Hi shearder,
I agree, why a 737? Why not something sporty like a Lear, or a fighter?
If you are going to make your own panels and PC boards you are going to need a CNC router. I make all of my panels from scratch on my home made CNC router and find it both frustrating and rewarding. My working area is 350 x 250 x 75mm and haven't used all of that. (Throttle handles came close.)
I cut MDF, Polycarb, PVC, Delrin, etc. up to 1/2" thick. Drilling all including brass and aluminum. Largest hole 1/4" x 1/2" deep. I do exactly as you plan and etch PCB's then use the CNC to do the drilling.
I also agree that a Dremel is not the way to go although others have used them successfully. A trim router seemed a bit of over kill for the size of the average cockpit work piece so I use a Proxxon IB/E. It's run out is less and it is much quieter than my Dremel. It has never broken a 1/32" bit used to drill PCB's and does a nice job on the 1/8" letters engraved on the panels. The engraving is done with a .5 mm stub end mill.
I do wish my 80oz steppers were just a tad bigger because at times I get a lot of lost steps. (The cause might also be the laptop I use to drive the stepper drive...considered a no no since its parallel port might not be at 5V.)
Hope this Helps.
Terry
Owner of MPX-1 a generic F-16/Lear/Embraer/Cessna cockpit.  |