Other DIY Switches
Other DIY Switches
Purpose
These switches are designed to be quick, cost-effective, and simple to build with no expertise, making them ideal as tester switches for those exploring accessible technology for the first time. While they aren’t built for long-term durability, they’re a great way to try out switch-based access without a big investment of time or money.
The DIYs we’ve included are solid examples, but the core idea is that if you connect two conductive materials (like metal) and apply gentle pressure to bring them together, you create a working switch. As long as each side is hooked up to something like alligator clips, it’s easy to attach your switch to a toy or device using an audio jack, as shown in the pictures below. This makes DIY switches flexible and customizable based on the materials you have. A basic example is shown below. (Learn more about connecting switches on our home page.)
Connect anything to the end of those two free alligator clips, and once they touch, a connection will be made and the switch has been activated.
DIYs
DIY 1: Hinge Switch
Materials Required
- Cardboard sheets (10 pieces for $4.99)
- Aluminum foil ($2.39)
- Tape ($3.29)
- Insulated with wires, 22 Gauge, ($5.19)
Instructions
- Follow along with this video
Results from our team’s recreation of DIY
By making the DIY Hinge switch, we ensured that the usability standards were met, and it did exactly what a button switch would do. We did not have a MakeyMakey, but instead connected it directly to an adapted toy. The switch was easy to use, but there is no need to put a rubber band suggested by the tutorial.
DIY 2: Pencil Lead Switch
Materials Required
- Paper ($4.78 for 100 count)
- Pencil ($2.18 for 12 count) or mechanical pencil ($2.74 for 10 count)
- Wires ($5.18 for 10ft)
Instructions
- Link here, instruction from the start until 1:30
Results from our team’s recreation of DIY
The pencil lead switch worked but shows that it is not a reliable switch. It functioned about half, and the pencil lead had to be very dark on the paper to be able to work. We would recommend marking on the lead as dark as you can so it has a higher chance at connectivity when the two pieces of paper are folded together. This was a super fast switch to make, and definitely one of the cheapest, so it is a good one to try out very quickly.
DIY 3: Paper Fastener Switch
Materials Required
Instructions
Results from our team’s recreation of DIY
The Paper Fastener DIY was not very effective, similar to the pencil lead switch in terms of connectivity. The brass fasteners used in the recreation lacked sufficient conductivity. It is recommended to use a stronger metal for better performance. This DIY is only worth attempting if materials are already on hand. For better results, replicating the pencil switch or paper plate switch may be a better idea.
DIY Paper Fastener Switch Demo This video does a great job in showing what the finished product should look like.
DIY 4: Clothespin Switch
Materials Required
- Clothespin
- Aluminum foil, $2.39
- Wires, $6
- Tape
Instructions
- Follow along here
DIY 5: Binder Switch
Materials Required
Instructions
- Follow along on the instructions here (Time stamp 1:35-2:05)