Aluminum instrument panel finish?

Richard Riley wrote ...
I've just finished machining my instrument panel. It is (I say with
no small pride) nice. Milled out of 2024T3 3" thick, reduced to .120
with .120 webs between each instrument and around the perimeter.

Now the question is: how should it be finished? Polished? Engine
turned? Anodized? Clear powder coat?



After that much effort, why finish it off with the same methods used
by every other aircraft on the line? You should go for something
unique. Something that really sets your plane apart. Something that
says "I just gotta be me!":

http://panel.notlong.com

Daniel

As long as he doesn't plan on selling it anytime soon...


"Daniel" wrote in message
om...
Richard Riley wrote ...
I've just finished machining my instrument panel. It is (I say with
no small pride) nice. Milled out of 2024T3 3" thick, reduced to .120
with .120 webs between each instrument and around the perimeter.

Now the question is: how should it be finished? Polished? Engine
turned? Anodized? Clear powder coat?



After that much effort, why finish it off with the same methods used
by every other aircraft on the line? You should go for something
unique. Something that really sets your plane apart. Something that
says "I just gotta be me!":

http://panel.notlong.com

Daniel



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"Marco Leon" mleon(at)optonline.net wrote in message
...
As long as he doesn't plan on selling it anytime soon...

Selling a homebuilt is not consistent with the regulatory advantages
provided to those building their own airplane, that they intend to operate.
That Authority belongs at a DAS.

"Tarver Engineering" wrote in message ...

"Marco Leon" mleon(at)optonline.net wrote in message
...
As long as he doesn't plan on selling it anytime soon...

Selling a homebuilt is not consistent with the regulatory advantages
provided to those building their own airplane, that they intend to operate.
That Authority belongs at a DAS.

More drivel. The only thing that a builder is afforded over anyone else
who owns a homebuilt is eligibility to sign off the annuals.

"Ron Natalie" wrote in message
. ..

"Tarver Engineering" wrote in message
...

"Marco Leon" mleon(at)optonline.net wrote in message
...
As long as he doesn't plan on selling it anytime soon...

Selling a homebuilt is not consistent with the regulatory advantages
provided to those building their own airplane, that they intend to
operate.
That Authority belongs at a DAS.

More drivel. The only thing that a builder is afforded over anyone else
who owns a homebuilt is eligibility to sign off the annuals.

Of course, that from Natalie, who doesn't even know a homebuilt is an
experimantal.

If you build it to sell, you are outside the regulatory intent of a
homebuilt.

"Tarver Engineering" wrote:

Selling a homebuilt is not consistent with the regulatory advantages
provided to those building their own airplane, that they intend
to operate.

Nothing in the CFR about "intent to operate." If a person
builds an airplane "for education or recreation" there
is nothing in the CFR that prevents them from selling it.

Hired guns or building for the express purpose of resale
are other matters altogether.

Dave 'twist and crawl' Hyde

"nauga" wrote in message
ink.net...
"Tarver Engineering" wrote:

Selling a homebuilt is not consistent with the regulatory advantages
provided to those building their own airplane, that they intend
to operate.

Nothing in the CFR about "intent to operate." If a person
builds an airplane "for education or recreation" there
is nothing in the CFR that prevents them from selling it.

That is correct.

Hired guns or building for the express purpose of resale
are other matters altogether.

Yes.

"nauga" wrote in message link.net...

Nothing in the CFR about "intent to operate." If a person
builds an airplane "for education or recreation" there
is nothing in the CFR that prevents them from selling it.

Uh oh. My buddy sold his RV-6 and I'm currently helping him with
the RV-10 project. I don't think he's building it for "education or
recreation". I'm pretty sure he's building it so that he'll have a
kick-ass 4-place airplane to fly around in for less than 1/4 million
dollars.

I suppose the fallback position is that we're getting educated
whether we intend to or not :-)

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)

(Daniel) wrote in message . com...

After that much effort, why finish it off with the same methods used
by every other aircraft on the line? You should go for something
unique. Something that really sets your plane apart. Something that
says "I just gotta be me!":

http://panel.notlong.com


Just stay away from the one called "Classic Fruit". How'd you like
to repeat that everytime someone asks about the panel? :-)

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)

I would give it a horizontal brushed finish (or machine swirled) and
then have it etched and thick clear anodized. The etch time should be
about 3 minutes to give a somewhat matte finish. On 6061 I would say
to use a thin (.0005"-.0010") hard anodize which would give a nice
medium gray color. On 2024 the results of hard anodize are less
consistant so I recommend a thick standard anodize instead. At a
thickness of .0005"+ the color will coume out a light gray with some
goldish undertones. I think it looks good, but if you don't like it
you still have about the best paint base you could imagine.