Sugru Mousegrip

Modern day computer mice are built to last, with the analog balls of yesteryear all but extinct, and fancy new lasers most computer mice tend to last a long time.

If you spend a little bit more on a slightly nicer mouse, they tend to last even longer.
The problem I had with my Razer Diamond back is that it's nice rubberised button coatings was wearing thin, and the silicone sides were yellowing.

Solution? Sugru of course!

I made two basic modifications to my mouse, the main one being to cover the main two mouse buttons with Sugru, custom moulded to my finger tips. The second, to replace the yellowed silicone down the side of my mouse.

When I mentioned what I was doing, The Ideanator pricked up his ears and took note, and in the time it took me to write up this instructable he had already added some modifications onto his mouse, and got some pictures. So you will see a few shots throughout of his project, and how he did his compared to mine.

Step 1 Materials and Tools

Materials and Tools used include - 

• A mouse that has seen better days, or
• A mouse that needs an ergonomic upgade
• A set of electronics screwdrivers, cross head is most likely
• Methylated Spirits, or Rubbing Alcohol (Nail Varnish also works)
• Cotton Wool, or some cloth
• Tweezers
• Sugru, I used three packets (2 Blue for the sides, 1 Black for the buttons)

Comments

[projectsugru]

hey, nice mouse hack. How is it holding up ?

James

[gmjhowe]

It is holding up pretty well actually, I use it daily for general computing and design work. Been using it since I published this instructable!

So far it is fairing a lot better than the mouses original grips, so much so, if I get a new mouse, I might go for a sugru coating straight away.

[projectsugru]

cool, that's great :)

[dombeef]

Nice! Now if only i had some surgru...

[zascecs]

*sniff*

[dombeef]

too bad someone doesn't have extra surgru packets...
*sniffs louder*

[zascecs]

*sniffs even louder*

[dombeef]

*yells that i sniffed*

[zascecs]

*sniffs so much that the dog starts sniffing to see what the problem is*

[dombeef]

*and he find me sniffing at the computer screen*

[zascecs]

*all the dogs in the neighborhood start sniffing*

[dombeef]

*and they come and sniff me to find what the problem is.*

[zascecs]

*they find out that it's not worth sniffing you so they come and sniff me to find out what the problem is*

[dombeef]

*and they throw up on you, i think they accepted you*

[zascecs]

*but they regret it and lick it off and then go throw up on you*

[dombeef]

*so i am now accepted to their group and i say to attack you*

[zascecs]

*but before they threw up on you, i brainwashed them and told them to do the opposite they are told so they attack you instead*

[itzepiic]

I think if dombeef stopped crying and singing the Still Alive song in the comment boxes and got a job, he might have some Sugru right now.

:-)

[dombeef]

Stalker... joking, just someone owes me money and they haven't given it back

[zascecs]

the dog ate it, you won't be seeing your money for a while

[dombeef]

I'll wait till he poops it out, i gave him a "special" treat...


Laxatives...

[zascecs]

the dog is specially trained for his body to resist the effects of laxatives

[dombeef]

I use the powers of olive oil, lessens the friction...
Now i wait...

[zascecs]

...for some digested dollar bills...

[dombeef]

Yeah, I will do anything for money, even though it is poop covered

[zascecs]

XP

too bad, the dog ran away, its safe in a bunker deep underground

[altontoth]

I like it. Bought a pack at Maker Faire in May, thinking of what to use it for.
Never occurred to me to do this!

[yamon]

That's sick, I'm gonna definitely hit my diamondback up with this. Thanks!

[and-reas]

You make me want to have sugru. The look is nice, not very common yet too :)

[cowscankill]

That's cool! I think the one issue I have with sugru - and most of the sugru entries - is that it doesn't look smoothed... do you know what I mean? If I did this, I would probably use the back of a small spoon to smooth the silicon before it hardened with my fingerprints in it. Anyways, great idea! If I were doing this mod, I would go ahead and make my buttons click silently too.

[gmjhowe]

I agree! I am actually planning a hack where I get a smooth Sugru result. Using moulds, but that I depends on wether I want to make a permanent addition to my iPad.

[cowscankill]

Cool, can't wait!

[DJ Radio]

Sugru sounds like some kind of pokemon.

[dombeef]

Go surgru!
Surgru uses stick to object!
Surgru succeeds!
lol

[BOOM5601]

And the best part is, when the police want your prints, they only have to find your mouse!

[Diabloscope]

has rubbery feel ? i was thinking something like that just tapeing abs plastic on the 1 & 2 buttons to raise the buttons a bit on my Habu Mouse same shape and size of your Diamondback , just more buttons , and i need to do this to my microsoft x8 cant get a good grip, it its too smooth and the wheel sucks too smooth finish but im filing knotches in it for better gripping
Great Idea ! I will be Doing this to Both Mice !! THANKS !!!

[gmjhowe]

Its silicone, so it has a kinda grippy feel, not quite like the rubbery stuff, but it feels more resilient. I did have the Habu for a while, but I prefer the finger grip of the Diamond Backs opposed to the Palm grip of the Habu. Plus I upgraded to the better sensor in the Diamondback 3G!

[solarblade90]

I have a Logitech mx518, will it work?

[The Ideanator]

Yep, any sort of mouse will work.

[The Ideanator]

Just make sure you have a backup mouse when the sugru is setting.