Wiring control panel (newbie questions) ...and best way to build a test panel?

[sofakng]

I'm building my first control panel and I'm wondering how I should wire it all together.  I ordered the wiring kit from Ultimarc, but the quick disconnects they included seem to be too big.  I was told I needed .187 size ones (for Happs controls and such).

Also, should I use a wiring block to connect everything or should I just daisy-chain all the grounds together?

Any other suggestions on wiring for a newbie?

Lastly, what material can I use to build a test panel?  I'd like to be able to hook everything up to make sure it works and to get a feel for where I'd like everything.

Any suggestions would be greatly appriciated.

[REBIRTH]

First off, congrats on getting started.  There is a pretty good wiring tutorial over on the left side menu of this website called "Wiring".  These questions have also been answered in detail on these boards (just do a search for your topics).  In short though

- .187 is the right size for most controls, not sure what Ultimarc ships

- All the grounds can and should be daisychained - much easier and cleaner.

- One  thing that I do not hink is in the tutorial that I came acorss in my machine - If you are using the Ultimarc interface (or any), if you plan on having more than 2 buttons wired to the same spot on the interface you should first wire those buttons to a wiring block.  what I mean is, if you are going to have say 3 player 1 buttons (some people have a need for something like this, I did) - instead of trying to fit all the P1 wires into the P1 slot on the interface, get a wiring block that you put all those P1 wires into and you can then have just 1 coming out and going into the interface

- I didn't do a test panel per se', but a lot of people use a good cardboard box for that - install everythig in one wall of the box to get a feel of it.

[zorg]

should I use a wiring block to connect everything or should I just daisy-chain all the grounds together?

as the iPac doc mention for one time wiring and no change I will go the chaining way.  read bellow to what I'mm doing

Any other suggestions on wiring for a newbie?

I'm personaly using the foolowing in order to be abble to extensively test the wiring, layout etc....
each of my buttons is wired with 2 cables (read and black for ground)
each entry on the ipac is wired to a domino (don't know the english term) see =http://edeveaud.free.fr/tmp/domino.jpg
and one is reserved for the ground
I connect each bouton to the domino I want

this present few advantages.
1) ipac and buttons are wired once. thus there is no risk to break anything on ths sensible pieces.
2) you can modulate teh circuit as you want. plug as much buttons to on e entry etc...
3) there's is just 2 screw to remove in order to remove, add something

Lastly, what material can I use to build a test panel?  I'd like to be able to hook everything up to make sure it works and to get a feel for where I'd like everything.

anything easy to drill to test the layout: eg cardboard.