Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Arcade Collecting => Miscellaneous Arcade Talk => Topic started by: jopenner on November 11, 2005, 01:47:03 pm

Title: Pinball plunger hooked up to microswitch?
Post by: jopenner on November 11, 2005, 01:47:03 pm

Hi,

I was thinking of installing a pinball plunger on the front of my CP and some how hook it up to a microswitch.  I currently have a Happ button simulating this on my CP, but would like to give it a try.
Has anyone tried this?  If so, could you prvide me some guidance & pictures?
Thanks.

John

Title: Re: Pinball plunger hooked up to microswitch?
Post by: Thenasty on November 11, 2005, 02:19:37 pm

putting a MISCROSWITH in front of a plunger to get hit, will destry the miscroswitch. Even if its a Leaft style switch, when the plunger hits it that hard, its not enought for the key to get recognise, its to fast. Best way is an OPTICAL switch. Where the plunger cuts of the LED and triggers a key.

Title: Re: Pinball plunger hooked up to microswitch?
Post by: jopenner on November 12, 2005, 01:16:03 pm

What if you were to place the microswitch in the opposite end.  For example (I hope you can picture this) why not have a tube with a spring with a plate on one end.  Then place a microswitch at the bottom of the tube where the plate will strike the switch.  As you pull back on the plunger the spring mounted plate will press against the switch.  Once released the switch return to it's open circuit position?????

John

I did think of the method you mentioned, but discarded the idea for the same reasons you mentioned.  The reason I was thinking that this would work better is that I noticed the plunger in Visual Arcade pulls back farther the longer you presss and hold the button that is assigned to that function.

Title: Re: Pinball plunger hooked up to microswitch?
Post by: Thenasty on November 12, 2005, 08:09:27 pm

yea that would work. When you pull the plunger all the way out till it pushes the button then releasing is the same as if you push it with your fingers. No diff there. Some here already did that.
Maybe you could modify this a bit. Since you have to pull the plunger all the way out and making sure that the button is push and waiting for the moment to release it, why not have it all the way o the front and attach a RUBBERBAND on the plunger and switch so when you start to pull it, its already CLOSE and it looks like the more you pull the plunger (thats the waiting persiod to realease), and its time to release at the point, it might feel like the player had CONTROLED the plunger in a way...Hope you got the picture.

Title: Re: Pinball plunger hooked up to microswitch?
Post by: mccoy178 on November 13, 2005, 01:01:33 am

If you do a search, there have been tutorials made to show how a plunger can be added and have life like effects.