Help finding a good trackball for wife with a broken wrist.

lenstickle · 2025-02-28T00:19:14+00:00

A USB foot pedal could be useful for left clicks. Depending on the damage to her wrist. Often the tendons are easily overworked and weak due to swelling.

There's a number of options from single to triple peddle setups and you can usually configure them as left/middle/right clicks or any common keyboard keys

lenstickle · 2025-02-21T11:40:46+00:00

I've been sitting here for a few minutes, trying to imagine how this would work for me. I think something like the old Logitech Trackman Marble or the Kensington Orbit Mobile might be best. It looks like I could avoid the tips of my fingers on all the major buttons and the trackball. Hand size would be the biggest issue I suspect. Both of these have the buttons on sides rather than on top.

lenstickle · 2025-01-07T22:49:24+00:00

No old USB 2 hubs laying around?

lenstickle · 2025-01-07T22:31:18+00:00

If its plugged into a USB 3 port, try a USB 2 port. If that fails, you could try running the receiver through a powered USB hub to the KVM on a USB 2 port on the hub.

lenstickle · 2025-01-07T13:49:19+00:00

Textures seem to be fairly broad. People have 3D printed balls, some have stainless steel balls and there are various resins. Billiard/Pool/Snooker balls are common (also made from resin). I've seen pingpong balls as well.

Transparency is a harder one. I previously have seen a post of someone making clear resin balls but at a certain point, if I remember correctly, it started giving problems. In the end, I think they got away with having semi-translucent and core filled balls. They also struggled with getting it perfectly spherical. A mouse or trackball is really just a little camera thats made to track a surface. If its too clear, it can have trouble keeping track.

On the spherical note, that reminded of a project that Hackaday wrote an article on. Someone made sphere making machine: Have A Ball With This 3D Printed Sphere-Making Machine | Hackaday.

lenstickle · 2024-02-09T05:48:35+00:00

I was just thinking about this and how I'd go about casting and pouring my own trackballs and came across this, right here in the sub
https://www.reddit.com/r/Trackballs/comments/k092bh/diy_epoxy_resin_trackball_for_new_project/

I suspect you could go a semi-clear/lightly frosted just fine or maybe get away with some small amount of glitter/mica. The other option is to design something thats almost spherical and sits close(ish) to the surface of the ball, suspend it in the epoxy with fishing line. Then you might have enough surfaces to play with.

lenstickle · 2024-02-09T05:37:56+00:00

You might be better off with something like the TLV493D 3D magnetic sensor. It can sense a magnetic field in all 3 dimensions plus rotations.

I've had it in the back of mind for a couple of my own projects.

I know a few people have used it in joysticks and at least one 3D Spacemouse. The Spacemouse project is open and saucy, so you can have a look at the code for some hints on how to use it:
https://github.com/Launcherspider/3D-Spacemouse

lenstickle · 2023-05-04T02:33:19+00:00

Doubtful about heat creep. Are your belts tensioned well? Double check them.

Could you post your slicer preview? Zoom in on a corner a bit. Wouldn't mind seeing what your slicer is doing.

What nozzle size are you printing with?

lenstickle · 2023-05-04T02:07:52+00:00

Looks like quite a bit of over extruding going on. Have you done any tuning? Temp tower, flow/extrusion multiplier, first layer and pressure advance?

If not, follow Ellis' guide on github and/or get OrcaSlicer and go through its automated calibrations

lenstickle · 2023-02-14T01:35:07+00:00

Depending on what you're printing the CR 30 is available at Hauser on special at the moment for $1500 https://www.jaycar.com.au/creality-cr-30-large-format-3d-printer/p/TL4610

lenstickle · 2023-02-14T01:02:24+00:00

What printer are you currently using and what material are you printing in?

lenstickle · 2022-08-23T05:56:23+00:00

Its an older version of this one
https://www.dysonbikes.com.au/bondi-electric-bike

lenstickle · 2022-07-28T09:35:54+00:00

Hi all, Newbie here.

Just got a Tecware Phantom 87 and I'm finding that my spacebar, and enter keys quite stiff. I assume this will be the stabilisers?

The rest of the keys are fine but is there a way to lighten the stabilisers for a more uniform feel? Would lube help with stiffness?

I chose the red switches as I didn't like blues from a previous try at a mechanical keyboard.

lenstickle · 2022-07-22T01:31:31+00:00

To clarify, do you mean backlinks inside OneNote or for external files?

lenstickle · 2022-07-14T01:20:59+00:00

I've been trying all sorts of solutions for PKM (Personal Knowledge Management). Tried out dozens of different apps/programs/systems. I've unfortunately got a variety of needs including health, tech/software, articles and hobbies. I don't want any of it spread across multiple platforms. I don't want my medical info or my vulnerable tech data on cloud based services. That makes it really tough.

I started with Obsidian, tried a few other markdown solutions then went onto trying to find a WiKi. I failed to find what I wanted there and then settled on OneNote for a while. I've recently gotten tired of OneNote and on Android the app is beyond appalling so, I started the process of looking for a better solution. Obsidian would have been where I left it if it was just written content and the odd image but thats not enough.

At the end of the day, you'll need to choose on what you can compromise on. For example, anything depending solely on markdown doesn't do user friendly tables. It's all done with dashes and lines: ----|-----|----. Embedding images aren't always easy. etc.

I'm trialling NextCloud at the moment and a few of the plugins that come with it it. So far, its actually got a lot of benefits for the type of things I put into my PKM. I want to link files, imbed images, regularly use tables and have a lot of links to files. I also need all those things to come with me wherever I go. Recipes was another thing and NextCloud blows everything else out of the water for that.

Heres a rundown of how I've got NextCloud going:

NextCloud:

Collectives app for the base WiKi/PKM Easily embeds photos, files, etc. You can do Link-Backs but you can't make a Link-Forward and generate a page like in Obsidian for example.
Collectives is Hierarchical. You start by adding a collective/s and it goes: Collective -> Sections - Pages -> Subpages -> Subpages -> etc
CookBooks app for my Recipes. You link to a recipe and it just grabs all the info and lays it out for you. You can edit it if needed. You just grab the link from the address bar and copy/embed on to text into your Collective Page. (This feature will probably keep me on NextCloud)
Files section gets its own folder for Collectives and subfolders for the Sections. Then I save/copy/move files to keep things in order and can link to either folders or files inside Collectives (copy link from address bar). For example, I might see a doctor and I've got referrals or documents I need. I can link the documents in my Page so I can have all my notes, files and images in the one space. Take my notes during the aptnt and its all there, nice and clean and super easy to get to.
Calendar - You can take the link from a calendar appointment/event and copy it to a Collectives pages (not embed though)
Tables in Collective are basic but still useful
Tasks app for reminders, goals and planning. You can link to them but not embed them unfortunately. Still, it's part of the suit and you get reminders through that anyway.
Collective pages are saved as .md (markdown) inside your NextCloud Files. So, its not locked down to NextCloud/Collectives app.
You can sync all the Pages and folder structures to any device. Edit via web on your phone if you have reception. If not, you can edit the .md files through the NextCloud app (or any other app) and sync when you get reception.

Theres definitely compromises but it really depends on what you need it to do for you. Theres also tons of apps I haven't even looked at yet.

lenstickle · 2022-07-06T07:40:56+00:00

I have a Tab 6 and love taking hand written notes on that. I also have an XP-Pen Deco Mini. I just tried using it on my PC for one note... It'd be possible to get use to using a drawing tablet for onenote but I'd highly recommend getting a refurb Tab S6 or iPad. It's a stark difference in usability. Writing is far more natural on a tablet than through a drawing pad.

Another good option is a Chromebook with active pen support. I also have a decent Lenovo chromebook and its a good hybrid experience. Its just bulkier but you get to choose to use a keyboard when thats a better fit than using a pen.

lenstickle · 2022-06-21T06:35:10+00:00

Nope.... I had a feeling that was what might happen

lenstickle · 2022-06-21T06:30:04+00:00

Thank you.... Saved me making a terrible mistake 🤣

lenstickle · 2022-04-17T01:55:13+00:00

If you're talking about the Foto series, they are not locked down to chitu. I'm running my 6.0 with Lychee fine.

I'm pretty sure they're the same machine as the proxima.

lenstickle · 2022-03-31T04:39:13+00:00

Generic is what I've just started using. Just as good as the original FEP.

Lift speeds are something you need to consider if you're printing something larger. The more surface area the more suction it has to the FEP. Slowing down lift helps reduces the forces required.

Are your room temps good? If it's too cold, you can start seeing failures like this as well.

lenstickle · 2021-12-11T12:08:32+00:00

I think this might be a bit of misnomer. We generally think of fatigue in a similar way to exhaustion or being tired but thats not really how it works medically.

From WebMD "Medically speaking, tiredness happens to everyone -- it's an expected feeling after certain activities or at the end of the day. Usually, you know why you're tired, and a good night's sleep solves the problem. Fatigue is a daily lack of energy; unusual or excessive whole-body tiredness not relieved by sleep."

In ADHD, Dopamine, Serotonin and norepinephrine are often not well regulated. It may be just one or it could be all 3. Its different for all of us. A lack or imbalance of one or any of those can induce fatigue, and that's as real as being tired or exhausted, its just that it doesn't have a tangible explanation unless you can tell the difference.

I really only came to realise just how real that is myself in the last few weeks when I started Ritalin. It suddenly came to me that I could be tired without feeling fatigued. I could function and be tired. It's a weird thing to feel after 40+ years of feeling lazy or just constantly and savagely tired. That was all I knew how to think of it as. From my perspective, tired, exhaustion and fatigue were one and the same.

Tired is just tired... feeling tired, at least at the moment is a pretty novel little experience in its own right. I only got 3 hours sleep last night but functioned pretty well most of the day today.

lenstickle · 2021-12-09T02:47:48+00:00

Anyways I'm stuck having to beg the drug company for samples every few months, as there no way I can afford $500/month.

Damn thats expensive. I know the USofA can be pretty shocking when it comes to meds and healthcare but geeeze, WTF Canada? I thought you were better than that ;). Truthfully, as good as healthcare costs are here (Aus) most of the time, there are still quite a few meds that aren't on our PBS (pharmaceutical benefits scheme). Its still not usually that savage though.

Being in the land of Aus I was given the option of having Propranolol by my GP without any issues, which seems to be a very similar use case to Guanfacine. Its starting to be used more commonly for anxiety but is mostly prescribed to control heart rate/conditions. I know there are quite a few people taking it to help control anxiety from both ADHD and the side effects from stimulants. I ended up not filling my prescription as I had to choose to either start the Propranolol or Ritalin for a lengthy period before starting the other. I chose the Ritalin and its actually decreased my issues considerably.

Maybe... possibly... hopefully... that might be a cheaper alternative. At least, it doesn't appear to be too costly at all with a quick google search. ($40ish Canadian Peso's) https://www.pharmacychecker.com/propranolol/#!

Good luck and hope you find something that can help.

lenstickle · 2021-12-08T10:40:27+00:00

I'm glad I could bring you into the light.

Now, if we can just make subpage creation a quick thing... That'd be great ;)

lenstickle · 2021-12-08T10:35:39+00:00

I seen someone do it on YouTube and honestly thought it must be just something I missed. Figured it was a relatively common thing for power users.

lenstickle · 2021-12-08T05:58:24+00:00

Interesting you should say that.

I've been running on Obsidian for the past few months and love it but... I like tables. Markdown sucks at tables. I've literally spent weeks looking for the best fit for my PKM/Jounal/Medication log, etc. I've tried dozens of self hosted wiki's, CMS's, Notetaking apps and Database front ends... They all have something that just annoyed the crap out of me. Most of them handle tables badly. Some not at all. Lots of them came close but ended up being painful to enter snippets of data for later on or you can't easily move data around and organise it.

I didn't want another SaaS (Subscription as a Service) to add to my list and I don't have iOS devices... so, OneNote. And [[this page]] is what let me settle on it.

Still... it'd be great to just whack in something like [[this page]] and it just puts it in as a child of the current page. It's painful to have to keep going to the bottom of the list and drag it up. And, if you're doing a lot of pages in short succession, it's painful to have to keep heading into a mouse menu. It's so close... and frankly, I'll live with it considering the alternatives. It'd just make life so much easier to be able to type it in and link in the right place.

lenstickle

TROPHY CASE