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 Forum index » DIY Hardware and Software
OMG! Switching bananas...
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cyclic



Joined: Mar 15, 2015
Posts: 95
Location: hobart

PostPosted: Sat Nov 23, 2019 11:48 pm    Post subject: OMG! Switching bananas... Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

So I tried and failed to make some of these once before but recently I made an amazing discovery AND I just realised there is an easy way to DIY it too (untested)

So: 1st up, Elby Designs here in Aus actually sells them, but doesn't actually advertise them as such. We had a long email chat about them a few days ago and he has them custom made to fit the same side mount PCB footprint as cliff 3.5mm sockets. They are the only ones I have ever seen, but the trade-off is the quality is pretty low. The main contact is fine but the switch is flakey without a bit of careful bending and I'm not sure about them long-term. I Get the impression that he is working on it but it's a slow process.

So the untested DIY idea:
A cheap open ended banana, (mounted backwards so you can install it after the mob)
A micro long shaft tactile switch
Epoxy resin.
Insert B into A. Glue.
Solder
Enjoy.

Only downside is a little but longer mixing signal of the switched signal and the plug, and if you are a ruthless banana hammer you might break something.

Otherwise I see no problem
I'm doing an order soon, will post results...


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PHOBoS



Joined: Jan 14, 2010
Posts: 5591
Location: Moon Base
Audio files: 705

PostPosted: Sun Nov 24, 2019 6:02 am    Post subject: Re: OMG! Switching bananas... Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Quote:
if you are a ruthless banana hammer you might break something.




Although not very practical I think using a switch with a longer travel might be more reliable, so something like this:
Posted Image, might have been reduced in size. Click Image to view fullscreen.

neat idea though, and with those small switches it would be pretty compact. If you have sockets that are long/deep enough you might
be able to add a small spring. Hmm those would have to be attached or they'd be gone in no time. ok scrap that, but something else
that's a bit squishy (a hamster wouldn't fit).

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cyclic



Joined: Mar 15, 2015
Posts: 95
Location: hobart

PostPosted: Sun Nov 24, 2019 2:27 pm    Post subject: Re: OMG! Switching bananas... Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

It was looking at a stack of those lever switches that gave me the idea, but getting that lever nicely into the end of the banana is probably a pita.
Small spring eg pen inside is a good idea if I get a long switch button and a spring which perfectly jams on, plus a bit of epoxy...


PHOBoS wrote:
Quote:
if you are a ruthless banana hammer you might break something.




Although not very practical I think using a switch with a longer travel might be more reliable, so something like this:
Posted Image, might have been reduced in size. Click Image to view fullscreen.

neat idea though, and with those small switches it would be pretty compact. If you have sockets that are long/deep enough you might
be able to add a small spring. Hmm those would have to be attached or they'd be gone in no time. ok scrap that, but something else
that's a bit squishy (a hamster wouldn't fit).
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cyclic



Joined: Mar 15, 2015
Posts: 95
Location: hobart

PostPosted: Sun Nov 24, 2019 11:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Working prototype:

So I only have NO switches and NC tactile are quite rare. I've seen some on Alibaba and if this one is robust enough in testing I'll buy a 100pack.

Took 3 goes as I really wanted to epoxy it to the flange end, but there's a tiny tiny gap and epoxy got through and glued the switch mech as well...

So I'll have to cut off the flange. The good thing is that the tail end of the plug (end with the switch) is machined down and fits perfectly over the switch button but around the 4 plastic lugs which hold the switch together. So it's a perfect glue excluder in this orientation.

You can feel the switch engage thru the banana.

It is now also a vertical PCB mount banana plug, with one wire for main!


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gabbagabi



Joined: Nov 29, 2008
Posts: 651
Location: Berlin by n8
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 25, 2019 2:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

great idea,
love it
Smile
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cyclic



Joined: Mar 15, 2015
Posts: 95
Location: hobart

PostPosted: Mon Nov 25, 2019 5:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Aaaaand It gets even better!! (Maybe)

I eyeballed it this morning, and it looks like it will only take a little bit of gentle leg manipulation to make the switch fit across the PCB footprint of a standard vert mount Thonkiconn or Kobiconn 3.5mm socket. Because of the way these switches are made, this then leaves the parallel connected leg free to take the main signal into, for pretty easy hackage of, well prettymuch every eurorack module ever made...

I really hope this works as well as I think it will. Hell, if it only works HALF as well as I think it should that's still a total win!
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