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geekhack Community => geekhack Media => Topic started by: boxjon on Fri, 28 September 2012, 14:52:29

Title: Home-made palmrest.
Post by: boxjon on Fri, 28 September 2012, 14:52:29
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-eLAiAcsAZWU/UGX_-sMZcuI/AAAAAAAABpQ/W2QQWYx7uuY/s640/581379_4586364899274_635387827_n.jpg)



Got inspired looking at some of the pics of workstations. Went straight to Lowes and got me some plywood and sandpaper. It feels baby smooth and its only 1 inch tall, so perfect height for typing.
Title: Re: Home-made palmrest.
Post by: modulor on Fri, 28 September 2012, 14:59:20
Nice, you should stain and/or seal it next!  I'd recommend a few coats of tung oil.
Title: Re: Home-made palmrest.
Post by: boxjon on Fri, 28 September 2012, 15:04:46
Quote from: modulor on Fri, 28 September 2012, 14:59:20
Nice, you should stain and/or seal it next!  I'd recommend a few coats of tung oil.

Great suggestion. I liek the smooth feel of the sanded raw wood. Would the stain eliminate that feeling?
Title: Re: Home-made palmrest.
Post by: modulor on Fri, 28 September 2012, 15:13:53
Stain won't change the texture, as it gets absorbed into the wood.  Tung oil is the same way, but it will seal the wood and make it liquid-proof, plus give it a nice luster without altering the texture much (unless you apply alot).  I figured you'd prefer that better than sealing it with a clear coat or varnish. Plain tung oil will darken the wood slightly (imagine a damp look) but I think you can also get it tinted or 'with stain'.  It will also strengthen the wood.  I've used tung oil in the past for furniture and it works great. ;D
Title: Re: Home-made palmrest.
Post by: boxjon on Fri, 28 September 2012, 15:16:02
Quote from: modulor on Fri, 28 September 2012, 15:13:53
Stain won't change the texture, as it gets absorbed into the wood.  Tung oil is the same way, but it will seal the wood and make it liquid-proof, plus give it a nice luster without altering the texture much (unless you apply alot).  I figured you'd prefer that better than sealing it with a clear coat or varnish. Plain tung oil will darken the wood slightly (imagine a damp look) but I think you can also get it tinted or 'with stain'.  It will also strengthen the wood.  I've used tung oil in the past for furniture and it works great. ;D

Well in that case I might be making another trip down to Lowes. Does it take long for this stuff to dry? Also would like to etch something in the corner, need to find a way to do that.
Title: Re: Home-made palmrest.
Post by: boxjon on Fri, 28 September 2012, 15:28:16
Ok, so, I have another piece of wood cut to the same dimensions. I will apply the oil this weekend. I am also planning on buying a small burning tool to etch some writing near the bottom right hand side. Made it look a bit pro. I'll post pics as soon as it's done.
Title: Re: Home-made palmrest.
Post by: modulor on Fri, 28 September 2012, 15:30:37
What you'll probably find at Lowe's is 'Tung Oil Finish' which is similar, but not actually tung oil.  I had to find 100% tung oil online, but I've used both and the 'Finish' is easier to work with and will give you a similar effect.  It's basically wiping varnish, so it will still be applied and absorbed into the wood and seal the same way. Pure tung oil requires a distiller like turpentine.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tung_oil#Application

Also, I think you have to wait 24 hours between coats for either option, but you may be satisfied with just one coat.
Title: Re: Home-made palmrest.
Post by: modulor on Fri, 28 September 2012, 15:40:35
Alssso...welcome to GeekHack! :D
Title: Re: Home-made palmrest.
Post by: dreamingftw on Sat, 29 September 2012, 14:30:10
Good idea, might head to my local lowes or home depot to make one myself.
Title: Re: Home-made palmrest.
Post by: boxjon on Sat, 29 September 2012, 14:49:22
Quote from: dreamingftw on Sat, 29 September 2012, 14:30:10
Good idea, might head to my local lowes or home depot to make one myself.

The piece I bought was literally like 2 bucks. I have plenty left over. I used 2, 8inch pieces to prop my computer up from the carpet (better ventilation) and I still have about another 3-4 feet of it in the Jeep. Although I might used it for something today. Got that, "I gotta build something" itch I need to scratch.
Title: Re: Home-made palmrest.
Post by: dreamingftw on Sun, 30 September 2012, 00:11:36
I just made my own wrist rest but I can't post the pictures. Weird. I'll try to post em tomorrow. Thanks for the idea!
Title: Re: Home-made palmrest.
Post by: boxjon on Sun, 30 September 2012, 07:18:09
Quote from: dreamingftw on Sun, 30 September 2012, 00:11:36
I just made my own wrist rest but I can't post the pictures. Weird. I'll try to post em tomorrow. Thanks for the idea!

You have to upload the pics somewhere online, like Picasa and then right click on the picture COPY THE IMAGE URL, then post it here between this (http://). If you already knew that I apologize. It's hard to grasp know-how over the internets.
Title: Re: Home-made palmrest.
Post by: dreamingftw on Sun, 30 September 2012, 11:33:26
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-bXh8fK9ug_A/UGhxb4ys7_I/AAAAAAAACSo/PK9WgVNoilc/s720/IMG_3224.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9BrMWbfKSfw/UGhxa31nxeI/AAAAAAAACSY/M0K93rXW_AQ/s720/IMG_3225.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Xs1Wexu85bY/UGhxbagGiiI/AAAAAAAACSg/GijB2xx7Ib8/s720/IMG_3226.JPG)

Finally figured out how to post my pictures, thanks for the help. The width on the rest is a little short for me because I have bigger hands so I need to adjust it a little bit further away from the keyboard, which is fine. I might make another one, which would probably only cost a couple more bucks. I'm liking the wood feeling so far. I was also planning on staining it but not sure yet. I also added rubber stoppers I got from my sub woofer, which lift it the perfect height. Thanks again for the ideas and insight!  ;D
Title: Re: Home-made palmrest.
Post by: boxjon on Sun, 30 September 2012, 12:27:19
Quote from: dreamingftw on Sun, 30 September 2012, 11:33:26
Show Image
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-bXh8fK9ug_A/UGhxb4ys7_I/AAAAAAAACSo/PK9WgVNoilc/s720/IMG_3224.JPG)

Show Image
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9BrMWbfKSfw/UGhxa31nxeI/AAAAAAAACSY/M0K93rXW_AQ/s720/IMG_3225.JPG)

Show Image
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Xs1Wexu85bY/UGhxbagGiiI/AAAAAAAACSg/GijB2xx7Ib8/s720/IMG_3226.JPG)


Finally figured out how to post my pictures, thanks for the help. The width on the rest is a little short for me because I have bigger hands so I need to adjust it a little bit further away from the keyboard, which is fine. I might make another one, which would probably only cost a couple more bucks. I'm liking the wood feeling so far. I was also planning on staining it but not sure yet. I also added rubber stoppers I got from my sub woofer, which lift it the perfect height. Thanks again for the ideas and insight!  ;D

Thats a lot nicer looking then mine. lol

What keyboard is that. Looks nice.
Title: Re: Home-made palmrest.
Post by: dreamingftw on Sun, 30 September 2012, 13:20:37
Thanks, its a cooler master QFR mx reds.
Title: Re: Home-made palmrest.
Post by: dreamingftw on Sun, 30 September 2012, 13:31:42
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-a9S_OsRw6rA/UGiPaIORgWI/AAAAAAAACTA/spoGfrt031c/s801/IMG_3227.JPG)
This is the one I stained last night.
Title: Re: Home-made palmrest.
Post by: modulor on Sun, 30 September 2012, 17:05:23
Looking good!  Now I'll have to give it a go ;D
Title: Re: Home-made palmrest.
Post by: boxjon on Mon, 01 October 2012, 07:58:54
Yeh, stain them quick, mine now has some yellowing where my hand was, hopefully the stain covers that up a bit, if not I can easily make another.
Title: Sv: Re: Home-made palmrest.
Post by: huttala on Sat, 06 October 2012, 22:31:13
Quote from: boxjon on Mon, 01 October 2012, 07:58:54
Yeh, stain them quick, mine now has some yellowing where my hand was, hopefully the stain covers that up a bit, if not I can easily make another.

Or you could just sand it clean before applying oil. 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note II using Tapatalk.

Title: Re: Home-made palmrest.
Post by: modulor on Sat, 06 October 2012, 22:51:26
A dark stain would cover it up, but sealing the wood would definitely prevent this in the future.