Transparent Pushbuttons

[Groza]

Does anyone know where to buy Transparent Pushbuttons (Ultimate Pushbutton style). Happ Controls doesn't sell em. Thanks For your help.

[Dink]

They aren't ultimate style but they are transparent:

http://www.centsibleamusements.com/product.asp?0=217&1=225&3=412

[nipsmg]

oooooooh and they're leaf switch too

Now if I could only find a 4 way ball top leaf switch joystick  

--NipsMG

[Dink]

You know I actually had Centsible Amusements bookmarked because they had the 4-way leaf ball top joysticks.  They must be out?

Wico may still have these?

http://www.wicothesource.com/392.html

[mikenotbob]

I have two extra wico leaf balltops for sale...  One with a purple ball, and one with a red ball.  Sorry, no blue balls.  

They were bought new and never used, but one of them has a broken leaf switch, whichever one you wouldn't buy, or if you're buying both, you're least favorite color.  

The part of the switch that is broken is not the switch itself, but one of the tabs that the disconnect would connect to. I could almost guarantee (with a little thought) that there's a way to get a wire connected to the switch safely (ahem, solder), since the actual switching mechanism is perfectly intact, and each 'leaf' is probably an inch or more long.  Definitely still useable.

-mike

[Dink]

A-HA! found the 4-way:

http://www.videoconnect.com/content/joys.htm

[Groza]

The reason I want some transparent push buttons is because I installed a nean light in my control panel (so i could see the wires) and I think it would be cool to have glowing buttons. I play a lot of fighting games, would these transperent leaf switch buttons work ok? would they light up well?

[Darkstalker]

The only problem with leaf switches is your going to have to re-align them after continual usage.  Eventually the leafs (leaves?) get pushed apart to where they don't make solid, or any contact.  With fighter games being as button intensive as they are and the tendancy of players to push down hard on the buttons when hitting them quickly, your going to increase your time spent on the underside of your panel.  The other downside is leaf switches feel more "springy" than microswitches when your making contact between the points.  It's personal preference on how much it would bother you...

I won't tell you not to use them, but you might be happier with microswitches if fighting games is going to be your main focus of the cabinet.

As for the lighting up, that really depends on the voltage of the bulb/LCD inside the button, and how bright you want them.  Just remember light generates heat...

[MrToasty]

A-HA! found the 4-way:

http://www.videoconnect.com/content/joys.htm

I don't think they've updated the joystick or buttons pages in awhile.  Last time I called they didn't have those 4-ways anymore or the leaf switch buttons they advertise and hadn't for some time.

[Groza]

Damn.   I thought that  I would be able to find transparent ultimate push buttons. I guess my lit up control panel will always be a dream.
I'd have to get the buttons custum manufactured, which is impossible (isnt it?).

[Howard_Casto]

Well I have half a solution for you (pun intended)  Dataeast, Nintendo and a few other manufactures used "half and half" leaf buttons. They are meant for the shorter leaf buttons used on metal cp's but should also work on the longer type.  What it is, is a metal harness (or bracket if you will) that screws on the the bottom of the button in place of the leaf switch.  

This harness can then accept micro switches, but only the kind with a bit of a "blade" on them, which is still much more reliable than leaf switches.    

The buttons will still feel  like leaf buttons but won't require constant adjustments.  There is a drawback, however....

They aren't available n.o.s. anymore to my knowledge.   To get mine I bought a lot of three old control panels, one was dataeast, and two were nintendo.  I got about 8 out of the set and they work great.  I don't currently use them on my panel though... all ultimates.

[rampy]

would Erik Ruud's happs horizontal led light hack suit your purposes for having blinkey lights on your cp?  horizontal pushbutton led hack

good luck,

rampy

[Elkor]

happs really should just mold some out ouf clear plastic.  I'd snach 'em up in a minute
I was thinking about this the other day, it would be reallly cool   but I'm not changing horses and going with leaf switches now.

-C

[ErikRuud]

would Erik Ruud's happs horizontal led light hack suit your purposes for having blinkey lights on your cp?  

The hack works on verticals as well.

[Groza]

Thanks, The led hack would work, It just seems a bit expensive when I would have to install 14 of them (12 for playing, 2 for start)
I might just end up dooing the start buttons.
I was also thingking, would it be possible to make a circuit (or buy one) that lights up the start button for a couple of seconds after you insert a coin? I think that would be cool.

[anoon]

I wanted to do the same thing: illuminated buttons.

I ordered a whole mess of short and long trasparent leaf style buttons.

I also ordered what are called subminiature illuminated pushbuttons. Wico has multiple colors. Don't let the name fool you, they aren't that much smaller than a regular button. There are a lot of modern games that use these, typically they are red. Go out to an arcade or movie theater and take a look to see if they suit you.

I may consider doing my next panel with the subminiatures. Though they might not be "authentic" in size, I like the action and feel of them.

[spidermonkey]

I wanted to get rid of my ultimates and replace them with the colored translucent leaf buttons but then remembered that the holes that my ultimates fit through are larger then the hole required for a leaf switch button.    Before you go drilling holes for your ultimates, you better make sure that you like them because once you drill the holes you're married to microswitch buttons unless you want to spend hours on plugging and redrilling.

[dag2000]

Are you sure about that?  my experience has been that they are interchangeable.

[anoon]

I found that both my long and short leaf switch buttons fit just fine in the ultimate holes.

[Grasshopper]

I have two extra wico leaf balltops for sale...  One with a purple ball, and one with a red ball.  Sorry, no blue balls.  

They were bought new and never used, but one of them has a broken leaf switch, whichever one you wouldn't buy, or if you're buying both, you're least favorite color.  

The part of the switch that is broken is not the switch itself, but one of the tabs that the disconnect would connect to. I could almost guarantee (with a little thought) that there's a way to get a wire connected to the switch safely (ahem, solder), since the actual switching mechanism is perfectly intact, and each 'leaf' is probably an inch or more long.  Definitely still useable.

-mike

Please can you tell me how much you are selling the joysticks for, and whether they are 4/8 way, standard/long shaft?

Also where are you situated, and what payment methods do you accept?

Thanks

[SNAAAKE]

HMM HMM....

Grasshopper,
Little off topic but you didnt finish up your panel yet?I know you dont wanna route the under to get right height but you can always use 5/8 wood and then any joystick would have right hight.

www.t-molding.com also sells 5/8 molding if you need some of that or you can use 1/2 wood and OSCAR sells 1/2 t-molding and again you get the right height..
hope things work out

[mikenotbob]

Please can you tell me how much you are selling the joysticks for, and whether they are 4/8 way, standard/long shaft?

Also where are you situated, and what payment methods do you accept?

Thanks

I'm not sure which ones they are exactly, since I bought them ages ago.  They've pretty much just sat in my parts box.  I think it's the joystick on the right, above the 'Euro-max 8-way joystick' on this page: http://www.wicothesource.com/392.html

Of course, the are both 8-postion.  The red isn't two position like it says on the wico page. From bottom of shaft to top of ball, it's about 4 15/16".  Shaft alone (bottom of shaft to bottom of ball) it's about 3 1/2".  

Is $9 each fair?  I live in NJ, and would accept money order or paypal.

[spidermonkey]

Hey you guys were right! Leaf buttuns do fit in the same size holes as ultimates do. I couldn't understand why everybody was disagreeing with me so I called a local arcade game vendor and he said that I probably have buttons made by Nintendo. Nintendo buttons were not the industry standard size. Their buttons are smaller then all other button manufacturers.    I had a couple of solid color leaf buttons laying around from a control panel I bought on ebay and after seeing that they were smaller than the ulimates I just thought that all leaf buttons were smaller so I didn't even bother continuing my search for translucent buttons. Once again Nintendo showing their greed by making smaller buttons so that you have to go back and buy from them for replacments  Ok, time to call up Wico and order my translucent buttons

[dave_in_sanfran]

Hey Anoon,

How's that conversion coming along?  I'm still on sabbatical here, so I spent the past week rewiring my cabinet and building a dual trackball panel for Marble Madness.  I'll drop you a private email when I get back to the office next week.

Spidermonkey,

I've noticed that certain colors of the Leaf buttons are ever-so-slightly larger than the 1-1/8" diameter holes used by most buttons.  I had some blue transparent ones and some solid green ones that wouldn't fit the holes.  I needed to take an exacto knife and clean off some of the flash left from the molding process, and then grab some sandpaper and just slightly enlarge the holes.

[Grasshopper]

Snaaake: I'm nowhere near completing my first panel, too many other commitments at the moment. Also I need quite a few other parts - I've got enough pushbuttons and joysticks to make a start but I still need to buy the wood, plexiglass (possibly), T-Moulding (possibly), drill bits, find someone locally who can print the artwork etc. My plan incidentally is to use 5/8 wood covered with 1/8 plexi if I can find it.

Mikenotbob: $9 each for the joysticks sounds fair and I can do Paypal. However I'm really after 4 ways as I bought some 8 ways from Video Connection some time ago. Having said that there would be no harm in having a few spares, and I do want one with a red handle. I'm currently trying to buy some red handles from a guy in Canada. If I have no luck with him then I may be back in touch.

spidermonkey and others: I'm a bit confused about what size drill bit is needed for the pushbuttons. My long term plan is to build at least two panels - one using leaf buttons, and one using microswitch buttons. However ideally I want to purchase just one drill bit for both types. I've already got some leaf pushbuttons in my possession. I've ordered some microswitch buttons and they've been delivered but I haven't seen them yet (long story).

Anyway, different sources give different measurements for the microswitch button mounting holes:

Happ catalogue: 1.13" = 28.680mm

Industrias Lorenzo web page: 28mm (bear in mind that IL manufacture the buttons for Happ).

Most people on this website seem to use a 1 1/8" drill bit = 28.553 mm

I've measured one of my leaf switch buttons with calipers and get a diameter of 28.75mm

So can I get away with one drill bit, and what size should I go for? Also which is best metric or imperial? I'm confused.

Any thoughts would be welcome.

[spidermonkey]

Grasshopper
You will be fine with an 1 1/8" drill bit for 99% of pushbuttons leaf as well as microswitch. Only Nintendo made buttons with an 1 1/16" mounting holes and I doubt that you have any of those. They haven't been made for quite some time and are probably (hopefully) in the scrapyard by now.

[anoon]

To Dave:

Greetings!!

After a lot of progress early on, I came to a slow crawl while working on the CP. First I ordered a TON of parts so I had options. I have spent the last month or so doing technical drawings in max. I think I finally have a design I like, so I have sent it off to the shop to be drilled. It is going to be crowded, but I think it should be workable. Listen to this monster:

Two Happ rotary sticks
2 1/4" Translucent trackball
2 mouse buttons
Two OSCAR Pro spinners
Each player has translucent leaf buttons:
-coin
-start
-jab
-strong
-fierce
-short
-forward
-roundhouse
4 small pushbuttons for MAME control.
built in OSCAR restrictor plate mounts.
Illuminated from underneath with flourescent lamp.

[dave_in_sanfran]

Hey Anoon,

Sounds great!  I assume your CP is metal?  Are they drilling/cutting it at work, or are you using an outside shop?

With my time off, I had a chance to finally wire my cabinet "for real" and build the interchangable panel system.  The cab is now officially wired JAMMA-compatible, has a real AC-feed and distribution panel, good ground, working coin door (with lights) and clean Molex connectors for the controls.

The first panel is done, and has dual 3" trackballs.  In the empty space in the center, I mounted a stick at 45 degrees for Q*Bert and Congo Bongo.  I'm using leaf buttons on this one.  I'm still working out some dual mouse issues, but it otherwise works great!

The second panel will be done this afternoon.  It has dual Wico 8-way leaf sticks and a funky nine button-per-player arrangement that will work for for most games I'll be playing.  To the right of each joystick is a typical 6-button fighting pad.  Below that is fire button oriented to make a Defender-like arrangement.  To the left of the stick are two extra buttons I'll use for left/right controls like in Space Invaders, Asteroids and Space Duel.

Dunno if the message board will show this well, but I'll give it a shot:

             o o o
o o  +   o o o
           o

This is an expansion of what I did in my original stand-alone panel.

Next is a Battlezone/Tron/Tempest/Arkanoid panel, and finally a Steering wheel panel.

I've been on this stuff for two full weeks and the wife is getting frustrated.  Do you still have a girlfriend?!?  Hah!

- Dave

[SirPoonga]

I have to extend what HC said.  Nintendo, dataeast, others used a metal bracket that held a microswitch and a leaf switch style button.

A leaf button has two 4 sizes I believe.  long and short mixed with a 5/8" and 7/8".
http://www.dameon.net/BBBB/lbuttons.gif

You can get the buttons for REALLY CHEAP from where you get anything arcade really cheap.  www.therealbobroberts.com
Note his list isn't complete, even says so.  If you need something, he can find it.

Anyway, back to the brackets.  I'm wondering how many people are interested in that.  I want transparent microswitches on my CP.  I metnioned this to oscar.  HC sent him a pic of one. I think delta88 (in chat, not in here that often) said he lives close to OSCAR and can give him an actualy item to work with.  Kelsey (OSCAR) told me he is looking into it.  Might make a test batch to see how they sell.  I told him to make them really sell to add a LED holder (just some more metal and a hole).  He liked that idea and said these things are easier to make than his restrictor plates, it's just punching and bending metal:)  So, we'll see.  I'd PM him if you are interested in such a product to exist to show him there is interest.  Since it is just a small pieceof metal it wouldn't be that expensive either.

[spidermonkey]

Hey Sir Poonga,
If you're looking for translucent microswitch buttons then check this site out. Scroll down to the PB02 and PB03 buttons. Hope this helps
S.M.   http://home.iprimus.com.au/ozstick/parts.html  
I think this guy is registered on this message board.    

[Groza]

As good as the leaf switches and flat topped buttons are, Transparent ultimate pushbuttons are what I'm looking for. Is there any way to have someone MAKE them? I know it would be expensive, but the result would be so cool! Maybe I should write Happ controls a letter. Would anyone else be interested in buying transparent ultimate pushbuttons?

[anoon]

I could be wrong, but I think those PB03 buttons are the same as the Wico subminiature buttons I mentioned towards the top of the thread, except in white. I wish I had seen the white ones! They would have gone nicely with my blue and white CP graphics and marquee!

If they are the same as the Wico, then they aren't the same size as you typical arcade pushbutton, but they are somewhat smaller. Depends if you are a form over function type guy. I think PB03s would look nicer, though they wouldn't have the same feel as a horizontal switch pushbutton.

[Grasshopper]

Grasshopper
You will be fine with an 1 1/8" drill bit for 99% of pushbuttons leaf as well as microswitch. Only Nintendo made buttons with an 1 1/16" mounting holes and I doubt that you have any of those. They haven't been made for quite some time and are probably (hopefully) in the scrapyard by now.

In case anyone is interested, I bought a 1 1/8" drill bit yesterday and drilled a test hole today. My leaf buttons fit perfectly.

As far as getting someone to manufacture translucent microswitch buttons is concerned, I agree this would be a good idea. The leaf buttons look and feel great however they're difficult to mount as they will only fit 3/4" wood. This is causing me major headaches.

However there is no point in speaking to Happ as they are only distributors. The people who actually manufacture the buttons are www.industrias-lorenzo.com.

[Dink]

ooo, all translucent buttons and trackball.