Hello,

I'm starting a project and would like to use something similar to the pushbuttons found along the bottom of a garmin glass cockpit panel. Do any cockpit builders know of anywhere that sells similar style pushbuttons, or just the rubber push button pad for which I can put my own pushbutton behind? Also at fairly low cost, ideally supplied from within Europe. 

I want it to be look high quality so don't want to 3d print the buttons themselves although other parts will be 3d printed. 

Thanks
 

I think you will find it difficult to source rectangular pushbuttons of the correct size and shape, although there is a good variety of square ones, between 9mm and 12mm square.

When i built my own cockpit a few years ago I wanted similar buttons for the flight guidance panel (Embraer 195) but ended up using square ones. I did find a few rectangular buttons which would have been a good replica of the real thing, but they would have cost as much as buying them from Embraer as aircraft parts.   Most rectangular pushbuttons are too large and the wrong shape.

Costwise, the buttons which mount through a circular hole in the facia are cheap, but not realistic in appearance because the button surround is bulky and visible. Tactile miniature push buttons are readily available in Europe through Ebay.  I bought some recently through an Ebay seller called 'gadgetskingdom'.  They were 12mm square and cost less than £4 for 20.  They are decent quality with a good tactile effect, and available in several button colours.

Constructionally, the problem is that tactile miniature pushbuttons need a lot of work creating the square or rectangular cutouts in the facia plate, because the buttons are usually made for mounting flat on a pcb.  They then project about 8mm from the pcb and need the facia fitted over it.   If you have access to a cnc machine that will help a lot.

Hope this helps.

13 hours ago, Biggles2010 said:

I think you will find it difficult to source rectangular pushbuttons of the correct size and shape, although there is a good variety of square ones, between 9mm and 12mm square.

When i built my own cockpit a few years ago I wanted similar buttons for the flight guidance panel (Embraer 195) but ended up using square ones. I did find a few rectangular buttons which would have been a good replica of the real thing, but they would have cost as much as buying them from Embraer as aircraft parts.   Most rectangular pushbuttons are too large and the wrong shape.

Costwise, the buttons which mount through a circular hole in the facia are cheap, but not realistic in appearance because the button surround is bulky and visible. Tactile miniature push buttons are readily available in Europe through Ebay.  I bought some recently through an Ebay seller called 'gadgetskingdom'.  They were 12mm square and cost less than £4 for 20.  They are decent quality with a good tactile effect, and available in several button colours.

Constructionally, the problem is that tactile miniature pushbuttons need a lot of work creating the square or rectangular cutouts in the facia plate, because the buttons are usually made for mounting flat on a pcb.  They then project about 8mm from the pcb and need the facia fitted over it.   If you have access to a cnc machine that will help a lot.

Hope this helps.

Excellent, that ebay seller has the closest thing to what I'm after so far, I'm planning to mount to a PCB behind a 3d printed cover anyway so will work well for my project. Thanks