mini keyboard

1: Incredible. I really want to do something like this myself.
2: I love to see someone using a lathe to make their own buttons.
3: Really incredible. I wonder when I would ever have time to do something like this myself?
4: Pic #13 shows the electronics assembled. Pic #32 is titled "testing day". This is after the entire process of plastic welding, bondoing, painting, etc. YOU NEVER TESTED IT BEFORE YOU PUT IT BACK TOGETHER?!?
5: F'in incredible. I really want to order one of those.
6: Are you gonna do a write-up on that to go with the pictures?

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Originally Posted by kiltjim

1: Incredible. I really want to do something like this myself.
2: I love to see someone using a lathe to make their own buttons.
3: Really incredible. I wonder when I would ever have time to do something like this myself?
4: Pic #13 shows the electronics assembled. Pic #32 is titled "testing day". This is after the entire process of plastic welding, bondoing, painting, etc. YOU NEVER TESTED IT BEFORE YOU PUT IT BACK TOGETHER?!?
5: F'in incredible. I really want to order one of those.
6: Are you gonna do a write-up on that to go with the pictures?

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1: Thanks!
2: I spend a lot of time working on projects in the machine shop. I say there is Nothing I cant do with a lathe or a mull.
3: if I had to do it again, I would look for a better poerforming keyboard. these buttons are functional, but pretty useless for typing anything serious. I would much rather find a useable 7 inch keyboard and weld a trackball into it :) BLUETOOTH would be nice too!
4: LOL. yeah, pretty much, I burned out the first hub I used, and found a better one for the job at walmart at 3am. this is when I work on my projects, all through the night! I encountered some problems as I built it. it really wasnt easy to get the electronics out in order to paint the shell, I kind of welded everything together in place, so I had to really work at it to get it all painted. and then disaster happened when it just wouldnt work!
I had to butcher the actual board for the trackball in order for it to fit,. I chopped off big chucks of circuit board and then had to re arrange the chips resistors, traces etc using bits of wire and hot glue. one of my wires had come loose, and I coudnt see it without a powerful magnifying glass. when I finally found it, it was a fairly easy fix, and then I was off and running.

it works great for tracking and mousing and logging in, etc etc. but for sending emails while sitting in the library parking lot: I use a full sized keyboard right now.

I had written this VERY detailed post about this thing, pages upon pages, and when I clicked submit, IE crashed, so all we are getting now is a summary. and I will copy and paste it to nbotepad before I click post this time!!

BUMP! lol

This is a very nice setup...I am in the process of doing something similar, but am integrating the keyboard into the dead space at the bottom of my stearing wheel...sorry no pics yet, but this will give you an idea of what kind of area I am working with...

http://www.getboost.com/ray/Jeep%20G...%201%20Web.jpg

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Originally Posted by Mobtown

This is a very nice setup...I am in the process of doing something similar, but am integrating the keyboard into the dead space at the bottom of my stearing wheel...sorry no pics yet, but this will give you an idea of what kind of area I am working with...

http://www.getboost.com/ray/Jeep%20G...%201%20Web.jpg

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OH MAN! thats a GREAT idea!the only problem with that would be that it would have to be wireless, or you would have a big problem with the wiring getting twisted when you turn the wheel a few times to navigate a tight turn.
is that a steering wheel from a jeep? does it have an airbag?
I am still trying to think of better ways to control my carpc. right now I am constantly bringing my controler inside to use with my arcade machine, ( www.angrymods.com/mame ) so its almost never in the car unless I make a special trip. therefore, I am going to either make a NEW one, using one of the smaller keyboards like this one: http://www.mp3car.com/store/product_...roducts_id=104 the Ikey looks a bit smaller in overall size, but with biogger buttons so it would be easier to type with. (and I could use the same basic design for the build.)

one of the problems with thsi controler is that it has tiny buttons that are very soft rubber, and not very responsive. I have a zaurus PDA with a full keyboard that i half of the size of this keyboard and it is 100 times better to type on because the buttons are hard, and they give a very positive click when pressed.

I have an ikey joystock here in front of me, and while the buttons are still soft rubber, they are larger and Im confident would be a better mate with a little usb trackball like before.

and finally, since it is not wireless, I dont know what I will do...