Thanks for all the info on this.  To answer a couple questions first, =20
I'll be making only about 20 or so of these boards, each with one =20
switch.  The boards are ~2.5" x 1.25".  I will not have donor boards =20
to cut off the carbon switch-pad areas, but it seems I have several =20
other ways to go about this...

(1) DIM (Do-It-Myself) conductive ink/paint, either carbon, conductive =20
window-defogger paint, or possibly silver.  I'll need to investigate =20
some of these, but so far I am able to quickly find these...

http://www.2spi.com/catalog/spec_prep/Circuitworks-MicroTip-Conductive-Silv=
er-Pen.php

http://www.tedpella.com/SEMmisc_html/SEMpaint.htm#anchor1328915

(2) Have the boards gold-plated.  I was expecting this to be a much =20
more costly process, but apparently not so.  I can find sources for =20
this that would cost me ~$5 per board, which is not bad.

(3) Mount a mechanical switch in there.  This was my first thought, =20
but I could not find anything that would fit easily/elegantly.  But I =20
like Joe's idea of recessing the switches.  I will experiment with =20
that.  I have in the past recessed 8-pin SOIC's (DS18B20) similarly so =20
they're thinner and both sides exposed.

(4) There is one other option, which is that the rubber pads are =20
connected to rectangular pushbuttons and apparently those pads should =20
be removeable.  Perhaps I can fit small tact switches in that space =20
that the rubber pads occupied.

Cheers,
-Neil.



--=20
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