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Re: Instr.Panel instl.



Bob,

The flange for most of the panel only needs to be about 1/2 to 3/4 inches
wide at the most. 

If you want to permantently mount the lower left hand portion of the
panel so that the throttle quadrant stays stationary with a removable
panel, measure in from the lower left side about 3 inches. The vertical
centerline for your control cables should be no less than 2 1/2 inches in
from the lower left corner.  Draw a perpendicular line to the bottom edge
of the panel at the 3 inch mark and go high enough just to clear the top
of the top control cable. draw a line from this point horizontally to the
left hand side of the panel.

This is done instead of cutting the panel straight up for strength
reasons.

File or sand the newly cut instrument panel edges smooth and straight.
Apply gray duct tape to the back side of the instrument panel, leaving
enough tape to wrap around to the front of the instrument panel. With the
instrument panel and subpanel laying face down on a smooth surface,lay
three layers of bid over the entire subpanel lapping over the instrument
panel by 3/4 to 1 inch. The additional thickness to the subpanel will
give it more strength when it is utimately glassed to the fuselage. Make
sure you include the bottom edge of the panel in this process!

Once this is cured, but before you seperate the two panels, gently turn
the panel over and fill the cut joint with a micro balloon/epoxy mix.
Once this has cured, match drill two holes above the top cut line, two
inboard of the vertical cut line, and one on the lower flange
approximately 3/16" from the original cut line. The two pieces can now be
seperated with an extremely 'clean' cut line. Remove the gray tape from
the panel. Cut the 3/4 to 1" flange down to about 3/8 to 1/2 inch wide.
You will attach #10-32 nutplates to the flange so that you can secure the
instrument panel to the stationary subpanel with the five holes you just
match drilled.

CAUTION!!! Make sure that the nutplates are not in an area that an
instrument will go. You panel space is limited so make sure that Turn
Coordinator  and airspeed indicator will mount as close to the vertical
cut line as possible. It is not inconceivable that you will have to cut
away some of the flange to accomodate this. Think and Plan ahead!

Once this has all been done, put gray duct tape around the backside
perimeter edges on the instrument panel  where the panel will meet the
fuselage. Do not put any tape on the subpanel as this will need to be
prepared for permanent glassing to the fuselage. Locate the instrument
panel in airplane where it will permanently be positioned. Using three
layers of bid, 2 inches wide, glass the entire perimeter of the panel
where it meets the fuselage, lapping the BID approximately 1/2 inch onto
the panel, with the remainder on the fuselage. Once these layup are
cured, match drill two holes for #10-32 nutplates and screws on the left
side of the panel and 4 #10-32 nutplates and screws on the right side of
the panel.

It is preferred that you layup mounting flanges from the side of the keel
up to the inner sides of the lower center panel. If you layup a mounting
flange on top of the keel to the inner backside of the lower center
panel, you will render some valuable panel space useless because of the
flange and associated hardware.

Easy, Huh!

Safe and Speedy Construction!

Martin