Hello There,
My current Project is a 33% Pitts S-1S and I am now in the Process of making a scale instrument panel, I have figured out how to make all the instruments. But the panel I am replicating has several toggle switches. Does anyone here know of a source for good looking toggle switches for this purpose??? I have looked all over the internet and have not come up with anything close to what I would like, they obviousily do not have to be functional at all, I have seen quite a few "Micro" toggles on the market but they are still to big for my application. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
JR Freiberger

I've heard of people using short pieces of solder to imitate the toggles on the switch. 1/4 scale toggle switches are something that I am looking for also.

You can make toggle switches using a #90nut or #80 depending on scale and inserting some alu wire for the switch. Bend it to either be on or off.

there sare certain hair brush bristles that work great. You can always check out Radio shack and see the assortment of parts and devices they ghave

The Hair Brush Bristles is the best Idea Ive heard yet, I would definately like to use something that was tapered like a real Switch, Bristles with a small nut and washer may just be the ticket. A while back there were a couple guys one here building a pair of Cessna 195's and their panels had what looked to be some Extremely tiny switches on them. I have looked everywhere for their posting now but can not find them, what they had looked 100% like the real thing. Considering that there is not much to do with a Pitts detail wise I really want the Panel to be 100% Accurate.
Would like to thank everyone for the responses so far, a resource like RCU just cant be beat...

My feeling is that with these sorts of details, it always boils down to either finding some small bits and bobs that almost look right (but usually not quite) and just making it up yourself from scratch. I used to get a certain thrill from being able to say something like "I made this from parts from an old alarm clock." But more and more, I'm realizing that the parts just look like parts from an old alarm clock.

What I'm saying is that at 1/3 scale those toggle switches might be large enough to see that the toggle should be thinner at the base than at the (rounded) end and to see the (tiered) hexagonal base and so on. Sticking a wire in a screw head might not cut it, if you really want to go all out.

I think you're looking for Tom Crump's Cessna 195

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...ght=cessna+195


Paul

Just thinking out loud, but a small pin dipped in thick paint and suspended upside down to dry might do for those tapered toggles.

Paul,
Yes that is the 195 I was talking about, Thank you very much, if you look at that thread you will see that he has toggles that are dead ringers for the real thing. Now I realize why no matter how much I searched RCU I could not find it, LOL it on the "other" RC sight. Once again I really appreciate the feedback Im getting about this, Ive made post on some of the other sights Im a member of and waited weeks for a single reply, You Guys are the Best.
My Hats Off to all Of You
Cheers
JiM

The toggle switches on my 195 were purchased from InZpan. Just checked, and their website is down.

Propagteam may know of a distributor. I assume that they are the manufacturer.

Looking closely at the "switches," I believe that they could easily be made by using the nut and wire method. As Abu suggests, painting the wire heavily will produce the tapered effect.

JR, I've had pretty good success using these little guys for simulated toggles. Of course, not many of these found in WW1 a/c, but I've been known to venture out once in a while.

Hope it helps.

John

http://www.bluejacketinc.com/fittings/fittings29.htm

It was for a P-40, but I had great luck using small aluminum tubing (1/16" maybe?) and a small nut. Cut the tubing and pinch the end with a set of pliers. It looks like a flat toggle switch...

Fantastic! Portholes for instrument bezels and belaying pins for toggle switches. Oh, if only those model boat builders would learn what things are REALLY called!

Tom,
If I can get my panel to look half as good as yours I will really feel like Ive accomplished something fantastic. My friend you detailing is as good as it gets, when I looked at the other details from your 195 I was absolutely amazed. From the information Ive gotten from this thread, the scale ship parts definately look as though they would work pretty well for what I want.[img][/img] Here are a couple picts of the panel and cockpit of the Pitts Im modeling. The Pitts is G-IIIX flown out of england, I choose it becouse of the name painted on the cowling "Purple Haze"
Cheers
Jim Freiberger

Here are some other picts of my scale subject. I will make sure to post picts on RCU of the finished project.
JRF

I rolled the tips of stick pins in thick CA and hit it with accelerator. Then sanded the CA the shape of a toggle. used my dremel to spin the pin. Painted, and pushed the other end of the pin through the dash and glued it from the back side. You could use any diameter nail or solid wire you needed for your scale size.

BTW, phrydaddy, I think you're mistaken if you think there's not lots and lots of other details to be done on an aircraft like this besides the dash. Look closer.

Thanks !

Looking at your pics, it looks like the hardest part to replicate will be the textured paint on the instrument panel. How do you plan to do that ?

Thats a good question, Im pretty sure that I wont get a dead on match to it, there are several methods including some spray paints that produce textured finishes. Fortunately I have a lot more contacts and buddies in the full scale world, I imagine that I will try to find out what they use on the real ones, I know the purpose is anti-glare. As far a the limited amount of scale details, I was mainly referring to the interior, for one my cockpit will extend no lower than the panel, the Pitts S-1 is so tiny, that the section that would normally be occupied by the pilots legs will be used for the Tanks (Gas, and Smoke) On the exterior I will be adding slave struts, the wire bracing, spades (Ive yet to see a set on a model) All the screws etc associated with the cowling and the panels covering the forward part of the fuse, the landing gear, and finally G-IIIX has some interesting carbon fibre fairings at the stab /fuse junctions, as well as the base of the wing struts (I wont be using carbon, but rather regular glass with tinted resin). And finally Round Cabane struts rather than the flat bar stock that most of the Pitts you see have. Im not planning on creating something to use in scale competation, rather a tribute to the englishmen who have been so kind as to provide me with every little detail Ive requested. I was even provided the stencils for the graffics, by Aerographic, who was the company that painted the Real G-IIIX. With all that said, my main focus has been creating the paint scheme of G-IIIX which is very unique, and a far cry from the Usual Pitts Scheme. And of course there is the fact that I intend to fly this model on a frequent basis, matter of fact when all is said and done it will be my main bird, not only do I intend on flying her quite a bit, but flying it the way a Pitts should be flown, No 3-D of course, but old school Charlie Hillard style, with a touch of Marion Cole ;-)
Once again, Thank you all for your support and Ideas, coming up with some nice toggles wont be a problem now Im sure!!
Cheers, and everyone have a great Weekend.
JR Freiberger

The perfect texture and color for that type panel is the plastic sleeve from OLD floppy discs. Radio Shack used to sell black wrinkle paint but it's full scale and wouldn't look right. Mitch

Im sure you are refering to the 5 1/4" floppies, are you talking about the casing on the disk itself (which is definately a good match) or did they make sleves to store them in out of the same material. Given all that I wonder where in the world one would find one of these disk now days, Ive not seen one for Years...
Regardless it is a great Idea!!
Cheers
JR Freiberger

Hello There:
I used 1/16 Alum rivets and small nuts turned out O.K.

some nice photos of the office in this thread!.. for toggles, round toothpicks work well with the tips cut off, and rounded off...then inserted in nut...already tapered for you

Check out this guys panel in his 40% 3W extra.

Now that is what Im talking about!!!!!! Im pretty sure at 40% you could actually use the Mini toggles that Radio shack sells and they would look just fine. Im impressed by the full cockpit and the tubing to simulate the fullscale construction. But he needs to give Patty a Haircut and a bleach job to keep up with the times ;-) One thing Ive been thinking about, consdering the fact the when these panels are observed, the model is sitting on the ground, so to me it would make sense that the RPM gauge would be at Zero, as well as the Airspeed, and the Altimeter should show the elevation of whatever the person is calling their home base (or in the case of a aerobatic airplane thats used to perform O') WHen the gauges should show anything other than those readings the model will be in the air, and no one can see them..