Hey guys,

I'm looking at adding a EI CGR30P to my 185, and also adding some magnetic fuel sensors, ditching all the primary engine instruments, the fuel gauges, vac, my JPI 700, clock, CD player, and just doing a panel cleanup, after this I’m going to have two options, best I can tell, order a new "shock mount" plastic overlay from plane plastics with lots of black block off plates, or have a new clean metal panel cut out, coated and marked.

I think my shop and I can handle the install, I just don’t know the best place to get a panel cut, I know lots of these places have programs where you just tell them the plane, the instruments and they drag and drop and cut, thing is I really don’t want to pay a huge premium for a CNC cut piece of aluminum, I’ve also read on the VAF forum that some of those guys have had good luck doing the screen printing themselves.

Any insights on this?

THANKS!

I made my new panel using my old panel as a template and the following tools:

Jigsaw
Dremel
Grinder
Instrument panel hole punch
Drill/drill bits

Made sure everything would fit and then sanded it with 400 grit, primer, paint. I used SEM Hot Rod Black low gloss and it looks great. Had a local sign shop make all the placards. Can't really tell if they are screen printed or not.

Would have liked to go the CNC route as well, but couldn't see spending all that cash.

I have seen panel upgrades take several weeks because the shop was waiting for the CNC cut final part. Usually they start with a plywood template (one-two weeks) for the shop to test fit the location of instruments and placement of instruments. Once final changes are made to template and changes are usually made!! Then it is back to get final cut, (one week) now it is off for powder coat (one week or more). The result is a very clean panel that is easy to use with nice layout. If you are just going to use flat stock for this you could do it yourself using the old panel as overlay with hole punch, drill and cutoff saw (two day) job. Paint with rattle can. Most likely screw up one of your holes so redo possible. Panel overlay is simple quick and will allow you extra holes to add stuff later. If you put mandatory placards on hole blanks it looks like it was meant to be that way. There is no right or wrong on this one just be prepared the more shops/people involved the longer (weeks!!!) it usually takes.
DENNY

One thing about the CGR 30P, can you actually get all the primary guages into it? From what I've figured on 180, I can't. RPM, manifold pressure, oil temp, oil pressure, and 2 fuel guages is 6 primary functions. CGR can only do 5. Or are you doing seperate fuel guages?

FWIW...

I have seen nothing but outstanding praise on other forums/websites regarding the EI CGR 30 and CGR 50 units. Owners also report that customer service is second to none.

CGR-30




CGR-50

I can probably help you. PM me or email zane@

Denali wrote:FWIW...

I have seen nothing but outstanding praise on other forums/websites regarding the EI CGR 30 and CGR 50 units. Owners also report that customer service is second to none.

CGR-30




CGR-50

My understanding is the 30P has 5 primary, plus the tach/rpm up top, and the fuel screen and other Aux screens too, which should cover everything on the 185.

NineThreeKilo wrote:
My understanding is the 30P has 5 primary, plus the tach/rpm up top, and the fuel screen and other Aux screens too, which should cover everything on the 185.

I'm pretty sure it only has five total primary replacements. The RPM, Manifold, and three more to the right of the EGT/CHT. You can't use the secondary screens to replace primary instruments. The 30C will do what you want though.


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Prosaria wrote:

NineThreeKilo wrote:
My understanding is the 30P has 5 primary, plus the tach/rpm up top, and the fuel screen and other Aux screens too, which should cover everything on the 185.

I'm pretty sure it only has five total primary replacements. The RPM, Manifold, and three more to the right of the EGT/CHT. You can't use the secondary screens to replace primary instruments. The 30C will do what you want though.


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This is my understanding as well. So for a 180/185 it won't work if you want to use it for fuel and all primaries will it? I'd like it if it did.

Contact Bill at Up North Aviation. He cut my RV-8 Panel. Relatively inexpensive, super easy to work with and the results were great.

http://www.upnorthaviation.com/
http://www.upnorthaviation.com/180.html


Chris

I was able to replace all my primary gauges on my C180; here's an image of the 1st or primary screen.:



Here's the second screen:



I used DesignCAD to make a AutoCAD .dwg file, and took it to a Wichita Falls, TX waterjet company along with some 2024 Aluminum; as I recall it was about $60 each for the instrument panel and right side overlay. Both were done within a couple days.

HTH, Ron

+1 on waterjet.

Costs have come down a lot in the last 5-10 years. The company I use regularly is http://www.aquatechwaterjet.com/. Check out their "projects" tab to see what a waterjet can do. Their prices are reasonable and they ship UPS.

To generate the geometry try OnShape. It is a new FREE web based 3D CAD package similar to SolidWorks. It is a little different from most CAD software, so it is worth the time to sit through their YouTube tutorials.

jrc111 wrote:I was able to replace all my primary gauges on my C180; here's an image of the 1st or primary screen.:



Here's the second screen:



I used DesignCAD to make a AutoCAD .dwg file, and took it to a Wichita Falls, TX waterjet company along with some 2024 Aluminum; as I recall it was about $60 each for the instrument panel and right side overlay. Both were done within a couple days.

HTH, Ron

Ok. That sweet. I thought the second page was all secondary and just the first page was primary. But I see that the premium guage is up to 7 primaries. I like that news!

Waterjet companies are easy to find. If you create the files and material, a day or two is all you'll need to wait at a lot of places for them to fit you in quick between setups. I have a lot of proto work done and it costs me about 70 and 120 bucks to turn a .125 Al sheet that is 4' x 4' into Swiss cheese at any of a number of shops.

Water jetting leaves a slight burnish and a taper on the cutouts, so plan accordingly.

If this is not desirable, a laser cut vendor will charge slightly more and often require more time to work you into the flow.