care, maintenance, and modification information for the 40h
button pads
maybe you’ve noticed a thin powdery substance on your buttons… it’s totally normal. we’ve dusted them with a thin layer of talc (or a generous layer of talc then sprayed it down with compressed air.) if for some reason your buttons begin to stick (this may be caused by moisture exposure, ie spilled chocolate milk) dust them with a little talc (baby powder will do.) if you’ve spilled something serious over the whole unit, you probably want to take the unit apart and consider a quick button rinse and add talc when button pads have dried. (we haven’t needed to try this but it should work in theory.)
bottom enclosure
so your black bottom enclosure looks a little dirty. the enclosure is 100% high durometer silicone. the best way to clean it is by dampening a towel with isopropyl alcohol and wiping away. don’t pour it on. don’t use any towels that have that cottony lint that comes off.
silicone glue
so you can’t wait to get in there and add your own specials. once you’ve removed the bottom screws you’ll have to “gently” pry/pull the aluminum top plate from the bottom enclosure. between the two is a thin layer of 100% silicone glue for added seal. you do not need to reapply the glue but you may decide you want to. we only recommend using a 100% silicone glue (aquarium glue) in small amounts. we like to clamp the unit (you can use heavy books or such) and let it cure for about five hours.
modify
can’t wait to powder coat that top plate or have a unicorn etched into your bottom enclosure or add some knobs? by all means you should do this and send us photos. check out the 40h optical encoder tutorial.