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special switch plate

donkey

Feb 26, 2011
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I am thinking this is a weird one for everyone but I have to ask.
the switch I think is fine (simple push on push off) but am trying to make a face plate for them.
we have a variety bash car done up as bumble bee. I was thinking how can we make it more autobot...ish. so I decided on making the majority of switches go behind an autobots logo with each panel being pressed for certain things. the issue is making the face plate.
http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww208/DarbysStash/autobots.png
as you can see there are several sections. so how do i get them to both stick to a switch and not be too much weight to render the switch inoperable?
 

CocaCola

Apr 7, 2012
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Do you have these sections made already, or is it just a concept? Feel free to PM me more details, as I have a few ideas that will likely work but would need a little more info to make sure they would work...
 

donkey

Feb 26, 2011
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its nothing with a trademark, its for charity so no need for privacy on this one.
that pic i linked to has sections I am going to cut out perspex or accryllic to make the panels. I am thinking of putting them between 2 panels.
the first panel will have holes for the push button switches they will be secured in. then the panels from the pic, the a face plate (see through) with a few hole so you can push the second layer which will push the switch. the only thing I have an issue with is how to hold the panels in place so they don't fall down in between the 2 sheets
 

CocaCola

Apr 7, 2012
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its nothing with a trademark, its for charity so no need for privacy on this one.

Not concerned about privacy just trying to figure out where you are heading, and it's easier for me to keep track via PM sometimes...

Here is how I would do it...

I would mount your perspex pieces onto a thin black membrane... I would then have a PC board under the membrane with metal dome switches gridded in place under the sections, multiple common domes for each piece, so no matter where they pushed on the piece it would tiggger... For the membrane hit up a local print shop and see what kind of plastic membranes they print on (usually 10mil lexan), you might be able to snaggle a small piece from them for free, or find something suitable elsewhere but a lot of the suitable/common membrane materials are only sold in bulk rolls... You might be able to take the non adhesive side of a laminating pouch and use that, lots of times that is lexan, can't say how well it will take paint though vs a professional printing process... But, if you get a thin enough laminating pouch you could always laminate a background sheet inside and use the entire pouch...

One of my other ideas what for you to simply got to a print shop and have them print the logo on the membrane already an then mount that over the pc board...

I know that metal domes can sometimes be hard to find at the retail level, I have never dealt with this company but this a manufacture direct (http://www.metal-domes.com) retail store so I suspect them to be legit...

http://metaldome.ecrater.com/
 
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