Control Panel - Requesting Feedback and Best Practices

mjrodg3n88 posted:

Not sure if anyone mentioned this, but for the track part of your control panel, you can use vehicle pin striping like I did (got the idea from another forum member).

 

Thanks for the auto pin stripe tip. Nice panel and I enjoyed viewing your layout thread. 

 Those things will hold air and liquid with the right seal. "Close enough" is about all the precision they need for general use. "Jeep hood stays" are an alternative I like too.

   You can find similar latches, actually often more creatively and widely used and of the best quality, in industrial sheetmetal, and large machines.

  Grainger and similar industrial oriented paper printed catalogs, and those for boat shop hardware have always been a great source for learning about cool/quality hardware offerings. The catalogs were often just a request and a few days away. 

I had had a few minutes to assemble the control panel base. Ended up going with 10 x 29.  The left 12 inches will be static with zw. The right 17 inches will be hinged as suggested earlier in the thread.

Just wanted to share a mini update on the control panel.

I started building out the elevated meter portion of the control panel. It’s high enough to easily view the meters over the zw, but low enough not to block much of the view of the layout.  I also had to be mindful of the full throw of the throttle handles (Dave,  thanks for making that point earlier) so the whole box got pushed back about an inch.

Need to cut the other sides of the meter area and paint before wiring up the meters.  I also plan to mount the meter box with hinges on the left side so I can flip the whole box open to get to the wiring if needed.  

Simplistic panel on a small intentionally simple 9x16  January 2010 round the room attic layout. Auto striping on vinyl shelf liner with position of toggle handle indicating position of Ross switches--"thru" to mainline or "out" to siding,etc. Cheap!

Separate mount for two-power district analog meters and Tortoise DC meter. Power center and railpower distribution mess mounted below on wall. Two bug-eyed green light units are Power Guards for voltage spike control (since replaced by TVS).

Five power district layout (disassembled "08)required better meter display.

You folks build GREAT looking control panels.  I opted for accessory buttons surface mounted at the site of the accessory, fifteen of seventeen turnouts manuel with caboose industries ground throws and some inexpensive light switch boxes with repurposed light switches for power routing.  Basically no control panel, but probably not for everyone.