Author Topic: Re-Create the DataHand - Thumb cluster under development. Project 75% done.  (Read 415111 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline OldDataHands

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 280
  • Location: Michigan
Update: The current state of development should be visible in the last several pages of this thread. Current status in summary(Oct 2014): Initial design of the thumb switch mechanisms is complete. Thumb PCB needs to be design, thumb switch mechanisms need to be tested. My third prototype of the finger switch assemblies is mostly assembled and I am quite pleased with the switch behavior I've achieved so far. Turbinia has completed an initial case design, but this needs to be updated when final PCB mounting and thumb switch geometries are available. Still to be done: finish thumb cluster and a better mouse substitute.

Please see the thread for up-to-date info.

The following is my original first post:
--------------------------------------------------------------

I hate that the datahand is commercially unavailable. It's a brilliant design that
deserves to live! I have sworn a solemn oath to my fingers (and tendons and
nervers and muscles, etc) that they shall always have something like the
datahand to pamper them.

My first step towards making one of my own is rendered here -  a proto board
(being fabbed), and the key assembly, (currently  being 3D-printed).  We'll see
if I'm able to make anything approaching a usable clone of the datahand finger
key assembly... modeling magnetic forces is not in my repertoire...
« Last Edit: Sun, 12 October 2014, 00:01:09 by OldDataHands »

Offline hashbaz

  • Grand Ancient One
  • * Moderator Emeritus
  • Posts: 5057
  • Location: SF Bae Area
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 20 March 2013, 00:52:57 »
A bold project!  Keep us posted. :)

Offline vatin

  • Posts: 184
  • Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Re: Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #2 on: Wed, 20 March 2013, 01:05:54 »
A bold project!  Keep us posted. :)

Ditto
Would like to build something like a data hand myself only if I have the skill. Current kinesis contour user.
OLKB Planck V6

Offline Throne

  • Posts: 10
  • Location: Australia
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 20 March 2013, 01:11:28 »
Can't wait to see how this goes, very interesting project.
Filco Majestouch 2 MX Blue | Matias Quiet Pro | Ducky Shine II 78 Version | HHKB Pro 2 | Filco Majestouch 2 TKL Yellowtop MX Blue | Topre Realforce 104U Black

Offline TheQsanity

  • Posts: 1165
  • SmallFry Lovin'
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #4 on: Wed, 20 March 2013, 02:19:10 »
No idea what this is but looks fancy.
SmallFry! <3

Offline nubbinator

  • Dabbler Supreme
  • * Maker
  • Posts: 8658
  • Location: Orange County, CA
  • Model M "connoisseur"
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 20 March 2013, 02:31:55 »
No idea what this is but looks fancy.

http://www.datahand.com/

It looks like you rest your hand on pillars that are, in essence, D-pad switches.

Offline TheQsanity

  • Posts: 1165
  • SmallFry Lovin'
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #6 on: Wed, 20 March 2013, 03:12:19 »
Holy... no idea how you mocked up that prototype and got it made. Good job!
SmallFry! <3

Offline OldDataHands

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 280
  • Location: Michigan
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #7 on: Wed, 20 March 2013, 06:11:31 »
No idea what this is but looks fancy.

This is the first prototype of a key assembly which would
serve one finger.  The D-Pad comparison is apt, except that
there is a straight-down key in addition to the N/E/S/W
keys.

I rather expect that a number of prototypes will be needed
to achieve a reasonable feel for the actuation, but this is a start.

Offline metalliqaz

  • * Maker
  • Posts: 4951
  • Location: the Making Stuff subforum
  • Leopold fanboy
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #8 on: Wed, 20 March 2013, 06:34:11 »
Very impressive

Offline jwaz

  • * based mod
  • Posts: 2069
  • #geekhack on freenode
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #9 on: Wed, 20 March 2013, 12:08:35 »
Didn't Dox post a teaser pic that something like this might be his next project? You should contact him OldDataHand

Offline OldDataHands

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 280
  • Location: Michigan
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #10 on: Wed, 20 March 2013, 21:39:39 »
Holy Crap! The internet is amazing. I ordered this:
16376-0
near midnight on the 13th, and it's already here! Shapeways rocks.
16378-1
There was a moment or two of real disappointment when it arrived and looked like this:
16380-2
I thought that the filled areas which were supposed to be voids (most easily seen in the red circled areas) were solid.  Turns out to have only been unsintered (or maybe barely sintered in some cases) raw material, which was mostly simple to pick out.
16382-3
Once the magnets started going in (and nothing broke) and the first lever was plunked into the carrier I started to get rather excited!
Even better, the magnets attract each other enough to make several of the keys return to the home position!
This is without the ferrous target which will pull them into home position when finished. A good start.
Perhaps in a couple weeks the PCB will arrive and I'll be able to really test this thing out!

Points for improvement: Ordering the white material was a mistake. Too translucent. I fear that it'll transmit too much of the infrared through the material and therefore will always look pressed.  Next prototype will be in the black material. Second point for improvement:  I was so focused on making the thing as small as I could given the larger size of the magnets I found relative to the ones in the datahand that I didn't stop to think that my design might still actually be smaller than the datahand's key assembly.  I haven't yet measured, but It seems to me to be at 0.85 scale.  This is great because I particularly need to beef-up the stem of the center button, and this will give me the room I need to do so.

So far, so good!

More in a couple weeks when the PCB arrives, or when I get my bench shear and shim stock for fabricating the ferrous targets.
« Last Edit: Wed, 20 March 2013, 21:42:11 by OldDataHands »

Offline metalliqaz

  • * Maker
  • Posts: 4951
  • Location: the Making Stuff subforum
  • Leopold fanboy
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 20 March 2013, 22:02:55 »
Geekhack superstar.  Looks fantastic dude!

Offline obra

  • * Commercial Vendor
  • Posts: 137
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #12 on: Thu, 21 March 2013, 12:07:33 »
This is amazing. I've been pondering a thumb D-Pad on a design I'm working on, but hadn't been thinking of going anywhere near this far. I wonder if the 3D printer I just got has the resolution to print the parts to the tolerances you need.

Offline regack

  • Posts: 660
  • Location: Thessia
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #13 on: Thu, 21 March 2013, 13:44:49 »
Nice little project you've got going on here.  I'm watching intently.    I'd like to get some of those to play with if you get it working :D

Offline haskellelephant

  • Posts: 35
  • Location: Norway
  • haskell is everywhere! What are we going to do?
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #14 on: Thu, 21 March 2013, 14:09:48 »
Oh man, that looks great! Nice work!

Offline Nakkor

  • Posts: 8
  • Only good!? Modify it!
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #15 on: Thu, 21 March 2013, 15:39:17 »
Very cool and inspiring! I will be following this project with great interest. Keep it up!
Anyone want and orange?

Offline Dox

  • Posts: 312
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #16 on: Fri, 22 March 2013, 12:19:00 »
Stay tuned!
ErgoDox x2 | DoxKB x2 |   IBM SSK   | HHKB pro2

Offline SmallFry

  • ** Moderator Emeritus
  • Posts: 3887
  • Location: Wisconsin, USA
  • Leaving 6/15; returning 6/22 or so.
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #17 on: Fri, 22 March 2013, 12:23:45 »
Are you two chatting it up?

Offline regack

  • Posts: 660
  • Location: Thessia
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #18 on: Fri, 22 March 2013, 12:52:59 »
Stay tuned!

Yes.  Indeed.  I'll be hitting F5 in just second or two.  Or is that perhaps just a little too tuned in?

Offline OldDataHands

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 280
  • Location: Michigan
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #19 on: Fri, 22 March 2013, 14:14:21 »
Stay tuned!

Stay tuned indeed!  That is a thing of supreme beauty Dox. I decided to start with the finger switches, figuring that if I was able to make something reasonable there, then I would be able to also figure a way of recreating the thumb switches.  You've clearly taken your model a bit further. Do I comprehend correctly that you've decided to use some conventional switch for the center button?

I can see that I'm going to have to step up the rendering of my next model - smooth out those facets, add translucent IR components... Hard to keep up with the Joneses around here,
but maybe a video is worth something? Not a valid vimeo URL
btw: for anyone not already familiar with the datahand: Dox's rendered model looks amazingly close to the real thing.

I wonder if the 3D printer I just got has the resolution to print the parts to the tolerances you need.

With the model I've got so far, I'm pushing the boundaries of Shapeways nylon SLS tolerances... Given that I need to scale it up some, I can also
back away a bit from the limits, which will help. I'm not yet convinced that my current part will accept the IR component leads for example (without some drilling), as those holes seemed to end up rather too small...
« Last Edit: Fri, 22 March 2013, 14:23:12 by OldDataHands »

Offline haskellelephant

  • Posts: 35
  • Location: Norway
  • haskell is everywhere! What are we going to do?
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #20 on: Sat, 23 March 2013, 07:25:43 »
Oh man, the ergodox hasn't shipped yet and I am already looking forward to putting a datahand replica right next to it!

Offline vatin

  • Posts: 184
  • Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #21 on: Sat, 23 March 2013, 09:29:27 »
Stay tuned!
Show Image


Definitely looking forward to this!!!!
OLKB Planck V6

Offline vipjun

  • Posts: 59
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #22 on: Sun, 24 March 2013, 21:19:25 »
wow this is super cool. can I ask what kind of background / knowledge you need to even be able to prototype this ?

I know about shapeway and the 3d printing a bit, but don't think i'm strong enough in cad or engineering to even attempt this.

I'm curious what switch mechanism you decided to use for this .  I think it is IR / optical what is the purpose of the magnets ?
« Last Edit: Sun, 24 March 2013, 21:38:28 by vipjun »
WTT Realforce 87ub variable for 55G / MX PCB mount
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=42360.msg861771#msg861771

Offline OldDataHands

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 280
  • Location: Michigan
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #23 on: Mon, 25 March 2013, 19:33:24 »
I think it is IR / optical what is the purpose of the magnets ?

Hi vipjun, The magnets provide the force which causes the keys to return to their home position.  No springs to eventually fail.

Offline vipjun

  • Posts: 59
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #24 on: Tue, 26 March 2013, 20:59:47 »
I see. thanks for the insight. I'm guessing the strength of the pull could somewhat mimic a spring . I know there are 10g microswitches available. could a magnetic force go that low ? I'm guessing it would feel a little different as well?
The closer the magnet is to the metal or opposite magnet the more resistance one would feel? maybe a strong initial resistance and then an exponential decrease if we could relate it to a force diagram?
WTT Realforce 87ub variable for 55G / MX PCB mount
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=42360.msg861771#msg861771

Offline OldDataHands

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 280
  • Location: Michigan
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #25 on: Wed, 27 March 2013, 22:08:47 »
My new Bench Shear arrived today:
17069-0
A pair of scissors like no other! It didn't even really notice the .020" shim stock.
btw: If you ever happen to buy a coil of shim stock: The warnings about tension
on the coil and to use protective gear and caution when uncoiling are _real_.
I cut the strapping while the coil was still in the box and it went off with a loud
_pop_ as it tried to jump out of the box.

After a little careful work cutting out the blanks, and then a bunch of patient bending and I had this:
17067-1
Overall I'm quite happy. The buttons all return, and I could type on this if I had to.
However, I need to improve several aspects of it.  First, The N/E/S/W buttons are a bit mushy.
This is a result of the magnet being able to pivot a little bit on the end of the steel insert rather than
strictly pivoting upon the bottom end of the key lever. Second, the center button is just a bit too firm.
It has a wonderful release, but I need to find a way to reduce the force required.

The PCB should arrive on Friday, so perhaps It'll be alive this weekend!
 

Offline OldDataHands

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 280
  • Location: Michigan
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #26 on: Sat, 30 March 2013, 13:39:48 »
Assembly of the first prototype is completed. I made one error in
placement, resulting in the holes for the opto components for the
center pushbutton being in the wrong position. This necessitated a bit
of an ugly hack to make up for the traces I needed to drill through in
order to allow the components to sit where they need to sit, but no
functional difference, or visible difference from above.

This is what it looks like assembled:17333-0

The switches work well in a dark room, but the translucent plastic,
and room lights are enough to cause trouble. The next version will
have the phototransistors more protected from ambient light, and black
plastic should help.  I should also be able to improve the situation
by using a smaller resistance to ground on the outputs of the
phototransistors.

This is the circuit:17331-1

Here is a scope trace of the micro input as keys are scanned:17335-2

There is one electrical phenomena which I do not understand: When the
74238 output turns on, it drives one LED and phototransistor pair.
The transistor seems to turn fully on momentarily after voltage is
applied to it's collector.  Simply waiting for 200 microseconds before
reading the key state is enough to ensure a good reading. So, while
this presents no problem to proper operation, it is something of a
puzzle which would be nice to understand.

Here is a scope trace showing a good data eye:17337-3

The next things to work on include:
- Actually sending keystrokes over USB... (should be easy to adapt dhteensy),
- Trial-and-error on the emmitter resistor to ground to get better immunity from ambient light
- Update the 3D-model to better hide the phototransitor from ambient light.

Offline jwaz

  • * based mod
  • Posts: 2069
  • #geekhack on freenode
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #27 on: Sat, 30 March 2013, 14:00:17 »
How does the prototype feel compared to the OG Datahand?

Offline OldDataHands

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 280
  • Location: Michigan
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #28 on: Sun, 31 March 2013, 20:15:53 »
How does the prototype feel compared to the OG Datahand?
For a first, relatively blind effort, I am happy that it is reminicent of the original. Howevet, I need to improve several aspects of it. First, The N/E/S/W buttons are a bit mushy. This is a result of the magnet being able to pivot a little bit on the end of the steel insert rather than strictly pivoting upon the bottom end of the key lever. Second, the center button is just a bit too firm. It has a wonderful release, but I need to find a way to reduce the force required. The N/E/S/W issue can easily be addressed by a more careful mechanical design. I think the central button issue can be addressed by using less steel, perhaps thinner shim stock. In any case, the prospects for achieving a good feel are encouraging.

Offline dpanse

  • Posts: 14
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #29 on: Fri, 05 April 2013, 08:14:51 »
Bless you for trying this out hope you succeed! Was wondering by the way ... anybody gave a thought to building this in software using the new "Leap Motion" sensor? (Im apologize if Im posting this in the wrong thread .. dont want a load of replies cluttering this thread. If needed, please start a new thread for discussing this)
« Last Edit: Thu, 06 November 2014, 00:08:04 by dpanse »

Offline Nakkor

  • Posts: 8
  • Only good!? Modify it!
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #30 on: Fri, 26 April 2013, 20:12:01 »
Looking forward to another update! =)¨
Anyone want and orange?

Offline OldDataHands

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 280
  • Location: Michigan
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #31 on: Sun, 28 April 2013, 21:25:07 »
Looking forward to another update! =)¨

Well, Here's where I'm at:
20186-0
20298-1
20190-2

The short version: I've almost caught up to where Dox
was some months ago!
I've got a model of the left-hand finger keys, and the
position of components established for the PCB. I now
need to do the routing of traces on the PCB to complete
the layout.  I also need to establish the mounting-holes
for the shroud which surrounds the keys and acts as a
travel-stop.  As I've been out of town for the past 2.5
weeks progress has been a little slower than might have
been hoped.

OpenSCAD is struggling a bit with the model when I push
up the number of facets for cylinders/spheres, but scaling
up my model was very easy.  I hope that within a couple
weeks I'll have the left-hand fingers prototype ordered.

I also decided that DodoHand should be the name of the
project and I made a logo based upon the DataHand logo:
20296-3

More in a few weeks.

(modified to correct typo in logo and include correct schematic)
« Last Edit: Mon, 29 April 2013, 19:45:22 by OldDataHands »

Offline haskellelephant

  • Posts: 35
  • Location: Norway
  • haskell is everywhere! What are we going to do?
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #32 on: Mon, 29 April 2013, 11:36:18 »
Keep up the good work! This is definitely on my want list!

Like the name, but you might get copyright problems with the logo.
Anyone have an idea whether it would be a problem?

Offline flc

  • Posts: 24
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #33 on: Mon, 29 April 2013, 12:06:27 »
Love what you've done so far and the logo. Looks very promising.

Offline Amadeus

  • Posts: 8
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #34 on: Tue, 30 April 2013, 22:07:50 »
Awesome stuff, godspeed sir. I'm interested in buying a datahand but availability is basically none, with the occasional super pricey ebay auction. DIY datahands may be the only viable long term possibility, so it's great you're paving the way.

Offline metalliqaz

  • * Maker
  • Posts: 4951
  • Location: the Making Stuff subforum
  • Leopold fanboy
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #35 on: Tue, 30 April 2013, 22:59:34 »
Coming along nicely, I really want to try a datahand...

Offline vipjun

  • Posts: 59
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #36 on: Thu, 02 May 2013, 09:28:28 »
this looks really awesome.
WTT Realforce 87ub variable for 55G / MX PCB mount
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=42360.msg861771#msg861771

Offline regicide

  • Posts: 70
  • Location: Wellington, New Zealand
  • Software developer and Open source hacker
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #37 on: Fri, 03 May 2013, 17:29:55 »
What a fantastic project, I have always wanted to try a datahand but the combination of being expensive and in short supply has always put me off.

Really impressive work you are doing, I look forward to seeing where this goes.

FWIW: dodohand got a few good laughs out of me.
2 Kinesis advantages (MX browns)

Offline Input Nirvana

  • Master of the Calculated Risk
  • Posts: 2316
  • Location: Somewhere in the San Francisco Bay area/Best Coast
  • If I tell ya, I'll hafta kill ya
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #38 on: Sun, 05 May 2013, 17:11:22 »
Fantastic undertaking!

Let me just say this as a former Datahand owner...there is room for improvement over the real deal. The finger side-to-side movements required were not comfortable, the individual keyboard boxes could have been a bit smaller which could improve placement, etc. The mouse action was not very good at all. 2 people did some great things...one put an IBM KPD8923 pointer in his unit, and another added some custom scripts to the firmware. Both of these should be on GH. I have them referenced in the Everything Kinesis article with links to the pages.

Perhaps Webwit, Hoggy, and Icarium on DT could be in on loop, they have good insight to Datahands, we've gone several rounds over various details.

So much has changed since I found GH in 2009....technology like this was out of reach for the most of us.
Kinesis Advantage cut into 2 halves | RollerMouse Free 2 | Apple Magic Trackpad | Colemak
Evil Screaming Flying Door Monkeys From Hell                     Proudly GeekWhacking since 2009
Things change, things stay the same                                        Thanks much, Smallfry  
I AM THE REAPER . . . BECAUSE I KILL IT
~retired from forum activities 2015~

Offline linziyi

  • Posts: 386
  • The one with many questions
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #39 on: Sun, 05 May 2013, 17:17:00 »
noob question... how does one type using 8 keys?
Ducky DK9008G2 Pro

"Much to learn you still have" --Yoda


Offline regicide

  • Posts: 70
  • Location: Wellington, New Zealand
  • Software developer and Open source hacker
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #40 on: Sun, 05 May 2013, 17:22:26 »
noob question... how does one type using 8 keys?

Each key is actually made up of 5 'buttons', you can push it the 4 compass directions as well as down.

You can see the 5 'buttons' on each key here


Each press corresponds to a different key


There are also some special keys hidden under 'function' although I am not quite sure how you get to those :)
« Last Edit: Sun, 05 May 2013, 17:26:17 by regicide »
2 Kinesis advantages (MX browns)

Offline linziyi

  • Posts: 386
  • The one with many questions
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #41 on: Sun, 05 May 2013, 17:26:54 »
:O that would take a long time to get used to! But I can imagine the speed one can achieve once he/she masters it!


*-_- awkward grammar *
Ducky DK9008G2 Pro

"Much to learn you still have" --Yoda


Offline regicide

  • Posts: 70
  • Location: Wellington, New Zealand
  • Software developer and Open source hacker
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #42 on: Sun, 05 May 2013, 17:33:09 »
:O that would take a long time to get used to! But I can imagine the speed one can achieve once he/she masters it!

Yeah it would have quite the learning curve, but it should nicely reduce wrist movement which can be quite painful for some (including myself).

Let me just say this as a former Datahand owner...there is room for improvement over the real deal. The finger side-to-side movements required were not comfortable, the individual keyboard boxes could have been a bit smaller which could improve placement, etc.

I have always wondered about this actually, Side-to-side just doesn't seem like a very strong or natural motion.
2 Kinesis advantages (MX browns)

Offline haskellelephant

  • Posts: 35
  • Location: Norway
  • haskell is everywhere! What are we going to do?
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #43 on: Sun, 05 May 2013, 19:37:13 »
Do you have any plans for the thumb button?

Offline OldDataHands

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 280
  • Location: Michigan
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #44 on: Mon, 06 May 2013, 08:58:17 »
Do you have any plans for the thumb button?

I do plan to make the thumb switches, but only after the finger switches work well.
I'm in the final-checks stage before I order the second finger prototypes right now.
I imagine making a few more finger prototypes before moving to the thumb switches.

 
...
Let me just say this as a former Datahand owner...there is room for improvement over the real deal. The finger side-to-side movements required were not comfortable, the individual keyboard boxes could have been a bit smaller which could improve placement, etc. The mouse action was not very good at all. 2 people did some great things...one put an IBM KPD8923 pointer in his unit, and another added some custom scripts to the firmware. Both of these should be on GH.
...

I find the side-to-side movements more difficult to think about than to do, and I guess I have fat fingers, because if I made the finger wells much smaller I wouldn't be able the hit the center key without also bumping the side keys (edit: although this is only true for my middle finger. There could be an opportunity to make the other finger wells a bit smaller...). I saw those two other articles on GH! I would like to incorporate the pointer idea as I agree that the built-in mouse ability is very crude. First things first though, and that is the finger switches. 3D printing is awesome!
« Last Edit: Tue, 07 May 2013, 01:58:56 by OldDataHands »

Offline metalliqaz

  • * Maker
  • Posts: 4951
  • Location: the Making Stuff subforum
  • Leopold fanboy
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #45 on: Mon, 06 May 2013, 10:53:21 »
I'm amazed that shapeways' process has the fidelity to create such a complex device.  Do you find that you have to rework the parts after you get them?

-d

Offline OldDataHands

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 280
  • Location: Michigan
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #46 on: Mon, 06 May 2013, 13:46:31 »
  Do you find that you have to rework the parts after you get them?
I've chosen the laser sintered nylon process because it is a relatively tough, and cheap, opaque option. It took a bit of effort to open up the long, minimum-separation tubes I created for the opto component leads. I've now made these a bit bigger in the hopes that they will need less attention. Everything else turned out pretty well. Dox used a process capable of finer details in his prototype, but in a translucent material. I'll be interested to hear how it worked out for him.
« Last Edit: Tue, 25 June 2013, 09:54:47 by OldDataHands »

Offline OldDataHands

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 280
  • Location: Michigan
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #47 on: Tue, 07 May 2013, 02:00:56 »
21332-0

This video / animation should be available shortly: Not a valid vimeo URL(just don't expect much, and you won't be disappointed.)
« Last Edit: Tue, 07 May 2013, 02:19:58 by OldDataHands »

Offline regack

  • Posts: 660
  • Location: Thessia
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #48 on: Tue, 07 May 2013, 07:17:21 »
(Attachment Link)

This video / animation should be available shortly: Not a valid vimeo URL(just don't expect much, and you won't be disappointed.)

Just let me know where to send my money...  :D

Seriously, I'll help fund your research a bit if I can get something like this prototype you have rendered there... :D

Offline OldDataHands

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 280
  • Location: Michigan
Re: Re-Create the datahand - first babystep
« Reply #49 on: Sat, 11 May 2013, 13:21:25 »
So, the second prototype has been ordered... Should have all the pieced by the end of the month. I was sorry to see that BatchPCB is out of business. Their new owners might have a better, faster product, but charge almost double... even though that is still a good deal.

The first try at getting this printed by shapeways was rejected. One small anti-friction rib on the original center button, sized at 0.2mm x 0.2mm, was rejected by shapeways after I upped it to 0.3 x 0.3. I am a little confused by that, but it really isn't a problem, just caused a bit of delay.

I'll post updates as parts arrive...
« Last Edit: Sat, 11 May 2013, 13:31:12 by OldDataHands »