Tutorial: Jay-gon Jinn's PVC clip switch mounting method
This little tutorial will cover the installation of a style 20 mini momentary switch in an MHS ribbed extansion, "Jay-gon C-Clip" style! ;D
The switch will be mounted in the third groove of the ribbed extension so to ensure clearance with the heatsink. This will put it in the way of the SD card on the PC 1.6 board that is in the saber shown and may block access to it, so make sure the sound font you have on the card is the one you want. The RICE port for a PC can be used to adjust the settings, so there's no need to take the card out again, really.
The switch itself will be held in place by what I call a C-Clip, which is made from a piece of 1 1/4" pvc sink drain tailpiece extension. This is the pvc equivalent of a 1 1/4" chrome plated brass types and works great for this process due to it's spring like ability. Once the clip is installed, it can be difficult to remove, so if anyone attempts this, make sure everything is working and is set up how you like it before installing the switch with this method.
The first thing to is drill the ribbed extension for the switch to fit through. I set it up in my drill press to drill the hole. I used a 13/64 bit for that:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2429.jpg
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2430.jpg
Here's the finished hole:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2431.jpg
The pvc ring will be cut our C-clip. I cut this of the pvc tailpiece and it is about 1/2" wide, just wide enough to hold the switch. The first thing I'll do is drill a 11/64" hole for the switch (I currently don't have the actual tap and die set for this hole):
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2432.jpg
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2433.jpg
I used my power drill to drill this hole, since a drill press is not really needed and I had it set up for something else.
Now that the hole is drilled, the next step is getting it tapped. I use an old switch with a broken tab on it for this (the correct tap and die size for these is M5x.5)
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2434.jpg
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2435.jpg
I ran it all the way through. The new switch will be installed from this direction:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2436.jpg
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2437.jpg
The switch will be a very tight fit doing it this way, but it works.
The c-clip will need to be trimmed to make it if into the ribbed extension (if this were going into a regular 1 1/4" i.d. MHS part, it may only need to be cut once):
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2438.jpg
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2439.jpg
Trim small amounts off both sides of the cut to keep the gap in line with the switch. Check it often to ensure fit in the part. Taking off too much will result in a loosely fitting switch. It is ready when the clip fits directly inside the i.d. of the part, with no gap in between the ends of the clip.
I used a pair of needle nose pliers to install the actual switch for the build:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2440.jpg
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2441.jpg
The switch is now installed in the c-clip!
Check the fit:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2442.jpg
Over lap the ends of the clip and slide the assembly into the hilt, watching the hole for the top of the button:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2443.jpg
The clip assembly needs to be installed at an angle so the button will slide into the hole in the ribbed extension. Once it reaches the hole, the button will pop through and you can slide the clip into place and snap the edges of the clip together:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2445.jpg
The clip may need to be trimmed a bit more to accommodate for the pressure the switch puts on the pvc...it tends to try to flatten that section of the clip, so a bit more will need to be trimmed off the edes of the cut in the clip.
All trimmed and ready to go:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2446.jpg
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2447.jpg
Now it's ready for the wires:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2448.jpg
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2449.jpg
I clamped the clip in my helping hands fixture, and used a pair of tweezers to hold the wires when i soldered them to the switch legs.
The clip is now ready and the saber can be re-assembled:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...2/100_2450.jpg
I made sure the wires were long enough for the switch to allow the clip assembly to slide through to the other end of the ribbed extension, allowing the extension to be screwed to the rest of the hilt and not have the wires on the switch twist off. Those wires will coil up as the switch is then installed.
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...n/100_2466.jpg
Slide the c-clip through the ribbed extension until it reaches the female threaded end.
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...n/100_2467.jpg
The switch and c-clip should fit through far enough to allow for the ribbed extension to thread on to the hilt, and not spin the c-clip.
Once the extension is fully seated, you can install your switch:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...n/100_2469.jpg
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...n/100_2470.jpg
Fit the c-clip into the the threads on the extension:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...n/100_2471.jpg
Over lap the clip's ends so that the assembly will slide into the ribbed extension with the switch button pointing into the extension.
Point the switch button into the saber and slide the c-clip into the extension until it reaches the hole:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...n/100_2472.jpg
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...n/100_2473.jpg
Once the button reaches the hole, the tension on the c-clip should pop the button through, allowing you to slide the bottom of the c-clip into place:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...n/100_2474.jpg
You can now use a screw driver to snap the ends of the c-clip together. You should have a snug fit....too loose and your switch will bounce when pressed, too tight, and you'll never get it out again. :wink:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...n/100_2475.jpg
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...n/100_2476.jpg
(place holder for a finished picture on the outside of the ribbed extension....forgot to take that one)
Congratulations, your switch is now installed with no visible nuts or mounting boxes necessary (although TCSS does sell some really nice mounting boxes for this switch :wink:).
