Constructing the stick 2

So after after a bit of a rest to recharge the batteries (that’s the soldering iron, not me!), I connected up the last tilt switch to the keyboard matrix, did a quick test with my patch and I was ready to get it into the pipe. I dropped some string thru the hole and down the pipe, tied it round the end of the PS/2 connector and pulled it up. Unfortunately, the cable wouldn’t bend enough for me to pull it thru the hole and the pipe was too narrow for me to get my hand up to try and force it to bend. I had a cardboard tube which at the time I thought was too short, so I retrieved it from the “stuff to go to the recycle” pile and slapped some paint on. Whilst it was drying, I sprayed the matrix and my soldering with a thin layer of plastic sealant to try and protect it when it would be pulled thru the tube.

After a couple of hours, the paint was dry. I cut 4 slits in one end to hold the card which the array of tilt switches were stuck to and a small chunk at the other for the cable to feed out of. Then I started to feed the cable, followed by the matrix which was then followed by the array into the tube. A couple wires snapped which needed a quick repair with solder and insulating tape but other than that no major casualties. I trimmed the card, put some tape round to help to hold them in place and popped the covers on the ends of the tube. After a quick test it looks as though the delayStick is ready to rock.