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Adding a pinball plunger
Chris:
Now that I've added flipper buttons to my cab, I think I need to go ahead and add an actual pinball plunger for Visual Pinball. I have on order a Black Knight plunger; the plunger knob on that is black rather than chrome, so hopefully it won't look too out of place when I'm not playing pinball...
Here's how I'm thinking of interfacing it:
- Use a pushbutton with a vertical microswitch, not a horizontal one. This will keep the microswitch from getting hammered like a horizontal would.
- Disassemble the button. Turn the inside plunger from the button upside down and cut away some of the plastic between the arms. The idea is to allow the button to be pushed much deeper than normal.
- Install the plunger assembly.
- Reassemble the button and mount horizontally inside the CP such that the pinball plunger presses down the button at rest.
- Hook up to the Normally Closed contacts of the button rather than Normally Open.
Now, when the plunger is pulled back, the button will release, and since the NC contact is connected, this will activate the button. Releasing the plunger will re-engage the button, which Visual Pinball will see as a release. The extra depth given to the button should absorb the force of the plunger.
Of course, this mechanism will measure how long the plunger is pulled back, not how far, but it should still feel more realistic than holding down a button...
Any comments? Has anyone already tried this?
--Chris
hyiu:
just a thought flashed my brain....
when you install that microswitch (or other kind of switch) at the end of the plunger....
if you install it right there... it'll take a direct hit and most likely it'll break fast.....
but if you install it indirectly.... then it should last a lot longer... (because it doesn't take any direct impact...)
Errr.... I don't think I'm clear...
ok.... think about normal pushbuttons....
the horizontal pushbuttons.... if you use a hammer and hammer the button... it'll most likely break the button AND the microswitch below....
but if its a vertical pushbutton... since the microswitch is indirectly pushed... even if you hammer the button... you're less likely to break the microswitch....
same theory apply to the plunger and the switch....
hope I'm making sense....
Chris:
--- Quote from: hyiu on May 09, 2003, 11:59:46 am ---when you install that microswitch (or other kind of switch) at the end of the plunger....
if you install it right there... it'll take a direct hit and most likely it'll break fast.....
but if you install it indirectly.... then it should last a lot longer... (because it doesn't take any direct impact...)
Errr.... I don't think I'm clear...
ok.... think about normal pushbuttons....
the horizontal pushbuttons.... if you use a hammer and hammer the button... it'll most likely break the button AND the microswitch below....
but if its a vertical pushbutton... since the microswitch is indirectly pushed... even if you hammer the button... you're less likely to break the microswitch....
same theory apply to the plunger and the switch....
hope I'm making sense....
--- End quote ---
This is why I specified using a vertical pusbutton, and modifying it so it can be pushed deeper than the stroke of the plunger. I had considered simply mounting the button plunger onto the pinball plunger tip, but I didn't think I'd be able to keep them aligned with the microswitch.
The other option I'm considering would be to use an optical switch rather than a mechanical one.
--Chris
TheTick:
What are you using for an interface? I'm not sure how an Ipac would handle a normally closed switch.
My Happs plunger arrives tonight. Still playing with ideas to hook it up.
You could just make a leaf switch. You'll have to adjust it eventually, but it won't break. Just two thin conductive strips of metal.
I think I'm going to use a second spring mounted inside the control panel... both to absorb the plunger hit and prevent it from resting on the switch. I would than program a marco for the button so when its pressed it will send a series of keystrokes to pull the virtual plunger back, and than release it. I'm not sure about visual pinball, but the ones I've used allow you to pull the virtual plunger back different amounts with the "down arrow" key.
Chris:
--- Quote from: TheTick on May 09, 2003, 01:30:31 pm ---I'm not sure about visual pinball, but the ones I've used allow you to pull the virtual plunger back different amounts with the "down arrow" key.
--- End quote ---
Visual Pinball measures how long you hold the plunger key down, and the speed the plunger travels down is dependent on the table. This should lead to a fairly natural action, as pulling the plunger back halfway and releasing it should take less time than pulling it back all the way and releasing it. I may need to adjust some of the tables, though, to get the timing as close to natural as possible...
--Chris