The panel can be constructed of wood, plastic, or aluminum as shown here. It also could be made into a "T" configuration to hold more instruments if you are into that sort of thing. A compass was later mounted on the floor.
Instrument holes were cut using a slow-speed drillpress and hole saws. These saws will cost about $12 each. Wood was used for a backup to saw into. Multiple panels can be made by stack sawing.
The holes where the four screws attach the panel were cut oversize to add rubber grommets for vibration isolation, but due to the Lord mounts, my airframe has no vibration anyway.
Should you use plastic or plexiglass, the edges must be smoothed with a knife edge held at right angles to shave and radius the edges.
Two soft aluminum "hydraulic line" tubes are used to support the top edge. Ends of the tubes were flattened and front edge was riveted with one rivet in each tube to the lower floor tube in the nose. The opposite end is riveted to a piece of aluminum angle. Holes were drilled and tapped into this angle for screws through the rubber grommets.
Lower edge of the panel was fastened to a piece of solid 3/8 inch square aluminum that runs between the rudder pedal supports..
The panel can be removed very easily with the four screws and unplugging a trailer connector
The two aluminum brace tubes are covered with a very thin sheet of aluminum to strengthen and prevent racking.
