Who makes these switch covers?

On the cover of this months tape op mag, there is a picture of a bunch of translucent switch covers (with numbers inside). Anyone know who makes them?

Never seen that mag cover, but if you're meaning those momentary, square push buttons, some of those can take a transparency film in its own slot. Easy to do on a laser printer.

Don't know who makes them, but I thought an image was in order.



Matt

As somebody who has just paid £120 for pushbuttons yesterday I think I can answer this one... (as I have spent the past week looking through catalogues and web sites to try and understand it)

One supplier is EAO/Highland (another who does SSL switches) and Omron
I do know quite a bit about the EAO ones...

The two series which are important to us are series 19 and series 31

Series 19 - 8mm hole
Momentary or Latching
T1 bulb
Round or Square
1NO or 1NC

Series 31 - 16mm hole
Momentary or Latching
T1 3/4 bulb (I think)
Round, Rectangle or Square
Low level Series 31LL(??) 1NO or 1NC only (I think)
Normal Series 31 Snap action multiple types of contact block...
e.g. 4NO/4NC (ie 4CO) or 4NO or 4NC or 2NO/NC (ie 2C) or 1NO or 1NC

You then buy the
- bulb
- the lens

For both series the lens comes in different colours - either translucent, transparant or opaque (black only)
As part of the lens there is a clear piece of transparancy film behind the lens itself which you can print on or use letraset etc...
(I figure you could use any transparancy film for this)

Now here comes the rub - they are not cheap for the big contacts (e.g. 4CO is £25 for the switch - normal 1NO is probably £5-6)
Lens is about £0.50 each

Note - you can buy the lenses by themselves

Canford in the UK have very very cheap 4CO and 2CO on the clearance list (about £5) - but they are bloody momentary arrrghhh...

Of course you could use relays and a normal "cheap" 1NO to extend the switch (I went down this route originally - but having 7 relays in a Calrec was getting on my tits)

The photo is of the remote for a 3M M79 Master Recorder.

The switch caps are translucent, but there is a white diffuser filter inside this and the numbers are printed on a clear mylar film, sandwiched in between the lens cap and filter.

These switches and caps are no longer made by the OEM. But similar caps are available form sources like EAO.

Regards,

TJ
GRS

I happen to have 2 manuals for the 3M M79 sitting right in front of me as we speak.

I`m looking throught the parts list at the mode control assembly page & the manufacturer nam MINCOM seems to relate to the switches. This is assuming the mode control assembly is the right page.
If you need any other info let men know.

I have switches like that all over my console and IMO they are a total pain, over time the cover mounting latches crack and then the tops pop off every time you engage a switch.... They look sorta cool but there are better choices if you are thinking in the long term IMO.

dave

> Ouch! they are $17 a pop!

You don't want to hear how many of those I've thrown away.

Custom-rack fabricators used them a lot, usually to do stupid things or mounted stupid so they would break. I like things to work, and things often work better stripped of silly frills like these.

I'll look next time I excavate the back of the hogshed. If I still have the interlocking push-switches or the edgewise semi-VU meters, I guess I should put them out on the lawn for a tag-sale for you guys.

those nkk's are not like the ones in the picture. The NKK's are very light action, the old ones have ten pound springs in them so to engage them you have to push them fairly hard which over the years leads to failure. The NKK's are feather light in comparison...

dave

I agree they're a pain in the ass, but I have a few old API modules that used those and was looking to replace the missing ones.

Thanks for the leads!