How to secure push-buttons

[Rick]

Hey all, long time. 

Quick question. How are you securing your push-buttons, if at all? I'm finalizing a project, and have noticed that no matter how tight I secure them, after a while of use, they can become loose.

I'd like to have a solution that's not permanent, like blue Loctite would be for metal, but I've seen people use a hot glue gun and even superglue. I tried using a single round of plumbers tape, but it was too thin to make a difference. (I may try multiple layers to see if building it up helps.)

Does anyone have a good idea on how to keep these push-buttons tight?

[Zebidee]

Have you tried using a button wrench?

I imagine hot glue would be useless and superglue would be very permanent (and potentially very messy).

Plumbers tape requires multiple rounds to be effective. Tip: always apply the tape clockwise when viewed from below (to match the screwing action).

[Rick]

Have you tried using a button wrench?

I have, with limited success. When I really want to get these tightened down, I've used channel locks/vice grips. It seems that after a while, somehow, they can come loosened a bit. (It probably wouldn't be as annoying if I didn't have vinyl decals on the push-buttons, and if I wasn't so anal about everything staying perfectly straight.)

I imagine hot glue would be useless and superglue would be very permanent (and potentially very messy).

I was considering tightening the push-buttons down initially, and then adding a drop of superglue in two or three spots - nothing overly messy, but as you point out, this would be a very permanent solution. I could do this, however, if they ever got loose, I would likely have to destroy the threads to remove the push-button and then remove it. (Not necessarily a deal killer, if it works.)

Plumbers tape requires multiple rounds to be effective. Tip: always apply the tape clockwise when viewed from below (to match the screwing action).

I was thinking about that. Maybe I was just premature about the lack of tape I tried. It was a solution I tried pretty quickly, so maybe it deserves more scrutiny.

I also just thought that perhaps I tighten the push-button, and add a round or two of black electrical tape to surround the threads and the nut. Maybe that would be enough to stop it travelling and loosening up.

Thanks for the ideas, and the tip regarding the plumber's tape!

[Xiaou2]

Rick... I used to manage a Namco Mall Arcade.   It was incredibly rare that HAPP arcade buttons would EVER come loose.
I was there for just shy of 3 years.   And many of the machines were there for over a decade.

So the question is...  What type of buttons,  and what is the control panel material that you are screwing them into?
(material type, and rough thickness)

If you are trying to screw your buttons into a smooth plastic / melamine surface... then the button nuts wont be able to
dig into the Surface.

Also... are you putting the button nits Upside-Down ?    The flat edge needs to be touching the Control Panel.

If the mounting surface Is too smooth... use Coarse Grain Sandpaper or a sanding disc with coarse grain... to rough up
the under-surface of the Control Panel.  By making the Surface Rougher... the Button Nuts will Grip onto the surface
much tighter / better.

One shouldnt have to use any glue, nor tape... to get the button nuts to stay tight.  Especially if you used a wrench / channel locks!

Personally, Im guessing its an upside-down nut situation... as most push-buttons are coarse thread, and Grip really tightly,
when tightened well.


If these were some cheap Chinese buttons... make with Poor quality threads... then maybe I could see the issue.
In that case, potentially use Lock-Tight Thread-Locker.   Plumbers Tape might help.. but it might take a decent amount of it,
as those threads are often deep.

Hot Glue is sort of a last resort option.   It can cause damage to wood CP's, if you remove it poorly.
(always use a glue-guns high heat and a chisel, to melt + scrape it away... rather than ripping it off)

I would NOT apply Hot glue to the actual Threads!  But instead... just a small amount between the Nut and the
Control Panel surface (under-side).  A blob just big enough to keep the nut from Turning.

Of course, if this is a plastic / melamine surface... even hot glue may have trouble sticking to it.  Rough Sanding would still
likely be required.

Heck, you could likely also use a small bit of Clear Grease, with a small amount of sand mixed into it.  The sand would
add Grip to the threads.   That said... coarse sand is semi-destructive (abrasive)... and could cause eventual Wear,
if you were tightening / removing them repeatedly.

[Rick]

So the question is...  What type of buttons,  and what is the control panel material that you are screwing them into? (material type, and rough thickness)

I"m using HAPP compatible push-buttons for my last built, into 5/8" MDF where it is pretty smooth behind the push-buttons.

Also... are you putting the button nits Upside-Down? The flat edge
needs to be touching the Control Panel.

The push-buttons I'm using have a nut with an edge that is smooth on one side, and has small bumps on the other. If I understand what you're saying, the smooth side should go towards a smooth edge, while the bumps could/would be used to nestle into a rougher surface for a more secure fit.

If these were some cheap Chinese buttons... make with poor quality threads... then maybe I could see the issue.

It's possible - now that you say this, I had this happen with Sanwa clone LED push-buttons and am unsure of how frequently it happened/happens with my HAPP clone vinyl push-buttons. So, perhaps it's my perception at fault here.

I think you've given me some good ideas. I think - barring the fact that it SHOULD stay firmly tight throughout it's lifetime with a good wrench tightening - that I am going to install some rough duct tape behind the control panel, and cut an X where each hole is. That will give the nut a bit better bite into the surface, I believe.

If my idea works, I'll post back.

Thank you for the ideas!

[RandyT]

Hey all, long time. 

Quick question. How are you securing your push-buttons, if at all? I'm finalizing a project, and have noticed that no matter how tight I secure them, after a while of use, they can become loose.

I'd like to have a solution that's not permanent, like blue Loctite would be for metal, but I've seen people use a hot glue gun and even superglue. I tried using a single round of plumbers tape, but it was too thin to make a difference. (I may try multiple layers to see if building it up helps.)

Does anyone have a good idea on how to keep these push-buttons tight?

The bumps are intended to dig into the lower surface, like a built-in star washer might. 

I'm going to lean toward the holes being too large.  If the buttons are properly tightened and still coming loose, there's a possibility that the button is shifting enough in the hole to cause a very slight rotation of the nut.  Over time, this will compound and result in a loose button.  If you don't have a loose friction-fit, it's probably not ideal.  Also, I would make very sure that the edges of the hole are not standing proud of the bottom surface for some reason. 

If the nut can't maintain it's purchase on the lower surface of the panel, I would screw the nut down about 1/2 of the way, put a drop or two of good hot-melt below it on the panel and then tighten while hot.  I'd be very surprised if it ever moved again on it's own.

[NoMoUserNames]

Admittedly, I have not tried this on an arcade button.....

BUT, with machines, a very common solution is simply adding an extra nut. You tighten the first one down, but not quite all the way. Then you hold that one steady while you apply a second one with full torque. It creates a setup where one nut or the other is usually binding at any given moment. This makes it much harder to wiggle free unless you're applying a lot more force, OR you hold the lower one steady while you loosen the upper one.

Granted, this assumes you have enough button length to add a second nut, AND you have enough space to be able to grip the first one while tightening the second.

[Rick]

As it turns out, I think I'm a victim of circumstance.

The original cab I installed push-buttons on were different, and did not allow me to fit the button wrench on the nuts to tighten them. So, these were the loose ones. That cabinet has since been sold after I tightened them as much as possible. (Hoping the new owner doesn't have issues.)

My current and newly finished cab has Happ compatible concave push-buttons, and let me tell you, did I ever tighten them down using the button wrench. Definitely tighter than I'd ever been able to in the past. So, I hope that this should see them stay tight for a long, long time.