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Laser-cut Buttons Done

A project log for PewPew M4

A PewPew with a display.

dehipudeʃhipu 10/29/2019 at 12:235 Comments

The new front plate and button caps arrived, and I'm happy with them. I don't think I can improve this technique further, so I'm going to leave it like this. The only other improvement I can think of right now is to use switches that require less force for pressing — I will be looking into availability of such switches, so far I didn't get any answer to my inquiries.

I will still experiment with a plastic d-pad and buttons from the NDSL, but I'm not even sure I want to go that way.

Discussions

Makerfabs wrote 10/31/2019 at 03:02 point

Yes, just a cutout of the display..  personlly i do not like Acrylic,which seems fragile

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deʃhipu wrote 10/31/2019 at 08:58 point

I actually carry one prototype with me in my pocket or my backpack, and I have dropped it multiple times, and it's still fine. The previous prototypes, with the 1mm thick face plate were much worse, the corners would break and fall off.

A wooden (or other material) case with a cutout would have the down side of exposing the glass display to the outside, so it can be scratched or even broken. The acrylic actually protects it very well.

I would be happy to actually experiment with other kinds of transparent plastic, but you can't laser-cut most of them. For semi-mass production I think you could die-cut them on a press, I guess, especially since the transparent face plate doesn't need to be thick if it's made out of a softer material. But I don't have access to such tools and materials, so that remains purely theoretical.

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Makerfabs wrote 10/30/2019 at 10:16 point

i would say, nice~~ for me, i will cut a wooden case for myself..

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deʃhipu wrote 10/30/2019 at 10:41 point

you may have some difficulties seeing the display then, unless you use transparent wood (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparent_wood_composites)

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deʃhipu wrote 10/30/2019 at 15:06 point

I suppose I should add a version of the case with a cutout for the display, for non-transparent materials. I think it would look especially well with bamboo.

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