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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Anubis_au on April 13, 2007, 08:40:57 am

Title: Are Happ translucent buttons flimsier than the normal ones?
Post by: Anubis_au on April 13, 2007, 08:40:57 am: I was making some enquiries today from suppliers of arcade stuff, and was told by one to not use translucent Happ buttons, apparently because they are flimsier / more brittle than the normal plastic...

Can anyone confirm / refute this claim?

The guy said they break quite quickly, claiming they last only a few months with normal / high volume of play...
Title: Re: Are Happ translucent buttons flimsier than the normal ones?
Post by: RayB on April 13, 2007, 09:24:38 am: Sounds believable... They were created for home use moreso than for commercial use.
Title: Re: Are Happ translucent buttons flimsier than the normal ones?
Post by: SavannahLion on April 13, 2007, 12:13:39 pm: The Happs buttons are made from nylon, but I couldn't find any translucent buttons. I checked a few other sites and they don't seem to mention what they make their buttons out of. GGG has translucents, but they're not made by Happs and it doesn't state what they're made from, I guess you'll have to ask him.

Nylon, even clear nylon, is pretty durable. But I've heard clear nylon is more expensive (I don't know) as opposed to the opaque nylon.

So if the manufacturer decided to go cheap, like say... using transparent styrene, then yeah, it'll be brittle if they don't treat the styrene during the curing process. I don't know if the treatment to make them less brittle makes them less translucent or if it's just a cost issue. Those clear brittle CD jewel cases are made from styrene plastic and I've never seen a clear styrene model part that wasn't brittle.

You'd have to find out what the translucent buttons are made out of.
Title: Re: Are Happ translucent buttons flimsier than the normal ones?
Post by: SavannahLion on April 13, 2007, 12:14:29 pm: --delete me--
Title: Re: Are Happ translucent buttons flimsier than the normal ones?
Post by: DrumAnBass on April 13, 2007, 01:16:06 pm: I am using the translucent red and blue buttons purchased from Ponyboy, and they seem very durable to me. Might be slightly more brittle then the traditional opaque nylon buttons - but as long as you aren't smacking them with a hammer they should withstand many years of use.
Title: Re: Are Happ translucent buttons flimsier than the normal ones?
Post by: Anubis_au on April 14, 2007, 12:37:13 am: Quote from: DrumAnBass on April 13, 2007, 01:16:06 pm
I am using the translucent red and blue buttons purchased from Ponyboy, and they seem very durable to me. Might be slightly more brittle then the traditional opaque nylon buttons - but as long as you aren't smacking them with a hammer they should withstand many years of use.

Thanks DrumanBass... I am planning on very excited button pressing but even so that's not hitting / pounding the buttons, let alone hitting them with a hammer.

I just wanted my mind eased, and you've done that...

SavannahLion, thans fo rthe lesson in plastics manufacturing... I didn't know there was so much to it...
Title: Re: Are Happ translucent buttons flimsier than the normal ones?
Post by: SavannahLion on April 14, 2007, 01:53:39 am: Quote from: Anubis_au on April 14, 2007, 12:37:13 am
SavannahLion, thans fo rthe lesson in plastics manufacturing... I didn't know there was so much to it...

No biggie. Styrene is the first plastic type I ever cut my teeth on. I spent years building scale plastic models... I was never very good at it though. I could never get the knack of realistically painting the damn things. :banghead: