makkin thing
@ekaitz_zarraga I've made a few updates to the RSS feed. It now has a link in the footer of the front page to https://www.gbryant.co.uk/feed.rss (so that's a new URL, the old one is gone). I also added the pubDate as you suggested.
Thanks for prompting me to add it, it was quite easy! The trick now is remembering to update it! If you could check it that would be great, because I don't currently use an RSS reader.
makkin thing
Hmm, the TS100 can't pump enough heat into the joints between the two PCBs (at least for the ground plane connections). Gonna have to bring out my old, less fancy but higher thermal mass iron.
makkin thing
Much easier with some extra heat!
makkin thing
Trackball assembly is finished and it works!
makkin thing
I did a quick comparison of the sound of a few different #trackball models - the Microsoft Trackball Explorer, Elecom Huge, Ploopy and a quick test part
The Microsoft and Elecom ones have very low "stiction" at low speeds which is really nice. The Ploopy is great at high speeds but slightly frictiony at low speeds depending on direction. Hoping I can mod the design to fit silicon nitride bearings into it!
makkin thing
My #ploopy trackball kit arrived! Time for assembly!
makkin thing
@ekaitz_zarraga I haven't tried ball transfer units but I think the grease in them would make them have too much friction. I found a blog post from 2017 where someone tested a few different bearings and concluded static ceramic bearings felt smoothest.
I think the increased friction you see on my green test piece is due to the ball. It's got a matte surface which makes it have a bit more sliding friction, compared to the glossy finish of the Microsoft and Elecom balls.
makkin thing
@ekaitz_zarraga Never mind, I just saw this video by someone who modded ball transfer units into a Kensington trackball: https://www.reddit.com/r/Trackballs/comments/dg0fye/big_ballin_with_ball_transfer_units_1_week_update/
I might try some cheap ball transfer units. They won't be as good, but might still be better for the high-friction ball that the Ploopy comes with.
makkin thing
@ekaitz_zarraga Oh yeah that's pretty expensive!
makkin thing
@ekaitz_zarraga All I did was a quick ebay search but I found some 8mm: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5X-Dia-8mm-Sliver-Ball-Metal-Transfer-Bearing-Unit-Conveyor-Roller-Wheels-D-E4H/233762441858?hash=item366d53ca82:g:pKEAAOSwn1FZq9BP and some 4mm: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5x-Dia-4mm-Ball-Metal-Transfer-Bearing-Unit-Conveyor-Roller-Wheels-2-Hole-Set/193476673065?hash=item2d0c1bbe29:g:~TMAAOSwrfFd2-Rh
makkin thing
@ekaitz_zarraga Well I bought the 4mm ones... They're not 4mm. They're 15mm. The seller put the diameter of the holes in the listing title instead of the diameter of the actual ball.
So they're too big for using in a trackball and also really not smooth at all.
makkin thing
Accidental trans flag trackball?
makkin thing
The trackball print finished in 12.5 hours instead of 13.5, so now I have the world's ugliest trackball!
Also that was a lot of support material - probably could have turned that down a bunch.
makkin thing
I've been talking with someone on reddit about modding ball transfer units into the #Ploopy #trackball. They're basically omnidirectional ball bearings.
It was kind of hard to source the small ones in the UK (seem to be available mostly to companies, but I have no VAT number) but I got some eventually.
Here's a quick video comparing them in a test part to the Ploopy's stock bearings: https://imgur.com/a/Y7NeHqx
makkin thing
How's this for a computer peripheral aesthetic?
This is the first stage of a mod for the Ploopy trackball to use ball transfer units (BTUs) as bearings for the ball.
This just about fits in the shell and feels good, so the next step is to try to modify the CAD file for the original shell.
makkin thing
I'm quite enjoying the ball transfer units in the trackball. They're the lowest friction bearing option I've tried. That means you can flick from one side of a bunch of screens to the other, but it also means it's easier to be precise.
With high static friction, it's hard to overcome it to do a small movement without overdoing the movement.
makkin thing
Yesterday I did a third iteration of the BTU mod for the Ploopy #trackball
I cut off just the front section and printed it today - my supports were a bit excessive so just that bit took 7 hours!
I've been using it this evening and it feels good. I moved the bearings a bit further up the walls so it's harder to push the ball sideways by accident.
makkin thing
Anyway, last night I printed the trackball bearing mounts and fitted them into the trackball. They needed a little bit of filing and drilling to get them to fit right, but they work well!
I used the trackball all day today and it's definitely a small improvement over the roller bearings. Unfortunately the snooker ball is too rough so there's about as much friction as before. It's nicer though because it's the same in all directions!
makkin thing
One of the mounts (the one closest to the camera) needed to be reshaped a bit to fit - the pocket is a slightly different shape. But I'm kinda shocked my first attempt works so well!
makkin thing
I ordered an alternative ball for the #ploopy trackball. It was sold for a Logitech cordless optical trackman and is a bit smaller but still works.
Using it with my silicon nitride bearings with an adapter, it was surprisingly not much of an improvement over the pool ball. However, once I put the original roller bearings back in, it makes a huge difference! There's now very little friction to overcome when going from stopped to moving, which makes precise movements a hell of a lot easier.
makkin thing
So to summarise the current best setup I have for the Ploopy #trackball - Use the original bearings and just replace the ball with a glossy one.
makkin thing
I designed some quick bearing mounts for the Ploopy trackball today - instead of roller bearings I wanted to use silicon nitride ball bearings. They don't rotate, they're just a low friction surface.
Rather than re-printing the entire massive top part of the trackball, I chose to just make them small "adapter" inserts that you can put into the bearing holders in the existing part.
makkin thing
@ekaitz_zarraga Thanks! They're Bosch-Rexroth R053010810. They were actually a bit hard to find a good supplier for in the UK (even before Brexit finished) unless you're a company.
If it would be helpful I can list some of the suppliers someone on reddit found.
makkin thing
@ekaitz_zarraga Thanks for the suggestion - I think we settled on the Bosch ones because they were available in both the US and EU. The small Alwayse ones also have a screw thread on the bottom that makes them tricky to fit in the Ploopy body :(
Suppliers /u/d4baller found:- https://www.boschrexroth.com/en/xc/products/product-groups/linear-motion-technology/ball-transfer-units-and-tolerance-rings/ball-transfer-units/r0530-with-sheet-steel-housing/r0530-1-with-sheet-steel-housing- https://store.livhaven.com/r053010810-bosch-rexroth-ball-transfer-unit- https://l-system.nu/webshop/linear-technology/ball-transfer-units-and-tolerance-rings/ball-transfer-units/type-r0530/ball-transfer-unit-ku-b8-ofk/- https://www.sp-spareparts.com/en/p/r053010810-bosch-rexroth
Spareparts was the one that worked for me in the UK without a VAT number.
makkin thing
@ekaitz_zarraga I had a fun one with livhaven where it was $30 for the parts and something like $130 for shipping!
makkin thing
@ekaitz_zarraga Nice! An alternative name to look for is KU-B8-OFK. What's the site you found, so I can add it to my list?
I'm planning on writing up a blog post about this once I've done one more iteration of the design.
makkin thing
@ekaitz_zarraga Does that one require you to be a company?
makkin thing
@ekaitz_zarraga Cool, thanks!
makkin thing
My first open source contribution got merged! I added my BTU mod for the Ploopy #trackball to the official repo. The creator suggested I do it.
Probably could have done with squashing some of the commits but oh well!
Pull request link: https://github.com/ploopyco/trackball/pull/18
makkin thing
Here are some fancy photos of my Ploopy BTU mod! #ploopy #trackball
makkin thing
I've been writing a blog post about my various iterations getting the Ploopy to a point where it's just about perfect for me. It's getting very long - I need to learn to be more concise.
As a designer I should probably be more aware about the information the reader actually cares about!
makkin thing
Just spent most of my day off work finishing up the blog post on my various experiments with the Ploopy trackball.
I've decided it's good enough to upload, so here it is:https://www.gbryant.co.uk/posts/2021-02-15_ploopy-trackball/post.html
makkin thing
@ekaitz_zarraga This is my first site! I can probably add an RSS feed, but I don't know how yet.
makkin thing
@ekaitz_zarraga It looks fairly simple. I'm hand-writing the HTML, not using a CMS or anything. Do you have any resources for what needs to actually go in the XML file?
makkin thing
@ekaitz_zarraga Does this work ok? https://www.gbryant.co.uk/gbryant-rss.xml (not yet linked on the site)
Ekaitz Zárraga 👹
@gbrnt It works perfect!
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