Need a simple illuminated arcade button. Help!

[harryg]

I've been searching for a week to find a simple, blue, illuminated USB momentary push-button that will emmulate the "space bar" on a PC when pushed.

That's it.

I've hacked a USB keyboard to get to the circuit board.  I've found the right parts of it that (when shorted) will create a "space" when running notepad.  However, I am NOT talented with soldering and feel that if I attempt to attach a button to it will destroy the project.

So... I'm asking for anyone that can assist me in finding a ready made arcade button that I can simply plug into a PC and emmulate the "space bar".

The software I want to run requires that the user only hit the spacebar.

Please help!

Thank you

[BobA]

It will cost alot more to get a ready made solution.   You will have to buy an encoder that has many inputs and just use space.   Give it a go and try soldering to the keyboard unit you have hacked.   Just remember to clean all contacts you are soldering to and make sure they look like metal.  If there i a black coating it has to be scraped off.  This is BYOAC so there are plenty of people who will give you help and hints.

1.   Use a low wattage soldering iron
2.   Always clean the contact that you are soldering to
3.   Use a small gauge of rosin core flux solder
4.   Use as small a gauge wire as you can.  Large gauge wire takes too much heat
5.   Heat the joint and then touch the solder to it
6.   Keep your iron tip clean
7.   Wet your iron tip with solder
8    Solder flux can be put on hard to solder joints to help the solder flow
9.   Practice Practice Practice before you try to solder you real board