with the white edge that should be painted.

 

 

Finally, if you painted it fairly well you should have a panel of similar quality, although I am sure with good technique you can do better than I, I let some paint get on the front around where the bottom right mounting bolt would go. I have attached a fairly high resolution photo here which you can expand to see the good, the bad and the ugly. Paint better than me and the results will be better :)

 

 

I can accept drawings in a number of formats, dxf is preferable but more importantly as long is it is some vector format there shouldn't be a problem. I can draw the plans myself but there is an hourly charge for that.

 

In a couple of weeks I should have my plans drawn up and ready to take further orders. I am not mentioning a price just as of yet until I see how much machine time is required. They should not be expensive, I know that is relative. For now I can say that they would be cheaper than going to someone with plans and getting them done. I cant make it as cheap as others, the basic materials are around 400% more expensive than using basic acrylics but the difference is pronounced.

 

Feel free to ask any general question here or PM me if there is something specific.

 

 

Thanks!

Edited May 29, 2013 by metalnwood

[Deadman]

Perhaps this should be in the for sale section

[metalnwood]

You are 100% correct, I will put it there as well but I know from my experience and others that the for sale section isn't frequented often for this kind of thing.

 

BTW, Deadmans knobs would look much better than that $1 nasty thing I have on it :)

[Hansolo]

Looks very nice, Metalnwood. Thanks for sharing the material specs.

 

Cheers

Hans

[metalnwood]

No problem Hans, I am open to sharing my materials and processes although there is nothing really new in what I do compared to others except for the new plexiglas product.

[Glider_UK]

Great panels metalnwood.

[Deadman]

Knobs are not in production at this time untill further notice,

 

You are 100% correct, I will put it there as well but I know from my experience and others that the for sale section isn't frequented often for this kind of thing.

 

BTW, Deadmans knobs would look much better than that $1 nasty thing I have on it :)

[MacFevre]

Very nice! Are the backplates also made from plexi?

[metalnwood]

Hi, yes the backplate is made from plexi. When all three are bolted together it makes a very strong unit with no need to worry about it breaking.

 

I can mill out the back plates from aluminium but for myself I dont see any practical advantage when it will all be painted black anyway.

[X93355]

Knobs are not in production at this time untill further notice,

 

Deadman, let me know when they are, I'm in need for some as I've placed the first panel order with Metal : )

 

Anyone who is thinking of ordering from Metal, I've got nothing but praise, great communication, constant updates and pictures and gives reasons all the time for what he does. My simpit has started :)

[X93355]

Oh and if anyone is interested in making a functional land gear panel and handle, I will purchase. Just not the same clicking with a mouse or pressing G.