Buying hardware from us
Getting all of the hardware on your own can be tricky because the parts you select may not fit perfectly. That's why we sell kits with everything you need to build a Ploopy Trackball. Here's why that's great for you:
- Everything is guaranteed to fit together perfectly
- Everything is guaranteed to work as intended
- You'll end up saving money - probably quite a bit of money - by not spending on extra parts
Your call. You'll sort it out.
Getting your own hardware
This guide was a bit light on detail in the other sections, and that's because the hardware has to conform to many specifications. They'll all be listed here.
First, a complete list of all the hardware you'll need:
- 2x M3x12mm flat-countersunk machine screws
- 4x M3x6mm socket cap machine screws
- 6x heat-set threaded inserts
- 3x MR63ZZ roller bearings
- 2x 3mm x 18mm metal dowels
- 1x silicone ring
- 4x friction pads
- 1x snooker ball
We'll be going over all of them in detail. There will be mentions of critical specifications; if you're going to be sourcing your own parts, you must get parts that conform to the critical specifications. If you go off-menu, the parts will not fit the way that we intended when we designed the trackball. That might mean that your trackball doesn't work.
Let's get cracking.
M3x12mm flat-countersunk machine screws
Here are the critical specifications:
- M3
- 0.5mm thread pitch
- Any length between 8mm and 16mm
- 5.6mm head diameter
- 1.65mm head height
- 90 degree countersink angle
M3x6mm socket cap machine screws
Here are the critical specifications:
- M3
- 0.5mm thread pitch
- 6mm length
- 5.5mm head diameter
- 3mm head height
Heat-set threaded inserts
Here are the critical specifications:
- M3
- 0.5mm thread pitch
- 4mm drill bit size
- Open end type
- Brass, or any other material that transmits heat well
- 4.8mm installed length
MR63ZZ roller bearings
Here are the critical specifications:
- MR63ZZ bearing
- 3mm inner diameter
- 6mm outer diameter
- 2.5mm thickness
3mm x 18mm metal dowels
Here are the critical specifications:
- 3mm diameter
- 18mm length
Silicone ring
We use decorative rings for this. Here are the critical specifications:
- Size 10 (19.8mm diameter)
- Width between 8.0mm and 8.7mm
Friction pads
Here are the critical specifications:
- Circular shape
- Up to 3/4" diameter
- Up to 1/8" thickness
- Non-slip
Snooker ball
We use 1.75-inch diameter (44.45mm) miniature snooker balls. Any ball between 44.0mm and 44.6mm will work.
That's it!
Ordered everything? Great! That's another thing dealt with. Head over to 1. Introduction to keep on keeping on.
Official Ploopy Kit Assembly
Ploopy Trackball Kit Assembly, Revision D
Ploopy Trackball Kit Assembly, Revision C
Appendices
Appendix A: Printed circuit boards
Appendix C: QMK Firmware Programming
Appendix D: Programming QMK on Older Ploopy Devices
Appendix E: Firmware Programming (Non QMK Devices)
Appendix G: Sourcing Your Own Ploopy
Legal
Copyright (C) 2020, Ploopy Corporation.
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".