'98C Gets a New Panel (Sort of...)
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- cessna170bdriver
- Posts: 4066
- Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2002 5:13 pm
'98C Gets a New Panel (Sort of...)
I had intended to make this a separate project, but since I had the shock-mounted instrument sub-panel out for access to windshield retainer screws anyway, I succombed to this one "while-I'm-at-it". There will be nothing new in the layout, just making a new sub-panel to get rid of all the unsightly adapters and cover plates, as seen in the photo below:
I've started with a clean sheet, literally. I laid the old sub-panel on a new 2' x 4' sheet of 0.125 2024-T3 and traced its outline with a blue Sharpie: My bandsaw has only a 9-1/2" throat, and the panel is 11" high, so 20 minutes with my trusy sabre saw with metal-cutting blade yielded this: I don't think the mark evident in the picture is anything but it the protective plastic sheet doing it's job. If I had it to do over, I would have turned the original panel over, traced the mirror image on the back, cut from the back, and just not worried about it. This IS a learning experience, isn't it
I had originally thought about using my AI's instrument hole punches, but they would have required some way to locate the hole centers and drill a 5/8" hole for the bolt, so I just killed two birds with one stone and went with a hole saw. For location accuracy, I first drilled and clecoed the 3/16" mounting holes around the perimeter to securely hold the old panel in place on the new sheet. Home Depot happened to have a 3-1/8 saw that fit the arbor I already have. The size of the saw is accurate enough that it only wore of SOME of the paint inside the holes in the old panel. The recommended cutting speed for the 3-1/8" saw on aluminum is 165 rpm, but my drill press only goes down to 200. A little Boelube on the teeth, and a LOT of noise, and the holes came out nice enough that you have to look close to tell they aren't punched. My AI loaned me a new 2-1/4" saw he'd picked up as part of a lot at an estate sale. It's recommended speed is 225, so the cutting went quieter and yielded excellent quality holes.
Extra-credit question: What other size instrument hole(s) will I have to cut, and for what instrument(s)?
I refuse to modify my factory original cover (and fabricating a new one is a job best left for later ), so I'm going to make the panel as attractive as possible; where there are no instruments currently installed, no holes will be cut. Where there are adapters, holes will be cut to fit existing instruments. I will also modify the shape slightly to cover the gaps on the ends (the worst one is on the left, obstructed from view by the hand held radio). Since the cover won't be used, I'll omit its mounting holes. If some future owner ever decides to strictly original, this panel can be cut down and holes added to exactly match the original.I've started with a clean sheet, literally. I laid the old sub-panel on a new 2' x 4' sheet of 0.125 2024-T3 and traced its outline with a blue Sharpie: My bandsaw has only a 9-1/2" throat, and the panel is 11" high, so 20 minutes with my trusy sabre saw with metal-cutting blade yielded this: I don't think the mark evident in the picture is anything but it the protective plastic sheet doing it's job. If I had it to do over, I would have turned the original panel over, traced the mirror image on the back, cut from the back, and just not worried about it. This IS a learning experience, isn't it
I had originally thought about using my AI's instrument hole punches, but they would have required some way to locate the hole centers and drill a 5/8" hole for the bolt, so I just killed two birds with one stone and went with a hole saw. For location accuracy, I first drilled and clecoed the 3/16" mounting holes around the perimeter to securely hold the old panel in place on the new sheet. Home Depot happened to have a 3-1/8 saw that fit the arbor I already have. The size of the saw is accurate enough that it only wore of SOME of the paint inside the holes in the old panel. The recommended cutting speed for the 3-1/8" saw on aluminum is 165 rpm, but my drill press only goes down to 200. A little Boelube on the teeth, and a LOT of noise, and the holes came out nice enough that you have to look close to tell they aren't punched. My AI loaned me a new 2-1/4" saw he'd picked up as part of a lot at an estate sale. It's recommended speed is 225, so the cutting went quieter and yielded excellent quality holes.
Extra-credit question: What other size instrument hole(s) will I have to cut, and for what instrument(s)?
Last edited by cessna170bdriver on Mon Sep 27, 2010 6:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
Miles
“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
Re: '98C Gets a New Panel (Sort of...)
Miles,
Nice work, I'm jealous! As you and I have discussed, I'd love to have a drawing of your original panel. Could you make a paper tracing and send it to me? I'd try to turn it into a real drawing with dimensions and all. Unless someone out there already has one they'd be willing to distribute ... ?
Dave
Nice work, I'm jealous! As you and I have discussed, I'd love to have a drawing of your original panel. Could you make a paper tracing and send it to me? I'd try to turn it into a real drawing with dimensions and all. Unless someone out there already has one they'd be willing to distribute ... ?
Dave
Re: '98C Gets a New Panel (Sort of...)
Are you referring to that 1" vacuum/suction gauge?cessna170bdriver wrote:...Extra-credit question: What other size instrument hole(s) will I have to cut, and for what instrument(s)?
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
- cessna170bdriver
- Posts: 4066
- Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2002 5:13 pm
Re: '98C Gets a New Panel (Sort of...)
Nope, my suction gauge is the original 2-1/4", but you are on the correct side of the panel. The holes to which I am referring are for original instruments.gahorn wrote:Are you referring to that 1" vacuum/suction gauge?cessna170bdriver wrote:...Extra-credit question: What other size instrument hole(s) will I have to cut, and for what instrument(s)?
Miles
“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
- cessna170bdriver
- Posts: 4066
- Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2002 5:13 pm
Re: '98C Gets a New Panel (Sort of...)
I'd be happy to make the tracing, but I don't know how accurate a drawing you could make from it. If you can wait till I'm done with this project, I could loan you the original panel from which to take more accurate measurements.DaveF wrote:Miles,
Nice work, I'm jealous! As you and I have discussed, I'd love to have a drawing of your original panel. Could you make a paper tracing and send it to me? I'd try to turn it into a real drawing with dimensions and all. Unless someone out there already has one they'd be willing to distribute ... ?
Dave
Miles
“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
Re: '98C Gets a New Panel (Sort of...)
cessna170bdriver wrote:Extra-credit question: What other size instrument hole(s) will I have to cut, and for what instrument(s)?
I think that would be the 2-1/16 inch holes for the automotive style oil pressure and oil temperature gauges.
Happy Flying,
Mark
1958 Cessna 172 N9153B
Mark
1958 Cessna 172 N9153B
- cessna170bdriver
- Posts: 4066
- Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2002 5:13 pm
Re: '98C Gets a New Panel (Sort of...)
BINGO, Mark!53B wrote:cessna170bdriver wrote:Extra-credit question: What other size instrument hole(s) will I have to cut, and for what instrument(s)?
I think that would be the 2-1/16 inch holes for the automotive style oil pressure and oil temperature gauges.
Those two mount from the front, so the bezels are the largest diameter parts of the gauges - roughly 2-1/4" - so from the front they look about the same size as a "standard" 2-1/4" gauge. I had never noticed the difference before, until I tried to test-fit a 2-1/4 hole saw in the oil pressure gauge hole in my old panel. My calipers show the hole saw to be about 2.05", and the body of the oil pressure gauge to be about 1.95". I haven't chucked up my 2" hole saw yet, but I'm thinking it should work fine.
I'm hoping that not everyone in the Association reads the forum, as I think I could parlay this into a pretty good bar bet.
OOPS! I had those measurements of the "2-inch" hole saw and the instrument body reversed. I had to use a coarse round file to hog out the oil pressure and temperature gauge holes out by about 0.010. It wasn't a huge amount of effort, so no harm, no foul.
Last edited by cessna170bdriver on Mon Sep 27, 2010 6:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
Miles
“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
Re: '98C Gets a New Panel (Sort of...)
The pic isn't very clear on my monitor, but that's what this items appears to be... so what is this?cessna170bdriver wrote:Nope, my suction gauge is the original 2-1/4", but you are on the correct side of the panel. The holes to which I am referring are for original instruments.gahorn wrote:Are you referring to that 1" vacuum/suction gauge?cessna170bdriver wrote:...Extra-credit question: What other size instrument hole(s) will I have to cut, and for what instrument(s)?
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
Re: '98C Gets a New Panel (Sort of...)
Generator warning light or a co-pilot panic button?
- cessna170bdriver
- Posts: 4066
- Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2002 5:13 pm
Re: '98C Gets a New Panel (Sort of...)
George,gahorn wrote:[The pic isn't very clear on my monitor, but that's what this items appears to be... so what is this?...
That's a low vacuum warning light required by the Precise Flight SVS III Standby Vacuum System STC. It's somewhere around 1/4" to 5/16" in diameter and fits nicely in one of the panel cover attachment holes, and has about a 1" diameter adhesive label placard that goes around it. The light comes on when I slow the airplane down and the venturi vacuum drops below about 3.5 inHg. In most installations, it's designed to indicate vacuum pump failure.
This picture may show it better, but I'll try to find a higher-res photo when I get home.
Miles
“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
Re: '98C Gets a New Panel (Sort of...)
How about the stall warning indicator.
- cessna170bdriver
- Posts: 4066
- Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2002 5:13 pm
Re: '98C Gets a New Panel (Sort of...)
It's not in the shock-mounted panel, but in the fixed area just below the left control yoke shaft. The ammeter is in a similar location on the right side.SteveF wrote:How about the stall warning indicator.
Miles
“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
- cessna170bdriver
- Posts: 4066
- Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2002 5:13 pm
Re: '98C Gets a New Panel (Sort of...)
Higher res photo of low vacuum warning light:
Miles
“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
Re: '98C Gets a New Panel (Sort of...)
Did Rick bust you for no 5 psi redline on your oil press? (Or is it just not evident.) He got me.
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
- cessna170bdriver
- Posts: 4066
- Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2002 5:13 pm
Re: '98C Gets a New Panel (Sort of...)
I didn't invite him to check my airplane, but if you enlarge that last photo, there is still a pinkish cast remaining on the 5psi mark on my 56 year-old oil pressure gauge. He would have gotten me on the oil temp gauge with NO redline, though. I guess now might be a good time to take care of that, eh?gahorn wrote:Did Rick bust you for no 5 psi redline on your oil press? (Or is it just not evident.) He got me.
Miles
“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne