Rough-Use Push-Button Switches (Fist-Pounding, Boot-Stomping Tough)

Rough-Use Push-Button Switches (Fist-Pounding, Boot-Stomping Tough)

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Push-Button Switches are just not made for Fist Pounding and Foot Stomping! They just can't hold up to that kind of abuse.

(And those doing the pounding and stomping can sometimes get abused by the button.)

People do get carried away with the adrenaline rush of competition and the button takes the brunt of it.

Here's how to make a push-button switch that can take almost any abuse thrown at it

This can be the push-button for your arcade game. The game show "Who buzzes in First" button. The reaction speed tester button. Some type of Whac-A-Mole adaptation button. Use it anywhere hazardous button duty is required.

My friend Kelly came up with the button concept and I refined it. The button is composed of two wood disks. A fixed bottom disk and a moveable top disk. The disks have brass washers attached to them; washers facing each other. The disks are separated by some easily compressible foam. When the top disk is pressed the foam compresses, the brass washers come in contact and the circuit is closed. A button press has been acknowledged.

To protect over enthusiastic contestants a large soft foam pad is placed on top of the upper disk..... So they can safely pound away.

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Supplies to make ONE button:

• Coated Foam Ball (Approx. 4 inches in diameter)
• 1/8 inch thick hardboard large enough to make two disks the diameter of the foam ball.
• 2 - Brass washers
• 2 - Foam Paint Brushes; Inch width
• 2 - Steel Washers (optional)
• Paint (optional)
• Hookup Wire
• Soldering Iron and Solder
• Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks

Cut the foam ball in half. Half a ball is used for one button. So now you have a second half - go make another button.

You can leave the ball as is or paint it. I chose to paint it red -- the color of any self-respecting push-button!

Cut out two disks out of hardboard the same diameter as the ball. The push-button I made had a 3D printed base which is not needed, but if you do make a base, cut one disk slightly smaller in diameter so that it will not get caught on the sides of the base as it moves up and down.

There will be brass washers facing each other. One glued to the bottom fixed disk and another washer glued to the top moveable disk. I wanted to use brass washers since they could easily be soldered to. Rough up the washers so that they have clean contact surfaces and also so it will be easily to solder to them.

Ideally the circuit wire should be soldered to the edge of the washer so that the washer remains flat (no wire and solder on the flat contact surface). Soldering to the edge of a washer can be difficult. To solve this issue a smaller diameter steel washer can be glued to the back of the brass washer. The steel washer is added as a spacer to allow the circuit wire to effectively be soldered to the back of the brass washer without adding any thickness to the brass washers contact surface nor adding a bump to the back of the brass washer.

Having the smaller steel washer behind the brass washer creates a narrow gap on the back of the brass washer where the circuit wire can be soldered. You essentially solder the circuit wire to the back of the brass washer without creating an uneven surface on the contact surface or the back.

Wire should be soldered tangentially to the Brass Washer and spiraled away from it as shown in the diagram. This is to reduce the strain on the wire. If the wire were soldered normal (at 90 degrees) to the edg e of the washer every time the washer went up and down the wire would want to bend where it meets the washer and soon break from metal fatigue. Having the wire leave the washer on a tangent reduces the flexing of the wire which is important because we all know these buttons are going to be beat to death.... [ I digress.]

Use hot glue to attach the half foam ball to the top moveable hardboard disk. Harvest some foam squares from the foam paint brushes. Attach the paint brush foam squares to the bottom fixed disk.

If you don't like the exposed perimeter gap between the hardboard wood disks you can purchase more foam paint brushes and piecemeal them around the perimeter to fill the gap. Alternately, you might use weather-stripping foam as long as it is soft enough (compressible enough) and of suitable width and thickness.

Hot glue the washers in place facing each other; one to the top disk, one to the bottom disk.

Fasten the top disk into place by applying hot glue to the top disk in areas that will contact the paintbrush foam on the bottom disk and stack them together.

Now go slam, pound, stomp and otherwise generally abuse this button. It can take it!

Enjoy getting your frustrations out!