SECTION 2: BUILDING THE PANEL
Having made your choices, here’s how to build the panel. You’ll need to make a box frame to your chosen size. You need to ensure that your panel is at least 70mm deep and I use 12mm thick MDF. Mitred corners and a coat of paint (choose a colour that reflects your BR region) will make it look neat (Fig 3). Cut the panel’s fascia from either 3mm MDF or 3mm plywood. Ever wondered how to achieve a neat finish to a control panel? The secret ingredient is an aluminium-finished frame (Fig 4). They come in standard paper sizes but can be easily dismantled and reassembled to fit your chosen panel size. All you need to ensure is that your fascia panel sits neatly inside the frame.
If you’re handy with a pen and ruler, you can draw your trackplan directly onto some blank paper. If not, Dccconcepts has made designing your trackplan really easy. Once you’re happy with the plan, print it onto the paper.
For a professional look, the paper will need laminating. If your panel is A4, Amazon sells laminators for under £20 but, for bigger panels, your local print shop will be able to laminate your trackplan for you.
My switches of choice are miniature toggles (on-off-on) with spring return to centre (Fig 5). Everyone has their own opinion about where to place switches and route indicator LEDS
TOP
on a panel, but I like to place
TIP
the switch at the place on the point where it diverges When selecting the
and the LEDS on the two position for your switches
diverging lines. For ensure that the body of the
switch sticks outs – make
crossovers, I use one switch
sure the switch bodies
for both sets of points.
don’t foul each other if
Mark where the switches they’re fitted close
and LEDS go on your together.
laminated trackplan and then punch out the holes using a 6.5mm hole punch (Fig 5). Fix the laminate over the Mdf/ply fascia panel with some low-tack masking tape and then mark the holes on the fascia panel with a marker pen. Remove the laminate
and drill the holes with a 6.5mm bit.
Now glue the laminate to the fascia, ensuring that all the holes are aligned. Solder wires onto the three terminals on the switches (I generally use red, black and green wires). Fix the switches into their respective holes. Do the same with the Dccconcepts Mimic LEDS.