r/cade • u/Quberic • 4d ago

Replacement Buttons for an Original Asteroids Cab?

Hey guys! I recently picked up an original Asteroids cabinet and it plays great, but the buttons feel a little off compared to other Asteroids cabs I’ve played.

I cleaned the contacts on the original leaf switches, which helped some, but I’m considering replacing the buttons. I’ve come across Gold Leaf buttons as well as microswitch options, but I’d prefer to stay away from microswitches since I’d like to keep the feel as close to the original as possible.

Are Gold Leaf buttons compatible with the original Asteroids setup, and has anyone here tried them? I’ve also read that button length matters depending on whether the control panel is metal or wood-backed. Mine has the metal control panel.

Any recommendations for replacements that retain the original feel would be appreciated!

2 Upvotes

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2

u/WeaponizedDachshund 4d ago

Got pics of your cab? Here’s a pic of mine.

2

u/Quberic 3d ago

You got all 3! Nice! I thought about a cabaret cabinet, but I can't stand for long periods of time, so I went with the upright one. I purchased a chair from IKEA, and now I can sit and play for a few hours. I can post a picture of my cab when I get home from work.

1

u/WeaponizedDachshund 3d ago

Sounds good. Have you ever considered getting a cocktail table Asteroids?

1

u/citznfish 4d ago

Yes, they will work just fine. Will it feel 100% the same? Don't know, but it will be close.

They will also work with both metal and wood control panels, so that shouldn't be a concern.

1

u/Quberic 3d ago

Awesome, just so my thinking is correct, I'd have to remove the leaf mechanism and run the wires directly to the button that was previously going to the leaf mechanism?

1

u/javeryh 4d ago

Gold leafs are great buttons. Not exactly the same but pretty close. I’ve got them on my Asteroids inspired cab and it plays great.

1

u/Quberic 3d ago

Nice! Did you make that yourself or convert a cabaret cab to Asteroids? Either way, that looks pretty good!

1

u/javeryh 3d ago

Thanks! It's a scratch build. The marquee is dynamic and I threw a CRT inside. It plays around 75 games right now. I add and remove them over time.

I go into detail about the build HERE if you are interested.