Electronics/Handle packages for sale.

[daniel_reetz]

Great. I received most of the parts today, still waiting on the battery packs to arrive, but I should have 15 or so of these ready soon.

[jstaylor]

Dan,
I'd like mine to be AC-powered as well.
Thanks

[blisk]

Hey any new news on when they're going to be ready? I hope i didn't miss something and miss buying mine... where do we go to pay you when its ready.. and how will we know?

[daniel_reetz]

Hi everyone,
I'm really sorry for the delay. There will be plenty of them to go around, so don't worry that you've missed the chance to buy one. I only got back from DC on Thursday around midnight, and I've been catching up with all kinds of really boring details around Fargo since then. Today, I have to finish writing an article and I hope tomorrow I can get a running start on manufacturing these things.

[daniel_reetz]

STATUS UPDATE:

I finally got the AC adapters that I've been waiting for. All the parts are in front of me. I will be soldering together as many of these as possible tonight. I have a few details to work out regarding switch mounting... but I hope to have that solved by tomorrow.

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[daniel_reetz]

Alright, well a whole night of soldering and lasering and lasering and soldering has left me with this design.

I still have to figure out the battery pack/USB cable part of things, but it shouldn't be that bad now that I have the switch mount worked out.

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handle3.jpg (268.26 KiB) Viewed 9007 times

Also, I found five Nokia 5V power supplies at a thrift store tonight. These are nice, sane, switching power supplies with clean output. They should be ideal for the five and only five AC powered units I'm making.

[daniel_reetz]

Alright, I got a lot of work done on these in my spare time today (though there is still a lot of work to be done). I hope to get these reserved units done tomorrow if at all possible. Don't hold me to that, I have a lot of other pressing deadlines at the moment.

ROLL CALL:

Rabbitroo - 2, AC powered.
Blisk - 1, Battery.
Owenth - 1, Battery.
Jstaylor - 1, AC powered.
Quito - 1, AC powered.
Thinkkesho - 1, Battery.
Etienne66 - 1, Battery.

If I missed anyone, please let me know.

Reminder: I don't want payment until these are shipped. Don't try to pay me yet. If you did already, don't worry about it.

[Rabbitroo]

Confirmed. 2 x AC powered.

[daniel_reetz]

Rabbitroo, I just completed yours (and those for most everybody else, too). I was surprised to discover that the AC adapters I ordered were absolute shit. 5V rated, Nokia branded, were kicking out more than 8.5V without a load. Since the USB port of the camera hardly represents a load, I discarded those adapters. After a lot of thrift-store searching, I found some that output 5.1, 5.3, and 5.4V, which should be within USB spec.

I hope to ship tomorrow. More information in a couple hours.

[daniel_reetz]

I have a handle package for everyone listed above.

Everyone will receive the following (AC packages look slightly different):

handles_DSC1417.jpg (339.86 KiB) Viewed 8965 times

As far as I know, Etienne66 (S.W.) is the only one that has paid so far. I will send a private message with payment details in a few minutes.

The handles will arrive requiring partial assembly -- you'll have to tighten two screws to mount the wooden switch package to the handle, and you'll have to mount the handle to your platen if you so choose.

Specific instructions:

1. Do not overtighten the mounting screws. Tighten them "just enough". A single wrap of tape on the U-bolt may actually allow for better stability/mounting screw precision.

2. You may notice that the wooden part covering the switch separates a little bit. It's designed that way. Cinch the pieces together after setting the mounting screws if it bothers you. The idea was to make them easy to disassemble in case the cheapy switch dies (I have an extra for every single switch package).

3. YOU MUST TAPE YOUR USB CABLES AFTER PLUGGING THEM IN. As I discovered with Spamsickle's switch, these USB connectors don't deal well with a lot of strain. After plugging in the USB connector to the sockets on your switch, wrap some electrical tape around the connector to keep them from ever pulling out. THIS WILL SAVE YOU LOTS OF PAIN LATER, PLEASE DO IT!!

4. Your switch is guaranteed by me. I will work on it for free if it breaks (but not if it breaks because you didn't tape it, sorry -- follow instructions and be gentle with the thing!!!). HOWEVER: you must pay the shipping to me and back to you. I just can't afford to pay shipping, since I only make a few dollars on each of these, and am otherwise totally living in poverty as a result of grad school. I make these as a service to the community, so people can get a head start on their scanners.

That said, if anyone wants to build these and make a buck, please do. I'm grateful to Rabbitroo for his donation that got this started, but I won't be able to make another batch for at least another month.

THERE IS ONE HANDLE REMAINING, and one in reserve in case one of these is broken or lost in the mail. Both are battery powered.