DIY CNC router illuminated control panel

[wiatroda]

Hi Eddy
Each button is made from 3 and 5mm thick acrylic. Top part is painted mat black and then engraved. After that the two parts are glued together. Each button presses tactile switch. Each tactile switch/button is connected to one dedicated port in arduino leaonardo. The sketch in arduino works as follow: When the button is pressed arduino detect change of the value on the input port. Dependent on what button is pressed the arduino sends a specific command to the computer. For example when START button is pressed Arduino sends code of ALT press then shortly after that the letter R, when button is released it sends command of release Key R the release ALT. Sorry but there is no way to use this ebay keypad and to avoid arduino.
Worth mentioning that there is no need to install any software or plugins on the computer- it sees the control panel as standard USB keyboard.
Few pics of the parts:

Picture above shows my first acrylic back-plate which was kind of failure.


It was pain in the neck to glue all parts together and it didn't work as i wanted to. So I've redesigned it all and instead I've cut one-piece backplate from plywood.