Control Panel Style Switches

I'm looking for some switches like these



or these





Im interested in wiring up a control panel for my coasterdynamix coaster model, and i'd like it to look realistic. If you can find similar ones anywhere, please let me know!

Edit: I am looking for some that arent too expensive also. If anyone knows who made that prototype no limits usb control panel they would know where to find them!

Themeparkinovations made the prototype of the usb controller board. They are currently all sold out but they are planning to come out with more i believe this summer. Link below

http://themeparkinnovations.com/tag/control-panel/

It's not for that though, i want the switches to wire up myself. Its for a coaster model, not a computer program.

[slosprint]

search ebay for LED switches. I came up with a bunch of results that looked like those

cool, those might work, but i did find 2 small (for the station and chain power) and one slightly bigger (for the main power) toggle switches in my basement. But i do think it would be cooler to have realistic switches.

[Mikey]

Those are allen bradley, now cutler hammer, 800T series push buttons. You can find new them on http://automationdirect.com or search ebay for them. The LCD display is a allen bradley two line vaccum display, which is somewhat older but widely available. Your best bet is Ebay, you can find lots of used buttons for $20 and up. The buttons new are about $65-100 each. The key switchs are in the same series.

Cheers.

[slosprint]

Woah, those things are sweet!

I was just looking for some cheap little tings to wire together, i think those are over my budget of about nothing after spending $110 bucks on a new train and parts.

These buttons are high quality and designed for lots of repeat pushing. They aren't cheap. I just did a search on eBay for "Allen Bradley Buttons" and if you shop around you can find some deals. I would expect to pay around $10 a button, which is pretty good when compared to the price new. It adds up pretty quick though.

I thought about making a panel for a K'Nex coaster in the past, but decided I'd rather spend the money on another hobby, or better yet textbooks. If you do build it, it'd be cool to see how it turns out.

Im probably just gonna use some cheap switches, but i can put some LED's in the board too.

[Mikey]

The auto-parts stores have some switches and stuff that might be of interest, However you probably should look at Ebay. They have some lighted push buttons that are about $0.05 each and aren't half bad. You really don't need the AB buttons, they are rated for 1,000,000 cycles + and for situations where you need 110/220V service control.

Edit: Just noticed on that first panel that the advanced buttons don't have shields on them. That's a big no-no.

Well, Ive decided that since i haven't got the money or real need for those type of expensive switches, i'm gonna use the ones i found in my basement. I bought a random assortment of 20 LED's, so I'm gonna wire it to have one LED next to each switch, so when the switch is turned on, the LED will turn on.

If anyone has any experience with wiring LED's (I have minimal), I'd like to find out if i need to use a resistor to hook it up, cause im thinking that 12v is gonna burn it out.

[Mikey]

Most LEDs are set to run on 5V, 7.5V, or 12V. So depending on which one you got you will need to use the correct resistor. If you just want the LED's to light up when the circuit is on; you can run them on the neutral side of the circuit. When the circuit is active, it will light up. If you wasn't it to flash or do fancying things other then turn on its going to get a bit more complicated.

I dont know what the voltage is, it dosent say, unless it says on the bulb itself. I'm planning to just wire it from the switch just the same way the wires are going to the motors, so when they run, its on.

[Mikey]

That will work. The voltage is usually by the size of the LED or on the package. They are cheap, so if you blow a few up your voltage is to high.

I'm gonna grab some resistors tomorrow, it'll make it easier overall. I'd rather not have to replace the LEDs in this once its build because i most likely will have to glue them in.

EDIT:
Change of plans, Instead of going through the hassle of wiring up separate LED's, im getting these lighted switches



They should work nicely, I'll probably use the LEDs for a lit up sign or something later.


EDIT:

Well, I drilled the holes and put in the switches, so here it is unwired.





The two red switches are for each of the motors (station and lift) and the blue is the master power. Those 3 light up. The little one if for future implementation of LEDs on or around the track.