hello folks out there, if anyone says that this hobby is not exspensive is already rich:)i have decided to move up with the big boys and im tired of this playing with FS9, FSX table top stuff and im ready to make a real cockpit.im already runnig a 8 monitor set up FS9, and when FSX came out it changed everything.im thinkin with this new FSX why not build you a replica of your favorite plane, like 737,747,erj, etc.i have most hardware to start, interface boards, buttons switches etc. blah blah blah. i know computers pretty welli know electronics.So here is the question , im looking for a used or new cnc machine , but i dont know what to get.i want a mini type cnc machine that is portable if possible.im wanting to build my own overhead, mcp, etc.are there machines out there that are just right for my needs.So is there anyone out there that is doing the same thing that has a cnc machine and can direct me.thanks..............Robert

Hi RobertI made all my panels with my own CNC machine. I got it from a CNC hobbyist who made these machines with a big CNC machine. It is very nice to have the design proces completely in your own hand. It takes a lot of time though.You should have a look on ebay , sometimes you see these tableCNC machines secondhand. They are often used by buildrs of RC (glider)planesI discovered another nice thing. Suppose your working area is 25 x 25 cm. If you design some extrao make marker points , you can realign your work after making the first 25 x 25 cm. So in fact you would be able to make panels from 25 x 100 or more cm. But be prepared it will take some learning curve before you ar able to make evrything. regardsNorberthttp://home.wanadoo.nl/norbert.bosch/

Robert,does this guy have a website where I could have a look?Thanks,Toine

>Robert,>>does this guy have a website where I could have a look?>>Thanks,>ToineI meant Norbert of course... my apologies.

No, not anymore. Unfortenately he died last year.Norbert

I had the same problem as you have. I looked around on the Net for something for me to buy, but all that i found was WAAAAY to expensive for me.So i built my own... Took some time, scrap collecting, thinking, learning and contact-making with a local metalshop owner. (you can do the most by yourself, but som parts must be precision machined) But hey, isn't that what this hobby is all about. Building it was an amazing experience.All information you need is available on http://www.cnczone.com*edit: Ops, corrected the link.*Have a look at my machine at http://737.ramsberg.nuThis is not a "state-of-the-art-high-precision-super-duper-machine", but it does what i need it to do, with a precision of 0.04mm. And it costed me approx 220 euro to build, where half was the controller electronics.Good luck!/ Olle Ramsberg

@OlleBuilding your own CNC is quit a job, well done. Mine is made by a cnc hobbyist and was also rather cheap, but saved a lot of time.All my panels are already finished. I have a good advise. Use white plexi. After painting do NOT use a V shaped drill but a normal |_| shaped one , with a diameter of 0,5 mm. With that I was able to make characters of 4 mm height. Only remove the paint, so set the z axis on -0,1 (just experiment). You will get white characters in this way. Backlighting is just as good as with the clear plexi.ragrdsNorberthttp://home.wanadoo.nl/norbert.bosch

Thanks for the advice... My second panel prototype was made of white polycarbonate plastic (4mm sheets that are normally used for backlit signs)I have a hard time finding good drill bits, but i will look f

I got some fromwww.pollin.declick on WERKSTATT-WERKZEUGE-FRASERNorbert

wow...it's amazing the lenghts dedicate flightsimmers go to make their cockpits real.For me, my next panel will have be made from sheet plastic on a metal frame with holes cut with a ten dollar/4 sizes circular saw drill head to roughly match the size of the instruments on screen.Probably the holes for buttons will be punched out....

thats because my friend we love what we do, there are a lot of folks that will never fly a big jet, but to create from scratch with all the tecnology out there a cockpit that looks real , there is nothin like it.that is why im looking into building my own cnc machine , so that i can build my own parts.i would love to go out and buy a overhead panel, but with those prices i might as well go out and buy a plane, just joking guys, you folks outhere are the reason im building my own for the pleasure of seeing the same results you did when you built your cockpit.And we all know what we want the final results to be and that is to take our minds off of the world and fly the world............Robert

http://www.colinbus.comAbout 1600 Euro's.Hessel

>http://www.colinbus.com>>About 1600 Euro's.>>HesselThat's the big everything-in-one-kit-and-go CNC they had in the Elektor from last year as well. Cutting down on that budget may be very easy:* Get an interface/stepper driver for under $100 (3-axis variant) at http://www.hobbycnc.com/hcncpro.php* Salvage three stepper motors from an old printer or two, or buy a set of new ones for about $10 each (or use the salvaged ones first and replace them later)* Get a few lengths of trapezoidal screw thread and matching nuts, most of these will be available at a machine shop.* Build the casing out of MDF or, if you want to go the better but still affordable way, have the components cut in 2-axis over waterjet from acrylic, and assemble at home.Bottom line: The more time you put in home designing and development, the cheaper it gets, making a CNC affordable for the hobbyist, and it can be used for practically everything you need in a home cockpit, like machining thrust levers, display covers, switch panels, keycaps and lots more. I think 200 to 300 euros would be money well spent for the device, but 1600 euros is off my scale.