How do buttons and switches work on hilts with removable chassis?

Sabers
1

I’m working on my first build, and am trying to get everything modeled up in Solidworks, and I’ve run into a bit of a snag…

I have, from TCSS, the following parts:

Blade Holder 18
Main Body 3, with 16mm hole 1.5 inches from the end
Choke 3 long
Pommel 4
16mm Anti Vandal Momentary Blue Ring Switch
Bezel for illuminated switches

All together, it looks like this:

IMG_2780
IMG_27803244×474 201 KB

The problem is that if we look inside, we have this:

IMG_2781
IMG_27811077×916 189 KB

I was originally planning for this hilt to just hold a carbon fiber blade, and not have any electronics at all, so at the time that I bought it (years ago) the protrusion into the interior was a non-issue. However, now that I’ve decide to make a full saber out of this, that switch is very much in the way, both because it protrudes into space I want to use for other things, and because it would seem at first thought that it will have to have long wires with connectors in order to make the chassis removable, and that will all be awkward to assemble and disassemble.

So my question is this: What methods and types of switches have been used in sabers that have fully removable chassis? My first thought is to use tact switches mounted directly to the chassis, and have just a cap and little plunger in the hole in the main body, but I haven’t succeeded in finding any such caps that look nice. Ideally I’d like to have one that looks like the AV switch that I already have. I have a 3d printer and could make and paint one, but… it’s FDM and I’m not experienced at getting good paint jobs or even surface finishes with my prints yet.

Ideas?

2

Usually the solution is to have the removable chassis come in from the bottom of the saber, then you put a 6-ring pogo pin switch between the chassis and the button. So there would be a section of non-removable wires containing the blade PCB, the button, some wires and the PCB that connects to the chassis.

3

Hmm. makes sense, but not exactly an elegant solution. Guess I’ll have to come up with my own solution.

4

When I do my custom designs, I have either used a very small JST connector (my old style) or just use a plunger instead of a switch on the saber and add a tactile momentary switch on the chassis. You do need to add some clocking to your design, though. And did had to print a few just to get the position and depth right. Small tip: for making your own plungers, the springs on cheap plastic pens are excellent.

5

I actually have a spring making tool and a couple hundred feet of music wire, but pulling a spring out of a pen is WAY easier!