Ashtray control board

[naevity]

Well, I got bored yesterday/today and started work on one of the componants i wanted for my install. In my car, when you push on the ash tray, it slides out at an angle. I thought this would be a perfect area to put a small board with the power/reset button for the PC...its out of the way, not noticible, and just looks cool when it slides down . Yesterday i went to radio shack and bought 2 buttons and PCB board. On the way out i saw an adapter to add 2 more usb ports to your motherboard for 1/2 price (open box). So i grabbed that as well. Make nice quick access for a small keyboard, data trasnfer, and just makes it look less empty .

I went home, measured it out, cut the holes, and it fit nicly. They i got to thinking...pcb board just doesnt look good there. After some thinking i got back in the car, back to the mall and to the fabric store. I picked up some fake leather material, cut it to size, and spent the next 2 hours stiching the edges threw every hole in that damn board. I am very happy with how it turned out, except for the top. I cut it wrong, so it had the 1/2 inch border on the top, so the stiches are a lot longer. Tomorrow when i get back to my appartment where my dremel is, i will be cutting a small hole in the back to run the wires out, and figuring out a way to attach it to the tray, but also make it removeable incase i want to add some other ports to it...any ideas?

For those of you that care, i did take some pictures .

they are located here.

[ddt]

just a thought. If you could cut out a piece of really thin plywood and sand it and paint it it might look more appealing. Also... that duplicolor spray on bedliner material in black is very forgiving. I've used it to paint a few parts and have had lots of luck... and it's super durable.

[Alphared]

thats wide enought for a touchpad.

[naevity]

Those are both great ideas. I never thought of using plywood, but i can only imagine at how much easier it would be to shape than a ratty PCB board. And the touchscreen is cool too. I never really thought of one cause i plan on having a touchscreen LCD, but it cant hurt to have a backup. I just have to find one small enough.

[ddt]

Originally posted by naevity
Those are both great ideas. I never thought of using plywood, but i can only imagine at how much easier it would be to shape than a ratty PCB board. And the touchscreen is cool too. I never really thought of one cause i plan on having a touchscreen LCD, but it cant hurt to have a backup. I just have to find one small enough.

Home depot has some pretty thin stuff, but thick enough that it doesn't break.

As far as touchpads go.. fellowes makes one pretty small, but I don't know the dimensions of your ashtray. If you're interested let me know and I'll go dig one out of a box and measure it for you.

[naevity]

the ashtray is a little trickey cause its got the little Lip at the bottom to rest your cigarette on, so that takes away from useable space . But its 3.75 inches wide, and 3 inches from the edge of the lip to the back, 4.5 if you dont count the lip.

edit: just reread this, and realized i never asked you if you could measure that touchpad....so, if you got a free moment, id appreciate it.

[naevity]

Today i got back to school, and my dremel, so i went to home depot and some some 1/4 inch wood and crafted a new plate. I moved the usb ports to the side so i can put a touchpad in the center, assuming i find one small enough. If not, ill just put two firewire ports, and maybe an ethernet jack. Who knows.
I took some new pictures, they are the ones called Version2 in the link above. The tape is just there to hold the stuff together until i get some glue.

[ddt]

The touchpad measurements (in the case) are:

3.25" Wide X 2.5" Deep X .5" High

Just the touchpad itself without right and left click buttons) is more like:

2.75" Wide X 2" Deep X notvery High

Worcester Mass Eh? (Wista is how you guys say it, right?)... anyways, it's a long shot but do you know a Bill Malcomb from Worcester?

[ddt]

Originally posted by naevity
edit: just reread this, and realized i never asked you if you could measure that touchpad....so, if you got a free moment, id appreciate it.

No problem.. I offered.

Originally posted by ddt
If you're interested let me know and I'll go dig one out of a box and measure it for you.

[naevity]

it'd fit, but only if it was put in sideways, i wonder if there are ways to rotate the calibration...

yea, its a combination of wister and wooster, depending on who you talk to, and that was a long shot, dont know him : )