My first contribution - DIY Resistor touch strip

[John Egerton]

After my attempts of looking for a cheap ready-made resistor strip of a pre-defined value failed, I tried to search for a modification of The Synthstick that would allow me to make a fixed size strip alter a fixed resistance of 5k without having to compromise by adding or taking way some of the length of the strip.

Anyway, I admitted defeat and tried a different approach....  

Its easy to make and should act as a variable resistor of any desired value and can be any length you like!




As long as the first thing you do is decide on the length of the strip, the rest is a simple maths calcultion to discover the amount of resistors you will need, and what value.

The end result should look like a commercially made strip as the black rubber will hide what in my case is known as my shoddy DIY efforts.  

As long as you ensure that the protruding solder on the underside of the board s as thin as possible ad of uniform height as the rest of the perfboard locks, then the pad should feel just as professional as a pad on one of those expensive stereo systems or a midi pad.

A chrome cover with a rectangular square cut out exposing the rubber would also look really cool.

Feel free to rip this thing to pieces but nonetheless, a decent idea to think about....


Thanks

John

[smoguzbenjamin]

Nice, John! Whatabout when the foil touches two resistors though? That would result in a decrease in resistance... But if the foam's high enough it should be OK... nevermind I'm ranting again :mrgreen:

Nice work!

[John Egerton]

Thats a decent point actually, I mean, an average person's fingertip is at least 1 cm wouldn't you say?

A way of compensating for that would be to increase the spaces between the resistors and increase the height of the foil from the board I guess...

However sucess is limited...  :?

Hmmmmm..

Thanks

John