On Thu, Aug 2, 2012, at 08:55 AM, Gene Heskett wrote: > On Thursday 02 August 2012 08:28:46 Viesturs Lācis did opine: > > > 2012/8/1 Greg Bernard <[email protected]>: > > > I've been considering one of the flexible keyboards when my current > > > one gives up the ghost. They're not great for general typing but > > > seem like they'd work fine for a machine control. The ones I've > > > looked at are silicone rubber so they should stand up to coolants. > > > > I have one of these for my waterjet. > > Yes, the typing is awkward and strange, it is harder to feel those > > buttons, so typing while looking at screen leads to many mistakes. > > OTOH that is for machine tool. Only typing I have done on that > > keyboard is either some HAL/INI files or messages to this mailing > > list. > > And that little keyboard can really withstand all the dust and > > moisture there is in the air next to waterjet... > > > > BTW, Gene, for the issue of keeping such a keyboard flat - I have it > > glued to the top of control cabinet to hold it in place and that also > > helps on keeping it flat. > > I considered that, but the darned thing is also wider than the shelf > where it would go, which is wide enough for any normal keyboard with > 1/2" to spare.
There are smaller versions of the flexible keyboard available. For example, Adesso makes three sizes: Full size, 17.5" wide http://www.adesso.com/en/home/keyboards/flexible/178-akb-230.html Compact, 15.0" wide http://www.adesso.com/en/home/keyboards/flexible/365-akb-220.html Mini, 13.7" wide http://www.adesso.com/en/home/keyboards/flexible/177-akb-210.html Newegg sells the last one for $24 (I think they have the others too, I didn't check). http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823166038 I'm using the mini one on my Shoptask. It is stuck to a piece of 1/8" aluminum with double sided tape, which solves the "lay flat" problem as well as the "slides around" problem. Photo here: http://jmkasunich.com/pics/got-keyboard.jpg The keyboard aluminum plate is hanging off the same bracket that mounts the cheap 15" LCD. It is funky to type on, but I don't do much of that. I have a regular desktop computer on a bench about 8 feet from the machine, and I SSH -X into the CNC machine to edit g-code. Walk over to desk, sit down, edit g-code, save, walk over to machine, hit "ctrl-F, R" to reload the file, and start cutting. For a mouse I am using a stand-alone touchpad. It is visible just to the upper right of the monitor in this photo: http://jmkasunich.com/pics/pc-working-1761.jpg stuck to the belt guard with double-sided tape. I have since moved it down to the machine head casting directly below the belt guard - the wire was a nuisance when I removed the guard to change speeds. I never got around to permanently mounting it, and I just recently had to replace the double-sided tape after about 4-1/2 years. In another 4-1/2 years maybe I'll drill and tap a couple holes in the casting to mount it. -- John Kasunich [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Live Security Virtual Conference Exclusive live event will cover all the ways today's security and threat landscape has changed and how IT managers can respond. Discussions will include endpoint security, mobile security and the latest in malware threats. http://www.accelacomm.com/jaw/sfrnl04242012/114/50122263/ _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
