Micro Tactiles...who has the magic?

[BlackDOG]

Ok, I did a search, but there is no "Overgrown Kid With Soldering Iron Wires Micro Tactile Switches For Dummies" thread listed......

These buggers are so cantankerous to work with and even when I get a good connection, when I try to install in the hilt, I end up with a "Free Bird".....a wire that has come unsoldered.

I had the thought of soldering to both sets of contacts......give double the connection.....dumb Idea? On my switches there is a set of contacts on each side.

Wonderful other suggestions appreicated and needed...........


bd

[Obi-Dar Ke-Gnomie]

I have one in each of my sabers, but I have to admit that I cheated.

I smashed the daylights out of a dead VCR, and took the control panel out of the front of it. I found two switches that were relatively isolated from anything else and cut the PCB around them to fit my needs. There were two big solder points on the back that I could solder to, and it made it easier to mount them in my saber.

[Novastar]

Hi BD... yup, you (among many others) will find that those switches can be a LARGE pain in the cloak to solder up.

I think your idea of doing both contacts SHOULD work, although I haven't used these switches yet. The main thing is to test the bloody heck out of them after you solder... PULL on those things, tug, and do what you can to check them PRIOR to installing.

That goes for any kind of soldering for a saber. After all... if it just BARELY hangs in there when sitting perfectly still... imagine what happens to solder connections once you beat the snot out of them. So... always test leads and put them through some duress. If they hold--good work. If not--have no fear, do it again.

You might also try "scratching" or sanding the switch contacts a bit to make the surface easier for solder to flow.

[Madcow]

My pain - your gain...

Here's what I've learned with those things...

1. You need to sand or file the metal contacts BEFORE you solder a wire to them (they have some kind of coating or oxidizaion that makes it soooo hard for solder to stick properly. Sanding/filing makes them take solder so nicely.

2. keep in mind that snipped off - unused contacts can still short out against the aluminum body of the saber. I use tiny heatshrink tubing to isolate all the contacts.


Try that out - let us know how it goes.

MC

[eastern57]

I use a Helping Hand for the delicate work - it's almost become a necessity.

It's a magnifying glass with two aligator clips for "arms".

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/n...sc/wiring2.jpg

http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a...IFIER/-/1.html

I've never tried using both sets of leads, but I don't see the harm in trying. The things is that those switches aren't meant to be used like regular sized push-buttons. They're great for space issues, but they're still little-bitty suckers. KNow what I mean?

[Jedibum]

I feel your pain! I had a loose wire problem after I was completely done installing these:



Not fun to take apart.

[Novastar]

Wow, all nice wiring setups!

Man, now I *KNOW* I'm soldering with dark age tools. All I gots is a soldering iron with a tip the size of a letter opener, hahahah.

[BlackDOG]

I used the eeentsy weensy shrink tubing for that very reason......Mad COw and the sanding is next on my list.

I tried, ever so hard, to cut a piece of Radio Shack generic PCB to do just what you mentioned, Obi.....the problem was the switch leads were TOO SHORT to go all the way thru...BLAST.......


I let you guys know what happens with the sanded, heat-shrinked, double-connected, hot glue encased teeny weenie yellow polka dot tactile switches...and post photos.

thanks...good ideas.

bd

[eastern57]

I let you guys know what happens with the sanded, heat-shrinked, double-connected, hot glue encased teeny weenie yellow polka dot tactile switches...and post photos...

Seriously? You're gonna do all that? Maybe we should ask you "how do you play with them?"

If you need to use all that, maybe little-fragile-switches aren't appropriate for your "style"

[strengthofrage]

If you are using a switch plate or you are mounting them in an easily accessible area, you could try mounting the switches and then soldering. That along with Mad Cow's file.sanding tip might work well.

...Not so well if they are mounted like Jedibum's pic above