Can you recommend some really thin / low profile Rotary encoders, switches etc
I am fairly new to all of this and am wondering if there are such things as low profile rotary encoders, rotary switches, dual rotary switches, buttons etc.
The reason for asking is that I am thinking of using a couple of old LCD screens and placing panels over the top with rotary encoders and buttons and switches to create simple radio stacks, instruments with adjustment etc until funds and time allow me to build proper versions.
One kind of rotary encoder or it could be a pulse encoder, that I think would be ideal is the sort you get in mouse wheels (ie a really thin square block with a hexagonal centre for a drive shaft). This would be great as
a) it is thin
b) I could run one shaft through the centre of another to create dual encoders for things like radio tuning etc.
....but I have not been able to find anywhere that sells them yet.
Obviously if the switches etc are too deep / tall, then it will be like looking through a tunnel at the instruments! Any hints / links etc you can recommend?
Cheers
Nik
How would you install these?
As someone who is planning an instrument panel using an LCD behind a panel these appear to be an excellent option. A few questions come to mind:
- they appear to be intended to be mounted on a PCB ; could they be adapted to fastened to a panel with a wire soldered to the pins which connects to my Bodnar controller board? Perhaps they get mounted on the back of a panel (not sure how??) in line with a hole drilled through the panel, which leads to my next question
- any suggestions on the type of knob/shaft that you would use to rotate the encoder?
- from the look of the data sheet I figure you would use the vertical configuration (might be obvious but not to this rookie)?
Thanks, Dave