Uses for old Push buttons

Broodwich

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Hopefully this isn't a repeat thread...

I've got a ton of used buttons and sticks (about 200 buttons) and no clue what to do with them. I don't think they sell tho i could be wrong.

So what do you guys do with all your old/dirty/used buttons from machines that you replace them on?

I've seen some make light switches out of them, and Control Panels for console systems. What should I do with all my old ones (what do you do with yours)? (hopefully nothing to kinky lol).

I've been taking them apart and paying my niece and nephew in ice cream and blow pops from the ice cream man (i think they're making out better than i am).
 
I used a microswitch pushbutton in place of a power button on a PC once. It looked wierd but worked just fine.
 
Maybe... Sell them? :rolleyes:

Are they in really bad shape, or just "average-used"?
 
I know! Build one of those Mame control panels that is as big as a surfboard - 200 buttons should just about cover it...
 
Maybe... Sell them? :rolleyes:

Are they in really bad shape, or just "average-used"?

Do they sell?? I figured most just buy new, what's the going rate for them $1.00 (used).

Most of the ones i have are super clean and the only way you wouldn't know they were new would be if you took them apart (where you would see a little wear where the plastic rubs on itself). The white ones are a lil off color tho as they are hard to get the years of yellowing or fruit punch stain off them.

These are all standard Happ/IL buttons (mostly happ).


I know! Build one of those Mame control panels that is as big as a surfboard - 200 buttons should just about cover it...

No Maame (lol), i'm not a fan.
 
Ideas:

Bundle them all perfectly together with glue facing outward, so they resemble a rubiks cube. Stick it on your work desk as a paperwieght.

Paint a sheet of MDF black. Drill shit-tons of equally spaced holes. Insert like colored buttons together to make a big ass arcade character collage or phrase. Hang it on the wall.

Throw them at squirrels.

Throw them in the dishwasher to clean them (after removing spring and switch). Fill the gap between the plunger and the case with epoxy or glue or whatever to make it water tight. Pour mini-shots into them and hand them to your guests at your next party.

Tie them/ bundle them into a perfect sphere of about 30 buttons all facing outward. Hang it from the ceiling for a party decoration. Gamer's Mistletoe sucka!

Cram several into a undercover police officer's car's tailpipe. Lure them into a car chase. Laugh at their misfortune.
 
there are a bunch of used buttons for sale on here right now...guy is asking $50 for a box full with leaf switches and no takers so far...i guess everyone has a junk box full of these things? maybe try ebay? you might get some dude looking to build a MAME machine or something who would buy a mixed lot.
 
Personally I prefer the older wico ones over the happs. The wicos come apart, I don't think you can take the happ leaf switch buttons, can you?
 
yea i saw those leaf ones fs, but the ones i have are your standard happ ones and i didn't think they were anything special.

like these:

hconcavewf7.jpg



This thread is not specific to this type only tho :D
 
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Do they sell?? I figured most just buy new, what's the going rate for them $1.00 (used). ...

Well, they're about $1.25 brand new including the microswitch... So you're more than likely looking at 50-75 cents tops. (Just a guess) I'd say sell them in lots.

Do you also have the microswitches? Or just the buttons themselves?
 
Well, they're about $1.25 brand new including the microswitch... So you're more than likely looking at 50-75 cents tops. (Just a guess) I'd say sell them in lots.

Do you also have the microswitches? Or just the buttons themselves?

I have the switches but they're un reliable/dirty/ect. some have been soldered to some are missing a spade terminal some have soda on them. I don't normally clean these up as i don't want to submerge them in water and cause more corrosion then what's already there.

I could throw them in the lot tho too. Don't they go for like $2.50 tho with the switch (that's what IL's go for @ paradise NEW)? not that i expect to get $1.00 each regardless.
 
Hmmm. Just checked eBay, looks like the cheapest they go is $1.50 +shipping. I swear I got a bunch for only $1.25 + minimal shipping before. Who knows.

I did like Gozer's idea of the art project of drilling the holes into a big piece of wood and putting different colored buttons together to make an 8-bit arcade character. That would be badass!
 
Are there really people willing to pay a couple cents less for used Happ buttons? When I am replacing the entire button and not just the microswitch, there is usually no contest when it comes to used vs. new with these buttons. Nice spring. Good reaction. Etc.

If the button is something special, then yeah...I try to refurbish it myself. Otherwise...trash.
 
I throw them in a box and GIVE them to people buying crap cabinets to convert to Mame. Most of them are starving college students on a tight budget.
 
Ideas:

Throw them at squirrels.

Cram several into a undercover police officer's car's tailpipe. Lure them into a car chase. Laugh at their misfortune.

I'm not gonna fall for no arcade button in the tailpipe!

+1 karma for you for the squirrel comment and Beverly Hills Cop reference!

Chris
 
Box em up... post em on ebay at like $50 for all 200...

+1 sounds like you are not married to keeping them...so some bucks is always better than no bucks.

Or...you could also just shelve them. I have a big box of old buttons I use if I need to fix or better color coordinate a game I'm flipping. No real cost to me, game works or looks better, and the buyer makes out better. Some times a used button in good shape makes it into one of my own games.
 
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