[MallyMal]

Anyone here into machining metal? I want to know how hard would it be to machine the external shell of an Apple Mighty Mouse in a nice steel or aluminum. Anyone have an idea?

[Laminar]

Those kind of compound curves would be very difficult and very expensive to do.

[MallyMal]

What would be the better process to get those curves?

[olePigeon]

You'll need a CNC router and a block of aluminum. The only problem I see is getting the exact measurements for the mouse and making the cover for it.

[Laminar]

Casting it would be possible, but would still probably require finishing machining operations.

[slpdLoad]

Yeah, if you could get exact dimensions, a CNC with the proper bits could do it no problem. It would take a block of aluminum and cut it in two steps, first carving the inside, flipping the stock, and finishing the outside.

[MallyMal]

If I could manage to disassemble a Mighty Mouse without breaking the pieces would a shop be able to get the dimensions?

[macforray]

The shape can be first "traced" with a CMM (coordinate measurement machine) and the contact points fed back into the CNC program (commonly called "reverse engineering"). The programmer would then need to "interpolate" between the points to develop the final shape. Once the program is made, then the operator would fixture a block of material, "zero" the CNC machine from a starting point, and then push the start button. Chips start flying from the cutting tool(s) and in a few minutes you have a finished part. Aluminum can be machined very quickly, up to 15,000 rpm spindle speed. Stainless must be machined much slower.

Very time consuming and expensive to do "one up", but if you plan on making production quantities it then becomes more economical per unit produced.

A nice aircraft aluminum (6061-T6) with a hard anodize coating (with many color options) would be functional and pleasing to the eye.

[tooki]

Originally Posted by MallyMal 

Anyone here into machining metal? I want to know how hard would it be to machine the external shell of an Apple Mighty Mouse in a nice steel or aluminum. Anyone have an idea?

Except you'd lose the ability to right-click, since the touch sensors are designed to work throgh plastic, not metal.

[vmarks]

Aluminum with plastic windows, ala the back of the iPod Touch.

[MallyMal]

Originally Posted by macforray 

The shape can be first "traced" with a CMM (coordinate measurement machine) and the contact points fed back into the CNC program (commonly called "reverse engineering"). The programmer would then need to "interpolate" between the points to develop the final shape. Once the program is made, then the operator would fixture a block of material, "zero" the CNC machine from a starting point, and then push the start button. Chips start flying from the cutting tool(s) and in a few minutes you have a finished part. Aluminum can be machined very quickly, up to 15,000 rpm spindle speed. Stainless must be machined much slower.

Very time consuming and expensive to do "one up", but if you plan on making production quantities it then becomes more economical per unit produced.

A nice aircraft aluminum (6061-T6) with a hard anodize coating (with many color options) would be functional and pleasing to the eye.

Thanks! I guess I'll start looking into machine shops that may be able to do it.

Originally Posted by tooki 

Except you'd lose the ability to right-click, since the touch sensors are designed to work throgh plastic, not metal.

Damn it!

Originally Posted by vmarks 

Aluminum with plastic windows, ala the back of the iPod Touch.

Ah! Maybe so, or maybe I'll look into doing it based off a Logitech. They may be easier to disassemble anyway.

[BLAZE_MkIV]

I would think the easiest way to form it would be to stamp it out of a sheet with a press (probably several dies in succession.) Or is aluminum not malleable enough for that?

[subego]

Not sure if you were planning to go wireless, but encasing the transmitter in metal will likely fubar your range.

Edit: Though a plastic window would help. D'oh.

[King Bob On The Cob]

Originally Posted by subego 

Not sure if you were planning to go wireless, but encasing the transmitter in metal will likely fubar your range.

Edit: Though a plastic window would help. D'oh.

Yea, even with the wired version, wouldn't the metal prevent the touch stuff that is needed for the Mighty Mouse to work?

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by tooki 

Except you'd lose the ability to right-click, since the touch sensors are designed to work throgh plastic, not metal.

Originally Posted by King Bob On The Cob 

Yea, even with the wired version, wouldn't the metal prevent the touch stuff that is needed for the Mighty Mouse to work?

!!!

[Railroader]

I am a journeyman machinist, and if you are going to pay a shop to do this expect the cost to be in the thousands. Now a hobbyist might try it just for the challenge.

I can imagine a metal mouse to be very uncomfortable. It would be cold. Also, unless you made it out of a tarnish resistant material it would start to look bad quickly

[Macfreak7]

We could possibly do this for you in silver or gold. However I'm a bit skeptical about it's functionality.
FYI, the way to do it (IMO) would be to either hand fabricate it in wax first, and then cast it in the desired metal. OR, design it using CAD and then print it out on a CAM machine and then have it cast.

[Dakar V]

I could see some potential problems arising from both the loss of the right click and, in the case of wireless, strength of signal.
wakka wakka

[olePigeon]

I always wanted to make a mold of a PowerBook case, then use a transparent plastic and reassemble it. Those prototype machines look awesome with the transparent cases.