[COMPLETED] Laser Cut Prototyping mini-GB

[Muirium]

As 1.5 mm steel is already very popular (for bases) and I'm the only one going for mirror steel (for my plate) would it likely harm anyone if I put my mezzanine and small base (both are exposed on the underside of my keyboard) into the mirror finish column?

Yes, they're the bottom of a keyboard. What does it matter? But it does! If it doesn't mess up overall pricing, that is, or go crazy with mine.

By the way: mirror steel is shiny on one side only, I assume? That would be the top side in the diagram? If so, my base parts would need a vertical flip so their undersides are shiny.

[matt3o]

As 1.5 mm steel is already very popular (for bases) and I'm the only one going for mirror steel (for my plate) would it likely harm anyone if I put my mezzanine and small base (both are exposed on the underside of my keyboard) into the mirror finish column?

I was expecting this.

By the way: mirror steel is shiny on one side only, I assume? That would be the top side in the diagram? If so, my base parts would need a vertical flip so their undersides are shiny.

Indeed, now that I think of it though, I have no idea which side they laser cut. the protected side (the one which comes with the protective peel) is the mirror side. So it is plausible that the sheet is actually cut on the not-protected side... so I guess it is the plate that needs to be flipped... mmmmh

[Muirium]

Perhaps! I'll have a very "custom" layout if it does come out flipped!

The shiny underside idea is not a big deal. It's my (indeed highly predictable) desire to maximise the good stuff if I can.

[matt3o]

I'll ask the laser cutter about that. I still miss some confirmations for the layouts

[matt3o]

This is Muirium's with 5mm corners compared to 3mm.



You basically lose 1mm. I can't make the inside corner much bigger since it's very close to the switches. I would keep the 3mm, but it's your board.

[Muirium]

It looks good, Matt. I'm very tempted. It's just that long unsupported upper right leg of the mezzanine that I'm worried about.

Could you post the design with 5 mm on the front and 3 mm on the back? Let's see if that looks as weird as it sounds…

[matt3o]

are you serious? you are not serious

Is this what you mean?

[Muirium]

Yes, it's what I mean. Just wanting a visual on what the difference in radius achieves. I like the front a lot that way, but I can't anger the Gods of Symmetry by trying anything so blatant, hmm…

[matt3o]

please remember that this is a custom-home-made keyboard. you can't reach "perfection" in the sense of industry standards. It's the same difference between a hand made wooden chair and an factory chair. The hand-made won't be CNC perfect but it has a soul.

[Muirium]

Hear hear!

[Muirium]

Maybe 6 on the front and 3 on the back is more symmetric.
Maybe I'm just going nuts.
Maybe the 3 mm design is quite fine as it is and I should stop messing with it!

Looking forward to finding out what the triple shiny costs.

[matt3o]

under my advice pasph reduced his order, but confirmed one board anyway.

I'll send the order tomorrow. Prepare your wallets.

[Zifle]

under my advice pasph reduced his order, but confirmed one board anyway.

I'll send the order tomorrow. Prepare your wallets.

It's been burning with temptation since yesterday! Oh shi-

[matt3o]

I have to prepare the DWG for the laser cutter (that would take a good hour) and of course I had to wait that all orders were confirmed.

[Broadmonkey]

I just noticed that the caps lock on my plate is 1.75u, can you make it 1.25 as to make it fit cherry style caps lock keys? After that I can confirm that my plate is good to be cut, thank matt!

[matt3o]

you mean the stepped caps? I don't have specs for that. Is the key in the center of a 1.25u? leaving 0.5u to the right?

[Vierax]

you mean the stepped caps? I don't have specs for that. Is the key in the center of a 1.25u? leaving 0.5u to the right?

It is. I used a 1.25u and it fitted like a charm.

For corners, I made an angle cut as books in Battlestar Galactica (sorry no picture, just an svg)

[Broadmonkey]

Yes, I mean the stepped key cap. It has a mounting point like a 1.25 key and the 0.5 part that would normally be an empty gap is filled out by the lower part of the stepped cap.

[matt3o]

I updated broadmonkey's layout and sent the quote request.

I hope broadmonkey's layout is going to work but I really never worked with iso return and stepped capslock, is a bit of an hazard.

[Broadmonkey]

I am sure it's going to work, and if not, then I only have to replace the switch plate so it won't be a total loss. The thing I am most worried about is actually the space bar, as I have no idea whether the ones we will get from GMK will have center mount, fortunately there is plenty of alternatives.

[matt3o]

I've got the quote!

And it's a darn nice quote actually. Now how do we want to split? If we had to split equally it would be around €110 per person. Shipping included.

Technically speaking who got full steel should spend a little less. But the overall price is pretty nice and if you agree I would simply split equally.

[Muirium]

I am definitely cool with that (as the one all-steel guy who went for some of the shiny stuff).

[Zifle]

I don't mind splitting evenly either, I suppose there wouldn't really be a significant difference in the individuals quote, if each paid for only his own stuff, regardless.

[Muirium]

As Matt's said before: steel is cheaper, but heavier so it's also more expensive to ship. Things pretty much balance out. And I think he got just the overall quote from the cutter, so we'd have to do the arithmetic ourselves; over nothing much at all.

[mtl]

Even split sounds good to me.

[matt3o]

cool. I'll post the final price in a sec (darn business meetings)

[matt3o]

Laser cut: € 538.57
Shipping to me: € 29.90 (that must be a pretty heavy package!)
Total cost: € 568.47

Average shipping cost to you (a guesstimate but should be pretty accurate): €16.34
Total cost per capita including shipping to your doorstep: € 111.11 (with fancy rounding)

[Muirium]

That's what I was looking for! All expenses paid shipping. Let me grab my wallet.

[mtl]

Awesome. What is the cutter's turn-around time usually like?

[matt3o]

10-15 days