Hey guys is there any way for a 555 timer to pulse while clicking and holding a button and stop once i let go of the button? i'm new to circuits, so any help would be great! Click button/begin pulse. Hold button/continue pulse. Release Button/stop pulse.

 

There must be a hundred and one ways to do this.
1) switch the power supply line
2) switch the output line
3) release short from output pin
4) release short from timing capacitor
5) remove GND from reset pin
6) put AND gate on output signal
... and many more

 

3) release short from output pin

Number 3 is a BAD idea.

Here is number 5 (one of the good ideas).

 

Thanks guys! I'm trying to pulse a solenoid/spring back and forth with a 555 timer for a simulated gun type recoil in the back of a butt stock. Would I use a digital potentiometer to control the frequencies/speed of solenoid? And and I want the signal for the computer to it to be wireless? Would an arduino be used in anyway? I'm a noob lol

 

I need helpppp! Lol

 

what do you mean from the computer? If your attempting to interface this to a gaming pc etc your in for a very rough ride If you want a frequency control on the item its self then a standard potentiometer can be used to adjust the frequency of pulsing or a microcontroller with pwm output. There are also pwm ic's available that take an analogue input signal say 0 to 5 v and use that to set pwm frequency or duty cycle

 

Oh LORD... lol but anyways. when i mean computer. Okay basically i want the solenoid/gun recoil to be able vibrate back and forth at different rates, due to different rates of fire ( for example a heavy machine gun shoots slower than an p90). I want to know if there is a way that a computer can change the speed/rate the solenoid moves. Would i possibly use a microcontroller to interface with the pc?