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[Westozy]

Hi all,
I've made good progress learning the CAD skills neccessary to produce panels with my CNC machine. My current commission is a B737 MIP and I got on a tangent and ended up making this FMC faceplate! I have a large order of opal acrylic sheeting due this week to commence work on the B737 backlight MIP panels. I will be offering them in sets soon!
3077

Cheers, Gwyn

[davek]

Ya make me green with envy Gwyn.
Nice work. What buttons are you going to use for that?
Is that the colour of the plastic or is it painted?

[weshollett]

Can't wait to see this panel. Looking at the photo it sure looks pretty spectacular.

[Westozy]

Cheers Dave! This is just the raw unpainted PVC. I will use the same DXF file to plot the holes for pcb surface mount switches, then make the black buttons and superglue them to the switches, that should work. I don't know how to interface it that's when I call for help! Cheers Wes - I'm stoked with it, it's turned out great. Change of plans for Saturday morning - I'm entertaining Captain John Turnbull from Virgin Blue, he's here for an overnighter. When I take him back to YPPH I'm hoping to get some more detail pics of the NG cockpit. I'll quizz him about the SPD REF knobs aswel while he's here. It's a shame my sim isn't going, he loves it and teaches me heaps about the NG.

Gwyn

[Westozy]

I had a busy morning at the CNC machine with my lovely lady helping out today, we finished cutting out two sets of B737 MIP Sub panels. One set is for Wes and one set is to upgrade my own sim, I'm really pleased with the results and the panels should look great when painted and engraved.
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/611/medium/B737_MIP_003.JPG

Gwyn

[davek]

I am so spewing, I am still waiting for my small bits to arrive and have to wait till the end of the month so i can get to Cairns to buy some plastic. I cant even play with the 3mm MDF i have.

Gwyn what do you recommend as far as the best plastic to use for the panels?

I am not commenting on your great work this time... hahahaha (cos I am jealous)

[bindook]

Hi Gwyn,
long time no hear, any chance of doing a A320 MIP for an x customer ???


Michael

[Westozy]

Cheers guys, keep those kind comments coming, it really brings out the Leo in me!!!

Hi Dave, I am using 4.5mm "Opal acrylic" for backlighting panels, available from http://www.superline.com.au/ Future questions only answered if you spell my name right lol, I had to edit your post again, I don't know any Gywns!!!

G'day Michael, yeah it's been a while! How's the A320 TQ going? Did you see my A340 unit? There will be even bigger tears when that one gets taken away, I love it. I'm about to start a B777 TQ for Ken. I can do an A320 MIP not a problem, my new machines open up many possibilities however, I have just received commissions to fill at least the next 6 months so I will let you know when time becomes available. Are you still in Perth? I'm up in Ballajura now, sold the Thornlie place and I've bought a place for the sim with a pool!

Cheers Gwyn

[davek]

Crap! sorry about that GWYN, I have purposely tried to spell your name correct, but my arthritic old fingers sometimes play up. Sorry mate

I shall go practice typing your name in a word document, get some muscle memory into the fingers.... haha

and thanks for the link and plastic info..

You have put a pool in the sim??? must be huge... up graded to a 787 have you? I am gunna check airfares to WA..

[bindook]

Hi Gwyn,
be there in 10mins.......scorcher today!!!! Yeah still stuck here in Perth. havent been home for nearly a yr to play with the tq hopefully the spiders havent made it home!!! ....off to Melb in end of Feb will c if i can bring my panels ovr back here so u can "cut them in" the panel.


Michael

[flatlandpilot]

Hi Gwyn,
about opal acrylic, there are different "species" of that,
the amount of light that can travel thru differs between 8-82%
the only reference I have is 5 mm. thick, 60% translucent opal.

My question: that amount light that can travel thru is that "standerized" for a fixed thickness,
or has a 10 mm. thick sheet less white in it than a 5 mm. sheet of the same translucent grade ?

What kind of "translucentness" do you find working the best regarding througputt/evenly spread of the light. ?
and which thickness you're using. ?

[Westozy]

Hi Gwyn,
about opal acrylic, there are different "species" of that,
the amount of light that can travel thru differs between 8-82%
the only reference I have is 5 mm. thick, 60% translucent opal.

My question: that amount light that can travel thru is that "standerized" for a fixed thickness,
or has a 10 mm. thick sheet less white in it than a 5 mm. sheet of the same translucent grade ?

What kind of "translucentness" do you find working the best regarding througputt/evenly spread of the light. ?
and which thickness you're using. ?

Hi there, it's a little too early for me to advise on the acryilc as I haven't yet done the engraving. When I ordered the plastic from Superline.com, I told the salesman what I wanted to do with it and he recommended the 4.5mm. I've just painted an Autobrake panel and I'm going to engrave it tomorrow, I'll post pics of the results when it's done!

Cheers Gwyn

[shearder]

Hey Gwyn

I know this is FOREVER old. Is the opal acrylic typically opaque or somewhat translucent OR can light simply get through ok? Another question - when cutting your panels what end mill do you use? 3mm etc and how many flutes do you recon works best for you?

Thanks in advance.

Sean

I had a busy morning at the CNC machine with my lovely lady helping out today, we finished cutting out two sets of B737 MIP Sub panels. One set is for Wes and one set is to upgrade my own sim, I'm really pleased with the results and the panels should look great when painted and engraved.
http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/611/medium/B737_MIP_003.JPG

Gwyn

[jonesthesoftware]

Hi folks
just like to come in here with some experience of my results for backlit panels.
I tried the OPAL acrylic but when you engrave through the paint the result is grey letters. It's OK when the backlight is on though. I took advice from others on cockpit websites and ended up making a 3mm white acrylic front lightplate, sprayed with matt acrylic paint( household emulsion in the UK) then clear matt laquer over that to give it a harder surface. When engraved gives nice white letters. I glue this 3mm lightplate to a clear 5mm "support" plate then pcb behind to hold the resistors and leds.

7433
3mm opal acrylic not backlit dull grey letters

7434
3mm white acrylic not backlit clear white letters
I use the 3mm leds for backlit but have to dim them as even through 3mm white acrylic they are too bright.

ignore colour differences of paint, it's difficult to get a true colour representation with fluorescent lights
regards
geoff

regards
geoff

[shearder]

Hey Geoff

At the risk of buying a pile of white acrylic and not getting any light through - is it plain and simple white opaque acrylic or does it have some % of light transference or translucence?

Thanks again.

Hi folks
just like to come in here with some experience of my results for backlit panels.
I tried the OPAL acrylic but when you engrave through the paint the result is grey letters. It's OK when the backlight is on though. I took advice from others on cockpit websites and ended up making a 3mm white acrylic front lightplate, sprayed with matt acrylic paint( household emulsion in the UK) then clear matt laquer over that to give it a harder surface. When engraved gives nice white letters. I glue this 3mm lightplate to a clear 5mm "support" plate then pcb behind to hold the resistors and leds.

7433
3mm opal acrylic not backlit dull grey letters

7434
3mm white acrylic not backlit clear white letters
I use the 3mm leds for backlit but have to dim them as even through 3mm white acrylic they are too bright.

ignore colour differences of paint, it's difficult to get a true colour representation with fluorescent lights
regards
geoff

regards
geoff

[jonesthesoftware]

Hi
It's just 3mm white acrylic(Perspex) you could buy just as small piece and try it first it's quite cheap
regards
geoff

[shearder]

Thanks Geoff. I try it out.
HiIt's just 3mm white acrylic(Perspex) you could buy just as small piece and try it first it's quite cheapregards geoff

[Westozy]

I agree with Geoff, I think I was mislead by the plastic supplier. The opal acryilc looks great in the dark but is rather dull in daylight. I have been using the 3mm white acrylic for quite a while now and usually make a backing panel to support the switches in 3mm clear.
I've just fitted my CNC with a Geckodrive and that has halved the engraving time for making panels, awesome controller!
Cheers Gwyn

[shearder]

Thanks for that response Gwyn. DId you use 3mm end mills with 2 or 3 flutes? I guess i could "trial and error" it to some extent but i'd like the best finish on the edges off the bat :)

[Westozy]

Thanks for that response Gwyn. DId you use 3mm end mills with 2 or 3 flutes? I guess i could "trial and error" it to some extent but i'd like the best finish on the edges off the bat :)

I use two flute 3.25mm (1/8") cutters for 3mm acrylic. One pass at 200mm/min 8000rpm. This works ok and doesn't blunt the cutters two quickly.

These are the ones I buy - 10Pcs Carbide End Mill Endmill Engraving Bits 3.3mm for CNC/PCB Milling Machine | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10Pcs-Carbide-End-Mill-Endmill-Engraving-Bits-3-3mm-for-CNC-PCB-Milling-Machine-/130712075060?pt=AU_Hardware&hash=item1e6f0bfb34&_uhb=1)

Cheers Gwyn

[shearder]

Thanks a MIL (excuse the pun) Gwyn. I will try a test cut on the weekend at that speed :)


I use two flute 3.25mm (1/8") cutters for 3mm acrylic. One pass at 200mm/min 8000rpm. This works ok and doesn't blunt the cutters two quickly.

These are the ones I buy - 10Pcs Carbide End Mill Endmill Engraving Bits 3.3mm for CNC/PCB Milling Machine | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10Pcs-Carbide-End-Mill-Endmill-Engraving-Bits-3-3mm-for-CNC-PCB-Milling-Machine-/130712075060?pt=AU_Hardware&hash=item1e6f0bfb34&_uhb=1)

Cheers Gwyn

[jonesthesoftware]

Another thing to be aware of is cutters come in spiral upcut and spiral downcut, if you are cutting thin material an upcut will try to lift the material and cause chatter and doesn't give such a clean top edge as a downcut, however a downcut pushes the swarf into the cut and the heat of the tool can melt this and screw up the cut. you pay your money and you take your choice!

Regards
geoff

[shearder]

Hey Geoff

Yeah this i know - pros and cons. With thin stuff i.e. MDF that is very flimsy or soft I try and screw it down to a spoil board. I'll give the perspex a shot - i have up cut mills. if it works well then that will be fine to complete my panels over time :)

Thanks again for your input to Geoff. Much appreciated.

Another thing to be aware of is cutters come in spiral upcut and spiral downcut, if you are cutting thin material an upcut will try to lift the material and cause chatter and doesn't give such a clean top edge as a downcut, however a downcut pushes the swarf into the cut and the heat of the tool can melt this and screw up the cut. you pay your money and you take your choice!

Regards
geoff

[shearder]

Hey Gwyn

I had some black perspex at home that i wanted to use to make some calibration tools for the 3D printer. I loaded up a 3mm end mill 2 flute and set the feed to 200mm/min and spindle rate to 8000rpm - WOW it cut beautifully! I was very impressed.

Really appreciate the assistance. I first did a 2 pass cut with a 25mm ramp in @ 60mm/min and then the second piece a 1 pass cut. One part was great and the 2 part.

So really either way but feedrate and speed was perfect.

Thanks again. Now to get some white acrylic :)


I use two flute 3.25mm (1/8") cutters for 3mm acrylic. One pass at 200mm/min 8000rpm. This works ok and doesn't blunt the cutters two quickly.

These are the ones I buy - 10Pcs Carbide End Mill Endmill Engraving Bits 3.3mm for CNC/PCB Milling Machine | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10Pcs-Carbide-End-Mill-Endmill-Engraving-Bits-3-3mm-for-CNC-PCB-Milling-Machine-/130712075060?pt=AU_Hardware&hash=item1e6f0bfb34&_uhb=1)

Cheers Gwyn