737 Panels, Build your own, Can anyone help?

[Michael Carter]

It's not difficult to do and doesn't require any electrical knowledge at all to hook up switches.

Solder two wires to the switch and plug it into the card on the terminals.

Tell FSUIPC what you want it to do through the drop-down menu and you're done.

Not everything in this hobby requres a computer science or electrical engineering degree.

We'll help you too.

[Bob Reed]

It's not difficult to do and doesn't require any electrical knowledge at all to hook up switches.

Solder two wires to the switch and plug it into the card on the terminals.

Tell FSUIPC what you want it to do through the drop-down menu and you're done.

Not everything in this hobby requres a computer science or electrical engineering degree.

We'll help you too.

Yes there are lots of folks in here willing to help. And if you do it right, you can start out slow with the switches and let the OH grow as your skills do!

[Mike.Powell]

GlynD has been making panels by gluing printed images to a backing plate. He's registered here, but posts more frequently on the Viperpit forums. (His project is an AH-64 Apache helicopter gunship.)

His Viperpit project thread is here: http://www.viperpits.org/smf/index.php?topic=2905.0

He has posted pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/glyndav...7601448095349/

[Spoceto1003]

Guys
I really appreciate all the help this site has to offer, if it wasn't for this site I wouldn't even be attempting my own build.

I have FS2004, I plan on using mainly USB type controls on my sim, I would love to have working switches, even if it only turned on the Taxi lights....
But sometimes this site sounds like a different language to a novice builder, I don't know what FSUIPC is? and I understand about soldering the wires to the switch but onto what card on where?, that has lost me completey.
Again I apologise for the ignorance and your help is always appreciated.

[Spoceto1003]

I have now realised that if I have an interface card, I will be able to have some of my toggle switches working on my overhead panel,
I only need a small card as it will only be used for this....

Can anyone recommend a Interface card that requires mimimum set up that can work up to 6 switches
Thanks for the help.....

[salautom]

maybe you can have a look at http://www.opencockpits.com/catalog/...ards-c-21.html
there you find al kinds of interface cards specialy made for our hobby.
you need first some reading (ask here a couple of questions), but after a while, you will understand how it works, and then you can build your complete cockpit if you want.
FSUIPC: http://www.schiratti.com/dowson.html, a way that an interface card can 'talk' with flithsimulator and vice versa.

[Michael Carter]

Loe Bodnar's card will do more than that, plus your control axis's (how the heck do you spell the plural of 'axis') and rotary encoders if you wish.

It has 32 inputs and is well worth the money.

Go here: http://www.leobodnar.com/products/BU0836X/

I have now realised that if I have an interface card, I will be able to have some of my toggle switches working on my overhead panel,
I only need a small card as it will only be used for this....

Can anyone recommend a Interface card that requires mimimum set up that can work up to 6 switches
Thanks for the help.....

[mounty]

Shawn,

Which program did you use to make the paper panels out of?

Thanks

Rob

[Kennair]

I did some experimenting with home printed panels and found the ideal for backlighting was to use Westozy's method he wrote up for a Computer Pilot article some time ago. Produce a colour print of your panel first then print a black mask using clear transparency film of the same image. Very carefully line up the mask underneath the colour print so the lettering align perfectly. This will allow the backlighting to shine through the white lettering yet avoid bleed elsewhere. It's very effective, although not as effective as laser cut panels (which is what I ended up purchasing).

And yes a purchase of some sort of card such as Leo Bodner's will allow actual functionality as well.

Ken.

[Shawn]

Shawn,

Which program did you use to make the paper panels out of?

Thanks

Rob

I used Paintshop Pro to design the panels but any paint program that allows you to work with layers would work. I then saved them as Bmp file and inserted them into a word document as a picture. Inserting them into a word document allowed me to easily adjust the size of the artwork and print test copies on regular paper until I got things looking right. I then printed the final version onto high gloss photo paper and cut them out with an exacto knife and a ruler.