Macro Foot Stool

The red button finally came, and I was more than ready to solder it all up. I knew I was going to use a perma-proto board, but wasn't sure where or how to mount it. Adhesive foam is gross, and I don't really want to drill holes in the stool just to mount the board.

The native openings in the stool are pretty convenient, both from a design standpoint and a getting-your-hands-in-there-to-work standpoint. I watched a lot of Flintstones reruns as a kid, and was reminded of the end credits and the giant t-bone that Fred orders at the drive-in restaurant on the way home from the drive-in movie.

Here's a real-life carhop tray:

I wanted to apply this principle and make a tray for the board that hangs on the bottom of the opening in the back. So here it is. STL is in the files.

Another problem for the 3D printer --  lift the stool by the handle, and it folds up for storage. When you have a bunch of wires and electronics inside your stool, this is not idea.

Again, I favor removable solutions where possible, so now there are foot stool lock caps. Again, STL is in the files.

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Oh, and here's a video of it working.

Some of the untrackable buttons came early! The seller split the shipment into two—one with the red and one with the other three. This one was supposed to come after the single button package, so, bonus. I can get three quarters of the way there.

The buttons go together easily.

As it turns out, the stool comes apart and opens flat.

The button shafts measured 1". At my brother's suggestion, I bought a Forstner bit and drilled slowly.

Drilling through the stool was easier than I expected, and went a lot better than I imagined it would. You can probably see the X bracing on the inside of the stool, which is the thickest part (7mm).

It took a while to drill all the way through, but the hole is nice and clean. Well, clean enough.

aaaaaand it fits! The buttons are nice and clicky, but not too loud.

A year has passed since I bought my stuff

I should have known this right from the start

only hope can keep me together

stuff can mend your life, but stuff can break your heart

I ordered the buttons on 8/25, and got shipping notifications on 8/26 and 8/27 with unsearchable tracking numbers. Okay, whatever, they're on a slow boat from China.

This morning I got an email from the seller that says:

Dear valued customer

The items was send out today with the good package.
If you find anything wrong with the product when you receive it, please contact me first . We will solve it for you on the first time.
Hope we can get your understand.Thank you in advance.

Kindest regards,
Customer Service Team

So . . . yeah. The good package is coming. Okay.

I found 45mm LED arcade buttons on the 'zon and ordered one each of red, blue, yellow, and green last night. The red one is shipping earlier than the other three, so I can start testing things and figuring out what size hole bit to buy.

But the 60mm buttons might be too big. I did some measurements on the stool, and they will likely hang down over the front hole. Worse, four of them would be a tight fit across the front.

I wish there were 45mm buttons, or something. I think 30mm might be too small to hit with my toe without looking down to make sure I'm getting the right one, which kind of defeats the purpose.

I will keep looking for buttons. I'm usually in my stocking feet or barefoot, so stomp box switches would probably hurt.

UPDATE: As Santa Claus said in that M&M commercial they trot out every Christmas, they do exist!