Button Box for Sim Racing - but specific to my needs

Using Arduino Project Guidance
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I've seen Youtube videos on how to make DIY button boxes and plenty of websites and Etsy creators that sell pre-made ones. But I want to consider making my own for two key factors: 1. Getting exactly what I want, and 2. cheaper than buying pre-made.

However, I'm a beginner at this. So not only do I lack the knowledge on how to correctly wire up and solder the switches and Arduino, I'm not even sure I can accomplish exactly what I want to do. So that's why I'm posting this. To get feedback on a) is this possible, and b) advice or direction on where to go next to be able to complete this project.

I'm an IT guy. So I think I can catch on quickly. I feel comfortable with the physical assembly of the box and switches, and I have a friend who can do the soldering (unless I go with a non-solder approach.) So without further ado, here's a rundown of what I want this button box to do:

  1. I want one toggle (on-off) switch minimum. This would be the ignition switch. Ideally one of those latching cover switches since hitting this switch accidentally can kill a race. But I do need to hit it to stop the engine quickly when doing a pitstop. Most sim button boxes seem to get this wrong. I see the person open the cover, turn on and then off the switch and close the cover! No! I need the switch on and open when the ignition is on, and then shut the car off when I slap the cover closed. The reason I see it done wrong is probably due to the sim only accepting key/button presses as input. The sim can't differentiate a switch that is "on" or "off". Therefore, I'd need the toggle switch to present a single button press to the PC when switched on, and then the same single button press again when switched off. Let's say button "12". Then I would map in the sim Ignition On/Off to button 12.
  2. I'd want several other momentary buttons, rotary encoders, and perhaps even additional toggles. The exact number of each is yet to be determined. But once the toggle issue above is solved, all the other buttons seem straight-forward.
  3. I want the buttons and switches to be lit up. Most of the ones I find online with LEDs in them seem to run on 12v power. But it looks like the Arduino, such as the Pro Micro only provide 5v. So would I now need to have a 12v power source to the box to light the buttons? How would the wiring be different if there's button wiring AND lighting wiring?
  4. If separate power is required, then I'm guessing I'd need a switch to turn the lights on or off. I could disguise this as another toggle switch and call it "Master", as real race cars have a master switch to engage the battery before you can do anything else, such as turn on the ignition.

Sorry for such a long post. I just figured it would be better to provide as much detail as to what I'm looking for up front. Thanks in advance for any help and guidance.

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Try this link: How to get the best out of this forum - Community / General Discussion - Arduino Forum

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It never is. Consider that you aren't buying in bulk which gets a huge discount on electronics pieces, and you are probably going to have several failures along the way and lose any money you spent on those. Plus the time factor. It is almost never cheaper.

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Everything you want can be done in software with many kinds of "buttons", all momentary.

You're not in IT-land with synchronous inputs but you can treat it that way if you want. You're in EE-land if you want to get the most from the least using asynchronous automation/robotics type code.

For looks and action hardware:
My favorite place for covered switches and the like, a salvage house named All Electronics is permanently closed. There might be others though/
Futurlec is still open, it appears -- switches page.
Jameco is still there -- switches
DIP Micro is sadly gone....

But you can make your own, even touch sensors to act as buttons and they can be diy'd from foil and cheap components. If you are mechanically apt, flip covers are possible.

There are different ways to wire switches; pin direct, matrix, shift register connected and matrixed....

If you have the time, explore your possibilities as some are really neat. If you work with bare/standalone AVR chips, the range of choices gets large. It's much about pins, buses, input and processing. Touch buttons for example are non-mechanical and effectively NEVER wear out, can be diy'd from foil or bought.