Post your keyboard/keycaps!

[Muirium]

I noticed DT is real into vintage keyboards,

I think we have a good mix here, quite a few tkl / sub / clack "freaks". DT is just not as big as GH, possibly a good thing.

The smaller DT community has an easier atmosphere, I think. We chatter and joke more, and tend to stick around. It's easier to get a reputation over here, too. Then people know where you're coming, and you can post your vintage boards without worrying what the Korean skullmeisters think.

[Medowy]

Skullmeisters!! haha

[Wiper]

So, a while back I posted about on DT about my slight desire to make a Lego case for my Pure Pro keyboard (largely because I prefer my keyboards to be flat/tilted away from me, something most pre-made cases don't really accommodate. That, and well, if I'm going to opt for a custom case, why not make it to my own specifications?). I was promptly informed that a few people had done exactly that for their Poker-sized boards, and that was enough to make me get off my arse and make one.

As mine is a magenta-lit keyboard with blank white (PBT) caps for the letters and shift keys, I figured a white and magenta colour scheme was the one to go for. And I really like the result - the only downside is that, as I take the keyboard to work every day (I got tired of the RSI that the full-sized, spongy work keyboard was subjecting me to), the Lego framework doesn't always survive transit without needing a bit of repair work at the other end. I'm actually tempted to superglue the bugger together... And yes, I have had a few comments about my choice of keyboard from colleagues

Pure Pro in Lego case, backlight off

Keyboard Unlit.jpg (381.36 KiB) Viewed 8341 times

Pure Pro in Lego case, backlight on (2nd stage)

Keyboard Lit.jpg (407.22 KiB) Viewed 8341 times

Pure Pro in Lego case, maximum backlight (7th stage)

Keyboard Lit Full.jpg (420.76 KiB) Viewed 8341 times

(As ever, the backlight shows up far more starkly in photographs than in real life - the white keys are much more of a diffuse pink in person)

As you can see, Lego just happens to be at the perfect scale to house the keyboard - with a bit of sugru (or similar) to give the Lego base a bit of grip to the table, and to give the keyboard a particularly snug fit at the corners, there's no unwanted movement in the unit at all. If you've a Poker-sized keyboard in need of a new shell I can highly recommend Lego as a building material

(in case anybody is wondering, the translucent black key to the left of the backspace is the 'wrong' height - that's intentional, as the one thing that bothers me with the Pure Pro is the ease of accidentally hitting delete instead of backspace; making the delete key a lower profile (it's a key designed for the bottom row, IIRC) completely solves that issue)

[Nuum]

Nice one! Now I know what kind of case my FaceU will get when it arrives. Do you use stand offs for the PCB or does it simply lay on the LEGO nubs?

[Wiper]

I have 1x1 and 1x2 Lego tiles working as stand offs (size dependent on whether the screwhole centres properly on a single one) under the screw mounts. plus 1x1 tiles in the corners for added support (upon which small dabs of sugru live to cushion the corners). The plan was to screw directly into the stand offs, but that's been suspended with the realisation that I've misplaced the tiny drill-bits I need to create the holes in the Lego with. So for now it's sitting free, which actually seems to work just fine thanks to the snugness of the fit, just so long as you don't turn it upside-down.

For reference, the case's base is two Lego tiles tall, plus the stand-offs means the keyboard is three tiles off the table; the frame upon the edges is one full brick and one plate high at its lowest (the back), one full brick, one tile and one plate high at its highest (the front). That's enough to have the circuit board itself hidden, but the LEDs at the front are just about visible. You'd want to be one or two tiles higher if you wanted the board and LEDs completely obscured, but I like having the case low enough that I never end up resting part of my hand on it.

[scottc]

That sounds great. Thanks for sharing, Wiper. I wanted to do the same for my FaceU, but I'm worried about putting pressure on certain parts of the PCB (where the lego "standoffs") would be. If it's not a problem then I'm excited to try it!

[Wiper]

Yeah, there's a reason I want to properly mount it using screws once I find my drill bits/buy some new ones - it's fine in the short term, but I don't want to keep the board supported by bricks (particularly the 2x1 ones which are passing significantly beyond the protected area of the screw holes) which are also touching the circuit board around the screw holes - the plan is to completely 'frame' the screw holes with washers so that all of the weight is going onto screw hole area of the board alone.

I could just use actual stand-offs (I have countless spare from numerous PC builds over the years), but the height gain would be more than I'd like.

[HipsterPunks]

Weather has been gorgeous this week, got a chance a chance to photo some new boards and keysets,

[bazh]

Looking at your Rain Drop just made me want GMK blue mods to happen moaaarrrrr

[davkol]

I guess I'll share my layout...

MX Black with thick POM feels superb (thanks Ivan!) and these different profiles on the bottom rows are awesome, because I can choose, whether I want to press a modifier with a pinkie, or the edge of a palm; similar thing with thumb keys.

[seebart]

a coulple of artsy shots of that NTC KB-6151N of mine...

[photekq]

teaser

[kbdfr]

So you're the one who bought it

Not having seen your edit and not knowing who the buyer was, but remembering Daniel Beardsmore's sorrows about links to eBay pics becoming obsolete with time, I had asked the seller whether I could copy his pics to use them on DT.
He answered and consented, but obviously we now have a source for even more and even better pics

[photekq]

So you're the one who bought it

Not having seen your edit and not knowing who the buyer was, but remembering Daniel Beardsmore's sorrows about links to eBay pics becoming obsolete with time, I had asked the seller whether I could copy his pics to use them on DT.
He answered and consented, but obviously we now have a source for even more and even better pics

Yes, it was me!

Thanks again for posting the link. I'm very happy I bought it. After cleaning the board I can tell the keycaps have seen next to no use, and the Greek legends are part of the doubleshot - no pad printing! (are your HARs cyrillic legends like this too?)

[kbdfr]

[…] and the Greek legends are part of the doubleshot - no pad printing! (are your HARs cyrillic legends like this too?)

When I looked at it on arrival, I concluded they were pad printed.
I now had another thorough look and tried to make pics showing the difference between the latin and cyrillic legends,
unfortunately both my skills and my equipment are quite pitiful.

Spoiler:

Cyrillic caps detail-1.jpg (248.63 KiB) Viewed 8146 times

Cyrillic caps detail-2.jpg (552.92 KiB) Viewed 8146 times

I hate to have to say that, but obviously the additional legends are not doubleshot.

[photekq]

I hate to have to say that, but obviously the additional legends are not doubleshot.

Aw, that's a shame.. If those legends were doubleshot it'd be such an amazing set. UK ISO, cyrillic, all doubleshot legends...

Yours is a G81-3000HAR, right? I wonder if the legends of the G80-1000HAR are any different.. I doubt it, but a guy can dream

[kbdfr]

Mine is a…

AEG Olympia 0.jpg (180.76 KiB) Viewed 8119 times

[photekq]

Ah, a G81-3015HAR then!

[seebart]

half of my favorite litte Apple...another retrobright candidate

[seebart]

The Keyboard to Cheer You Up...

IMGP6619.JPG (270.76 KiB) Viewed 8049 times

[Hak Foo]

That slogan always amused me. I want to buy some stickers that say "the keyboard to depress you" or "the keyboard to sap your will for living" and paste them on the paper-thin eMachines boards that litter my office.

[Shinryuu]

White/gray on black! I've been planning to get some dye for my caps

[seebart]

right Hak Foo, I know what you mean! Even with those colorfull caps it does NOT cheer me up more than another keyboard.
It´s just a strange slogan.



Very nice Shinryuu. HHKB is quite a rare item here in Europe. I can´t even get one if I wanted! Did you import yours?

[DanielT]

PBT Dye Sub .... and SUN

image.jpg (417.04 KiB) Viewed 7829 times

[scottc]

That's awesome! Where did you finally get a Sun keycap?!

[photekq]

Here I think..

[mr_a500]

Who the hell would want a Nutella keycap?

[DanielT]

Yep, custom made for me That guy is an artist, and I am happy that I have the SUN Microsystems cap
And I like nutella

[mr_a500]

Video Toaster and even Sock Puppet keycaps I can understand, but nutella? That stuff is gross.

[chzel]

....but nutella? That stuff is gross.

Blasphemy! Blasphemy!

STONE HIM!!!