Arcade Volcano Buttons

thingiverse

This is a quick replacement for 1&2 Player select buttons (Tall button bezel style) on original Atari arcade cabinets (Centipede, DigDug, Tempest etc.). These things have become rare and expensive to replace. You can find pretty fair reproductions but if you want to build your own, you are welcome to my design and modify them if you would like. The picture attached contains an original, the individual parts of the build and the assembled piece. I slotted the stem (Red Translucent PETG) for inserting the wiring for the LED. You will want to drop some hot glue in there to secure it in the stem (thick end facing up. The Stem piece is also not anchored to the button assembly but after install, gravity will keep it. The base piece that goes under the control panel has two small holes on two sides for inserting the LED wiring into the stem. The base is made with the intention of inserting a standard microswitch into it and securing it with a small screw and nut, although when testing with three different types of switches, they held just fine without hardware. The bezel and base pieces fit together above and below the control panel with just friction snaps. My attempts at threaded pieces at that precision proved to be an exercise in futility so if they fit too loosely on the metal control panel, get creative with tape, hot glue or whatever you wish to fill the void between the underside of the CP and the base piece. I used Overture Translucent Red PETG for the button stem at a flow rate of 130% to try to get the best clarity for light passage from the LED. I would suggest a Black ABS for the bezel and do an Acetone Fume Bath after light sanding/filing to get a good semi-gloss finish on the "Volcano" Bezel as that will be the showing face of the button. The LED through the trans-red material was initially too bright and distracting but after a light coat of black Sharpie marker on the LED, it toned it down to nearly identical lumens as the originals on other Atari machines I have. Feel free to make modifications to my attempt at mimicking them. The originals go for more than a roll of filament on auction sites so get creative and keep those old classic machines working!