30mm or 28mm

[spisi]

I see on Amazon some buttons 30mm and some 28mm.  Will they both use the 1 1/8" hole or will the 28mm button not fit correctly?

[javeryh]

They sell forstner bits in mm - I'd pick one up and not worry about it.  I've never heard of 28mm buttons - all the metric buttons I've seen are 24mm or 30mm.  28 is close to 1-1/8" though so maybe that's just a conversion or something.

[spisi]

Ok, thanks!

[Vigo]

Some of it might be how it is haphazardly labeled by some sellers out there on Amazon, but to be exact, 30 mm are going to be the diameter size for larger Japanese style buttons, and 28mm is going to be American style. Japanese also come in 24mm.

Japanese and American buttons feel and play different, so if you are not familiar with the differences, go with American. American are generally going to have a cherry switches that clip onto the bottom, rather than built in to the button itself. Japanese buttons are often desired for people into Japanese fighter games and Shmups (shooters).

A 1 1/8" hole drills about 28.6mm, is a really nice hole size for American buttons. Tolerances are not exact from button to button, so it generally always works. I recommend it for an all purpose bit if you are sticking with American buttons.

[spisi]

Thanks guys.  I had bought some buttons with built in switches and they don't fit in the 1 1/8" hole  . I got them because they are low profile.....oh well

[javeryh]

Thanks guys.  I had bought some buttons with built in switches and they don't fit in the 1 1/8" hole  . I got them because they are low profile.....oh well

Do your low profile buttons snap into place or is there a nut on the back to secure it?  The small tolerances wouldn't matter with a regular button and the backing nut.  But if you are trying to just snap the button into the hole you will likely need the correct forstner bit for the job (in mm) and you'd have to remove a lot of material on the back side so that the top is thin enough for the clips to lock into place.