[Noyb]

Over the years, I’ve tried to find a good optical mouse pad.
So far – The best pad I can find is a 8x11 pad of white paper, but it doesn’t last too long.

My Desk “desktop” has been Polyurethaned and isn’t very slick .... Little finger hangover friction problems.
I’ve tried some special optical pads .. and they didn’t work at all.
I’ve concluded that a color that reflects red, without graffiti, would be the best.
My current MP is a coarse material that grabs and holds our cats hair.
It can get a little jumpy for the last little mouse adjust … I’m set on max mouse speed and like it that way.
Don’t know if it’s the coarse material or cat hair.
He likes to help a lot, and shop the net .. and the pad “won’t let go” of his hair.


Yesterday, while waiting on my wife to “shop” at Wally world, I checked out all the items in Automotive, Hardware, Lawn/Garden, Electronics and Hunting/Fishing to see if anything new had showed up in the last douple of days ... Nope - nothing new.
Then I got the idea to check out the sewing dept. to see if I could find some Mouse pad parts, and maybe a wife.

No wife yet, but I found a one sided 8”x11x1/16” sticky foam pad for 38 cents each.
Then I found some slick, fine woven material for a buck a yard… kinda light gray in color.
It was on a sales bolt .. and didn’t say what kind of material it was.

Finally found the wife, Got home, stuck the pad and material together.
So far … I’m pleased, but need to test it longer for the cat hair and cleaning problems.
Sure did beat Wally’s price for a smaller, Graffittied, mouse pad.

It’s fraying a little around the edges – but I think that can be fixed with some longer assembly time and better procedures.

I’m going to assign my wife, a quilter and embroiderer, the task of finding the right material by specifications, so I know what to look for.

What I’m looking for now, is a spray can of adhesive that would resemble the sticky side of Duct tape so that it wouldn’t wet thru the material.
This will allow me to shop for pad material of different sizes, colors, without having to worry about the adhesive.

Any ideas or suggestions ???

New cheap pad … over old expensive pad.

[coderitr]

I've got a piece of white paper taped to my desktop (the one on the desk -- not the one on the monitor ). Good tip. Thanks.

[Noyb]

My Wife’s morning ritual is to watch “Sewing with Nancy” and I’m forced to listen while Browsing and TSGing.
A few days ago, Nancy was showing some HP cloth that can be run thu an Ink Jet Printer.
As soon as run across some of this cloth, at a reasonable price “LOL” … It might be worth a try.
With it, I should be able to make a Man’s mouse pad .. with a design like an aircraft instrument panel, a big Bass or Deer head.

My fear is that her Quilting and Embroidery Club will want me to go into production with Girley Designs.

[Noyb]

Here's the one sided sticky foam pad that I found at Wally world for 38 cents.
As near as I can figure ... The purpose of the foam pad is to give some rigidity to the surface material and to keep it from sliding around on your desk.
It may have had some purpose for Mouse Balls, but that's not an issue now.

At 2mm thick, it's a little thin and might tend to warp if you attach the surface material stretched.
The next time, I'll try to bend the foam a little (raised in the middle) before I stick on the surface material.

To cut down on the fraying of the material edges, the next time, I'll try to bias the grain of the material at a 45 degree angle with the edges of the foam pad.

I bought a yard of material for a buck.
Actually, 1/3 of a yard is a running 12 inches at a width of usually 45 inches.
So, 33 cents worth of material would have got me enough to cover Five 8x11 mouse pads.

Caution ... Only Recommended for ages 6 and over.

[dr911]

Hey Noyb,

Design a little logo on the mouse pad & sell them on E-Bay or something !! BTW, your story about shopping @ Wally world is sooooo funny !!!. Great ideal though. Were you looking for a "new wife" or your real wife ??

[hewee]

Sounds like you cam up with something nice. I know how a white paper is what they say is best for my laser mouse but I don't like it.

Now get some Bounce like you use in the dryer.
Some of the things it is good for are...

Eliminate static electricity from your television (or computer) screen.

Since Bounce is designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet of Bounce to keep dust from resettling.

Collect cat hair. Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will magnetically attract all the loose hairs.

So use it on your mousepad to help getting cat hair on it. Then wipe the cat down.

Looking forward to your... how to make a better mousepad in the days ahead.

[Noyb]

Originally Posted by dr911

Were you looking for a "new wife" or your real wife ??

I noticed you carefully didn't say "old wife" ... She appreciated that.
A sales clerk asked me what I was looking for .... I said a "Wife" ... had 6 offers.
Maybe - the next time, I should leave my Tool Belt at home ... you think ?

I really like the wife I have ... Think I'll keep her.
She really scared the bejebers outa me ... Caught her looking at Baby Food.
Sure wish they wouldn't put that stuff in recipes.

I've noticed that White paper is the best ... usually use it with my Laptop when I'm remote.
First time I've heard that it's actually recommended.
Wouldn't a pad be nice where you can just peel of a sheet and start over ?
Sticky all over so the corners don't curl with use.

Seems like the cat hair digs in ... Like that fish hook in my finger last year.
I've even tried 100 MPH Duct Tape. It only goes about half way.
We think our Buddy is part Maine Coon ... his hair is Super fine ... feels like air.
Pet him - and the fur just floats away ... or digs into my mouse pad.

Now ... to find some Material ... like Paper ????

[hewee]

Go to Michaels, The Arts & Crafts Store and see what they have.
http://www.michaels.com/art/online/home

[Noyb]

I will.
The next time I have to escort my wife to all her haunts, I can look for mouse pad parts, since they don't a hunting/fishing, or a computer dept.
I predict that this cheap mouse pad project is gonna cost me a bunch.
Just made another using white material, kinda like sheet material that my wife had lying around.
White really seems to be the best when the mouse is running at full speed settings.

Think I'll look for some White Silk ... that sounds exotic, high tecky.

[help4me]

what about using a material similar to what wind socks or those holiday flags are made of? I call it parachute material. Your wife would know exactly what I mean.

[Noyb]

Good Idea .... Something like a plastic material. ???
I can almost feel it .. in my mind ... Nylon like a Jacket maybe ?

The more I play and experiment, the more convinced I am that it needs to be white.
As far as friction goes, the test is how the little finger drags across the material.
The mouse has teflon pads ... it's my little finger drag (hangover) that causes me irritation.

Also on my "hunting" list, is a spray can of contact adhesive so I can use any backing.

Still would like to Brag that I have a Silk mouse pad.
Maybe Parachute material would soften the crash of my Puter ... you think ??

[help4me]

LOL

I think 3m puts out spray adhesive

[Noyb]

BTW ...
I refuse to get a wireless keyboard and mouse.
I like to raise my keyboard so that my mouse cord can run under the keyboard.
These sticky feet will add 5/16 of an inch.
This is also why I like a thinner mouse pad.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...entPage=search

[Noyb]

My wife had to go back to Wally world to get a prescription, so I had her pick up some more white sticky foam pads and look for material.

There must have been a lot of sick people and a really long line … Took her 5 hours to return.
Anyway, she brought home a half yard of really shiny white 100% polyester wedding dress material.
There was some kind of a comment about it being appropriate, since she seems to think I’m married to my computer.

The mouse really works great on either but I might like the feel of the cotton sheet material just a little better.
And the cotton would be a lot cheaper than anything with Wedding labeled on it.
No more mouse jumping to get to that last little adjustment and I like the looks of the Shiny Polyester.

Running the weave of the material at a 45 degree angle to the edges of the foam pad seems to eliminate any fraying of the edges.

My wife must be sicker than I thought .... 15 sacks of prescriptions

[dr911]

Hey Noyb,
I hope your wife feels better !! And good luck with your creation !!