Post by thread:[EE]: Making a keypad

On Tue, 27 Feb 2001, Simon Ethier wrote: > If you already made one, please tell me what you did and what it looked like (if you have some pictures...) Check out: http://www.cbridge.com/proj2.htm They sell a photo silk-screen kit (similar to photo-etch PCB's) and one of the projects on their website is for making custom touchpads. I've purchased their product, but haven't yet used it so I can't say how well it works. -Mark -- [ http://pgpkeys.mit.edu:11371/ - search for .....markcKILLspam@spam@liquidev.com ] -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

> I was lloking to buy a keypad but found that they are pretty > expensive, not less than 30-40$ and up ... So I was wondering, > did any of you tried to make your own ? I know you only need 16 > switch N.O. and hook then like the matrix in the keypad, but I > was wondering if you guys had some ideas on how to make it look good ? I agree, keypads new are stupidly expensive, but on the surplus market they are dirt cheap. Try one of the surplus stores in your area or if you want an online source try http://www.bgmicro.com, I ordered a couple LCD character modules from them and was very impressed by their service (since I'm not in the US but in Canada). TTYL -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

I was lloking to buy a keypad but found that they are pretty expensive, not less than 30-40$ and up ... So I was wondering, did any of you tried to make your own ? I know you only need 16 switch N.O. and hook then like the matrix in the keypad, but I was wondering if you guys had some ideas on how to make it look good ? If you already made one, please tell me what you did and what it looked like (if you have some pictures...) Old video recorders are a good source of components and construction techniques. They almost invariably use little N.O. push switches behind the front panel buttons. With a little care, a soldering iron, and a small flat blade screwdriver they can be levered off the pcb and re-used. Motors can be recycled into models, Inductors into transmitter and receivers, crystals to PIC clocks. But I don't recommend recycling the electrolytic capacitors, they tend to have a finite life. Regards Chris -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

If you are in the USA, I will send you a keypad. Simon Ethier wrote: {Quote hidden}> I was lloking to buy a keypad but found that they are pretty expensive, not less than 30-40$ and up ... So I was wondering, did any of you tried to make your own ? I know you only need 16 switch N.O. and hook then like the matrix in the keypad, but I was wondering if you guys had some ideas on how to make it look good ? > > If you already made one, please tell me what you did and what it looked like (if you have some pictures...) > > thanks ! > ----- > Simon Ethier > Seth889KILLspamstartrekmail.com > ICQ 2165570 > > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics > (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics -- * | __O Thomas C. Sefranek .....tcsKILLspam.....cmcorp.com |_-\<,_ Amateur Radio Operator: WA1RHP (*)/ (*) Bicycle mobile on 145.41, 448.625 MHz hamradio.cmcorp.com/inventory/Inventory.html http://www.harvardrepeater.org -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

> hook then like the matrix in the keypad, but I was wondering if you > guys had some ideas on how to make it look good ? > > If you already made one, please tell me what you did and what it > looked like (if you have some pictures...) Can't do you a photo right now but I have a diagram of how I use pushbuttons under wood panels http://home.clear.net.nz/pages/joecolquitt/temp.html More often than not I make my own keyboards from either new (10c) or scavenged parts, as you say VCRs etc are good sources. Polished plain wood panels with little black perspex dot buttons looks classy, and there's no limit to the depth behind the fascia that the switches can be. If you have a router you can make fancy countersunk holes, or otherwise an ordinary (sharp) drill is just dandy. You need a 1mm drill for a hole in the perspex rods to thread them together with wire (to stop them falling out). The plastic sheet keeps dust out. I use laminate, which is a type of polyethylene I think, tough but flexible. I prefer black 6mm perspex rod, but pot shaft cut-offs, aluminium or black plastic, look OK too -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

> I agree, keypads new are stupidly expensive, but on the surplus market > they are dirt cheap. Try one of the surplus stores in your area or if you > want an online source try http://www.bgmicro.com, I ordered a couple LCD > character modules from them and was very impressed by their service (since > I'm not in the US but in Canada). TTYL Yes, BGMICRO have a couple of nice keypads. > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different > ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. > > -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

I'm in Canada too ... in Montreal more exactly ... do you know one surplus in here ? thanks ----- Original Message ----- From: "Herbert Graf" <EraseMEmailinglistspam_OUTTakeThisOuTFARCITE.NET> To: <PICLISTspam_OUTMITVMA.MIT.EDU> Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2001 12:26 AM Subject: Re: [EE]: Making a keypad > > I was lloking to buy a keypad but found that they are pretty > > expensive, not less than 30-40$ and up ... So I was wondering, > > did any of you tried to make your own ? I know you only need 16 > > switch N.O. and hook then like the matrix in the keypad, but I > > was wondering if you guys had some ideas on how to make it look good ? > > I agree, keypads new are stupidly expensive, but on the surplus market {Quote hidden}> they are dirt cheap. Try one of the surplus stores in your area or if you > want an online source try http://www.bgmicro.com, I ordered a couple LCD > character modules from them and was very impressed by their service (since > I'm not in the US but in Canada). TTYL > > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different > ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. > > -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

Why not if I'm in Canada :) I'd love that ... thanks ----- Original Message ----- From: "Thomas C. Sefranek" <@spam@tcsKILLspamCMCORP.COM> To: <KILLspamPICLISTKILLspamMITVMA.MIT.EDU> Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2001 5:52 AM Subject: Re: [EE]: Making a keypad > If you are in the USA, I will send you a keypad. > > Simon Ethier wrote: > > > I was lloking to buy a keypad but found that they are pretty expensive, not less than 30-40$ and up ... So I was wondering, did any of you tried to make your own ? I know you only need 16 switch N.O. and hook then like the matrix in the keypad, but I was wondering if you guys had some ideas on how to make it look good ? > > > > If you already made one, please tell me what you did and what it looked like (if you have some pictures...) {Quote hidden}> > > > thanks ! > > ----- > > Simon Ethier > > RemoveMESeth889TakeThisOuTstartrekmail.com > > ICQ 2165570 > > > > -- > > http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics > > (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics > > -- > * > | __O Thomas C. Sefranek spamBeGonetcsspamBeGonecmcorp.com > |_-\<,_ Amateur Radio Operator: WA1RHP > (*)/ (*) Bicycle mobile on 145.41, 448.625 MHz > > hamradio.cmcorp.com/inventory/Inventory.html > http://www.harvardrepeater.org > > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different > ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. > > -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

I for one like to see a photo of one of your finished wood keypads sometime when you have time to publish one. The diagram looks like it could turn out really nice. You could probably even backlight some of these buttons as well. I might just do something like this for a car project I've been thinking about... > Can't do you a photo right now but I have a diagram of how I use > pushbuttons under wood panels > > http://home.clear.net.nz/pages/joecolquitt/temp.html -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

But are all the keypad layer Blue ?? I don't quite like them .. hehe ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Whittington" <TakeThisOuTmarkcEraseMEspam_OUTLIQUIDEV.COM> To: <RemoveMEPICLISTTakeThisOuTMITVMA.MIT.EDU> Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2001 12:10 AM Subject: Re: [EE]: Making a keypad > On Tue, 27 Feb 2001, Simon Ethier wrote: > > > If you already made one, please tell me what you did and what it looked like (if you have some pictures...) {Quote hidden}> > Check out: http://www.cbridge.com/proj2.htm > > They sell a photo silk-screen kit (similar to photo-etch PCB's) and one of > the projects on their website is for making custom touchpads. I've > purchased their product, but haven't yet used it so I can't say how well > it works. > > -Mark > > -- > [ http://pgpkeys.mit.edu:11371/ - search for markcEraseME.....liquidev.com ] > > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different > ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. > > -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

> Check out: http://www.cbridge.com/proj2.htm > > They sell a photo silk-screen kit (similar to photo-etch PCB's) and one of > the projects on their website is for making custom touchpads. I've > purchased their product, but haven't yet used it so I can't say how well > it works. Certainly looks like it could be used to make a mask for UV photo exposed boards if doing more than one off. Just how opaque is it to UV? -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

Neat idea!. Hmm. Thinking about this, there's no reason you need the silk-screen paper. If you have a color printer that can print on transparancy paper, you can make the legend/keypad area yourself. Just print it mirror image so the ink is protected. Then paint conductive ink either on the backside or on a separate page. I think I must try this myself. BTW, that product looks pretty cool. {Original Message removed}

>The diagram looks like it could turn out really nice. You could > probably even backlight some of these buttons as well. I might > just do something like this for a car project I've been thinking > about... It's a bit of an effort to make it look nice but it's worth it. (I should have mentioned that any routing or drilling should be done through a piece of scrap to avoid splintering the hole edges). The thing I like about this method is that it's flexible when it comes to materials, could probably be done economically in a production run (if the product warranted it), and a one-off is easy to do at home. When you get right down to it, sometimes "off-the-shelf plastic" just isn't tasty enough. Making the insides work is just the start, there's aesthetics too. Have a look around Bryan Mumford's site http://www.bmumford.com , which has a better collection of pics than I have of wood+electronics. There are some excellent ideas to be had if you have a wander around the web looking out for horologists (seemingly where art meets science most often), automatons and long-forgotten gizmos such as those wacky Victorian medical contraptions at antiquities museums. It's not that long ago that hand-made was the norm. Wanna be impressed ? http://homestead.com/bikerodnkustom/woodeye.html Backlighting is an option especially if you use clear perspex. You could have a different colour for each button, flash them, strobe them etc. I have one drawn up that will use dark wood buttons against light wood panel. I'm thinking of making the buttons 10mm diameter, which is wide enough to drill through and insert a round flat-top LED. If you can't turn your own wood you could use dowel and stick veneer on the end or paint it (and a link to Nixie tube clocks re: another thread) http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~wwl/mikesclocks.html -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

I have made several some time ago. My best result was a small (4x6 I think) keypad. I used a normal breadboard, miniature pushbutton switches (7.5 x 7.5mm with four pins SPST). Then I made a grid of plastic spacers just as tall as the undepressed switches (by sawing a plastic ruler). Over this I stretched a vinyl foil which was printed with symbols in a printer and glued a sheet of transparent plastic over it. The result looks good and works well but it feels a little odd to the touch. Next time I'll try to use switches with a larger button (these had round buttons). It was far too much work to be worth your while, but it is good for learning. Oh, and I had a large key (like a spacebar). This had a piece of plastic ruler glued between the vinyl and the transparent sheet spanning two keys (in parallel) with missing walls in the grid underneath. I think that the transparent adhesive sheet is sold for some purpose that escapes me. I just borrowed some from an artist friend. hope this helps, Peter -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email EraseMElistservmitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body