Yes! You Can Make Your Own Custom Mouse Pad. Whoopee!

By Nutshell
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Nutshell

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There are many reasons a project like this may not be

worth your time or money. If you're happy with the pad

and mouse you have now, there is no logical reason to buy

or make another mouse pad. If you would like to make

this type of mouse pad, but you've never used basic hand

tools I would advise you to work with a friend or relative

that has a few years of experience working with tools.

I started thinking about making a custom mouse pad when

the optical mouse came along. Remember how they said

you could use these optical mice on any flat, smooth surface?

What a great idea! Encourage people to move their right

or left hand repetitively, thousands of times a day on a rock

hard surface. I'm sure your local hand surgeon bought that

fourth car or third home with advice like that!

There are really fancy (and expensive) mouse pads for the

addicted gamer who wants something that looks ultra cool.

I wanted a thick, medium density pad that filled the space

next to my keyboard. I also wanted the color to be solid

white. Why? There's a super sensitive detector that collects

the reflected light coming from that red LED you see on the

bottom of your mouse. Even today, some optical mice will

not work with a dark or jet black pad. I don't know why

so many are black, except that the color black hides smears

and smudges. Physical laws never change. A light color

reflects more light than a dark color.

Here's how to make a really nice pad using very basic hand

tools. It can be any size or shape you want.

1. Go to Wal-Mart or similar store and look in the department

where they sell kitchen or bath floor mats. The one you want

has a white, medium density neoprene backing, about 3/8"

thick. It has a slightly tacky vinyl coating on one side. It really

doesn't matter what color or pattern is on the vinyl side. If

possible, try to find one that is light in color.

2. After deciding the maximum length and width of your pad,

add 1" to the length. This extra inch should hang over the edge

of your table protecting your wrist. This really helps if you

wear a wristwatch or bracelet.

2. Use a utility knife with a new blade. In fact, if want smooth,

straight cuts change the blade (or flip it) after every cut. 1/4"

hardboard is a good cutting surface. If you want the hardboard

to be dust free, spray a little Static Guard on some paper towel

and wipe it down. An ultra fine sharpie makes easy to see

marks on vinyl. These days, most utility knives have retractable

blades for safety. If the blade wobbles at all, you won't like

the results. Stanley's FatMax knife has a wheel that keeps

the blade rock steady when fully extended.

3. The best straight edge is a good quality steel (not aluminum)

framing square. Use the wider, 24" part of the square to make

your straight cuts. Make sure the narrow, 16" length is in contact

with the neoprene mat. This is the point where you should start

your cut. If you allow the shorter part of the square to hang

over the edge of the mat, you'll end up with a lousy cut.

4. Tilt the knife at a shallow angle. Make sure the side of the

blade is always in contact with the edge of the square. Let

the blade do the cutting. Don't press too hard. Drag the

blade slowly across the mat. As I said, the best results are

obtained when the blade edge is new.

5. Unless you have special dies or punches, you cannot cut

factory smooth round corners. Even a curved pair of scissors

will produce very poor results. I made 3/4" diagonal cuts at

the corners of my pad. It looks fine. There's a tool that looks

something like a handheld pruning shears for small plants.

It has a replacable blade that is very useful for making these

3/4" corner cuts. Sears sells one, but it uses expensive blades.

Mine is made by Gerber, the knife company. It uses ordinary

utility knife blades. A short, steel ruler and your utility knife

is all you really need to make the corner cuts.

6. The final and most important step is to cover that tacky

vinyl bonded to the neoprene. It makes a slip free floor mat,

but its definitely not what you want for your mouse. Go to

an auto store and buy a can of vinyl & fabric spray. Any light

color is ok. Clean the tacky vinyl surface with denatured

alcohol. When you see a small amount of the dye in the vinyl

rub off, the surface is ready to be sprayed. The safest way to

use this spray is outdoors on a dead calm day. Look at the

leaves on a tree. If they don't move that's dead calm. It's ok

to spray indoors if you have a home workshop. Use cardboard

or plastic sheet to construct a simple enclosure that will catch

the overspray. You don't want this stuff floating all over your

shop. You must use a respirator!! If spraying indoors, wear

goggles and a respirator, unless you have a full face respirator.

Follow the directions on the can completely. The warnings on

this product are for real, believe me. Once it cures, the vinyl

coating left behind is smooth, safe, and very durable.

7. Most of the chain auto stores have vinyl & fabric coating

in a spray can. You can also purchase this product in

specialty auto shops or online in various size bottles and

and cans. If you're an airbrush artist the possible patterns

you can create are only limited by your imagination.

Edited by Nutshell
Community Regular

Nutshell

Posted
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I decided if I was going to post this idea the directions had to detailed.

There are probably a couple of billion people around the world that have

never used basic hand tools. Doctor's offices and emergency rooms are

full of these folks. If you began using tools as a preteen, its almost

impossible to imagine that the rest of the world is not like you (and me).

The results I got when this project was completed were better than I

expected. The surface of the pad is incredibly smooth. I can move

the mouse across the pad with a little jet of air. Also, it protects

your hand from repetitive motion injury better than any commercial

pad I've ever tried, and I've tried a whole lot of them!

I'm well aware of the online companies that will make any kind of

of mouse pad you want. The whole point of my post is that you can

make one yourself, if you want.

I've built a few dozen desktops over the years. I have a well equipped

workshop that has allowed me to completely renovate my home. Not

every project has to be complex, difficult, or even meaningful. Sometimes,

they're just for fun.

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