Every hacker is familiar with those teeny little tactile buttons that are so enjoyable to click over and over again. [ROBO HUB] has built a giant version as a tribute, and it works just like the real thing!
The giant button has been scaled up 20 times compared to the original. For simplicity’s sake, [ROBO HUB] designed this replica to use materials readily available around the home. Thanks to its cardboard construction, it’s easy to replicate with a minimum of tools. One need merely cut out the various sections before assembling them together with hot glue, with popsicle sticks serving as the legs. A juice bottle is used as the primary button itself, with aluminium foil serving as the contacts and rubber bands standing in for the spring.
It’s not the most useful button, given that it it’s quite fragile and has a weak spring return. However, it would be a great teaching tool to show students exactly what’s going on inside an actual button. As a bonus, it looks like it would be remarkably fun to pound on to activate some kind of massive air horn. Just an idea.
Cardboard is the gateway drug for makers!
Before you know it you’ll be hooked on hot glue
I completely agree with the cool part, but not so with the silly part.
It may be fun to make a much sturdier version of this to use as an emergency stop button for a CNC machine.
Ok, it looks cool. But the action looks awfully mushy, not clicky – clicky is what makes them “tactile” buttons.
Maybe find a way to integrate one of those clicky “frog” toys that those of us of a certain age played with as kids (or, if “The Longest Day” is to be believed, that soldiers who invaded Normandy used to identify each other in the dark). I think they’re also used to train dogs.
This goes with the coffee table sized 555?
You say “Robo Hub” but the video is from “InternetPilot Gaming”, which… Has absolutely nothing to do with games.
Just get a big red EPO button.
Well now I want to make a giant breadboard that can plug into…