Machining a Maple Case for the GPS
Playing with code is fun, but when you do it all day for work it’s nice to come home and build something tangible. I picked up some scrap Hard Maple from the baseball bat manufacturer that happens to make Barry Bonds’ bat of choice (purportedly). Now I’ve worked with Pine, Oak, Soft Maple, and some exotic woods, but I think this has to be my favourite. The stuff is durable, cuts really well, sands nicely, and has a nice texture to it. I’ve even tested it for a year under hard field conditions. Its going to be interesting how this looks like once I finish the inlay, seal, and mounting on my bike.
I’m devising a quick release mounting mechanism for the stem of my bike. This is my current hang-up with the project. I’m also thinking of drilling to within 1/16” of the outside casing so that the LED’s display without protruding from the case. I’d have liked to do the same with the power button, but I couldn’t make the case wall thin enough to make it flexible without it cracking.