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stn8188
jimmies
Alternative way to see it: The author had either a $50 solution, or a $50 solution that comes with a discounted hotair rework station for $150…
I learned it from Superfastmatt. He needed a piece of plastic that retails for $1500 for his van, so he said: “either I have a $1500 solution or I have a $1500 solution but I get a free fancy 3D printer in the end…” that stuck with me.
stn8188
Haha yeah, last year I replaced my wheel bearings in my van. I ended up with a frustrating ABS code (long story short: faulty magnetic encoders on both of the new bearings). I ended up spending about the same as the job would have cost at a shop, but with a slew of new tools.
I also did a USB switch project for fun, and ended up spending probably $250 for something I could have just bought for $15, but it was a great experience. (Here if anyone is interested: https://shielddigitaldesign.com/posts/2021/susb/ )
stronglikedan
Lol, was that the thing that jutted out the drive's side and let him put the bed sideways? If so, I missed that quip, but it's great regardless!
bluGill
When doing any diy I assume I will spend more on tools the first time than I save, but the next time I have the tools and so costs are much less.
vasco
There's never a next time though because you just want to do new stuff
m463
I've come full circle several times.
I have a brake bleeder, an oil change jugs with a cap on top and the side, cellphone tool kits, and more...
Sometimes it takes a while to derive the tenets of labor specialization from first principles.
How many of us can make more making nets for fishermen than making nets AND fishing yourself?
XorNot
Sometimes I wonder this and then look up how much it costs to get some job done and realize I'm probably still coming out substantially ahead.
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frankus
For just straight up assembly of one-sided SMT boards (i.e. not reclaiming components from a donor board), a $30 plug-in electric skillet and a solder paste stencil from the PCB manufacturer (or patience and a solder paste syringe) works far better than it has any right to. https://www.instructables.com/Simple-Skillet-Surface-mount-S...
Aurornis
The hot air station is called a "rework station" because it's very helpful for rework, too.
Using a hot plate to reflow boards is fine if you already know everything is correct. Having a real hot air station is very important if you need to change any parts or even fix reflow problems.
throw-qqqqq
I prefer a regular soldering iron for SMD. Below 0603 I tend to blow off unrelated components if I’m not very very careful!
So for me, a loupe/microscope and a fine SMD iron is the best option. I have some China-model that uses Hakko tips.
antoniuschan99
I been using these mini pan frying skillets for years for prototype boards. <$2. An IR thermometer with a laser is handy during the process.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008863940082.html
And here is the cheap hot air rework station I use. <$15
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005989227215.html
You can even opt out of the stencil but I never do cuz it's much easier than not having it.
stn8188
Haha I've got an old toaster oven, it works wonders for basic prototype assembly!
brokenmachine
On aliexpress, search for "demolition heating" and there are really cheap ($5 or so?) heating plates that I believe are used for removing SMD LEDs.
Not sure why they'd need to remove SMD LEDs, but whatever.
They are "PTC" which means they top out at a certain temperature, usually 260 degrees.
I would recommend using an inline fuse holder for some semblance of safety though.
One of these, a lamp cord, some solder paste and a toothpick, and you can easily assemble SMD boards.
ctippett
That hit home for me too. My DIY cupboard is full of quality buy-it-for-life tools and accessories that I've used only a handful of times (or sometimes not at all).
ruined
you might consider contributing to your local tool library or hackerspace
njovin
We both know that approximately 24 hours after donating something he will BADLY need it for an unexpected repair.
Aurornis
This is easier than many assume: If you can find the Discord or even an e-mail for your local makerspace and send them a photo, they might urgently send someone to pick it up from you if it's useful to them.
thiht
Is a local tool library or hackerspace something common? I’ve never heard of that but that sounds cool
ctippett
Great suggestion.
kleiba
You know, for years I have been collecting power tools without having an immediate use for them - because they were for sale, or just because, you know, they're power tools. And a lot of them ended up just sitting on my workshop shelf, some of them never made it out of the box they came in.
But then we bought a new house and I started renovating it. I think I have probably used every single tool I ever bought by now, and every time I used one for the first time, I was so happy that I didn't have to go and scout for a good deal first or drive to Home Depot to buy one right now or anything like that.
So in my case, it actually paid off in the end to have PTPA (premature tool purchase addiction).
tickettotranai
I counter by asking if renting them would have saved you money. It's what I do when I need tools I don't usually use
baq
But what if you bought S&P instead and only liquidated when you needed power tools? Opportunity cost is real!
Disclaimer: had to expand the shed to fit all tools
XorNot
I've had this happen a couple of times now. There's definitely some jobs where I looked around and realized I'd used just about every tool I have.
I think the only disappointment at the moment is my Makita rotary drywall cutter - a reciprocating multi tool is just so much easier to control and makes nice straight cuts easily.
Still waiting for the welder to have its moment though.
vorgol
I've acquired so many tools like this, and I don't think I've ever looked at them at though I regretted the purchase. Many have enabled me to fix and make stuff down the line.
userbinator
$200 is around 3-4x more than necessary for a decent hot air station these days; I had to check the date on the article as that would've been a more reasonable price 10-15 years ago.
dotancohen
Can you recommend a good $50 option for someone getting into the field?
_shantaram
You can get a $15 hot air station and it's fine for getting quite a lot done! Look for clones of the Atten 858D. And come say hi in #electronics on Libera :)
ropable
This statement also hit home for me when I thought over my woodworking tools. I could buy finished timber for $300, or I could spend $500 on tools and several hours to finish $75 of rough-sawn timber myself.
We aren't doing these things to save money.
Wololooo
Almost never, in some cases you can but you need to be really in a nice and usually have access to the tooling for XYZ reasons. Then you would need to factor your labor cost, which is usually more than what would be billed normally in some cases...
paulddraper
But now you have it for "next" time....
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bityard
My favorite mouse is the Logitech Anywhere MX. It's highly comfortable despite being pretty small. The back/forward buttons on the side are indispensable for web browsing, file management, and switching weapons in first-person shooters. It takes two AA batteries which last for months and take seconds to swap out. The dongle is small and has good range. The scroll wheel switches between clicky and free-scrolling.
It's pretty much the perfect mouse, IMO, to the point that I built up a back stock by hoarding new and open box on eBay. But there are two main problems:
1) The the microswitches go bad after a couple years. It's possible to replace them, but it's tedious and you run a very real risk of damaging the PCB (as I have already done).
2) The dongle is USB Type-A only. Logitech actively refused to make a USB-C unifying receiver. I assume they wanted to shift to bluetooth but they still made unifying receiver devices for years and years after bluetooth was everywhere, so I dunno.
As far as newer iterations, the Anywhere MX 2S is somewhat tolerable, but it has a built-in battery which must be charged every couple of months, which is annoying. All of the newer Anywhere MX mice are even worse because they changed the basic functionality/features of the mouse with each revision. Oh, yes and they cost $90 (!) retail now.
So basically one of my side-projects, one of these days, is going to be to try building an open source Anywhere MX clone. Should be a fun yet challenging endeavour. I know there are a bunch of online communities making their own keyboards from scratch and at great expense, is there such a thing for mice?
phire
I like my Anywhere MX 3.
The smaller size is actually ideal for my fingertip grip, and I actually like the rechargeable battery. It lasts well over a month on a single charge and then charges really quickly (if it ever does go flat, just chuck it on the charger while you make a coffee, 2-3 min is enough to last the rest of the day). And I love the scroll wheel.
The microswitches going bad is a massive downside.
I read somewhere that it's caused by static build up due to Logitech using much lower voltage/current than what the switches were originally designed for... After a bit of experimentation, I found that simply breathing warm air into the side of the left button clears up my issues for a few days....
Which is stupid annoying workaround, but what else am I going to do, buy a second one which probably has the same flaw?
mbreese
I too use the mx 3. It’s a great mouse that can also travel easily in my laptop bag.
I went to get a new one to keep at my office last year and noticed that the buttons had changed from clicky ones to silent ones. That drove me nuts and I returned the new version. However, the issue you mention with static and the buttons might explain the change. I thought it was just a vendor making a good device cheaper to manufacture. Maybe it was a better version after all?
phire
Yeah... apparently the MX Anywhere 3S uses new "silent" switches, which I was hoping might fix the issue.
But I've found one post complaining about bad switches on the Anywhere 3S and a few complaining about the MX Master 3S (which uses the same switches?).
I'm sticking with my current mouse for now, since I know it's quirks.
tracker1
I'm a pretty big fan of the M500 series myself.. I like the weighted scroll wheel. I actually wish it were maybe 15-20% bigger and slightly heavier myself.
Liftyee
Not sure about online mouse communities, but it intrigued me that you prefer replaceable AA batteries to built-in rechargeables. I realise now that because of my dislike (leaning towards hatred) of single-use alkaline batteries I unwittingly dismissed the benefits of having quick replaceability.
Nickel metal rechargeables are a good AA/AAA substitute for devices designed to tolerate their lower voltage. For more power, 14500/18650/21700 cylindrical lithium cells are my go-to.
Personally though, I find it more convenient to have a charging cable on hand vs keep some charged batteries on standby. When the built-in battery eventually goes bad, I am confident that I could replace it myself (not a universal position).
skywal_l
Had to use my old TI 89 one day. Haven't used it in 10 years. Took it out of storage, put in 4 AAA usb-c rechargable batteries, worked like a charm. Could you do the same with your hard to replace custom battery?
Any consumer electronic using standard format batteries is superior by default. Because 10 or 20 years from now, it still have brand new full batteries lying around.
jamesgeck0
I have an early digital video camera with a genius design. It came with a custom rechargeable cell in the battery compartment. But the compartment _also_ supports regular AA batteries.
Liftyee
Point taken. What's your review of those batteries with a USB C port? I've always avoided them because of the reduced capacity, price (5 or so years ago) and that I assumed they would have a constant voltage output making it impossible for devices to give you an accurate battery level measurement.
I'm not magic; can't replace built-in batteries without a soldering iron (or at least, relatively uncommon replacement parts).
As always, engineering tradeoffs are involved. I was recently looking for a casual point-and-shoot camera from the ~2010s, but all the slimline ones used flat lithium removable batteries (as only the bulkier ones have space for AAs).
f1shy
I‘ve done this with my HHKB. Great solution.
Zak
> Nickel metal rechargeables are a good AA/AAA substitute for devices designed to tolerate their lower voltage.
Any device that can't is arguably broken as designed. Much of the energy (the majority, in a higher current application) in an alkaline battery is found under 1.2V.
See discharge curves: https://lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/Duracell%20Ultra%...
NiMH actually stays above 1.2V longer for all but the lightest loads: https://lygte-info.dk/review/batteries2012/Eneloop%20AA%20BK...
jamesgeck0
Unless the device was designed around the alkaline discharge curve! Smoke alarms rely on the lower voltage to give sufficient warning when the battery is low, and mine refuses to operate at all when powered by a rechargeable battery.
swiftcoder
I too was surprised by this view when I started at Oculus, where the game controller folks who had come over from Xbox were adamant that players would rather swap in a fresh pair of AAs than plug into a charging cable.
Personally I've never come around to their side of things, although I do recognise the inconvenience of charging cables while you are using a peripheral (Apple Mouse charging port location especially :D )
mmh0000
For me, I'll always choose a device with standard, user-replaceable batteries over a built-in battery.
1) If the device battery is dead, I can swap it out in seconds and be up and running immediately.
2) Built-in batteries fail, and replacing them ranges from difficult to near-impossible and often involves damaging the device's casing to get the built-in battery out.
When I'm spending $100 on a computer mouse, I'd really like it to last longer than the life of the battery and not have to destroy the casing to get to the battery to replace it.
mitthrowaway2
I still use my Xbox 360 sometimes, and the only controllers that still work are the ones with AA batteries. The rechargeables have long since died completely.
devilbunny
I, too, prefer disposables, but for a somewhat different reason. One very commonly used surgical item is a sterile suction/irrigator. It's sealed with 8 AA's at the factory, used for 2-3 minutes during laparoscopic surgery, and disposed of. So pretty much anyone who works in a surgical suite that does laparoscopy has a personally unlimited supply of AA's that would be thrown away anyway.
sethhochberg
Years ago when I worked in live audio we had a similar setup. Zero tolerance for a performer's mic pack dying mid show because a low battery indicator wasn't calibrated right or someone incorrectly tracked how many hours a particular set had been used, so it was fresh-from-the-package alkaline AAs installed before every set, and a virtually unlimited supply of half-charged disposables to take home afterwards. Plenty would get reused for internal equipment checks and sound checks, but there were still more than enough to go around.
At the time (well over a decade ago) there was still lots of skepticism around recharagables and the extra process involved in dealing with them... but the tech has gotten lots better since, at that time even low-self-discharge was sort of hard to find. I'm sure much of the industry has moved over by now.
Scoundreller
Same but with portable infusion pumps. They were always sent out with fresh sets but worked for days on a single set often leaving a lot of life.
rowanG077
Isn't that a biohazard strictly speaking? I'm not sure you want to get caught stealing used surgical equipment for home use.
Zak
> it intrigued me that you prefer replaceable AA batteries to built-in rechargeables
I share this preference. Replacing a battery has a device back in a working state a couple orders of magnitude faster than onboard charging, and when built-in batteries wear out, replacement is often difficult to impossible.
I always use NiMH rechargeables; alkalines are wasteful and sometimes leaky.
WhyNotHugo
Replaceable rechargeable batteries are the best choice (assuming the weight doesn't bother you).
You can quickly swap in a new pair, and recharge the other one. Some mice can even charge the batteries themselves. You get the best of all worlds.
bityard
I always have at least a half-dozen NiMH AA batteries sitting charged in the drawer ready to go. When the mouse stops working, I grab a couple of charged batteries, slap them in, put the drained ones in the charger and then carry on with whatever I was doing. With a built-in battery, when the battery goes dead, I have to mess around with finding another mouse while this one charges.
(Yeah, the computer tells me when the mouse battery is getting low, but I do not have the discipline to remember to plug it in hours later when I'm done with the computer for the day.)
dkll
If you have a a device that does not tolerate the lower voltage, check out NiZn rechargables. They top out at ~1.7 V when full and keep their voltage quite high until they are almost flat. (At which point they should be immediately recharged, they don't take deep discharge well.)
I use them almost everywhere nowadays. Most devices tolerate the slightly higher voltage and even expensive hardware usually cheaps out on proper battery circuitry.
mikepurvis
I'm on an MX Anywhere 3S and overall I'm a fan. The killer feature for me is the Bolt receiver being able to pair to both the mouse and the MX Mechanical Mini keyboard and being able to have a second receiver that both devices can switch to. Unfortunately they have to be switched over individually rather than following each other (and the mouse's switch button is underneath), but still, this is a pretty killer configuration that I haven't seen offered elsewhere.
For clarity, I plug my main receiver into my workstation and use Synergy to take the M&K over to an adjacent laptop in software, but the secondary receiver is useful when testing installers for NUC, Jetson, etc. Basically I've got a bare metal device on my desk plugged into a mini monitor and with one little dongle I can trivially get my keyboard/mouse on that device including in a preboot environment like the EFI firmware.
gunalx
ist that the whole point of unifying recovers as well? or am I missing something?
mikepurvis
Unifying definitely lets you pair multiple devices (keyboard, mice) to the same dongle, but I'm less sure about whether it lets you pair multiple dongles to the same device(s) and then hot switch between them.
GeekyBear
> 1) The the microswitches go bad after a couple years.
I've got to mention how reliable the switches used to be. I purchased a wired Logitech mouse in the 90's that lasted through three different computers.
More recent models fail quickly with such regularity that I just stopped purchasing the brand at all.
stavros
My G5 lasted for more than a decade, I think? It didn't even go bad, I bought a new mouse and used its switches to fix the (at that point one year old) Logitech trackball I had bought much later.
all2
I used my anywhere MX until one of the switches gave out. I'm pretty sure I found replacements on Mouser, and those parts -- and the mouse -- are buried somewhere in my TODO project bins.
choo-t
You don't really have to replace the microswitch, at least on my Logitech (M570) I can pull them open, bend the metal strip a little, close the switch back and I'm good for another year or two.
It's still tedious, as the metal strip is really small and is hard top manipulate, but far easier and less risky for the pcb than desoldering.
Tsiklon
Logitech appear to have made the unifying receiver legacy tech now. Preferring their Bolt receiver going forward. This does have a USB-C receiver available but not supplied with their devices
xp84
Hmm... $30 and only being sold by third-party sellers there. That's not encouraging. Hope that's a temporary inventory shortage because of pent-up demand and not a sign that they barely intend to make any of these. Because I have a half drawer worth of various of the compact USB-A receivers and have literally never seen any USB-C equivalents in real life yet... It's time.
account42
> 1) The the microswitches go bad after a couple years. It's possible to replace them, but it's tedious and you run a very real risk of damaging the PCB (as I have already done).
I have the same problem (with a different mouse model/manufacturer). Sometimes you can even "repair" the switches without de-soldering them by opening up the case and bending the metal contact a bit. I put "repair" in quotes because the repaired switches don't seem to last as long as new ones but at least it's easy to do and doesn't need any tools besides a screw driver.
flanbiscuit
> My absolute favorite mouse is the MX Ergo from Logitech.
I switched to using Logitech's MX Vertical mouse and I love it. There was a learning curve period, especially when it came to finer grained movements, but I'm totally used to it now and it feels much more comfortable and natural to me that any other mouse I've used. It has a USB-C port and I can switch between 3 different Bluetooth connections (press a button, connects to my work laptop, press it again, connects to my personal one). I'm not much of a power user so I don't customize the buttons but I know it's possible with an app. I don't use the app.
https://www.logitech.com/en-us/shop/p/mx-vertical-ergonomic-...
mavamaarten
I love the MX vertical's ergonomics, it's really the perfect mouse for me in that regard. It just feels... right. But I'm sad that the mouse is absolutely miles away from the MX Master mice in terms of quality and features.
I developed serious wrist/hand pains after switching to the MX Master 3S for a few months, but its magnetic scroll wheel and build quality was absolutely glorious.
The MX vertical is a plastic toy in comparison, but it costs the same.
dr_kiszonka
I am on my 3rd unit because their right button breaks after about a year of use. There are a few threads about it on Reddit and elsewhere. It's such a great mouse otherwise.
exitb
You may want to consider Evoluent mice. They’re a bit more expensive, but I have mine for 5 years and it works just fine. As a bonus, they have a true middle button, which is just marvelous.
dfxm12
I like the design, but I had similar problems with the hardware. It sucks paying a premium for a poor product. I've had no issues with thee Kinesis DXT Mouse 3. They have a traditional vertical mouse too. Consider these when your current Logitech breaks.
https://kinesis-ergo.com/products/#mice-and-pointing-devices
dazc
I haven't had one actually break but, for sure, the pressure required to click becomes annoying after a year or so.
bobsmooth
Logitech's warranty support is pretty good. Have you tried contacting them?
layer8
Since there is no left-handed version of the MX Vertical, I recently tested half a dozen left-handed alternatives, and ended up liking this one the best: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C3D6853V
rendaw
I tried a couple of the flashy Chinese junk left handed vertical mice and they were all really really light weight with stiff buttons, so every time I clicked it turned into a click-drag (the force of the click moved the mouse). Is that one different?
I've been using a left handed Evoluent but they never released the latest generation wireless left handed, and the price for the old version is 3x as expensive as it was a couple years ago (and they don't last very long, having owned a couple I get double/triple clicks within a year of buying it). I do like the separate middle mouse button though.
layer8
All the non-wheel buttons are easy and comfortable to click and work consistently, I have no issues with them. The mouse wheel could be a bit better (it’s ratcheted, which I prefer, not free-wheeling), but is good enough for me. I generally don’t use the middle mouse button.
The gliding skates aren’t too great, I replaced them with aftermarket ones.
The RGB lights can be turned off permanently by long press on the DPI button.
microflash
Perixx makes a few left-handed variants of their mice. I’ve been using their Perimice 513L for several years. Sadly, their newer models are all wireless.
https://perixx.com/products/perimice-513l
layer8
I tried the 719L and didn’t like its shape, too small/round. I should try the x13L ones, not sure why I didn’t.
fredfoobar
+1
The mouse has disappeared into my hand and I've forgotten its existence. When I read your post I remembered how pain free my mousing experience has been lately.
Krasnol
I switched from a vertical mouse to Logitech MX and I wish the vertical one would have felt more comfortable because there are many more to chose from and they're easier to fit on large hands.
I've tried everything after setting my seating and table properly and it seems this is my thing. I bough 4 more because I fear, like with everything good, Logitech might stop selling them and I'd be lost...
meixger
I ditched the Logitech MX Vertical for the Ergodriven Om Mouse: https://ergodriven.com/products/the-vertical-handshake-mouse.
The Logitech middle button is awful hard to click.
rwmj
I wish that web page would show it actually being used. Basic question: Is it a mouse or a trackball?
arp242
Mouse
gigaflop
Sharkfin Squad! It feels less precise than my regular gaming mouse, but I use it for work, and don't really need pinpoint accuracy. Been loving it ever since, and I even got a travel case for it.
Also, it can be used as a bluetooth mouse on my Samsung phone, which was neat.
jcuenod
I would _love_ to see more DIY mouse options. I feel like the mechanical keyboard crowd has so many options.
I've been dreaming of a set of lego-style bits of a mouse that can be assembled together... want another button? here you go. Want it on the side? Modify the 3D print file. Want bluetooth? Use this board... Want USB-C? Use that board... Want both? We've got you covered... Want a hyper-scroll wheel? Well, Logitech has a patent on that one, but here's the closest thing you can get on a DIY mouse. Now click these buttons in the configurator and hit "upload", and the firmware is installed to use your new mouse on any machine.
tvb12
On the subject of adding more buttons, I think there needs to be a rethinking of mouse button events at the OS level. Gaming mice with 12-20+ buttons have to resort to creating keyboard events with weird key combinations because there aren't actually that many mouse events, which is insane. There are currently only 12 valid integers (12 types of "click") sent from the raw mouse events. Those need special handling because the numbers are chosen very strangely, but why can't we agree that for any number within some range, the odd number is a key-press and the even number is the key-release, or something like that? You don't have to create named events for all of them, but the raw integers should be valid even if you have to use the lower level events.
If I want to build a mouse with 32,000 buttons, the limit should not be the operating system's mouse event.
Perz1val
There's a YT channel called optimum and he made his perfect mouse and brought it up to a product stage. It may give you some ideas (like the sensor PCB is a set you can buy). https://youtu.be/oMUEsz71_xQ
cosmic_cheese
Totally agree. Mouse preference is just as personal and maybe even more subjective than keyboard preference is, and even with the plethora of commercially available models, someone is going to be left settling because their needs aren’t quite met.
monster_truck
I've been using a mouse from https://pmm.gg, it weighs about half as much as the mouse I swapped the guts out of (28 grams vs 60 grams). Basically a couple sheets of printer paper.
I don't really care about the weight, what caught my attention was they offer ceramic? coated magnesium scrollwheels. My otherwise mild skin condition completely destroys the shitty grippy/gummy rubber they put on scrollwheels and sometimes the sides of the mice. They offer the same coating on the shells, which I really enjoy.
Yes, it's expensive but it still costs less than replacing mice over and over. I spend too much time holding this damn thing to settle for anything less. The quality is exceptional, assembly was easy, and the carbon fiber rod that snaps into place horizontally across the shape makes it more rigid than the stock mouse.
masklinn
> My otherwise mild skin condition completely destroys the shitty grippy/gummy rubber they put on scrollwheels and sometimes the sides of the mice.
I’m not sure it’s even skin conditions. I think it’s just the natural oils in the skin. It’s part of what polishes plastics (e.g. keyboard keys), and over time it impregnates the rubber which swells then falls apart.
This process is why wet belts are stupid, no reason to think mouse wheel rubber is any different.
Night_Thastus
I agree with wet belts - it's a terrible idea - but I'm not sure the comparison is great. Skin oil and synthetic oil are very chemically different - as are the rubbers used in a cheap mousewheel versus an engine belt.
monster_truck
I have to wipe my kit down with soapy water every few hours or they will be caked with a disgusting amount of dead skin. My fingernails after 4 days are about as long as typical people after 2 weeks.
moron4hire
I actually like a heavier mouse. A lot of modern devices feel inconsequential and cheap (well, because they are). I've gone so far as to open my mice and glue in a few pennies to increase the weight. Makes it feel much better. At first it seemed kind of silly, but then I realized it doesn't matter. All that matters is how I feel about the devices I use for hours a day, every day.
danielvinson
I felt this way for a long time and used a heavy mouse for daily use then switched to my lightweight mouse for gaming. I changed my mind very fast when I started developing carpel tunnel symptoms from the heavy mouse - using your wrist to move a heavy object in the same pattern for 6+ hours a day is just not healthy for you and when your job involves doing that, its 100% worth it to just use the lightweight mouse for everything. I actually found that my wrist felt better with the 55g mouse than with a trackball or a touchpad.
rootusrootus
An alternative approach that has worked for me is to get out of the habit of using little muscles as much as I can. I don't use my wrist much with the mouse, I move my whole arm. I try to apply that to everything I do and I've managed to avoid repetitive motion injuries. Last time I experienced anything like carpal tunnel was in college (decades ago).
luqtas
heavy? like what, 120 grams? most people don't develop RSI from their computer usage... much more if they exercise, stretch and do breaks
ibaikov
I successfully removed this coating from my razer mouse using alcohol, it was pretty easy to do. The coating felt good when I unboxed the mouse, but yeah it turned into this chewed gum mess, now it's just plastic which is ok.
Also turned out that disassembling the mouse was easy, so you probably might just swap the wheel entirely.
monster_truck
Soapy water is your friend. Iso annihilates plastics.
KennyBlanken
That manufacturer falls under "fool, money, parted, easily." A Finalmouse which is probably the pinnacle of lightweight gaming mice, costs about $180 and they want $100-ish more than that?
> Yes, it's expensive but it still costs less than replacing mice over and over.
I have a ten year old Razer Ultimate still going strong, buddy. $100 new.
> My otherwise mild skin condition completely destroys the shitty grippy/gummy rubber they put on scrollwheels and sometimes the sides of the mice.
No, whatever you're putting on your skin is. In any case: buy a $20 set of grips/pads and problem solved...
> the carbon fiber rod that snaps into place horizontally across the shape makes it more rigid than the stock mouse.
If you're having issues with rigidity of your mouse, you're holding it too tight...
Melonai
I kind of get where you're coming from, but if your solution for them is to:
- Relearn the way they grip their mouse completely
- Stop secreting skin oils
- Stop some ointment that you are assuming they use for some reason
- Buy mouse grip replacements constantly
Or:
- Just buying a slightly more expensive mouse that they like
I don't think you're going to sell them on this...
monster_truck
I think you've missed every point I was making, keep up the good work.
> Finalmouse
Trash product, none of the people I play with or against use one. You've kind of outed yourself here but I'll humor you further.
> I have a ten year old mouse that works fine
Good for you. I assure you I use mine far, far more than you. If you knew who I was you could go find me on esportsearnings, I've won against and have played with some of the people you see in mice ads.
> No, whatever you're putting on your skin is
I don't put anything on my skin. My body makes far more of everything than it needs. I have to wipe them down with a bit of soap and water every few hours or they will be absolutely caked in skin. If I wait more than 4 days to file or cut my fingernails they are disgustingly long.
> buy a $20 set of grips/pads and problem solved
Have you ever tried doing this? They are attached to the shell with adhesives that cannot be removed without also destroying the plastic underneath.
> rigidity
Was highlighting how the weight reduction does not come at the cost of structural stability. If you knew what you were talking about you'd know many struggle with squeezing the mouse too hard. I do not have this issue
dmonitor
The open source / open hardware offerings from Ploopy are very attractive for people that don't want to take this route
They've apparently suspended shipping to the US, though. Not sure who to blame for that one..
adregan
I was using a vertical Logitech mouse but was still experiencing discomfort mousing out to the side of my enormous Advantage2 keyboard. In an effort to head off any compounding RSI issues, I switched to a ploopy Adept trackball. Had no idea if I'd like switching to a trackball, and I love it! My hand never moves in an awkward motion, and mousing has become pretty restful. Better be careful tossing the ball up in the air idly during meetings as I won't be able to get a replacement if ploopy has paused shipping to the US (It's a pretty dumb habit at any rate).
dmonitor
They're just 1.75" snooker balls. It's very easy to get a big box of them. You'll also quickly notice why red never goes out of stock on Ploopy's website.
at-fates-hands
Just in case you're not really into the whole mechanical keyboard scene:
QMK, or Quantum Mechanical Keyboard, is an open-source, community-centered configuration tool for keyboards and other input devices. QMK software is handy for creating layers, moving around specific keys, adding functions, etc.
MyNameIsFred
TL;DR Is US continues to change policy without any clear guidance nor facilitation. Impractical to comply. https://apnews.com/article/us-tariffs-goods-services-suspens...
at-fates-hands
A great example is how they're handling DJI Drones.
arp242
The MX Ergo S has USB-C and much more silent switches. Other than that, it's basically the same as the previous MX Ergo. I bought one a few weeks ago after I dropped and broke my old Ergo.
sammycdubs
This is how I find out they actually made one I honestly had no idea hahahaha
scyzoryk_xyz
Yeah I scrolled through the comments to confirm - they'd have to make the USB C for EU, and I'm 2nd ergo is getting gross and ready for replacement
Scene_Cast2
A bit unrelated, but I have the same soldering helper as in the post. It's called Omnifixo (I found out about it from a YouTube video (Norm from Tested)). I was initially skeptical, but it's made soldering a whole lot easier - highly recommended.
I've done some mouse PCB mods myself (swapping dead switches mainly). My biggest annoyance is resoldering through-hole components - unfortunately aftermarket PCBs for mice are quite rare, and my favorite mouse isn't all that popular in the "mouse community".
HocusLocus
Used a trackball since 1994. Desktop publishing and photo editing, if you've ever needed to position precisely and lift finger off the ball and click or mousedown without moving the focus again you'll just know.
Kensignton makes a good one with a scrollwheel ring around it, the ball XY is perfect though the clickers are so-so in longevity. Working without a physical middle click and two button software middle click emulation is frustrating sometimes.
basscomm
I still haven't figured out why they no longer make wired trackballs. The thing never moves, why do I need it to be wireless?
__mharrison__
I have a wired CST trackball mouse that is about 10 years old. Built like a tank. I believe they go by the name of "L-Trac" now (as the company was sold).
They are a little pricey, ~$200, but I love mine (so much that I bought an extra). Also, they use a pool-sized ball, so I replaced mine with a green ball.
Glyptodon
Have been happy w/ an Elecom not having found Kensington or Logitech options that I was happy with.
hotsauceror
When you say "they", do you mean Logitech or Big Mouse in general?
Because I have wired trackballs from both Logitech and Kensington, and have for many years. You can pry my Kensington Orbit from my cold, dead hand.
basscomm
Logitech specifically. They haven't made a wired trackball in some time, as far as I can tell. Their only options are AA battery or rechargeable. I'd rather not have to futz with batteries at all on my desktop computer
rwmj
I found that wired trackballs with scrollwheels no longer seem to exist. I bought a wired trackball without a scrollwheel and absolutely hate it.
fuckaj
Maybe someone is in the pocket of big mouse.
JdeBP
Who is "they"? Perixx seems to be still selling wired trackballs.
Krasnol
As far as I can see it, they sell only wired vertical mice. Trackballs are all wireless.
https://perixx.com/collections/mice?filter.v.t.shopify.conne...
JdeBP
The PERIMICE-520, right there on that page that you pointed to, is a wired trackball. I know because I have one beside me right now with the wire going across the desk. (-:
officialchicken
To add some context to the title for you, "Building the mouse Logitech won't make", it's referring to / implying the entire PC industry including Logitech.
JdeBP
Which would make a statement that "they no longer make wired trackballs" a falsehood. So likely not whatever "they" basscomm had in mind, if you think about it.
Perz1val
My chosen mouse (for now) is logitech G305 with silent switches swapped in. I've one with Huano (brown case, bright dot) and one with Kailh (the grey cube with big round, red dot). They feel different, both will be weird if you're used to stock, clicky omrons. I've also replaced the side switches, scroll switch and DPI switch (6 in total).
Kailhs have a sharper click feel, travel is smaller than stock. Huanos feel like they have more travel than stock, with a very long (soft?) tactile bump. Kailhs are marginally quieter. I don't prefer either, both are so much nicer than stock. I highly recommend swapping mouse switches, the stock omrons that logitech (and others) put in are loud, rattly trash. Huano makes really good clicky switches too. The good thing is that you can upgrade (fix) after the inevitable death (more likely double clicking than not clicking at all) of the stock ones. You'll likely want to buy both, because you will need (at least for G305) a square footprint switch to put under the scroll wheel. Kailhs despite being square and 2 pin, work fine for the main switches that have a 3 pin footprint. The third pin doesn't do anything.
I've not experimented with nor researched the scroll encoder yet. Maybe there are quiet options to swap in. It's not bad as is, but it'd like something quieter with softer jumps.
Except the obvious tools for soldering, don't forget to buy a new set of skates, because the screws will be under them. If the mouse is new, you might be able to unstick them intact. If it's not, you'll likely bend them and it won't glide as good.
About the mouse - I just like the shape of G305, the wireless is good and with a lithium battery it is pretty light and lasts a long time.
Lithium cells are like 7x the price, last maybe 2-3x as long, but are like 7-10g lighter, for mice get them only for weight reduction or working in cold places. People say Energizer ultimate lithium are the best, in my experience they last longer than lithium cells from Varta.
code_biologist
Great post. I too have a G305 with Kailhs. I felt nuts replacing the switches, and I'd never desoldered anything in my life before, but gosh the silent is so good.
ruph123
I don’t understand why Logitech did not add the free spinnig scroll wheel to the Ergo? It is hard to go back from that but the Ergo is overall an excellent mouse. I just wish it was wired…
system2
Battery lasts like 2 months, why would you want that?
calfuris
Why would I want to worry about a battery even every other month when I could just not worry about it ever?
system2
It takes 20 minutes to charge fully. Technically, you will use the mouse in "wired" mode for 20 minutes every two months. Instead of using it in 20 minutes wired mode and 2 months free of wires, you prefer to go fully wired. That doesn't make sense.
spauldo
Not OP, but for me the biggest advantage of wired is that it's easier to find my mouse in my laptop bag or when my desk gets messy. I dunno how many times I've had to trace the wire to find my mouse buried in a stack of engineering drawings.
layer8
Wired is about removing wake-up latency and wireless interference.
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"Balking at the $50+ charge for turnkey assembly, I opted to take the financially responsible route and pay $200+ for a hot-air rework station to solder it myself."
Yeah, I feel this :)