Print PDF
Favorite
Email
Step 5Layer together
Carefully layer together as follows:
a) OUTSIDE neoprene with all 38 buttons ironed on and wires neatly arranged (using a few stitches if necessary) so that these collect along the spine and end in one point at the bottom hem.
b) The layer of foam with the holes covering the buttons.
c) INSIDEĀ neoprene with the conductive fabric that will serve as the VDD for all buttons.
Stitch the layers together by hand carefully so that everything stays in place before using the sewing machine. You can use the button stencil to lightly trace onto the inner side of the neoprene where the buttons are so that you can sew around them.
You will need a strong sewing machine (I know for sure that the Pfaff Tiptronic 6230 works), also a large needle, strong yarn and a walking foot are a must! I used a medium width zigzag stitch to trace the button divisions. Besides sewing neoprene, the hardest part is not to include the individual buttons in the stitch because even though there is the layer of foam in between, this does not isolate the two layers of conductive fabric from each other when they are pulled together buy a stitch. All the foam does is keep the two conductive layers from touching, unless pressed.
One way to make sure you are not making a connection while sewing is to connect all of the button wire ends to one end of the multi meter and the other end to the VDD and set the multi meter to the beep noise it makes when there is a contact and that way you know if your needle just went through both conductive layers and thus they got caught in the stitch. You then have to undo the stitch and re-do.
Now that the buttons are sewn together you should test each button individually with the multi meter. Check (for each button) that so that when you press it it is giving the output to the wire end it is supposed to. Now would also be a good time to mark which wire end is what.
a) OUTSIDE neoprene with all 38 buttons ironed on and wires neatly arranged (using a few stitches if necessary) so that these collect along the spine and end in one point at the bottom hem.
b) The layer of foam with the holes covering the buttons.
c) INSIDEĀ neoprene with the conductive fabric that will serve as the VDD for all buttons.
Stitch the layers together by hand carefully so that everything stays in place before using the sewing machine. You can use the button stencil to lightly trace onto the inner side of the neoprene where the buttons are so that you can sew around them.
You will need a strong sewing machine (I know for sure that the Pfaff Tiptronic 6230 works), also a large needle, strong yarn and a walking foot are a must! I used a medium width zigzag stitch to trace the button divisions. Besides sewing neoprene, the hardest part is not to include the individual buttons in the stitch because even though there is the layer of foam in between, this does not isolate the two layers of conductive fabric from each other when they are pulled together buy a stitch. All the foam does is keep the two conductive layers from touching, unless pressed.
One way to make sure you are not making a connection while sewing is to connect all of the button wire ends to one end of the multi meter and the other end to the VDD and set the multi meter to the beep noise it makes when there is a contact and that way you know if your needle just went through both conductive layers and thus they got caught in the stitch. You then have to undo the stitch and re-do.
Now that the buttons are sewn together you should test each button individually with the multi meter. Check (for each button) that so that when you press it it is giving the output to the wire end it is supposed to. Now would also be a good time to mark which wire end is what.
| « Previous Step | Download PDFView All Steps | Next Step » |
 |
Add Comment
|
