1952 and prior Floating panel drawing

[bagarre]

Does anyone have a detailed drawing for the '52 prior floating panel?

I want to cut a new one and fit two gauges over/under in the center of the panel but I don't want to tear down my plane to draw a template. Even a full scale fairly accurate tracing might suffice.

Also, how thick is that aluminum? I remember it to be around 1/8th inch but not certain.

Thanks!

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

That sounds familier, I might have something. Let be look around if someone doesn't chime in.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

That didn't take long. I thought we had this and I found it here: http://www.cessna170.org/forums/viewtop ... 41&t=10359

Maybe after you make it in to a CAD (DWF, DWG or something) file you could donate that. And just maybe someone has already done this and will chime in.

[bagarre]

Holy smokes, that's almost exactly what I was asking for!
I say almost because, on mine, the outer most holes are 3 1/8th vs 2 1/4.
Do you know if the hole center is the same on both panel types? My guess is no but possibly they are on the same center line as the others?

[Ryan Smith]

I'd be very interested in the entire panel drawing. I'd be willing to put it all in CAD and donate it back to the Association for use to plan out a panel/make replacement floating panel parts as necessary. I made a drawing based off of some decent straight-on shots, but a scale drawing suitable for cutting real, usable parts would be nice.

[hilltop170]

I don't have any dimensional data for the panel I made for my 1951 170A. It was made out of 1/8" sheet aluminum in 1978 when I upgraded the plane to IFR the first time. In 2006 it was upgraded again but the panel was not changed. What I did was to trace around the outside of the original false panel cover then around inside of the inst holes that remained in the same places and hand layed-out the two center inst holes and all of the shock mount, post light, and inst screw holes. The original panel had the old AN style DG in the center. I did not have any templates for screw holes in those days but I lucked out and didn't make any mistakes, I only had enough material for one panel. I would not use post lights if I had it to do over but in those days surplus post lights were $1ea and it was the thing to do. If you don't have the original false panel cover I could send a tracing of mine just like I did it the first time. I still have all the old stuff that has been removed over the years. I'll only be in Alaska where the inst panel parts are until next Sunday March 9, 2014 so let me know asap if you need the tracing.

You need to be aware that the lower center hole has limited clearance in the back due to the control column tee which comes very close to the panel. It's no problem as long as a shallow instrument is placed there.

1978 instrument panel upgrade

2006 instrument panel upgrade

Tight clearance between lower center inst and control column tee

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

The drawing we have is for a '48 and A model to serial 19365. Never noticed the outside holes where smaller as they are not on my early 49 but I have a optional Venturi Gyro installation panel which is the same panel as the stock '52.

It would be easy to print this panel full size and take out to the aircraft and just remove the cover panel and compare to see if the hole centers are the same and if so enlarge the holes in the drawing. Another project any takers?

[Ryan Smith]

Bruce,

I'd be interested in the drawing. Unfortunately, I won't be of any help with sizing, at least physically. I can draw in CAD and size it to 100% and save as a PDF to allow an industrious person to print it at Kinko's for verification.

[bagarre]

Richard, if you could make a tracing of the instrument panel onto some heavy construction paper, that would be incredibly useful. I can pop off my dress panel and trace that easy enough but it's the floating panel that the instruments mount to that I'd really like to get accurate. (BTW, Thanks for the PM)

Ryan, a CADD of the thing would be a life saver as well. The drawing Bruce provided gets us 80% of the measurements needed.

I was planning on cutting it out on a band saw but it would be so much nicer if cut on a CNC.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

David, you could trace your own panel to locate or confirm the outer hole centers. The centers for the inside holes would be the same and the drawing shows the lower center.

[bagarre]

True. I just thought we'd get a more accurate tracing if someone had a panel that was out and empty and could lay flat.

[170C]

Richard, just a curiosity question. Why would you not use post lights if you were redoing your panel? I always thought that post lights were the second best instrument lights you could get. The best being interior lighted instruments. My instruments are lighted by eyebrow lights (in place when I purchased my plane) and they are so-so when all work, but its rare that all of them will come on at any one time.

Frank

[cessna170bdriver]

If you're going to use the same or very similar hole layout, and you aren't going to generate a CAD file to have an outside vendor fabricate your panel, I found it worth the downtime to just remove the original and copy it. Here is a thread on how I did it.

If anyone needs an un-butchered '55 model panel, to copy or trace, I believe I loaned mine to DaveF.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

True. I just thought we'd get a more accurate tracing if someone had a panel that was out and empty and could lay flat.

True, I got ya now.

[KS170A]

Attached is the CAD file my neighbor and I came up with to have a nice floating panel cut for my 170A. This file was sent to a local shop, whom I supplied the sheet metal to, and they cut it using a water jet cutter. Every hole was absolutely perfect, no filing or enlarging needed! Also are photos of the cut and the installed product.

I did not have them cut out holes for the old lighting, as I mounted NuLite lighting. Also, the 0,0 axis is the lower-left corner of the sheet metal as seen in the first photo.