DIYUSBPenmouse/Mousepen

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ThisinstructableisformakinganopticalUSBmouseintoapenstyleMousepen.
OrPenmouse.
(/id/Cardboard
Mystartingpointwasfromseeingthisinstructable
(https://www.instructables.com/id/DIYOPTICALPENOPTIPEN/)butwantingto
improvethemechanicaldesignalittleandaddtheleftrightclickswitchesback.
CanvasforAcrylicPaintings/)
It'salsoanentryinthe"BeforeandAfter"upcyclingcompetition:

Before:Cheapplasticmousewithfailingscrollwheel.
(/id/PIneboxFinal
After:Usefuldigitalarttoolthatdoesn'tcostafortune!

Step1:ReasonfortheProject
 Freehanddetaileddrawing/artworkwithamouseisharderworkthanwitha
DIYUSBPenmouse/Mousepen by
pencil.Iusuallyendupsketchingwithapencil/penandscanningtheresultin,
MikB(/member/MikB/)indigitalgraphics(/tag/typeid/categorytechnology/channeldigitalgraphics/)
beforecontinuingdigitallyfromthere. Assembly/) (/id/DIY

Isatandthoughtaboutwhy.Whyisdrawingwithamousehard?Thetwomain
Download h(/id/DIYUSBPenmouseMousepen/) 12Steps .
blockagesIcameupwithwere...
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USBPenmouseMousepen/)
1)Theareathemouseroamsover.

Onpaper:Sizeissize.YoucantraversethewholeA4/A3sheettofitthe
drawingin. Related
Withamouse:Myscreenis540mmdiagonal,yetI'mdrawinginaboxaround
Keyboard&Mousefor
45mmdiagonal.Ididn'trealizeitwassotiny.Thatisliketryingtodrawona Tablets(Nexus7)
largepostagestamp.Itmeansthattinyerrors,tremors,sticking/mistrackingof (/id/KeyboardMousefor
TabletsNexus7/)
themousearemagnified.
(/id/Keyboard byASCAS(/member/ASCAS/)
DIYCapacitiveStylus
2)Themusclesusedtomovethemouse.
(/id/DIYCapacitiveStylus/)
Whenwriting/drawingonpaper:Finecontrolcomesfromflexingtwofingersand byDIYHacksandHowTos
(/member/DIY+Hacks+and+How+Tos/)
athumb,mediumcontrolfromwrist/handrotation,andcoarsecontrolfromarm
(/id/DIY
movement. HowtomakeaMacbook
Tablet(/id/Howtomakea
Whenholdingamouse:Yourfingersareusuallyinalockedpositionfor MacbookTablet/)
operatingbuttons,andsprawledoverthemouse.Thistakesawaythefinest byMrQuiffster
(/id/Howto (/member/MrQuiffster/)
levelofcontrol.Yourwristandarmdomostofthework.It'slikewhenachild StainlessSteelStylus
writes/drawswithapenheldinafist! (/id/StainlessSteelStylus/)
bynwillustration
(/member/nwillustration/)
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(/id/Stainless
DIYSeethroughSpring
StylusforanyCapacitive
touchscreen(/id/DIYSee
throughSpringStylusfor
(/id/DIYSee AndroidandIpho/)

Step2:FixingtheProblems
Theareathemouseroamsovercanbefixedinsoftware,bychangingthespeed
response.Butholdingthemousemorelikeapenwouldhelpthingsalongonthe
finecontrolfront.

Iusedacheapopticalmouse(2)andabingomarkerpentocreateapen
mouse/mousepen.Tokeepthesensorflattothepaper,evenwhenthepenis
anglednaturally,Ineededaflexiblejointandfoundoneintheformofa
camerastandforanoldNISISUSBcamera.Thisallowsthepenbodytobe
movedwiththefingerslikearealpen.

Step3:Parts
DIYUSBPenmouse/Mousepen by
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(/file/F37TIA5IJEKI98V/)

(/file/F62JULJIJD9GR0A/)

HM3303AOpticalMouse,unbranded2
BingoMarker(Fatpen)
BicBiro(Skinnypen)
38SWGEnamelledcopperwire
2xmomentarypushbuttons
3xnylonwashers
Polymorph
ScotchTape
PVAglue
Superglue

Step4:DisassembleStand/FitPenBody
DIYUSBPenmouse/Mousepen by
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(/file/F537452IJEKIALY/)

(/file/FNNGQ2GIJEMMRK3/) (/file/FNIKZ3MIJEMMR94/)

Thestandhasaleadweightinthebottom,removethis.Alsoslackenoffthetwo
screwsholdingthemetalplatetoallowthejointtopivoteasier,innormalusefor
thecamerathisjointisstiffand"positionable".Loosenitsoitslidesmorefreely.
Thecameraholdercomesoffifyoureleasetheplasticpeginsideit.

Thediameterofthisgreypegfitsneatlyintoacheapbiro,whichinturnfitsinto
theopenendofthebingomarker.Soasmall"adaptor"wasmadefromapiece
ofabiropen.

Step5:ChopUptheMouse
DIYUSBPenmouse/Mousepen by
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(/file/FTQANT0IJEKICCS/)

(/file/F7EI2XUIJEKIAL1/) (/file/FR2LWL4IJEKIAWZ/)

(/file/F1653FVIJEKIAXX/) (/file/FDF920KIJEKIAZ6/) (/file/F8CDM0WIJEMMRYA/)

Well,probablynotedownalltheconnectionsandthecircuitdiagramfirst,
otherwiseitwillneverworkagain:)

Thereweretwowaystotrimthepcb,Ichosetheonewhichleftalltheneeded
componentsandUSBattachmentpointontheweirdtriangularpiece.The
mousebuttonsandscrollwheelaregoneeitherway.

Thetwoelectrolyticcapacitorsstandtootall.Idesolderedtheseandwiredthem
backin,insulatingthelegsandgluingthemdownwithPVAglue.
Covertheopticalsensor!IusedScotchTapetostopdustgettingintothepinhole
sensor.

Theboardwasattackedwithadrill,andthesawn/sandedtocleanuptheedges.
Althoughmanytrackswerecutthrough,onlyagroundline(0v)neededtobe
replacedwithashortwirelink.AllotherlosttrackswereredundantORwentto
theswitches.Thiswasgoodluck:)

Thescrollwheelandmiddlemousebuttonwereabandoned.Onlyleftandright
willbeimplemented.
Step6:RebuildBase
DIYUSBPenmouse/Mousepen by
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(/file/FAD6N7WIJEMMSFL/) (/file/F0EBNVOIJEMMSIT/)

(/file/FPOCCOHIJEMMSJ9/) (/file/F1AHS3PIJEKIBED/)

Theopticalblockwithoutmodificationdropsintoplace,andIusedthebase
ofthestandasatemplatetoworkoutthecuttingpattern/templateforcuttingthe
mouse'sbaseup(later).

Towirethebuttonsdownintothebody,Idrilledafineholethroughtheplasticof
thejoint,andthreadedawirethroughtocheckclearpassage.

Step7:BuildPenBody
DIYUSBPenmouse/Mousepen by
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(/file/FPOTCEBIJEORLTX/)

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Thepositionofthetwobuttonswasfoundbyholdingthedevice,andseeing
wheremyindexfingernaturallylies.

That'sthe"left"click.Abovethat,byabout0.75"isthe"right"clickbutton.

Thebuttonsaremountedintothepenbody:Smallholesallowtheactuators
through,largerholes,whichareatightfitontheswitchbody,allowthemtopush
infromtheback.

Athirdhole,betweentheswitches,takesthewiringintothepenbody.

Theseswitchesaresupergluedinplace.

Step8:WireintheSwitches
DIYUSBPenmouse/Mousepen by
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Theenamelledcopperwireisusedtoconnectoneside(ofbothswitches)to
ground,andonewirefromeachswitchtotheleftandrightmousebuttontracks.

Thesewiresarethenthreadedthroughthepenbody,throughthejoint,and
coiledupontothePCB,wheretheyaresoldereddown,andtapedinplace.

Step9:SecuringThingsandFinishingOff

(/file/F8OGJN1IJEORLU3/)

(/file/FV7U6F2IJEMMTJX/)
(/file/F68EF5DIJEKIBLU/)

(/file/FMCMI6IIJEKIBIX/)
DIYUSBPenmouse/Mousepen by
MikB(/member/MikB/)indigitalgraphics(/tag/typeid/categorytechnology/channeldigitalgraphics/)
Theoriginalmousebasewascutcloselytomatchtheshapeofthebase,using
thetemplatefromabove.
Download h(/id/DIYUSBPenmouseMousepen/) 12Steps .

Thebuttonsareveryexposedattheback,soashortpieceofplastictubewas
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bondedovertoprotectthem.Thisalsohelpskeepthepenpointing"forward"
whenheld.

Thebaseoriginallyskatedonfourcheapshinystickonlabels.Thesewerelost
inthemousebasebutchery.SoIusedthreenylon(slippy)washersgluedin
place.

Themousebaseandcaseareclosedtogether,almostneatly,withPolymorph
mouldableplastic,whichwasextrudedintoalongsausageandpressedinto
placebeforesmoothingitover.

Step10:SoftwareAdjustments1
IusethisdeviceunderLinux,withGIMP(bitmap)andKarbon(vector)tools.No
settingsareneededintheapplications,buttoslowthemouse"speed"right
down,whilekeepingresolutionneedsatweak.

Additionally,thistweakwasputintoa"udev"rule,sothatitisappliedwhenever
thismouseispluggedin.

Notethatthistweakonlyaffectsthenamedmousedevice,soyoucanusea
regularsystemmouseASWELLasthisdevice,theybothwork.
Manualadjustment/firsttimesetup:

Iusethedevicename,nottheidnumber,asthenameofthedeviceisfixedin
hardware,andassignedidnumbersmaychange!

FindtheNAMEofyourmousependevice,bytyping

xinputlist

Exampleoutput

Virtualcorepointerid=2[masterpointer(3)]
VirtualcoreXTESTpointerid=4[slavepointer(2)]
SIGMACHIPUsbMouseid=10[slavepointer(2)]<sys
temmouse
HID04f3:0103id=9[slavepointer(2)]
USBOPTICALMOUSEid=11[slavepointer(2)]<the
mousepen
Virtualcorekeyboardid=3[masterkeyboard(2)]
VirtualcoreXTESTkeyboardid=5[slavekeyboard(3)]
PowerButtonid=6[slavekeyboard(3)]
PowerButtonid=7[slavekeyboard(3)]
HID04f3:0103id=8[slavekeyboard(3)]

Notethereisaspuriousspacebefore"USBOPTICALMOUSE",yes,you
actuallyneedthatspaceifyouhavethesamecheapmouseIused!

Thengetthenameofpropertiesyoucanalterwith

xinputlistprops"USBOPTICALMOUSE"

Exampleoutput
 Device'USBOPTICALMOUSE':
DIYUSBPenmouse/Mousepen
DeviceEnabled(128):1
by
MikB(/member/MikB/)indigitalgraphics(/tag/typeid/categorytechnology/channeldigitalgraphics/)
CoordinateTransformationMatrix(130):1.000000,0.000000,0.000000,0.0
00000,1.000000,0.000000,0.000000,0.000000,1.000000
Download h(/id/DIYUSBPenmouseMousepen/) 12Steps .
DeviceAccelProfile(250):0
DeviceAccelConstantDeceleration(251):1.000000<THIS
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ONE
DeviceAccelAdaptiveDeceleration(252):1.000000
DeviceAccelVelocityScaling(253):10.000000
EvdevAxisInversion(254):0,0
EvdevAxesSwap(256):0
AxisLabels(257):"RelX"(138),"RelY"(139)
ButtonLabels(258):"ButtonLeft"(131),"ButtonMiddle"(132),"Butt
onRight"(133),"ButtonWheelUp"(134),"ButtonWheelDown"(135),"ButtonHori
zWheelLeft"(136),"ButtonHorizWheelRight"(137)
EvdevMiddleButtonEmulation(259):0
EvdevMiddleButtonTimeout(260):50
EvdevWheelEmulation(261):0
EvdevWheelEmulationAxes(262):0,0,4,5
EvdevWheelEmulationInertia(263):10
EvdevWheelEmulationTimeout(264):200
EvdevWheelEmulationButton(265):4
EvdevDragLockButtons(266):0

Inamongstthatlotisthepropertyyouneedtochangenumber251.Butlet's
stickwithnames.

Toreducethemousespeed,meaningyoumouseoveralargerarea,usefactors
largerthan1.0...e.g.

xinputsetprop"USBOPTICALMOUSE""DeviceAccelConstant
Deceleration"8.0

Formymousepen,with8.0,IgetaboutanA3sheet'sworthofmousingnowto
coverthewholescreen!

Step11:SoftwareAdjustments2
IfyourLinuxsystemusesudev,thenyoucandotheabovestepautomatically
everytimeyouplugin:

Createafilein/etc/udev/rules.d/called68mousepen.rulesandput
somethinglikethisinit:

#Setmousesensitivityreductionforopticalmousepen
ACTION=="add",SUBSYSTEM=="usb",ATTRS{idVendor}=="15d9",ATTRS{idProduct}=="0a4
c",RUN+="/usr/local/bin/mousepen"

Youwillneedtouselsusbtofindthevendor:productcodenumbersforyour
particularmouse.

Bus007Device001:ID1d6b:0001LinuxFoundation1.1roothub
Bus003Device005:ID15d9:0a4cThisIsYourMouse<thisone!
Bus003Device004:ID1c4f:0034SiGmaMicro

ThisudevrulemeansthatwheneveraUSBdeviceispluggedinthatmatches
yourmousepen,runthenamedscript.

Andthencreate/usr/local/bin/mousepen,ownedbyroot,andexecutable
(chmod700/usr/local/bin/mousepen),withthefollowingcontents
 #!/bin/tcsh
DIYUSBPenmouse/Mousepen
setenvDISPLAY":0.0"
by
MikB(/member/MikB/)indigitalgraphics(/tag/typeid/categorytechnology/channeldigitalgraphics/)
setenvXAUTHORITY"/home/YOURHOME/.Xauthority"
(sleep5;xinputsetprop"USBOPTICALMOUSE""DeviceAccelConstantDecelerat
Download (/id/DIYUSBPenmouseMousepen/)
12Steps
ion"8.0)& h .

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TheXAUTHORITYlineneedstopointtoyourhomedirectorytopickupthatfile.
Otherwiseitwon'twork!

Thefinallinereturnsstraightbacktoudev,allowingittogetonwithcreatingthe
USBdevice,buthangsaroundherefor5secondsbeforeattemptingtosetitup.
Thisdelayisimportant,otherwisethemousehasn'tyetbeen"found"andagain,
itwon'twork.

Step12:Result!

(/file/FANP62QIJEMMUII/)

(/file/FS4VAWPIJEORM51/) (/file/FMYAYUEIJEMMUCM/)

(/file/F4UJH2LIJEKIBT5/) (/file/FNS5PROIJEKIBPT/)

AsIhoped,it'smucheasiertodrawonalargerarea,withsomethingthatfeels
morelikeapen!
 Curveshavefewer"jaggies"inthem.Shadingstylemotionsworkbettertoo,
DIYUSBPenmouse/Mousepen
closerpackedandmoreeven. by
MikB(/member/MikB/)indigitalgraphics(/tag/typeid/categorytechnology/channeldigitalgraphics/)
It'snotasgoodasarealtablet,butforjustover2andlessthanaday'swork,I
thinkit'sgoodvalue!
Download h(/id/DIYUSBPenmouseMousepen/) 12Steps .

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Wehaveabenicecommentpolicy.
Pleasebepositiveandconstructive. wIMadeit! AddImages PostComment

FungoNinja(/member/FungoNinja) 4monthsago Reply

applepen

JeroenV48(/member/JeroenV48) 7monthsago Reply

Givethepenalittlespacetomoveandputleftclickunderthepen.Ifyoupress
thependown,youleftclick.
Also,usealaserpen.Italreadyhasaplacetohold2batteries.(Wireless
mouse)

roliop(/member/roliop) ayearago Reply

Ihaveanidea...arrangeafreelymovingballinfrontofthesensor.Thisishould
pickupanyrollingaroundonthetableandalsofeelmorelikearealpen.
 roliop
DIYUSBPenmouse/Mousepen by
MikB(/member/MikB/)indigitalgraphics(/tag/typeid/categorytechnology/channeldigitalgraphics/)

X
Download MikB(/member/MikB)(author) . roliop(/member/roliop) ayearago Reply
|
h(/id/DIYUSBPenmouseMousepen/) 12Steps .
8
That'sagoodthoughtgetbuildingthen,posttheresults:)
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Gotanysparerubbercoatedmouseballs?Thatwouldgiveagoodnon
slip,texturedsurface,Ithink.

Rememberthatthedirectionoftrackingwillbeflippedinbothdirections,
soyou'llneedtofixthatinsoftwareorturnthemousearound(tailtoward
you).

dmcbeing(/member/dmcbeing) ayearago Reply

Neverheardofamousepenbefore.
Ifthiscouldbedonewithawirelessmouseithinkitwouldbeeven
better.Perhapsevenhavingthecableleavefromthepenbodyinsteadofthe
basewouldhelpremovethecablefriction.

X MikB(/member/MikB)(author) . dmcbeing(/member/dmcbeing) ayearago Reply

|
8
IplantousethisalsowithaRaspberryPIwhichhasawirelessmouse
alreadyIdon'tknowifitwouldconflicthavingtwowirelessmouse
devices.Alsowirelessmousemeansfindingsomewheretohidethe
batteries:)
Thecabledoesn'tseemtocausemuchfriction,itjusttrailsdownthe
drawingboard.Ifanything,ithelpskeepthebasetherightwayup,likea
tailonakite.
AlsoIdidthinkofbringingtheUSBleadoutofthetopofthepen,but1)
itmakesthepenabitmoretopheavy,and2)thejointIusedwouldn't
passaUSBcableeasilyhenceusingenamelledcopperwire(magnet
wire)forthebuttons.

| UncleKudzu(/member/UncleKudzu) ayearago Reply

Wow,verythoroughi'ble!Interestingapproach.I'mconstantlytalkingmyselfout
ofbuyingatablet.SometimesIdrawonmyphoneandthenputthephone
drawingintotheGimpandmakecoolbackgrounds.OrItrytoinventnewways
ofdrawingwiththemouseandGimp.Icanseetheimprovementwithyour
mousepen,soI'mgonnastudyyourprojectandseeifIcandoit.Thanksfor
sharing!

X MikB(/member/MikB)(author) . UncleKudzu(/member/UncleKudzu) Reply

|
8 ayearago
Thanks!Whatdoesnotshowupintheexamplesishow
CAREFULLYyouhavetomouse(withamouse)andstillendupwith
someroughedges.Withthepenmouse,youcansquiggle/strokemore
quickly,anditcomesoutneater!

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