[LinuxUser]

No, this doesn't involve vets

As I've said before on here, I recently picked up four mice cheap on TradeMe, so I'm modding one so that it has a wood outside. Here's some initial pics:
 Start.jpg   48.02KB   7 downloads

 All in parts.jpg   55.33KB   6 downloads

 Parts again.jpg   61KB   5 downloads

 Wooden wheel in place.jpg   73.19KB   5 downloads

 Wheel side on.jpg   65.89KB   5 downloads
I did the wheel today. It is straight off the lathe, not even sanded – just a good sharp skew chisel – and it has a nice finish that will only improve with use. I had done a wheel yesterday, but I drilled the hole after turning it – and it split, not to mention that the hole was slightly too big. I tried gluing it up, but it ended out with the join not meeting properly, and it not centred on the "hub". So I did it again, but this time I bored the hole first, got it exactly the right size, and had no problems with splitting.

I'm going to use the existing base of the mouse, because it has the structures to support the wheel and also has the appropriate base for the optics, and both of those would be hard to make while keeping it strong enough. However, I have cut off the sides, and am now trying to find a suitable piece of wood to carve the body out from – I started on two today, but both had borer...

[Republican]

would it have a good feel?,traction wise, a varnished one would be nice, it would stick to your hand.

[jaqqour]

Will be keeping an eye on this project, looks very interesting

[TomSahz]

This is so cool, definitely one to watch!

[LinuxUser]

would it have a good feel?,traction wise, a varnished one would be nice, it would stick to your hand.

I'm yet to see, but I think it should be fine. Right now the wheel feels like it has a bit less traction than normal, but it still seems to have enough – but I haven't actually tried it properly.

[Unregistered88103ce8]

This looks very interesting

[LinuxUser]

Update:
I found a suitable block of wood, and have roughed out most of the shape with a saw. Tomorrow I'll attack it with a plane, and if I get far enough, a rasp and then sandpaper. Then the inside with a router then chisels.

[KrazyKap]

Update:
I found a suitable block of wood, and have roughed out most of the shape with a saw. Tomorrow I'll attack it with a plane, and if I get far enough, a rasp and then sandpaper. Then the inside with a router then chisels.

I guess wood is ideal as a medium for the body of the shape, as it would be relatively easy to make it fit your hand exactly how you want
Back when I was at school overseas, we had one of those machines that would mould plastic over wooden shapes (which we used for chocolate bar moulds ). That would be so awesome to use to make a shaped plastic mouse body...

[LinuxUser]

I mainly want wood to match my wood computer and wood desk. But yeah, if I put some thought into it I should definitely be able to make one that would fit my hand just right (I'll try, but I'm hoping that I'm not too late, i.e. I haven't already cut too much off).

[LinuxUser]

Rough block where I was at last night:
 Rough block.jpg   88.47KB   3 downloads

What it is now, after using the plane for a bit:
 Smoothed block.jpg   134.74KB   5 downloads

I find that shape nice to hold, so I'll probably just smooth it out more and sand it, then get to work on the inside.

[KrazyKap]

what do you have planned for mouse buttons?

[LinuxUser]

I'm still thinking around that one...

[TomSahz]

what do you have planned for mouse buttons?

I'm still thinking around that one...

Maybe you could get a couple of nice dry, gently curved pieves of bamboo and sand them down thin? Not sure if that would work or not but bamboo buttons would be so cool. Then you could nickname it "Jungle Mouse".

Edited by TomSahz, 05 September 2013 - 03:23 PM.

[LinuxUser]

Most likely I'll carve out the inside with the buttons in mind, and then once it is basically done I'll try to cut out the buttons in a way that means I can use both parts. Even then, I'm still not sure how to hinge them. Maybe by glueing them to a stick of yew (or something) and gluing that on further back.

[Unregistered4b3b17c2]

That looks awesome!

Are you using a reference for your design? Maybe something like this can help you with buttons:

[LinuxUser]

Other than the existing mouse, no. I thought about doing something like that for buttons, but I decided that it was too liable to simply split the wood.

Slight update:
I've basically finished doing the outside, and I'm working on carving out the inside (by hand so far, as I don't want the wood splitting).

[LinuxUser]

OK, update:

The outside of the mouse needs a major sand, but other than that is as good as done.

The inside is hollowed out. In the end I milled out most of it (in a lathe-with-milling-head with a drill bit my brother had sharpened appropriately), and then carved out the rest by hand.

The wheel shows out the top. I drilled a hole in the right place, and then rasped it to an appropriate size. Then I carved out a dip around the wheel so that it stuck out far enough.

The buttons should be done. I used a hacksaw on the corner and near the wheel, and then a skew chisel and knife to cut top and bottom at the hinge. The hinge is simply a place where the wood is cut top and bottom so that it is able to bend readily. It seems to be working so far. The buttons do not actually press on the switches, so I now have to measure what height spacers I need, and probably glue them to the underside of the buttons.

I also have to attach the circuit board, and make a place for the cord.

[TomSahz]

I also have to attach the circuit board, and make a place for the cord.

And then upload pictures, Im so keen to see this

[LinuxUser]

Yes, pics, of course! I'll definitely post them once there's something worth seeing more than posted above.

[Outlander_04]

hmmmmmmmmm

I know where they keep the carbon fiber

[Unregistered4b3b17c2]

Hey dude, how's the mouse mod going? Just curious

[LinuxUser]

I haven't actually done anything more yet...

I'll see if I can get some more done today.

[Unregistered4b3b17c2]

Haha no pressure, I was just wondering.

[Unregistered61bfbdf6]

This thread gives me wood! Really like it Linux

[LinuxUser]

I've done quite a bit of sanding today, so it almost has all the flat planing marks (see second photo in post #10 for details) on the surface sanded to smooth curves. I've only used 80 grit so far so the surface isn't that great yet (it is somewhat scratched – not too badly though, as I've mostly been sanding with the grain). But even so it has still made the grain a lot more visible, and it looks fantastic. There's a little bit more to do with the 80, but once I've done that I'll be going up to at least 400. Not sure if I'll oil it or what yet.

[Unregistered4b3b17c2]

Do you reckon a varnish finish would be bad for it? I think it might look nice.

[LinuxUser]

Well, there are many types of varnish... Polyurethane and other hard varnishes that form a layer on the surface probably wouldn't take the wear of being constantly handled very well – they'd probably be OK for a couple years, maybe even more, but after that they'd require sanding right off and redoing. Boiled linseed oil (and other drying oils) are probably good options because they soak into the wood and therefore won't wear off, and looks almost as good (or better, depending on what you consider to look good) – besides, they leave the wood out so that it can get even better. Many, if not most, varnishes are a combination of a drying oil and a hard varnish. I'll probably go for the boiled linseed oil.

[Unregistered4b3b17c2]

Sounds great. I did our front door once. Sanded it, gave it a dark, earthy stain, and varnished it.
Hardest part was drying it, since the door had to be off its hinges, which means we had no door while it dried... lol

[LinuxUser]

Almost finished sanding. Here's some pics:
 case sm.jpg   111.25KB   2 downloads

 case with wheel.jpg   70.55KB   2 downloads
(The electronics were added to have the wheel in for this photo.)

[Unregistered4b3b17c2]

Looking snazzy.