Best way to mount the tactile switches...?

[strengthofrage]

Hello er'body,

I am looking for what mounting technique has worked well for others when using the tactile switches (long & short plungers). My last saber used 2 mom tactile switches and it was the toughest part of the build trying to get them mounted securely. I have seen people use them in builds countless times but never how they are securely mounted...

Thanks all,
SoR

[Jonitus]

I use 3mm LED bezels to serve as a switch guard for one of my builds. I cut off most of the threaded section and inserted it into the hole in the MHS part. The switch was placed in the hilt, plunger up through the hole in the bezel, and then secured with a bit of 2-part epoxy putty to lock it in place.

[Zook]

right now I am just doing testing on mine (first with tactile) so I just hot glued it in place and it hasn't even thought about moving. I will use 2 part epoxy when I am finished (have to powder coat the part).

[Jay-gon Jinn]

I have used a method before that involves using a piece of 1 1/4" pvc sink drain tubing to mount a mini-tactile in a saber. It looked like this:




I used hot glue on it, and eventually it came loose...I'd suggest if you tried this method to use 2-part epoxy to hild the switch to the pvc.

This set-up used the pvc as a clamp, and when the button stalk reached the hole, the clamp snapped into place to hold the button. I had to heat and stretch the pvc a bit, but it worked. I also use a similar method for recessing a recharge port.

When it was installed, it looked like this:

[xl97]

I too have used the modified JGJ pvc mounting 'trick'..

works fairly well.... make sure plan, plan,,and plan some more.. because it is a PITA to get back out...

[strengthofrage]

Thanks guys

My last build I used 2 part epoxy and a switch plate, it held just fine but I kinda felt a bit 'cheap' just using the epoxy. Really though, everything else I thought up just defeated the whole 'mini' thing. I did see your latest MHS Jonitus, I liked the use of the bezel. It had a nice look. I am gonna give your trick a whirl Jay-Gon, I definitely have enough scrap pvc around my bench to try it a few times

Thanks again

[Novastar]

STR of RRRrrrrrrrr!!! this is an AWESOME idea for a post. I have some of these switches, but I've never really used them... yet every now and then I've thought: "Now how the bloody 'ell do Jon and Yoda get these all figured out?!?!? They're a pain in the butt!"

Excellent topic.

[strengthofrage]

Right on Nova ... I spent many a late night at my bench staring at them thinking of ways I could mount them. Nothing aside from the epoxy was working. I tried brackets, retaining screw set ups, countersunk switch holes.... nuthin' worked lol

[Darth Leximus]

Sorry i don't have any pics, but I used one of the long plunger tactiles in my US 2.00005 saber. I drilled holes inbetween the grooves in a v-grooved ribbed extension and then cut the plunger to match the ribs so the switch was flush. I needed the switch to be able to come in and out so I could take the saber apart to change the trustfires since they need to be charged externally. So I stole a trick I saw someone from here use which was to use a piece of spare blade tube. Just a small section about .5" long, I had to shave one side down a little to make it fit slightly loose so it was removable without damaging these crazy fragile switches. This works easily for my setup because the saber is short on internal space so the US is in the compact setup Tim sells, then the piece of blade sits on top of the batteries and is held firmly in place by the switch and the switch feels real solid on the outside.

Hope that makes some kind of sense, it's early and that saber is in pieces all over my workbench or else I'd take pictures. I know I stole this concept from someone, but my memory escapes me, I want to say it was Eastern, but I could be wrong. Speak up whoever you are!

[Zook]

oh and here is another way I came up with last weekend and it worked pretty good but was awkward for me so I changed the switch to the ribbed section like Darth Leximus just posted.

Before I get into the description of what I did I want to point out I used two different switches on this project. I used a long plunger one on the ribbed section and a flat plunger for the grip area. I bought a bunch of different tactile switches from my local electronics store.

I have the compact set up for the US board as well and I have the milled slot extension piece. Since Tim doesn't have the grip separators I found some brass square rods that worked great (looks good, cant wait to finish it and show it off).

I had a small nail with a flat head on it and drilled a hole in the slot section after taking measurements on where I was going to put the switch. Then I ground down the brass rod so it was even with the top of the milled section but could be pushed down. I then measured on the brass rod and drilled a hole in the same place. I put the nail in from the inside out (with the flat part keeping it from coming out) and force fitted it into the brass rod (used a drill slightly smaller than the nail).

Next I took the switch and glued it on the back side of the compact set up (directly on the battery holder opposite the board) where it fit perfectly. That gave me a truly compact set up where the only thing that went out from the set up was the LED wires.

I slid the set up into the hilt with the switch directly under the nail coming through from the brass rod and tightened the pommel to test it out.

The switch concept worked great and was a truly hidden switch but it was just awkward to have the grip area as the switch so I moved it back to my original location in the upper grooved extension.

If I had stuck with the idea I would have made some guides for the battery pack so it would only go in one way and put the switch in the correct location every time.

Sorry if this is confusing as well. I really wish I took some pics of it but when I am in the middle of working on something I just dont stop to take pics.

If anyone is truly interested I can mock it back up to show what I mean before I jb weld the brass rods in.