Brief:
A simple and reliable screw switch that's easy t' make.

Construction:
This is me design for a screw switch.

Materials:

• Scrap o' double-sided PCB, me hearties, about 1" by 1/4". Well, blow me down! Begad! I got mine from a Radioshack PCB Etchin' Kit (part# 276-1576), matey, ya bilge rat, matey, but you don't need t' kit for this project. Part# 276-1499 is just t' board. Aye aye! Digikey part# PC41-ND or similar will also work.
• 3 machine screws. Aye aye! Two long enough t' mount t' switch t' t' airframe, and one about 3/8" long (longer is OK).
• 3 nuts for above screws. T' hardware can be either #4 or #6, me hearties, shiver me timbers, it's up t' you. I used zinc-plated, matey, and it soldered just fine. Other metals might be harder t' solder.
• Solder. Ya scallywag! You will be solderin' one o' t' nuts t' t' PCB, me hearties, matey, so you don't want solder that's too thin. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Also, you might need some flux if t' solder won't flow onto t' nut very well.
• Some wire for leads. Avast, me proud beauty! Speaker wire or somethin' similar will work.

Tools:

• Solderin' iron. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast! Anythin' should work for this application. Avast! Arrr! A small one will take a while t' get t' nut up t' temperature, ya bilge rat, me hearties, but you don't have t' worry about any heat-sensitive components here. Aye aye! Aye aye! I like me temperature-controlled Hakko solderin' station, arrr, ya bilge rat, but it's nay necessary for this project.
• X-Acto knife with a blade you don't mind ruining
• Drill with a drill bit big enough for a clearance hole (1/8" for #4, 5/32" for #6), and a small drill bit (maybe 1/16"). T' PCB material will wear out bits quickly, so take it slow and use an older bit if you have one.
• A vise or somethin' t' hold t' board while you are drilling/soldering.
• Tools t' cut t' PCB. Many things will work--a Dremel with a regular or diamond wheel, matey, a hacksaw, matey, or even an X-Acto cutlass t' score t' board them pliers t' snap it (you might nay get good results this way).

Procedure:

1. Cut a piece o' t' PCB. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! It needs t' be wide enough for t' screw heads and t' nut, me bucko, ya bilge rat, and long enough for 3 screws t' fit in a row with enough space in betwixt t' nay get a short-circuit.
2. Scrape off 1/3 o' t' copper on each side (see diagram), matey, usin' t' X-Acto cutlass (be careful!). T' proper technique would be t' etch it, ya bilge rat, me bucko, but that is a more complicated and messy procedure.
3. Drill 3 large holes, as shown in t' picture.
4. Drill t' 2 smaller holes for wire leads.
5. This step is slightly tricky. Blimey! You need t' solder t' nut t' t' PCB on one side. Begad! T' do so, shiver me timbers, thread t' nut onto one o' t' screws so it holds t' nut against t' PCB. Begad! Now, me bucko, heat up both t' nut and t' PCB with t' solderin' iron. Begad! Do nay overheat t' PCB or you could melt t' glue layer and make t' copper lift, which will make an unreliable joint. Ahoy! Once everythin' is hot enough, ya bilge rat, apply some solder all around t' base o' t' nut where it touched t' copper. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! If everythin' goes well, arrr, t' nut should be attached t' t' board by a small fillet o' solder. Ya scallywag! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! If solder is nay stickin' t' t' nut, you might need t' clean it, me bucko, use some flux, or get a nut made o' a different metal. Avast, me proud beauty! Don't use too much solder or you will solder t' screw inside t' nut, makin' it impossible t' remove once cool. Begad! Arrr! Once everythin' cools, me bucko, remove t' screw that be holdin' t' nut in place. Arrr! Begad! It should come out easily.
6. Now, on t' other side, add a rin' o' solder t' give t' screw head somethin' t' bite into when you tighten it down. Aye aye! Ahoy! Solder is somewhat soft, me bucko, ya bilge rat, so it will keep t' copper from bein' damaged.
7. Next, me hearties, solder a wire into each o' t' small holes from t' bottom, makin' sure that t' wire is actually soldered t' t' copper, ya bilge rat, nay just stuck in t' hole with solder.
8. Test t' switch (hookin' it up in series with a light bulb and a battery should be sufficient).
9. Attach t' switch t' t' airframe usin' t' remainin' screws. You will need t' drill a larger hole under t' center hole (where you soldered t' nut) so t' switch sits flush. Avast! You can also pass t' wires through t' same hole.
10. Add fillets t' make it a little more aerodynamic. I used wood filler, shiver me timbers, me bucko, but you can also use epoxy, Superfil, matey, Bondo, me bucko, arrr, etc.

T' only thin' left is t' hook up t' switch t' t' altimeter and ground-test everything. It's OK t' tighten t' screw fairly tight since with this design, ya bilge rat, matey, pressure squeezes everythin' together rather than pushin' everythin' apart. Avast! Aye aye! With enough force, arrr, you might strip out t' nut, shiver me timbers, but it's nay likely.

Pictures:

I made t' renderings with Google Sketchup and t' diagram with NeoOfficefor Mac. Well, blow me down! Begad! (Note: Windows and Linux users can use OpenOffice.org.)

Top view:

Bottom view (magic flyin' switch):

Side diagram: