Wanted to share some thoughts on backlit panels that all of us want but cant afford... My best idea so far, will be awesome if it works.... Tell me what you thinkWhen I did my military service, the nametags everyone wore on the uniform was made out of a dual layer plastic plate with different colors in the layers. The tag was put into a 2 axis milling machine that was conntected to a computer. This milling machine could take plates up to 30*40 cm and could write text in different fonts, draw images etc by milling through the first color layer so the underlying layer became visible. Ok, heres the idea: Take a clear, see-through plastic plate (6mm plexi?). Sand the backside slightly so its diffuse, and then paint it with a hard plastic color that matches the color you want for your cockpit panels. Let it harden and put it with the painted side up in the milling machine and mill the letters, symbols and all that you want to be seen from the front. Paint the back side with a thin white color to make the backlighting even and diffuse. Mount it in a box with lights in the back. Voila!!! The milled letters will let light through, but the color wont. Im doing some research on how to get access to a machine like this. Ill tell you when i have! Take a look at this in the meantime, anyone have $2500 for me? I promise to make all the panels you need http://www.step-four.at/paket.php?language...pe=1&id_paket=1 / Ramsberg Sweden PS. Bought myself a house now, room in basement dedicated for 737NG simulator. Whohoo! DS

Ah yes. I remember those days. Name tags and and my ID number stamped on my underwear. And pulling guard duty, and KP, and picking up almost invisibly small bits of trash, and.....Your idea is a good one. Name tags like that are still made. My local EAA chapter uses them. The base layer is translucent white while the top opaque layer is blue. The white layer is thin enough that if held up to a light the engraved areas are nicely lit up. I doubt you would have to find and paint clear plastic for your idea to work.You shouldn't need to buy an engraving machine. There are a great many small companies that do that sort of thing. Of course, almost none of them seem to have a web presence. One that does is Capital Engraving www.kalama.com/~capengrave Mikewww.mikesflightdeck.comInfo for simpit builders.