Cutting 57mm holes in the instrument panel.....how to?

On Nov 11, 9:42*pm, Bob Kuykendall wrote:
On Nov 11, 9:39*pm, Alia Kuykendall

Sawzall.

Much neater than the chainsaw, but not as cool as a loop of det cord.

Thanks, Bob K.

Oops, that was my post.

Thanks, Bob K.

We just figured your daughter was picking up the torch. Put a sawzall
in their hands when they're three and they'll never look back.

Craig

The suggestion to use 2-1/4" or 3-1/8" hole saws is absolutely correct.
Those were the original standard instrument sizes (and you will find that
the P.C.D. of the fixing holes is also a neat measurement in inches.

Over here in metricland where they don't understand inches, it was
converted to the nearest integer millimetre.

And a hole saw (used on a panel clamped down to a good rigid drill press
bed for accuracy) is a damn sight less costly than a hole punch.

Although Bob's idea of a piece of det cord looks interesting, I must try
it. On someone else's panel...............

On Nov 12, 8:43*am, Peter Purdie wrote:
The suggestion to use 2-1/4" or 3-1/8" hole saws is absolutely correct.
Those were the original standard instrument sizes (and you will find that
the P.C.D. of the fixing holes is also a neat measurement in inches.

Over here in metricland where they don't understand inches, it was
converted to the nearest integer millimetre.

And a hole saw (used on a panel clamped down to a good rigid drill press
bed for accuracy) is a damn sight less costly than a hole punch.

Although Bob's idea of a piece of det cord looks interesting, I must try
it. *On someone else's panel...............

Surely you can order metric hole saws by the internet? The hard work
way of doing it is to scribe the correct size hole onto the panel,
drill out a series of adjacent holes just inside the scribe mark,
knock out the centre, and them finish to size with a half round file.

Derek C

On Nov 11, 9:42*pm, Bob Kuykendall wrote:
On Nov 11, 9:39*pm, Alia Kuykendall

Sawzall.

Much neater than the chainsaw, but not as cool as a loop of det cord.

Thanks, Bob K.

Oops, that was my post.

Thanks, Bob K.

New aluminum panels can be cut out pretty effectively by waterjet or
laser using a local fabricator. I think I paid $80 the last time
(aluminum included) and just had to give them the drawing file.

Craig

On Nov 12, 10:38*am, Craig wrote:
On Nov 11, 9:42*pm, Bob Kuykendall wrote:

On Nov 11, 9:39*pm, Alia Kuykendall

Sawzall.

Much neater than the chainsaw, but not as cool as a loop of det cord.

Thanks, Bob K.

Oops, that was my post.

Thanks, Bob K.

New aluminum panels can be cut out pretty effectively by waterjet or
laser using a local fabricator. *I think I paid $80 the last time
(aluminum included) and just had to give them the drawing file.

Craig

Aluminum panels are quite dangerous in an accident;
edge removed leg of a friend in a crash.

Please use fiberglass panel with a integral rounded
flange as do all modern manufacturers. If you have
an older glider with an aluminum panel consider
upgrading it (good opportunity to add an SN10).

No kidding here.
Best Regards, Dave

One of the best ways is to use a hole punch. You need a 1 1/4 inch
size. Aircraft Spruce carries them. Here's a link:http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo.../knockout2.php.

Charlie

Charlie, I think you meant to type a 2 1/4 inch hole. 57MM equals 2.24
inches. Doug

Thanks for the correction. Fingers on the wrong key. I need to edit
better before punching the send button! At least the link was correct.

On Nov 12, 7:43*am, Dave Nadler wrote:
On Nov 12, 10:38*am, Craig wrote:



On Nov 11, 9:42*pm, Bob Kuykendall wrote:

On Nov 11, 9:39*pm, Alia Kuykendall

Sawzall.

Much neater than the chainsaw, but not as cool as a loop of det cord.

Thanks, Bob K.

Oops, that was my post.

Thanks, Bob K.

New aluminum panels can be cut out pretty effectively by waterjet or
laser using a local fabricator. *I think I paid $80 the last time
(aluminum included) and just had to give them the drawing file.

Craig

Aluminum panels are quite dangerous in an accident;
edge removed leg of a friend in a crash.

Please use fiberglass panel with a integral rounded
flange as do all modern manufacturers. If you have
an older glider with an aluminum panel consider
upgrading it (good opportunity to add an SN10).

No kidding here.
Best Regards, Dave

I've had similar concerns about the aluminum panel and will probably
change to a fiberglass tilt up panel this winter. In the meantime,
I've set up the panel so that the upper bolts go through a vertical
slot that opens toward the bottom and the lower bolts are nylon that
will shear in an impact. I still have the sharp edge of the panel and
its weight to overcome, but at least it's free to break away from the
fuselage structure.

Thanks,
Craig

On Nov 12, 8:28*am, Craig wrote:
On Nov 12, 7:43*am, Dave Nadler wrote:



On Nov 12, 10:38*am, Craig wrote:

On Nov 11, 9:42*pm, Bob Kuykendall wrote:

On Nov 11, 9:39*pm, Alia Kuykendall

Sawzall.

Much neater than the chainsaw, but not as cool as a loop of det cord.

Thanks, Bob K.

Oops, that was my post.

Thanks, Bob K.

New aluminum panels can be cut out pretty effectively by waterjet or
laser using a local fabricator. *I think I paid $80 the last time
(aluminum included) and just had to give them the drawing file.

Craig

Aluminum panels are quite dangerous in an accident;
edge removed leg of a friend in a crash.

Please use fiberglass panel with a integral rounded
flange as do all modern manufacturers. If you have
an older glider with an aluminum panel consider
upgrading it (good opportunity to add an SN10).

No kidding here.
Best Regards, Dave

I've had similar concerns about the aluminum panel and will probably
change to a fiberglass tilt up panel this winter. *In the meantime,
I've set up the panel so that the upper bolts go through a vertical
slot that opens toward the bottom and the lower bolts are nylon that
will shear in an impact. *I still have the sharp edge of the panel and
its weight to overcome, but at least it's free to break away from the
fuselage structure.

Thanks,
Craig

P.S. If anyone's looking to sell their SN10, please contact me via
email.

Thanks,
Craig

On Nov 12, 8:43*am, Dave Nadler wrote:
On Nov 12, 10:38*am, Craig wrote:



On Nov 11, 9:42*pm, Bob Kuykendall wrote:

On Nov 11, 9:39*pm, Alia Kuykendall

Sawzall.

Much neater than the chainsaw, but not as cool as a loop of det cord.

Thanks, Bob K.

Oops, that was my post.

Thanks, Bob K.

New aluminum panels can be cut out pretty effectively by waterjet or
laser using a local fabricator. *I think I paid $80 the last time
(aluminum included) and just had to give them the drawing file.

Craig

Aluminum panels are quite dangerous in an accident;
edge removed leg of a friend in a crash.

Please use fiberglass panel with a integral rounded
flange as do all modern manufacturers. If you have
an older glider with an aluminum panel consider
upgrading it (good opportunity to add an SN10).

No kidding here.
Best Regards, Dave

Unless the older glider used the instrument panel as a load bearing
bulkhead.

On Thu, 11 Nov 2010 21:39:30 -0800 (PST), Alia Kuykendall
wrote:

On Nov 11, 4:09*pm, "John Bojack" wrote:
...what have others done when cutting new panels for 57mm
instruments?

Sawzall.

Much neater than the chainsaw, but not as cool as a loop of det cord.


Thanks, Bob K.

But this is just the right size...

http://www.rt66.com/~korteng/SmallArms/57m18.htm

rj