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CHEST BUTTONS



Because I am using functioning push buttons, I adapted Mike Joyce's ingenious web-published design for creating a special bezel that holds the true push buttons behind the "prop" buttons that are visible from the outside of the torso.

I ordered the parts from Allied Electronics, Inc
 
 

Lighted Push button switch  KB 16CKW01  NKK Switches of America  Stock Number 870-7021  $5.75 each
Round white caps for lighted push button switch  AT486BB NKK Switches of America  Stock Number 870-7028  $0.90 each
Incandescent lamp, 12 VDC, 115mA, each7000Hrs AT611-12V NKK Switches of America  Stock Number 870-7018 $1.68 each

I created the interior bezel out of a piece of steel that I found in a hardware store. In order to position the "real" buttons in the center of each "external" button, I used the external bezel as a stencil. Using a ruler to draw diagonal lines, I found the true center of each rectangular external button. At this point, I drilled a hole. I wore out three expensive drill bits drilling these ten holes. Because of this, the interior bezel was a very expensive part to produce.

Once the holes were drilled, I bend the interior bezel to the correct curve. This was achieved by hammering.

The interior bezel is mounted on four bolts that are attached to the torso using the Reinbrecht method of gluing the bolts to the torso with epoxy.

In order for the "real" buttons to function, they must just touch the back of the "exterior" buttons. In order to achieve the correct contact pressure, I placed a spring over the bolts that hold the interior bezel in place. This spring pushes the bezel away from the exterior buttons and allows me to precisely position the interior bezel so that the "real" buttons can be properly depressed and released by the external buttons.