Laser mod for Amiga tank mouse - nondestructive install

[dava1973]

I got a "Laser-Tank-Mouse PCB" from AmigaDigital the other day, and the PCB works perfectly. Huge thanks to AmigaDigital at this place! Unfortunately, the pcb requires cutting some parts of the original body. Just like some other buyers, I didn't want to damage the original body of the mouse, so I decided to create a 3d printed version of the lower body that fits the new pcb. My plan was to keep the upper part original, so the modified mouse looks and feels as close to the original as possible. In regular use, you see the lower part much less anyway, so the 3d printed part won't be as intrusive.

As a starting point, I took a very detailed recreation of the tank mouse from thingiverse:
"Amiga Tank Mouse Detailed Design (keyhanger added)" Thing 3945314

I loaded the STL of the lower body in Blender and modified the mesh to fit the lens and the pcb of the laser mod. The first iteration had some issues here and there and I had to stretch the model by 0,5 mm both in length and in width to better fit to original upper part.
The second iteration worked out quite nice, I think, but have a look yourselves.

I've uploaded the design to thingiverse as a remix of the original design, if anyone is interested, it should go live tomorrow, 10.11.2024.
EDIT: It's online now: Thing: 6825329

Enough text, now on to the photo booth part... First, the lower body after printing & removing the supports:

Lens for laser inserted:

PCB installed:

...and the finished product:

No mice have been harmed while creating this product

 

[Timtheloon]

the Link doesn't seem to work for me do you still have the STL file?

 

[dava1973]

There is some issue with the link, I will try to fix it. Meanwhile, I attach the STL to this post...

EDIT: The link to thingiverse now works, but my remix is not yet online, as I have to wait 24 hours as a new user...

EDIT 2: I think I should emphasize that the orignial model of the tank mouse was made by user OZ2CPU on thingiverse - I just made the minor modifications for the laser pcb. My mod wouldn't have been possible without OZ2CPU's work! If you use the mod, please consider giving him a small tip on thingiverse.

 

[Xanxi]

Nice post, thanks.

However i am surprised that you say the original case has to be modified. I installed myself an optical PCB in a genuine tank mouse with a kit from the french store MicroMiga and i had no issue at all and no modification whatsoever. This kit also came with a printed part to replace the removable part which usually kept the ball in place. Your printed lower part is cleaner though.
Perhaps is there several types of tank mouse case?

 

[fpmpaolo]

Wow that's what I was looking for.
You made my day man. Thanks!

 

[dava1973]

Nice post, thanks.

However i am surprised that you say the original case has to be modified. I installed myself an optical PCB in a genuine tank mouse with a kit from the french store MicroMiga and i had no issue at all and no modification whatsoever. This kit also came with a printed part to replace the removable part which usually kept the ball in place. Your printed lower part is cleaner though.
Perhaps is there several types of tank mouse case?

There are different laser mods floating around and there exist some variants of the tank mouse too - for example the tank mouse of the A1000 is different not only at the connector (which is angled 90°) but also inside the mouse, where the fire buttons are placed different and the plastic buttons do not have a a protrusion to press the button like later models do (see pictures below).

I got a laser mod from amigastore.eu a while ago and that one did not require a modification, just like the one you have described - it came with a 3d-printed cover for the ball hole.

The mod that User "AmigaDigital" is selling on this forum - while working really great - is one however, that needs some modifications of the original case. That's why I made this 3d print.

Pics:
Laser mouse kit from amigastore.eu with 3d-printed inlet, no modification of the mouse required (is sold out at this moment, however):

Tank mouse from A1000 - bottom and inside. Diffs vs. A500/A2000 version:

• Ball is bigger
• opening closes by sliding instead of turning
• Extra pcb for pushbuttons, elevated by a support
• No prolonged push-thingy on the mouse buttons (as the pushbuttons are elevated)

 

[Fidelware]

Hi, thanks for sharing your work. I tried to print it with my bambulab but the STL file is very small so it is not at the right scale. Could you tell me how to do it?

 

[dava1973]

Hi! Sorry for that, I really struggle with settings for scaling when exporting an STL in Blender, it's completely unintuitive... So I managed to save it with wrong scaling. But it's easy to fix in one of two possible ways:

1. You can set scaling in your slicer programm: set size to 100'000% or something like that for all 3 axes, until the size of the object matches what's expected (you should get something around 10 cm for length, I do not remember the exact size, but as it's always a factor 10, it's either around 1 cm, 10cm or 100cm, so you should be able to tell, which scale factor is right). Slice & print after scaling - now the sizes should be right
   
   
2. OR, alternatively, you can download an updated file with hopefully the right sizes from Thingiverse, just make sure you take Version 3.3.3 of the STL file. Link: Thing Nr. 6825329

Hope this helps!