Installing Toggle Switch Cap Covers

A bit of time today to work a tiny bit on the pit.  

I was the reciepeint of the helpful generosity of a fellow simpit builder from Australia, Gwyn Perrett (Westozy), who went out of his way to place a large order for some toggle switch covers that match the Boeing overhead ones.  The company he got them from would only sell in minimums of 1000 pieces.  So he ordered them and then at no mark-up, repackaged them for cost and sent them to to those of us who wanted a set of 75.  I was one who purchased them.

These covers are for the RW aircraft type toggle switches that have toggle arms that are rather larger in diameter than the "standard" regular sized "Radio Shack" type toggle switch.  So they make a large "target" for you to find when reaching for a switch.  They also offer a nice non-slip surface for positive action.  Not to mention the best part.... they add to the "replica" look of a real overhead  .

SO the first step was to fit the large rubber boots to the smaller diameter toggle arms.  To this end some standard 1/4" tubing from the hardware store was cut into about 3/8" pieces as you can see in the first image below.




Then I took some WD-40 silicone lubricant and painted it on the toggle arm of the switches.  Then I pressed the vinyl tubing sections onto the toggle switch arms; a tight fit.  Then the white plastic covers from Gwyn slipped on top of the tubing for a great solid fit.  Perfect!


Here is a shot of part of the overhead before putting these switch caps in place:




And here is a shot with the caps nicely "finishing" the picture:




HUGE difference.  Thanks Gwyn!


best,

.......................john


PS:  Look at Gwyn's cockpit building article this month in Computer Pilot magazine.  The second part will be out next month.

wow is all I can say