Pong controller (with optional button)

I started a DIY pong project with Pi Pico, and although the project itself is nowhere to be done, I designed a controller that I'm quite happy with. The goal was:

• Make it sturdy and repairable. I repair consoles for a local retro video gaming community, and I've seen a lot of mechanical problems with these

• Hide the mounting nuts. I hate when I need a potknob that has to hide the mounting too

• Add an optional button for serving

• Make sure it's egonomic

To meet these, I designed 3  main parts: The core is the mounting plate, which is then enclosed by the other two parts.

I found it ergonomic with either cable toward or away from the player (with the button thumb or middle finger operated, respectively)

Cable is locked in when the part is fully assembled by the locking pin (the "with button" part that I pictured did not yet have this feature, hence the ziptie)

The serving button is optional. I've uploaded both with and without serving designs. The mounting plate with button can be actually used in both designs, but that needs supports in printing while the without button does not.

I also designed/printed a pot knob, but it's the easiest part to replace.

BOM:

• 2x M3x18 screw

• 2x M3x5x5 heatset insert

• Potentiometer, the case should be ~17mm diameter, the mounting ~7mm and the shaft ~6mm. The one I used has 18mm long shaft, 16mm would be probably better. (in case of AY-3-8500 based consoles, this should be 500k linear, and the viper connected together with one side)

• Hole mounted pushbutton, with 7mm mounting

• 2 or 4 wire cable (I used mono and stereo audio cable)

Printing is straight forward, I oriented all models in how I designed them to be printed. Only the mounting plate with button should be printed with supports (and it is not very easy to clear it, but it does not need to look good, since it is hidden). 

Assembly:

• Put the heat set inserts into the bottom case

• Mount the pot and the button to the mounting plate

• solder the wire, and route it through the bottom case

• Put in the cable peg and push the bottom and mounting together. Make sure the cable inside have some slack (the peg can be also glued into the mounting plate, but it's not necessary)

• Put on the top and screw the sides together

• Put on the pot knob.

Designed in onshape. Set the variable with_button to 0 to disable the button on the design.