[COMPLETED] Laser Cut Prototyping mini-GB

[llovro]

you press 'y' and move the mouse. So gamepad would have to act as a y button and mouse when you move it

[Acanthophis]

You are aware that you can change the hotkeys ingame?
I have the Chat Wheel on `~ (the key left of 1).

[llovro]

Yes, I am aware of that. I like the chat wheel on y and I have courier on that key left of 1.

[matt3o]

oneproduct.png (3.07 KiB) Viewed 7514 times

This might be oneproduct's keyboard.

Please review the DWG. I did it in quite a hurry.

[llovro]

here it is
a bit wierd but ...

[mtl]

Definitely interested.. but it would take some time to design the parts. Would like to acommodate a trackpoint and buttons on a tenkey-less layout. Similar to an IBM Spacesaver II:

[matt3o]

here it is
a bit wierd but ...

wow... that is something but I have to design my board first

Definitely interested.. but it would take some time to design the parts. Would like to acommodate a trackpoint and buttons on a tenkey-less layout. Similar to an IBM Spacesaver II:

that would be a hell of a project, but it should be feasible...

[llovro]

also all keys other than tab, alt, ctrl are normal. They're wierdly sized because...

[Findecanor]

I am tempted to get along to get a couple of plates done for an old ergo project that has laid dormant for a while... but I think that I would need a few days to do CAD ... and I have a couple other urgent projects right now (not keyboard related).
What is the smallest size that a gap could be?

[matt3o]

What is the smallest size that a gap could be?

sorry... gap of what?

[Findecanor]

What is the smallest size that a gap could be?

sorry... gap of what?

If I wanted a slit (narrow lengthwise hole) cut in a switch mounting plate, what is the minimum width of such a slit that I should put in the CAD file?
If it would be too expensive to make really narrow slits, then if the plates are in aluminium, then I could cut them myself with a hacksaw and needle files, no problem.

[matt3o]

oh okay, as a rule of thumb the minimum gap should be >= than the sheet thickness, but I actually cut holes way smaller than that (eg: 2mm out of 5mm thickness).

[Muirium]

Steely's plate (with blues) arrived in the mail this morning. I popped in my handful of sampler switches, too, and decked it out with Wyse caps for hands on testing.

I've typed on my lap and I've typed with the steel plate supported from the edges by iron discs on my toughest table. Doesn't feel bad to me. In fact, I pound those blues too hard, too easily; and really quite like my solitary MX black, for its increased resistance. I'd rather kit my board out with greens (when they arrive from 7bit). Naturally, the real test is with doing real work on a real keyboard: these aren't hooked up to anything. But no wrongness in their feel so far. I'll keep typing imaginary emails on them!

Looking around the edge of the plate, and comparing with your drawings for mine, the trim should indeed fit very easily. I'm infatuated with steel again, though, and for now at least I'm contemplating a mirror finish plate itself! I wonder what it would feel like with steel base and aluminium sides, with nice strong greens?

It's a great plate, Matt. I love the dimensions of this ghostly keyboard! Nice and tight.

[matt3o]

put it on a hard surface and try to type on it for 5 minutes. if you still like it, great! I'm looking forward to seeing the mirror plate

PS: wow, shipping was fast!

[Muirium]

Indeed, it beat my springs!

I'm trying not to bend pins, which is why I have the plate suspended from the edges, on firm blocks of iron (dumbbell rings) to give as direct a test of its stiffness as possible. So far, so good.

The Wyse has a huge old-school space bar. So I'm using a shorter cap instead. Little space bar feels awesome! Right under BNM.

[mtl]

Definitely interested.. but it would take some time to design the parts. Would like to acommodate a trackpoint and buttons on a tenkey-less layout. Similar to an IBM Spacesaver II:

that would be a hell of a project, but it should be feasible...

Thanks.. good to know it may be possible. I have a donor Spacesaver II on its way. Need to see if the buttons and trackpoint stick are usable. Somewhere around here I have a trackpoint module from a Lenovo USB keyboard, but the keyboard was scissor-switch and the trackpoint needs a stick to raise the nub to the height of Cherry MXs. I definitely would miss this GB if it goes off in the next few days, but if there's a round 2 in September I will be onboard.

[metalliqaz]

What is the timeline on this?

[photekq]

What is the timeline on this?

matt3o says if we have enough by monday then he'll request a quote. If not it'll be pushed back to September since the cutting place is shut all August.

[Muirium]

Italy is shut, all August! So yes, either next week or September.

I'm good either way. Some early, some want late. GBs: gotta love 'em.

[Broadmonkey]

I finally got home to my computer to make some fiddle with the layout and I ultimately ended up with just an ISO version of Brown Fox.

I know I am pretty late, but I would be grateful if anyone could help me drawing this:

+V6 65p 2.png (17.02 KiB) Viewed 7367 times

Caps lock and spacebar should have the same switch position as cherry keyboards

[Muirium]

Looks perfectly sensible to me, for what that's worth.

What did you use to draw the picture?

[damorgue]

I finally got home to my computer to make some fiddle with the layout and I ultimately ended up with just an ISO version of Brown Fox.

I know I am pretty late, but I would be grateful if anyone could help me drawing this:

+V6 65p 2.png

Caps lock and spacebar should have the same switch position as cherry keyboards

You are aware that layout looks more like US international than ISO? Just a reminder in case you forgot about the key next to left shift. Perhaps that was your intention, just figure I should mention it in case you forgot it and actually wanted ISO.

[matt3o]

I finally got home to my computer to make some fiddle with the layout and I ultimately ended up with just an ISO version of Brown Fox.

I know I am pretty late, but I would be grateful if anyone could help me drawing this:

+V6 65p 2.png

Caps lock and spacebar should have the same switch position as cherry keyboards

the spacebar is 6u. It's pretty hard to find. Is that fine?

[Broadmonkey]

Looks perfectly sensible to me, for what that's worth.

What did you use to draw the picture?

I use paint.net as it's free and darn easy to use, albeit a bit more tedious than photoshop. The pic I have made from scratch.

You are aware that layout looks more like US international than ISO? Just a reminder in case you forgot about the key next to left shift. Perhaps that was your intention, just figure I should mention it in case you forgot it and actually wanted ISO.

Yes, as that is what I like about ANSI and misses with ISO keyboards. The key that I loose with it, I have assigned to alt gr + z/x/c and I actually like it better that way. But thanks for mentioning it, it could easily have been a mistake.

the spacebar is 6u. It's pretty hard to find. Is that fine?

You just touched my biggest concern. I have a few 6 unit cherry spacebars from 1851 / MY 7000 boards, but unless I have black or hellgrau alpha keys, it will be pretty hard to match the colors.

I am at a bit of a loss of what else to do. Either go Kmac mini or 7u and 1u right alt and control?

[matt3o]

I would go 6.25u just for easiness of finding caps, not that a 7u is that hard to find but still...

I've updated the order list with a couple of new additions. Today I should add my ALPS design and hopefully Broadmonkey's

[Jmneuv]

I like the 'monkey'.. feeling the same way about left shift and iso enter. Think i'd make the sacrifice and opt for only a 1.25 left ALT + 6.25 spacebar.

[Muirium]

Indeed, that extra key to the left of Z is one of my gripes with ISO. Every once in a while I hit it while going for shift or even undo, when I'm off home row and concentrating on my mouse.

The Monkey? Speaking of the need for names, I'm leaning to a mirror steel plate and could use a title. Steel… the man of steel… Stalin!? Hmm. Maybe if I prefix it "Mk. I" (Read as "mark one" and the way we used to name prototypes in these parts before beta came along.) The Mk. I Stalin Jr.

I should point out it is very hot here this weekend…

[damorgue]

The caps always become the problem in the end. My ideal layout is fairly similar, but with ISO left shift since I would otherwise need both an ISO and an ANSI set. The larger problem I have is that my ideal space bar would be 4.5u because I only hit it between the C and M keys. The closest thing I have found are those on the japanese layout boards.

[Broadmonkey]

Indeed, that extra key to the left of Z is one of my gripes with ISO. Every once in a while I hit it while going for shift or even undo, when I'm off home row and concentrating on my mouse.

My only problem with the standard left shift is that I have to make a stretch with my pinky in order to reach it, especially since I never use the right shift. My little fingers is quite fucked up as I can't really stretch them too well, so I guess you can see my problem But it's mostly because I think it's more comfortable with a long left shift.

The caps always become the problem in the end. My ideal layout is fairly similar, but with ISO left shift since I would otherwise need both an ISO and an ANSI set. The larger problem I have is that my ideal space bar would be 4.5u because I only hit it between the C and M keys. The closest thing I have found are those on the japanese layout boards.

I did think of that, but I find it equally hard to find a 1.75 right shift, so it doesn't really matter if the left shift is different as well, you'd still have to mix different sets.

Regarding the space bars, It really annoys me that the standard is the unfriendly 6.25u that you can more or less ONLY use with 1.25 mods. So if you are planning to use any old cherry set you have to get a moogle set for the whole bottom row instead of just the space bar. That is why a bottom row like on the realforce with a 6u space bar should be the de facto, especially among custom builds. I am glad the 7u has got some recognition, but I find can't help but feel that it is somewhat a waste of space on smaller keyboards.

btw, I am still in doubt about the spacebar on my plate, maybe I should remove the left win key as to make space for a more friendly 7u spacebar. hmm.. decisions, decisions...

[Acanthophis]

matt, will there be another round if you guys decide to go before August?
Or asked in another way: Do you have unrestricted access to the place where you get the cuts?
I can see the qHack from webwit to be my holy grail, but I didn't do any planning so far, also not sure if the Hyper GB will cover this layout + trackpoint, scrollwheel and mouse buttons.