Introduction: USB Massager

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Do you recognize these symptoms: backache after long hours of work on your computer, stress, pain in your shoulders, dreaming about vacation, … . Do you long for a massage after long hours of work?  Your desires will be fulfilled with just a little spare time and the right materials. The USB massager which you can easily create will help you relax and forget all your work problems.

 

Note: All the measurements were made in millimeter (mm) for conversion to inch part by 25,4.


Step 1: Materials and Tools

Materials needed:

  • ·         5 volt DC motor
  • ·         Wooden board (27 mm thick)
  • ·         Block connector
  • ·         Wooden stick (10 mm thick)
  • ·         Drawer knob
  • ·         Toggle switch
  • ·         USB cable

Tools needed:

  • ·         Drill
  • ·         Hole saw (95 mm, 60 mm)
  • ·         Drill bit (4 mm, 6 mm, 10 mm, 20 mm)
  • ·         Wood glue
  • ·         Super glue
  • ·         Sanding paper
  • ·         Solder gun
  • ·         Solder
  • ·         Paste wood filler
  • ·         Bee wax

Step 2: Sawing Circles

Saw three circles 95 mm in diameter by using the 95 mm hole saw. In one of these circles you saw a hole of 60 mm by using the 60 mm hole saw. This circle will be the middle piece.

Step 3: Drilling

Decide which circle will be the top and which circle will be the bottom.

  •    In the bottom circle you drill a 4 mm deep hole exact next to the center, use the 20 mm drill bit. The purpose of this hole is to prevent the counterweight of the motor from touching the wood ( see step 7, 9). 
  •  In the side of the middle circle you drill a 4 mm hole. Here the USB cable will enter.   
  • Drill a 6 mm hole in the side of the middle ring for the switch. Mark where the switch will be and  drill a 20 mm hole where you made the mark.  
  •  Fill the hole of the top circle whit paste wood. When the paste wood hardened out;  drill a 4 mm hole in the center of the circle for the drawer knob.

Step 4: More Drilling

Make a lay-out of 20 marks. Next drill holes (use a 10 mm drill bit) on the marks: the outer marks (red in picture) will be drilled 10 mm deep, the inner marks (yellow in picture) will be drilled 7 mm deep.

I made a lay-out using sketch-up. I glued the paper on the wood for easy and precise drilling.

Step 5: Saw and Sand

Saw pieces (20 mm) of the wooden stick and sand them until you have a round top.

Step 6: Sand and Glue

Sand the circles, going from large grain to fine sandpaper.

Glue the bottom circle to the middle circle (with wood glue).

Now glue all the little pieces of stick on the drilled bottom (with wood glue). Attention: glue the middle one so it will be 2mm above the ones surrounding the middle. The curve that the difference in height creates is more pleasurable when massaging.

Glue the bolt of the drawer knob on the top circle (with super glue).

Step 7: Make Motor Vibrate

A motor vibrates when a counterweight is attached to the motor shaft.

The easiest way to do this is by bolting a one terminal block connector to the shaft.

Just take the block connector remove the plastic insulation and bolt it on the shaft.

The bigger the connector the sturdier the vibrations will be.

I am surprised by how fiercely the vibrations are for such a small motor.

Step 8: Electronics

Take the USB cable and cut the female connector of. Strip the insulation until you have 4 wires, use a multimeter to decide which cable is positive and negative. Cut the other two wires and insulate them whit crimp cable.

Switch:

Solder the positive wire to the switch. Take a spare cable and connect it to the switch. If you have a toggle switch like mine you have to connect the spare cable to the middle connector.

Motor:

Solder the negative of the USB cable to one connector of the motor. Solder the open cable coming from the switch (green cable in picture) to the other connector of the motor.

Step 9: Gluing and Waxing

 Glue the switch and motor in to place (with super glue).

Glue the top circle on top of the middle circle as a cover (with wood glue).

Wax the wood using bee wax (ore other wax, varnich, … ), it protects the wood and it will look better.

Screw the knob on the top.

Step 10: Enjoy

Enjoy your break from work with a nice massage. Dream away: think about vacation, nice memories, …
All you need is a computer or a USB power supply to plug-in the USB massager.