Lighting that enables me to see the instruments, commands and charts
	Minimum VFR instruments plus
	a directional gyroscope (unless I keep the airport in sight)
	a sensitive altimeter

I also want a panel COM radio and a Transponder (I'll be using this aircraft at a controlled airport.

Finally, I don't want the panel to be too crowded and I would like to have a glove box

Summary of requirements:

	Accommodate the 6 flight instruments
	Two axis of trim tab indicators
	Instrument and panel lighting
	Panel mounted Radio and Transponder
	Glove Box
	Dual Throttle, single pilot side mixture, carb heat and choke
	Cool and hot cabin air controls
	Simple fuel management system
	Modular panel (allow disassembly)

Step 1: Look around

And my favorite one!

Step 2: Dream on

A good tool to help dreaming is available right here on the internet.  Experimental Panel Builder is provided as a free service at http://sonexlinks.com/panelbuilder/.  This is really a fun and great program!  Here are some of the panels I've been dreaming about:

... and more seriously:

At this stage, I am not sure how things exactly fit in the available space.  Experimental Panel Builder's instruments and avionics are not exactly at scale and I need to draw this either on paper or on a CAD program to know more.

Step 3: Draw the panel

I am using a drawing software to draw the layout of the panel and then, the instruments.  These are some of the iterations I went through. 

One of my friends advised me to add cross-marks in each corner of a rectangular cut-out to ease drilling at exact location when making the cut-out.  Of course, I add cross-marks at the center of every instrument, knob and switch holes.

Revisit steps 2 and 3 until satisfied

In all, I drew 23 draft versions of my instrument panel.  Hopefully, I will finish this soon!