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Another leaf button question

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Disgrntld:
Ok, I'm getting ready to order my translucent leaf buttons and assemblies, then I'll have all the supplies for my CP! Just a few questions:

I know I need "long" leaf buttons for my wood CP, but what about the leaf switch asseblies? Are there different kinds? I guess http://homearcade.org/BBBB/leafsw.html and http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=23957.0 confused me a little bit, it looks like I'm seeing some that have an extra 1/8" ring touching the CP whereas some are mounted completly flush?

I guess the safer question would be, can anyone tell me what "long" translucent, leaf buttons and assemblies I need for my CP? I'd prefer using no spacers, routing of the CP, or assembly modification if possible and I was planning on 5/8th" MDF plus 1/8th" plexi for 3/4" total. Or should I use 1/2" MDF plus 1/8" plexi for 5/8" total?

I'm soo confused, I know a lot of y'all have solved this problem already, but I've been searching through the forums for a while and this is suprisingly hard for me to grasp without the pieces in front of me.

Thanks in advance!

hypernova:
Switch holders come in two types mainly.  The wood and metal.  The difference is where the button goes.  In the metal ones, there is a "cavity" where the button sits.  In wooden ones, there is no such cavity.  It is completely flat along the top.  Go here to see the difference:
http://www.lizardlickamusements.com/pages/pushbuttons.shtml

The "deep" ones are for metal.  The others are for wood.

Do NOT buy any from there.  Entirely overpriced for them.

Depending on your cp, you will most likely need to rout out the area for your buttons.  If you plan on using 5/8 + 1/8 for plexi, then you WILL need to rout out, because the buttons won't reach the metal leaves.  The alternative is bending the leaves, but that isn't something you should consider, as you want to keep them as flat as they should be.  Otherwise the contacts on the leaves may become misaligned.  My CP is a total 3/4" thick (plexi included) and I had to rout out about 1/4" of the wood.  A 1/16" less would've sufficed, but 1/4" seemed perfect. 
You can go with 1/2" MDF, but are there T-moldings made in 5/8" size to go around the border?  If T-molding isn't in your plans on the CP, then it wouldn't be a bad idea.  Though a thickness of only 1/2" across the ENTIRE CP panel would worry me.  Although the extra 1/8" with plexi should alleviate any concerns about structural weakness, especially when pounding a trackball for Golden Tee.

NoOne=NBA=:
I don't even use the switch holders on wood CP's.
I usually mount them Williams-style.
Williams used the short buttons, counter-bored the holes to accomodate the pal-nut on the bottom, and just screwed the switch to the wood.
Depending on wood thickness and button length, you may need to put a small wood spacer on the bottom of the CP, or may need to slightly rout the switches into the wood if the plexi thickness causes the buttons to be a bit short.
This method works great if you adjust it properly for whatever combo you are using though.

Disgrntld:
Awesome, that explained a lot hypernova, thank you! I have to admit, I wasn't even thinking about the different T-molding I'd need for the CP if I went 5/8" thick.. A quick search online pulls up nothing put 3/4", so I'm guessing that's the standard (and it'll be the same as the rest of my cabinet).

So it's either 3/4", and I'll just route out 1/4" around the holders or possibly NoOne's idea. Which I imagine would be pretty simple once you found out the size block needed. Though wouldn't the button holes need to be two diameters? A little wider at the top to allow the fat part of the buttons above the threads room, and a little smaller on the bottom to be tight against the threads for the pal-nut to grip?

NoOne=NBA=:

--- Quote from: Disgrntld on May 14, 2006, 02:59:36 am ---Though wouldn't the button holes need to be two diameters? A little wider at the top to allow the fat part of the buttons above the threads room, and a little smaller on the bottom to be tight against the threads for the pal-nut to grip?

--- End quote ---

Yes.

It's not that tough to accomplish this though.
You start by drilling the larger diameter to the necessary depth, and then just finish the hole up with the smaller diameter all the way through.

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