RE: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Hacking Optical Mice as position/distance encoders

If you open up standard a mouse you will find 2 low line count quadrature
encoders. I just opened up a MS wheel mouse and it has 36 line encoder
wheels. Resolution would be pretty rough. If you mounted them directly on
the motor with a 2:1 belt drive and a 5 tpi screw you would get 1440 counts
per inch in quadrature which works out to just under .0007" per count.

How are you wanting to interface with one??

Tim
[Denver, CO]

> Hey now, I confess my ignorance on the general topic of encoders. So,
> this might be a rather naive question...
>
> If optical mice were sold as optical encoders, then they'd cost a mint!
>
> Sooo, has anyone thought about hacking optical mice for use as CNC
> optical encoders???
>
> Issues that have (randomly) come to mind:
>
> 1.) they ain't cheep. Hopefully, they'll start appearing as used/
> surplus components
>
> 2) how do you hack that USB???
>
> 3.) what are the alternatives to this approach?
>
> 4.) what resolution is reasonably accessible?
>
> Finally, if anybody has some good references on how these things are
> engineered/designed, then I'd appreciate a posting. Keywords or likely
> sources of such info will work too...
>
> Thanks! Mike Pinkerton (San Rafael, CA)
> FAQ: http://www.ktmarketing.com/faq.html