Advice on small hole-thru button to mount on plastic case

[linuxgeek]

I need a small button to put on the outside of a small plastic enclosure.

Something small like this, but something that can be mounted on the outside of a plastic case. Something like a threaded post with a nut to place on the backside.



The buttons I see are really big, which I won't really have enough space for that.

The type of button (toggle, rocker, push, slider, etc) is not too important.

If you have another idea on how to mount a typically board mounted button onto a plastic case would suffice as well. I could krazy glue it, but think it might break after awhile.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[markonian]

Not sure how well these would work for you but I though I'd let you know they exist. I just discovered them today looking for something else

 

[linuxgeek]

Yeah, the style is ok but they still are too large for me, both in width and depth. Thx

 

[GremlinWrangler]

If you want a really discrete touch sense you can always mount a metal contact and use touchRead. More CPU intensive than testing a button since you need to work out from a value what is going on but gives lots of options for shape and form factor. Not aware of any tiny buttons, normal process in things that I've got apart seems to be either injection molded plastic posts pressing dome contacts on a PCB or daughter board PCB with soldered switches screwed into the case.

 

[MichaelMeissner]

Looking at digikey, I see this: http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/cw-industries/GPB040B05BR/SW632-ND/2235504

 

[KurtE]

I have used something similar to the ones you can get at sparkfun in the past, but from what you are saying they are probably too big:
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11996

 

[MichaelMeissner]

In addition, I could imagine a DYI approach where you have inside the case a small bit of plastic just mm's from the top. The top and the plastic each have a strip of metallic foil on them, where one foil is connected to the pin and other to ground (if you use INPUT_PULLUP) or 3.3v + resistor (if you use INPUT). When you depress the plastic, the two foils touch and make contact (and perhaps a tiny spring to keep them normally apart). It depends on how rigid the plastic is.

There are these SMT tactile switches that you would have to drill 2 small holes for the wires, and glue to the case: http://www.ebay.com/itm/10pcs-Tact-...655580?hash=item280a9b82dc:g:FxIAAOSwDNdVkrVh

Or even smaller: http://www.ebay.com/itm/50pcs-Tact-...743299?hash=item51ee435dc3:g:NpkAAOSwcUBYEayW

There is this membrane keypad that might be useful: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-1-Membran...513326?hash=item58bc6f00ae:g:REwAAOSw1vlUuu1G.

Or this one with arrow keys: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2-Membran...c50b05b&pid=100005&rk=2&rkt=6&sd=381118513326

Or this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-1-Key-O...565656?hash=item2c81a3efd8:g:UigAAOxywXFSayEl

 

[linuxgeek]

Oh yeah, those are some good ideas! I think I'll probably go down to halted (electronic surplus store) and check the bins for something that'll work. Those piezo film switches or those tactile buttons should do the trick. Thanks for the clever idea of mounting it the outside of the case and drilling holes for the wires.