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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: nordemoniac on October 08, 2014, 04:11:29 am

Title: Hard microswitches, tired fingers after playing.
Post by: nordemoniac on October 08, 2014, 04:11:29 am

I have a couple of sets with joysticks and buttons, and one of them has REALLY hard microswitches. I would like to order new ones to replace them, so I've ordered one here and one there to compare them, but sometimes I feel like I get them at random. I want all switches to be the same, and I want them to be soft. One of the HAPP sets I ordered had 3 hard ones, two of them went to the player buttons, the last to a button which won't be used much - so that was OK.

Take a look at these pictures:
I did a test like this on a scale. I measured multiple times, and wrote down the highest number I could get before the button "clicked" into the casing.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-8n5YNdQVfcM/VDTpdjz8zCI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/I416H11wZv8/w904-h678-no/DSCN1193.JPG)

I was shocked when I saw that the switch required no less than 230 grams of pressure to activate!
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-oRNQ7duAaYg/VDTpd3TlXkI/AAAAAAAAAdc/qxer74KXUW4/w904-h678-no/DSCN1194.JPG)

Then I did the same test on my HAPP switch:
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3tJHbk6hhQs/VDTpd_IRq2I/AAAAAAAAAdY/3SH3WvN73mA/w904-h678-no/DSCN1195.JPG)

Why?!
The hard one uses a spring to hold the tension for the switch, when you push it hard enough down, it snaps down, and activates.
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-sz2eAeYfxP4/VDTpefA39_I/AAAAAAAAAdo/I-EZzCeTZC0/w904-h678-no/DSCN1197.JPG)

The HAPP one uses a leaf spring method, and requires almost no pressure to activate, similar of a typical keyboard key.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-gbkJtzXKISQ/VDTpesEIEGI/AAAAAAAAAdg/OvSYufsflWY/w904-h678-no/DSCN1198.JPG)

The 230g switch is as hard as you would expect a door opener etc. to be, not a button on a gaming device.

These 230g ones belong to a set I bought on an auction, blue LED lit. I thought the LED lit buttons and joysticks was REALLY cool and awesome, but atm. I'm not that into LEDs :P I even bought the LED drive as well...
Will have to make a cool build with it sometime (active buttons lit on emulators etc).

Anyways, back to topic - Where do you get your microswitches? I'm talking $1 ones or less...

Title: Re: Hard microswitches, tired fingers after playing.
Post by: Louis Tully on October 08, 2014, 04:37:02 am

.

Title: Re: Hard microswitches, tired fingers after playing.
Post by: nordemoniac on October 08, 2014, 06:10:47 am

Awesome! Guess I'll buy 100 of these :)

Title: Re: Hard microswitches, tired fingers after playing.
Post by: Malenko on October 08, 2014, 09:23:03 am

I should also suggest the true leaf pro buttons/switches.  They are pretty great.

Title: Re: Hard microswitches, tired fingers after playing.
Post by: DeLuSioNal29 on October 08, 2014, 11:21:10 am

I've tried these as well and they're great too (although not the price you were looking for).
http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=92&products_id=309 (http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=92&products_id=309)

They will snap right into the standard button even though they look slightly different than the typical microswitch.

D

Title: Re: Hard microswitches, tired fingers after playing.
Post by: Vigo on October 08, 2014, 02:42:13 pm

Op has a good post on the importance of microswitch weight.  :applaud:

Title: Re: Hard microswitches, tired fingers after playing.
Post by: equlizer on October 09, 2014, 09:46:38 pm

I use the microleafs for my main 6 buttons.  Just a bit more pressure needed to actuate these from a resting finger.  I want to replace the ones in my Blackhawk spinner with something less stiff.  Any ideas?

Title: Re: Hard microswitches, tired fingers after playing.
Post by: WindDrake on October 09, 2014, 10:23:19 pm

I was always a fan of the classic Cherry D44X, even though they are a little harder to get nowadays. 75g was just heavy enough to give me the feedback I wanted without all the finger fatigue.

Title: Re: Hard microswitches, tired fingers after playing.
Post by: Generic Eric on October 09, 2014, 11:00:40 pm

Quote from: Vigo on October 08, 2014, 02:42:13 pm

Op has a good post on the importance of microswitch weight.  :applaud:

I heard it myself bot, it was very well worded.
http://youtu.be/Cga6dT6R0Gg (http://youtu.be/Cga6dT6R0Gg)

Title: Re: Hard microswitches, tired fingers after playing.
Post by: nordemoniac on October 10, 2014, 03:44:00 am

Quote from: Vigo on October 08, 2014, 02:42:13 pm

Op has a good post on the importance of microswitch weight.  :applaud:

Thanks dude!  :cheers:

Quote from: Generic Eric on October 09, 2014, 11:00:40 pm

I heard it myself bot, it was very well worded.
http://youtu.be/Cga6dT6R0Gg (http://youtu.be/Cga6dT6R0Gg)

LOL :P

Title: Re: Hard microswitches, tired fingers after playing.
Post by: BadMouth on October 10, 2014, 10:04:22 am

Am I the only one who mashes switches until they bottom out anyway?

Title: Re: Hard microswitches, tired fingers after playing.
Post by: Malenko on October 11, 2014, 11:13:02 am

Quote from: BadMouth on October 10, 2014, 10:04:22 am

Am I the only one who mashes switches until they bottom out anyway?

Nope, its the only way to play  :applaud:

Title: Re: Hard microswitches, tired fingers after playing.
Post by: RandyT on October 11, 2014, 11:50:24 am

So it was you two who messed up all the leaf switch buttons back in the eighties.  :angry:

j/k