First experiments in CNC

[cookie]

matt3o, one question on the poker cases, is it possible to make changes on the layout or do you plan to mass produce them that way?

I am looking forward to come up with some kind of poker/hhkb.

Greetings

[matt3o]

Then, this is great!
Only two questions remain: when - and - how much?

I'm waiting for a second batch of acrylic, so hopefully by the end of the week I should have some samples ready. Please note that this is not "mass produced", I just make on-demand hand-crafted (well, CNC-crafted) samples.

Not sure about pricing yet. Somewhere between €35 and €50 I guess, it's hard to make an estimate. I plan to make fancy feet for it, too. Those lift the price a little because they are carved from 15mm acrylic and there's a special tiny nut inside.

Can you make a working key cap from your silicone mold, I mean a cap with a working mount?

there are various grades of silicone stiffness (called "shore" I seem to recall). The hard one can be probably used for a keycap, but of course the design can't be too complex (the harder the silicone, the lower the resolution).

matt3o, one question on the poker cases, is it possible to make changes on the layout or do you plan to mass produce them that way?

I am looking forward to come up with some kind of poker/hhkb.

they are not mass produced, I make them on request, any layout is possible.

[Laser]

Then, this is great!
Only two questions remain: when - and - how much?

I'm waiting for a second batch of acrylic, so hopefully by the end of the week I should have some samples ready. Please note that this is not "mass produced", I just make on-demand hand-crafted (well, CNC-crafted) samples.

Not sure about pricing yet. Somewhere between €35 and €50 I guess, it's hard to make an estimate. I plan to make fancy feet for it, too. Those lift the price a little because they are carved from 15mm acrylic and there's a special tiny nut inside.

Thanks, i'm quite interested!
(sorry for so many questions - are dark colors (black, blue etc.) possible?)

[ماء]

and this is a keyboard case, not yet 100% finished, but I like it.



It's acrylic, but the plate is 3mm with little pockets for the switch clips



Some edges seem rough but that's just some waste material to be removed and acrylic dust/powder.

(bottom is glossy, top is matte)



the plate is 3mm thick but it goes 1.5mm deep into the sides.

ajib nice
how to stabs?

[Medowy]

Will V60 fit in this?

[andrewjoy]

You should make nice novelty caps for the M or beamspring. That would be awesome.

that would be amazing

beamspring caps

[matt3o]

Thanks, i'm quite interested!
(sorry for so many questions - are dark colors (black, blue etc.) possible?)

The side is 10mm, that can come in frosted or clear (transparent). The top and bottom can be in any color, opaque or semi-transparent. I took smoked and red this time, but any color will do.

Colored sides would be also possible, but more expensive and I have to find a good source for them.

Will V60 fit in this?

well, this is for custom keyboards, not properly as a case replacement. I could do acrylic case for poker and the like... one thing at a time.

[Laser]

Thanks for answer! When you say "this is for custom keyboards, not properly as a case replacement" - do you mean, it will only work with a matching plate? I.e. I can't use the faceU PCB with the aluminium plate i already got? (this is what i want)

(BTW i have a feeling you have 3 clients for 60% Poker compatible cases, from the same part of the world ... )

[Medowy]

.

[Medowy]

Will V60 fit in this?

well, this is for custom keyboards, not properly as a case replacement. I could do acrylic case for poker and the like... one thing at a time.

Yeah that's what I thought. Better build a custom then! Cheers!

[matt3o]

the current case is for custom keyboards or for hand-wired. The case is compatible with the faceu/gh60/etc PCB. It is also very easy to use for hand wired keyboards and includes an USB extension to connect to the teensy.

you could use with a V60, but that requires desoldering all switches. Hardly a viable solution.

I'm also working on a poker case, but that is a bit more complicated (it takes quite some time to mill one case from a block of acrylic or POM).

[cookie]

Sounds verry appealing, I am looking to hardwire the keys directly to the controller.
The whole PBC comes next (If neccessary)!

I am definately interested

[Laser]

I think for my use case (pun! pun!), i would need something like a HHKB case, but with standard bottom row modifiers (Win/1.25 - Alt/1.25 - Space/6.25 - AltGr/1.25 - RWin/1.25) - with basically the top case cover hiding remaining unused switch holes, and to keep using my aluminium plate (switches already soldered). This would probably mean some top cover which is not at the same time the plate. Well, if/when you find feasible to make such a thing.

[DanielT]

(BTW i have a feeling you have 3 clients for 60% Poker compatible cases, from the same part of the world ... )

Maybe 4 for a Poker compatible case. I don't like plates on my 60%'s, like them PCB mount.

[mr_peck]

Sounds verry appealing, I am looking to hardwire the keys directly to the controller.
The whole PBC comes next (If neccessary)!

I am definately interested

Idem.

[matt3o]

still waiting for the acrylic... I hate to wait for supplies

[beltet]

I think I would be interested in a custom case.
I have a 3 projects on the way and would like cases for them. Or is it only this design atm?

[cookie]

The waiting game

Could you tell what you exactely need from me to make my custom acrylic plate?

Cheers!

[matt3o]

The waiting game

Could you tell what you exactely need from me to make my custom acrylic plate?

Cheers!

the layout

[mr_peck]

It seems to be the perfect opportunity to build my custom keyboard :



It's easier to build a poker compatible plate or a complete plate + case ?

[EDIT updated picture]

[matt3o]

not sure I get your question...

[mr_peck]

not sure I get your question...

Sorry for my poor english

I have a poker 2 at home and i wonder if it's easier to make a custom plate (with the custom layout) to mount on the Poker 2 case or to make a full plate + case ?

[cookie]

This is what I had in mind:

[matt3o]

not sure I get your question...

Sorry for my poor english

I have a poker 2 at home and i wonder if it's easier to make a custom plate (with the custom layout) to mount on the Poker 2 case or to make a full plate + case ?

well, if you need just the plate, that would be cheaper. Difficulty is more or less the same

This is what I had in mind:

what kind of holes you guys prefer? Straight or notched?

[cookie]

I actually don't care, once this thing is done I doubt that I am ever gonna open the switches up.
But you never know What would the difference in price be?

[mr_peck]

well, if you need just the plate, that would be cheaper. Difficulty is more or less the same

OK.

what kind of holes you guys prefer? Straight or notched?

I'll prefer straight holes but it's not very important for me.

[Laser]

It seems to be the perfect opportunity to build my custom keyboard :



It's easier to build a poker compatible plate or a complete plate + case ?

That's my layout too

(Or, almost? see the crappy pic - SPACE is standard in standard position)

[mr_peck]

That's my layout too

(Or, almost? see the crappy pic - SPACE is standard in standard position)

Yes. The only difference is the classic Right Shift on my layout versus your smaller Right Shift + Fn. I don't need Fn key because i will use a modified SpaceFn layout.

[matt3o]

just got the acrylic!

[Laser]

just got the acrylic!

What's next?