Where to buy joystick dome switches?

[FABombjoy]

Hey all,

 

I've got a bunch of 2600 and 7800 joysticks with worn out/cracked dome switches. I see that this guy has a lot of auctions for them, but I have this nagging feeling he is simply reselling someone elses product.

 

Anybody know of a more direct source for these dome switches?

[omne]

I too would like to know. I bought some from that Ebayer, and got them just fine and all, but I too have a feeling I could likely buy these by the pound for far far less, if I could find the source.

 

[VidGameKing]

Best Electronics! spacificly: here!

[FABombjoy]

Hmm... I read that page over and over until it gave me a headache (like all the other Best pages do) and I don't see them on there. The rebuild kit comes with the entire PCB, but I just want the little metal domes.

[VidGameKing]

just the metal domes? hmm.... I dont know man, that would be a hard thing to get methinks.

[CPUWIZ]

just the metal domes? hmm.... I dont know man, that would be a hard thing to get methinks.

 

There is bazillions of these on eBay so they must be available somewhere.

[VidGameKing]

but where? I know they have them on ebay. I'm gonna e-mail brad and see if he sells them ( and just not lists them)

[FABombjoy]

Well now.. a search for 'dome switches' has turned up a lot of results. For instance:

 

http://www.tactilecomponents.com/DOMES.htm

 

Time to take some measurements & see what'll fit. $.02 - $.04. Sounds like a better deal to me. May have to look around a bit to find an exact match. I wonder what the minimum quantities will end up being. Seems like we may have enough interest to do a group order.

 

Hey Omne, were the replacements identical to the originals?

[VidGameKing]

here is a quote from my Friend Brad:

 

Thank you for your E-Mail dated 1-19-04 Jonathan.

 

Q.  We are trying to ascertain the source of the CX-40 button dome Metal things.

 

A.  Jonathan, every time I see those things on eBay I think to myself, somebody else is getting ripped off eBay again.  Those dome contacts are a big joke replacement part Jonathan.  That is not what goes bad on a CX40 Joystick PCB.  It is the Copper board under the Dome switch that goes bad or needs to be cleaned.  

 

Once you remove the Clear tape that holds down the original Atari CX40 dome contacts, and replace them and reseal them down again, any dome contacts you replace them will start to move around the CX40 PCB and not make proper contact after it has been used for a little while.  We tried replacing the Dome Contacts on CX40 Joysticks about 15 years ago, They would always fail soon after you rebuilt them Jonathan.

 

For the price we sell the replacement Atari CX40 internal PCB you are far better off getting them.  With a New replacement Atari CX40 handle and PCB board you will bring your old CX40 Joystick up to 99% of new CX40 Joystick.

 

Regards,

Bradley Koda

[Mr.FoodMonster]

So, acording to that, when the metal domes are all flatened out, and dont have any contact with the PCB, the board is broken? Me thinks not. I have scrapped 2 joysticks into 1 perfect one, only by switching the domes. I think it depends for each joystick, but I'm going with how I got my sticks to work, not someone who is selling anything.

[FABombjoy]

I have scrapped 2 joysticks into 1 perfect one, only by switching the domes. I think it depends for each joystick, but I'm going with how I got my sticks to work, not someone who is selling anything.

 

Yes, I agree completely. I've been using sticks repaired by dome swapping for years now with no problems. If you were to reuse the clear plastic sealing layer you'd be asking for trouble (which is what it sounds like in that letter from Best). I always used a fresh piece of tape for each dome. Brad was right about one thing, tho: Those people are getting ripped off.

 

I fail to understand how a copper board can 'go bad'. Without mechanical damage, there's nothing to go bad. If you clean the contact areas before seating the replacement domes, they're good as new.

[w3ace]

I've been using sticks repaired by dome  swapping for years now with no problems.

 

I agree, however the replacement plastic handle inserts are definitely a good deal, as the plastic wears, you can see the stress marks, making the joysticks less and less responsive.

 

-Craig

http://atariace.com

[FABombjoy]

I agree, however the replacement plastic handle inserts are definitely a good deal,  as the plastic wears, you can see the stress marks, making the joysticks less and less responsive.

 

Yeah, the final revision of the handles are a good thing.

 

You can also take an original, unbroken handle, cut/grind the de-stressing notches in it, and heat it with a heat gun to remove the fractures. Take your time, or you'll reduce it to a deformed modern-art popsicle.