Just a mini update!

[No Longer Active]

Hi, here is the first decal of my radio stack that is applied to the acrylic, I will reveal more readout display areas as and when I interface them....

All holes are now being drilled, ready to insert encoders and toggles and buttons!

Then final decal will be applied....

More to come!

http://alexpilot.50g.com/stack%20progress%201.jpg

I have used one decal, I have 3 left!

...these are digitally printed decals and the quality is absolutely superb! Real good top stuff!

[No Longer Active]

Also, I have been working on another project:

I have been designing a full scaled full size interpretation of a GA cockpit that looks very much like the Cessna 172-182.

The image is designed to scale, it measure aprox 105cm wide...

It is not finished yet, as I am currently designing the radio stack and switch panel, but here is a little preview of what I have come up with!

The radio stack will not be a Bendix King stack due to copyright.

Also expect many changes to the design as I don't want infringe copyright on anyone / company etc etc etc!

But it sure has been fun so far designing it!

I have done a screen dump of the image with the ruler to show the width and length of the MIP in cm's.

The image is watermarked too!

http://alexpilot.50g.com/full%20mip%20decal.jpg

[Matt Olieman]

Nice work Alex. Looks good. Lot's of time involved just have some fun :) :) :)

Thanks for sharing your project :)

Matt Olieman

[No Longer Active]

Well, I have just done a bit here, bit there, mainly when eating my lunch at the computer when studying....like now for instance! lol!

Hard to get anything done at mo, got so much studying to do, its a headache lol!

Cheers for the compliments matt! A pleasure!

[Kerbo]

That's a good looking panel. I don't have your mad CAD skills so based mine off the drawing found here (http://mycessnasim.blogspot.com/2007/03/cessna-172-panels.html).

Are you going to build it as one big panel or several smaller panels? How do you plan to fasten it to your cockpit structure?

I made my first panel as one big piece of 1/8" masonite paneling but am thinking of starting over and building as a set of smaller subpanels like the real thing. This would make it easier to do upgrades and such. If I go that route I would like to use aluminum instead of masonite, but that would be expensive. So many ideas, so little time. :(

[No Longer Active]

Hi....

Heres the clever bit, you must follow me here, so read slowly lol:

My design is to scale, so if you print it, it will use up many many pieces of a4 paper.

But if you give it to a sticker printing company, they can print it as 1 large sticker.....so large that it is just over 1m wide! (and at a cost too).

But I want it printed to vinyl, not paper.....no problem!

White vinyl.......nope.......why?

I want it printed to clear vinyl.......why......read on.....

If my MIP is printed to clear vinyl....would the gauge cutouts be clear?

Yes....because the cutouts are not printed, nothing is printed, why? Because its a cut out!

So.....

If you now apply this large printed clear sticker to 3mm clear acrylic would you now need to cutout the gauges?

No......why?

They are clear.....why would you cut out something you can see through?

My idea revolutionises Cessna home MIPs because, you have nothing to cut out (apart from curved top of the MIP with a jig).

The whole MIP is printed as you would see it in a cockpit, you would have no need to buy a radio stack either, all you need to do is place a screen behind the gauge areas and just add your toggles, throttles, yoke etc and interface as you please....

So much money, time and effort saved, its just a giant sticker on a piece of clear perspex, just add your digits and buttons and you done!

Simple!

All I have to do is finish my design, I dont know when though!

I have designed it so real that you can even see the detail of the 3d effect screw!

http://alexpilot.50g.com/screen%20shot.jpg

Sadly I am not going to be selling these nor printing it (although I could), as I just wanted to see if I could design an MIP and I found out that I could....and very well.....and easily.....

Once the image is finished....whenever that maybe...I will be happy to offer my design to those that would be interested once it is copyright!

[mounty]

Hi Alex,

Is the vinyl a "hard" vinyl. Can you supply the specs please?

Thanks

Rob

[No Longer Active]

The vinyl that I would print to would not be 'Hard' it would be very thin, the sort of vinyl that car stickers are made from!

Cheers,

Alex

[Kerbo]

Alex, that clear panel idea is a great one. What do you plan to do for instruments? Are you going to put an LCD monitor behind the clear panel and display virtual instruments?

Your idea got me to thinking. One could use home built instruments like I am making only the clear panel and vinyl overlay would stand in for the lens and faceplate, maybe even the light diffuser. I wonder if one could put enough LEDs around the perimeter of the clear MIP to provide whole panel back lighting?

Hmmmm.....

[No Longer Active]

Mate.....the posibilities are endless.....

Once the MIP design is finished I may be able to personalise you a copy with custom legends for you specific to your design!

Cheers!

.....by the way what's your name....wriley?

[No Longer Active]

.....by the way what's your name....

....William !

Derrrrrrr! lol

I must be going blind! lol

[No Longer Active]

Only problem is.....

If you print the MIP to clear vinyl, the whole MIP will look and feel very flat....

And, the MIP I am designing is literally a design, and I would not have a clue what it looks like in full (full sized), it may look rubbish on vinyl but excellent on the screen....

...and yes...you would place an LCD screen behind the panel!