Nope! But I've got a possible solution (or two...)


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Posted by rmfx on 31, 2001 at 4:29 AM:

In Reply to: Translucent Microswtich Buttons? posted by Pegasus37 on 31, 2001 at 3:37 AM:

I looked at every parts vendor I could find, even asked people here. Nuttin. But the regular "opaque" buttons are actually quite translucent if you put a light source inside them.

I've taken apart one of those Happ microswitch pushbuttons, and found that the plunger is completely hollow. What's more, you can easily cut away some of the plastic between the short and long feet of the plunger to allow wires to come out. So I'm going to get some super-bright LEDs, and put one inside each button, supported by some plastic tubing and super-glued in place. I should even be able to hook them up to my I-Pac so that the 1 and 2 player buttons flash after you insert coins. I just need to make sure there's about 1/8 inch of space above the LED so there's room fot the button to move.

The other possibility I explored is to get some of the translucent leaf pushbuttons without the switches, and suspending the Happ microswitches that have metal actuators (like on the Super joysticks) underneath with a bracket off to the side, screwed into the control panel. Set it up so the button's plunger strikes the actuator, much like a leaf switch. Some parts vendors even offer the Nintendo style button holders with switches included, but those are pretty pricey if you intend to have a lot of buttons.

Whatever you do, don't let the purists talk you into buying leaf switches! Some say the microswitches are hard on your hands, but I could play all day on the Happ buttons I got from Bob Roberts. :)


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