I say, nice typewritter laptop...

[smagrath]

http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2006/10/portable_typewr.html

Has any of the chaps managed a viewing of this wonderous contraption?

[Markus Stratus]

Aye have. I'd be very supprised if it's not on the forum already somewhere....

[cthulhu_spawn]

this is an old one, but a good one..ah..how brass goggles has grown! so many new faces, so many esoteric nonsensical but beautiful contraptions..

[Sir Theodore Catchpole]

old news but very nice all the same

[Outa_Spaceman]

That's another picture in the scrapbook...

[Lurker]

I've seen this before, but never the less it's still neat to see. Sadly though I'm getting a little put off by the typewriter keyboard mod (yeah I know it looks great and is a perfect match).

I think I might spend some time figuring out how to make a Ouija keyboard since it's got everything you need:

• Letters
• Numbers
• A few extra spots for the other keys
• Shoot even that little plastic device could be turns into a wireless mouse.

Though it might be a little thinker then a typical Ouija board, but hey at least it can really read messages from beyond (or at from other people)

*sorry for being off topic (kind of)

[Outa_Spaceman]

I've seen this before, but never the less it's still neat to see. Sadly though I'm getting a little put off by the typewriter keyboard mod (yeah I know it looks great and is a perfect match).

I think I might spend some time figuring out how to make a Ouija keyboard since it's got everything you need:

• Letters
• Numbers
• A few extra spots for the other keys
• Shoot even that little plastic device could be turns into a wireless mouse.

Though it might be a little thinker then a typical Ouija board, but hey at least it can really read messages from beyond (or at from other people)

*sorry for being off topic (kind of)

I'd like to see a massive keyboard that goes 'kerchunk' when a key is pressed...

[Jake of All Trades]

I've seen this before, but never the less it's still neat to see. Sadly though I'm getting a little put off by the typewriter keyboard mod (yeah I know it looks great and is a perfect match).

I think I might spend some time figuring out how to make a Ouija keyboard since it's got everything you need:

• Letters
• Numbers
• A few extra spots for the other keys
• Shoot even that little plastic device could be turns into a wireless mouse.

Though it might be a little thinker then a typical Ouija board, but hey at least it can really read messages from beyond (or at from other people)

*sorry for being off topic (kind of)

I agree!  All of the typewriter-keyboard mods I've seen are great, but I guess there's just something too obvious about it.  The Telecalculograph will have an appropriate text-entry device eventually, but not until I come up with something suitably non-Underwoodian.

[Lurker]

I agree!  All of the typewriter-keyboard mods I've seen are great, but I guess there's just something too obvious about it.  The Telecalculograph will have an appropriate text-entry device eventually, but not until I come up with something suitably non-Underwoodian.

I was looking at the plastic membrane sheet type keyboard (I don't know the technical name for it but it's the commen keyboard guts now days), and thought about just replacing all the circit lines with a wiring harness. When I have more time I'll think about this Ouija Keyboard idea more.

[Datamancer]

I've seen this before, but never the less it's still neat to see. Sadly though I'm getting a little put off by the typewriter keyboard mod (yeah I know it looks great and is a perfect match).

I think I might spend some time figuring out how to make a Ouija keyboard since it's got everything you need:

• Letters
• Numbers
• A few extra spots for the other keys
• Shoot even that little plastic device could be turns into a wireless mouse.

Though it might be a little thinker then a typical Ouija board, but hey at least it can really read messages from beyond (or at from other people)

*sorry for being off topic (kind of)

Haha...what do you say, Alex...should I tell him?

-~D~-

[Datamancer]

http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2006/10/portable_typewr.html

Has any of the chaps managed a viewing of this wonderous contraption?

This device has indeed made its rounds on the forums before. It's an impressive-looking piece, but I think it's just a prop. That mod is easily 5-6 years old by now and I've never seen a single photo of it turned on and working.

-~D~-

[Lurker]

Though it might be a little thinker then a typical Ouija board, but hey at least it can really read messages from beyond (or at from other people)

*sorry for being off topic (kind of)

Haha...what do you say, Alex...should I tell him?

-~D~-

Yeah I already know it's going to be a headache (at least trying to map out the connection circits for each key combination, not to mention insuring that the wire is not only the exact length, but also the right resistance), but hey like my Grandfather always says:
"If it's not worth spending time on, then it's not worth doing."

Like I said though. I'll work on this when I have more free time.

[Datamancer]

hehe no I mean I was just asking Alex a week or two back if he could send me a copy of the file he used for the Ouija board on his latest sculpture because I wanted to use it in a keyboard.

Go for it though. I've got such a full plate here that I probably wouldn't get to it for a while anyway.

I was thinking of making a combo.....a Ouija keyboard with a Ouija pointer mouse, which would sit on another Ouija board for a mousepad....or just skip the keyboard and make the mouse and pad.

-~D~-

[Lurker]

hehe no I mean I was just asking Alex a week or two back if he could send me a copy of the file he used for the Ouija board on his latest sculpture because I wanted to use it in a keyboard.

Go for it though. I've got such a full plate here that I probably wouldn't get to it for a while anyway.

I was thinking of making a combo.....a Ouija keyboard with a Ouija pointer mouse, which would sit on another Ouija board for a mousepad....or just skip the keyboard and make the mouse and pad.

-~D~-

I was going to get a Ouija board, map it out on a wood blank, and then just go from there. I didn't think about using a pre-made template since I was thinking about either allowing for the letters/numbers on the board to be used as keys, or maybe make then touch sensitive.

Yeah though that Ouija pointer just screams computer mouse.
(OK back to work for me)

[Datamancer]

Yeah the premade layout wouldn't really work for me, but I liked the "page illuminations" that AlexCF had on the Ouija board so I figured I'd use it as reference. I was hoping to stick with a QWERTY layout.

If you wanted to make a touch-sensitive keyboard, maybe you could either buy one of those rubber, roll-up keyboards and stick it under a piece of cloth with a faux parchment print with "batting" or thin foam around the outsides of the keys to keep the faceflate flush and level.
In theory, you could use the plastic membrane sheet for a regular disposable $10 keyboard, but the drawback would be the very small contact area. With those setups, the plastic key might be 1/2 inch or so on top, but only the bottom of the key shaft contacts the membrane and it strikes a tiny round area that's as small as an 1/8th of an inch in some cases.

-~D~-

[Jake of All Trades]

Capacitive touch sensors

[Datamancer]

Capacitive touch sensors

That'd be ideal, but I imagine 107 of them would add up!

[Lurker]

Capacitive touch sensors

Yeah that would be ideal, I'll have to spend some time figuring out how to set up the ground and sensor setup for each key (as well as just learning more about how the system works)

I don't know what direction this idea will take me, but one thing I know is that the classic Ouija board layout is how I picture the end result to look.

[cthulhu_spawn]

i was noticing how much steampunk has become the latest fad by doing a google search, and noticed that someone else has tried a ouija board steam punk laptop mod, or at least the layout. ill find the image again at some point..anyway, i bought a keyboard to modify...but i like the keyboard too much so ill leave the professional keyboard making to datamancer. ill need to send you a very high res image at some point, the one i used is too low res x

[Datamancer]

Capacitive touch sensors

Yeah that would be ideal, I'll have to spend some time figuring out how to set up the ground and sensor setup for each key (as well as just learning more about how the system works)

I don't know what direction this idea will take me, but one thing I know is that the classic Ouija board layout is how I picture the end result to look.

Jake of all Trades posted a really cool presentation on them back in my "Datamancer's Steampunk Laptop" thread if you want to check it out. I learned a lot from it. Thanks Jake!

-~D~-

[Datamancer]

i was noticing how much steampunk has become the latest fad by doing a google search, and noticed that someone else has tried a steam punk laptop mod, or at least the layout. ill find the image again at some point..anyway, i bought a keyboard to modify...but i like the keyboard too much so ill leave the professional keyboard making to datamancer. ill need to send you a very high res image at some point, the one i used is too low res x

Do you mean the Kowal mod? http://www.maryrobinettekowal.com/journal/the-kowal-portable-typewriter-and-adding-machine/
It's all art-deco-looking. A pretty cool mod. Nice design and layout to it.


Re: the pic...
Ok, cool thanks. Take your time, I know your internet access is intermittant lately and It'll be a while before I get to start it. Maybe you could send me the low-res version and I'll see if I can use it to vector-trace it, or just see the design in more detail to see if I like it and want to use it.

-~D~-

[cthulhu_spawn]

sorry i meant to write "ouija board" mod..
this is the one i saw.not so victorian -




yeah, ill have a play with it this afternoon. i guess im procrastinating. new project and all..

[cthulhu_spawn]

im also in the process of some kind of tv/computer/radio steampunk set up. but my fingers hurt from cutting all the keys. i dont have a blow torch and i couldnt find a piece of pipe the right size to melt/cut the stalks of the keys from the top bit..oh you know what i mean.
blah.

[Datamancer]

sorry i meant to write "ouija board" mod..
this is the one i saw.not so victorian -

(image clipped)


yeah, ill have a play with it this afternoon. i guess im procrastinating. new project and all..

Oh haha I didn't even catch the "Ouija" in there, I just read it as "steampunk laptop mod".

Yeah it's not very victorian, but still pretty funny. I like the LOL button.

I have a collection of page illuminations I bought and downloaded a while back that has some really cool borders and header graphics that you would probably find a million uses for. They're all scanned and vector-traced from old classical music sheets and covers. It has a nice selection of assorted stuff...some art-deco-ish, some almost Masonic, some florals, etc.
I'll see if I can dig it up, and if you want I can send it to you (and Jake H. too. I promised it to him eons ago and it totally slipped my mind)
-~D~-

[Commander Obadiah]

Datamancer: Do you mind promising me that, too?

Commander C. Obadiah