new big skcm blue alps

[NeK]

Sweet!!!!!

[kralcifer]

This project looks like a lot of fun to work on. Keep it going!

[SneakyRobb]

Hi,

So my spring came and it seems to work with the top housing on the desk. Slight problem is that the lower housing part nub is a bit too big. So I will need to make a new one with a smaller nub. Regardless It's coming along!

Comparison of the template for the leaf spring/switch plate metal part. I will get the square punch to make the inside cutout nicer.

template new old.jpg (4.83 MiB) Viewed 9438 times

Fit of the old leafspring piece on the switch plate. Bit too big.

old too big.jpg (2.51 MiB) Viewed 9438 times

Better fit of the new one.

new better.jpg (3.61 MiB) Viewed 9438 times

All the switch pieces with the 1st and 2nd gen style click leafs.

pieces.jpg (2.46 MiB) Viewed 9438 times

Top of the switch with the spring inside

spring inside.jpg (2.43 MiB) Viewed 9438 times

and the sad doh moment of seeing that I forgot to make a bottom part with a smaller nub to sized for the new spring

nub too big.jpg (2.44 MiB) Viewed 9438 times

[PlacaFromHell]

Would you consider it's easier to work with a bigger switch than a real-sized one? Loooks good for prototyping.

[SneakyRobb]

Would you consider it's easier to work with a bigger switch than a real-sized one? Loooks good for prototyping.

Hi it's definitely easier to make a bigger switch than a smaller one. Much easier to hand cut metal etc. Its good for prototyping but there is one consideration.

There is a minor thing to keep in mind. The variances are scaled up with the switch. I can adjust the sizes of various parts by quite a bit of ranges.

I have huge leeway with things like the return spring. But I've found for the alps click leaf that even the slightest of changes bend wise make the click disappear.

So if you are making a big click leaf. It's great. But if you are scaling down your big click leaf design suddenly your slight error makes it not click. It can be harder to adjust those smaller pieces.

The main thing is that scaling the switch down might not necessarily be as easy as reducing every measurement by 4x.

Some materials like thin metals might not scale correctly requiring changes. For instance in my alps switch the switch plate metals are 1.3mm thick. Which is 4x scaled up.

Imagine if the skcm blue alps never existed and I was prototyping a new click switch in this thread. I might not think 1.3mm metal was required. That 1.3mm metal is me scaling up the switch plate .3mm to .4mm metal of the small one to the big size. If I was independently making a new switch I might use .6mm thick metal. Why not? For my big switch that is sufficient. Scaling that .6mm down though would make it be too thin for a small scale switch.

For very complicated switches this could be a slight issue.

It's not the biggest problem though, just a consideration to keep in mind.

[SneakyRobb]

Here is what I mean. Again, this is not a major issue at all but if your switch is complicated it could add some minor headaches later if you design the big one first.

This skcm blue has its contact switch plate thickness here. And this novel keys big switch has a comparable thickness contact.

If you independently designed the big switch then scaled it down the metal contact would be too thin.

Also some metals might stop bending/deforming in the correct way at different scales. They might just crease and fold if directly scaled down. Or not bend or snap if scaled up.

Just something I noticed.

[PlacaFromHell]

Nice. Thanks dude, anyways my switch lacks of a mechanical simulated click, I just want to be able to guess a force curve. I may use some wood.

[SneakyRobb]

HI,

Hopefully have the printed new bottom part with the correct nub for spring soon.

For now I've started to model the switch in fusion360. Here are the STL files for the stem and top housing so far.

I was using a random stem model I found before, but now I have made my own. Which is great.

The upper housing is missing the chamfering, but otherwise they are much more accurate than the previous ones. Must figure out how to share parametric models.

kralcifer has been a great help with parametric modelling and fusion360. It has been great learning how to make parametric models. The ones I have are pretty inefficient, but the abilities the system unlocks are great.

https://grabcad.com/library/skcm-stem-and-top-housing-1

lets go.jpg (75.6 KiB) Viewed 9301 times

bottom yes.jpg (79.03 KiB) Viewed 9301 times

[SneakyRobb]

Hi,

So I was able to have the new lower housing part printed. The spring that I got now fits.

Can't remember if I mentioned this was the spring I got
https://www.primeline.net/sp-9705-compr ... ring-steel

Its a bit heavy, but will work for now.

spring fits.jpg (2.65 MiB) Viewed 9236 times

The tape on the 3d printing bed came up with the print. A curious colour and a sign of things to come.

Blue tape stuck to bottom.jpg (4.14 MiB) Viewed 9236 times

So lets assemble it

pieces for fit test.jpg (4.95 MiB) Viewed 9236 times

It fits and works!

it works.jpg (2.6 MiB) Viewed 9236 times

Of course almost immediately a corner tab broke

top down already broke a tab.jpg (2.59 MiB) Viewed 9236 times

I reused the shipping foam from the professional bigswitch to hold it

makeshift foam holder.jpg (2.5 MiB) Viewed 9236 times

So prototype number 1 is complete!

What is next
Redo the lower housing in the fusion360
Redoing the switch plate in fusion360
Deciding how to do the electrical connection part. I may get the 2 switch plate pieces water jet cut from steel, unsure.
Testing if the various thicknesses of steel can handle the deformation/metal leaf piece
Get the square cutter I ordered to make the leafspring nicer.
Reliably generate the bump in the leafspring that presses the switch plate
Reduce upstroke click

[kralcifer]

I love it. The video looked very satisfying to click! My next fidget cube.

[SneakyRobb]

I have black and blue resins now and will attempt to print this in the proper colour.

As well I decided to get a custom face mask. Thought I would share. I used Daniel Beardsmore SVG alps file from the wiki and coloured it blue. Then I made the slider into a bit of a smile. Will arrive next week. Mask preview image:

mask yes.JPG (37.24 KiB) Viewed 8786 times

[SneakyRobb]

I have black and blue resins now and will attempt to print this in the proper colour.

As well I decided to get a custom face mask. Thought I would share. I used Daniel Beardsmore SVG alps file from the wiki and coloured it blue. Then I made the slider into a bit of a smile. Will arrive next week. Mask preview image:

mask yes.JPG

Hi,

Will continue this project after beamspring project but... I did get the mask. It is exactly as silly as you might think.

*The keen might notice the top housing for the skcm blue alps says "ALPS." which is not necessarily correct. Also, I used Daniel beardsmore's switch recognition model uploaded to DT wiki so I must acknowledge that.

Anyway, enjoy the rediculousness

IMG_20200907_183827.jpg (1.7 MiB) Viewed 8560 times

[M9HM]

any idea of what are you using the giant switch for yet?
I suggest a couple things:
-make it into a giant enter key (like those usb fluffy things you pound to hit enter) so you can hammer it down to send emails and stuff.
-go big or go home and make the world's biggest keyboard, full layout XD

[SneakyRobb]

any idea of what are you using the giant switch for yet?
I suggest a couple things:
-make it into a giant enter key (like those usb fluffy things you pound to hit enter) so you can hammer it down to send emails and stuff.
-go big or go home and make the world's biggest keyboard, full layout XD

Hi,

Conceptually I made this switch for trouble shooting , testing switch concepts and inspiring. Making my own switches. A 4x scale is great. You can cut metal to fit. You can see better and touch. Whether it's a cherry MX, scale beamspring or alps switch. 4x scale allows more hands on thoughts.

I think there was actually a 4x scale keyboard. I think if you watch chyros review of the novelkeys 4x they show a 4x scale razor board.

Regardless the "point" of this project is perhaps novelty but more than that to inspire. I want to finish beamsprings first but this will be right after that

[M9HM]

any idea of what are you using the giant switch for yet?
I suggest a couple things:
-make it into a giant enter key (like those usb fluffy things you pound to hit enter) so you can hammer it down to send emails and stuff.
-go big or go home and make the world's biggest keyboard, full layout XD

Hi,

Conceptually I made this switch for trouble shooting , testing switch concepts and inspiring. Making my own switches. A 4x scale is great. You can cut metal to fit. You can see better and touch. Whether it's a cherry MX, scale beamspring or alps switch. 4x scale allows more hands on thoughts.

I think there was actually a 4x scale keyboard. I think if you watch chyros review of the novelkeys 4x they show a 4x scale razor board.

Regardless the "point" of this project is perhaps novelty but more than that to inspire. I want to finish beamsprings first but this will be right after that

It is a great project and inspiring for sure. I am in the middle of a project I will post on the workshop once it's finished, I'm curious about how people will receive it as it involves acer switch over membrane and not everyone likes them, but they are everywhere and I can get them for free without much trouble.

[SneakyRobb]

It is a great project and inspiring for sure. I am in the middle of a project I will post on the workshop once it's finished, I'm curious about how people will receive it as it involves acer switch over membrane and not everyone likes them, but they are everywhere and I can get them for free without much trouble.

Hi sounds like a great project. My only recommendation is to quote user DMA and recommend you post what you have when you have it. The process is very important and id recommend against posting when your project is done. It's must more fun to follow a project alone vs just a single end product post! There is a reason we buy pistachios in the shell vs pre-shelled! The ones in the shell taste better.

Also because of your post I went a head and printed the stem in the blue resin. The colour isn't the same, but heh it looks pretty good!

Also the dimensions are different because the previous PLA one was printed to fit an older top shell model. This new blue one doesn't fit it but it's a faithful model! Very happy with it, aside from the colour it looks great.

[M9HM]

Really nice progress!

You are right, a post showing the process is better than a single final product post, but my job right now is keeping me from doing practically anything other than work, so, the project will have to wait a bit... maybe in a month or so I will have time to work on it again and will decide if show the progress or wait. Thanks for the comment!

[joebeazelman]

I am beyond impressed with the creativity, ingenuity and Alpsqueda zealotry exhibited here. You will be rewarded in heaven with millions of virgin Alps switches in a rainbow of colors and variety of sounds.

[Scarpia]

This is the best thing ever. And (heresy alert) it seems to sound better than the real thing!

[Chyros]

Hahaha this is completely awesome, how the hell did I miss this?! xD

[SneakyRobb]

Hi good to hear people are enjoying this project. Also Chyros your videos are great and I enjoy watching them.

I also want to see if I can make a neon green style actuation/tactile leaf for the big alps. I am ordering some skcm brown from orihalcon as I think the location of the leaf on those would be similar to neon green.

[NeK]

We ARE indeed enjoying your thread. I am just lurking but it is very interesting. Good work, keep it up!

[Chyros]

Maybe you should contact Novelkeys / Kaihua to mass-produce these, like they did with the big MX switches ^^ . I'd SO buy a giant SKCM blue switch!

[joebeazelman]

It would be cool to have a bunch of these and mount them on a oversized mounting plate to make a large flat keyboard or keypad. It can be used to play arcade games with your feet. Care should be taken to not make the springs too stiff or it can become a trampoline.

[SneakyRobb]

Hi,

Many IRL work so slow progress but still alive. Did manage to print black top housing. Investigating alcohol dyes to match the original slider colour. Working to finish up a good usable switchplate model. Has presented some problems re:bending. Getting a proper bench vise so I can 3d print press dies in order to make the folds for the click leafs, both 4x and normal.

[anthonymak]

very interesting project.

[SneakyRobb]

Hi, minor update-ish.

Didn't want to risk going to my parent house where my CNC is due to pandemic. To make switchplate parts. Want to finish this project though. Decided to just drop cash, broke the bank and ordered some brass full size parts for switch plate. Used shapeways, which is extreme expensive. Should take a month to arrive.

Probably could have gotten less expensive somewhere else... oh well. Keyboards. I will buy some brass sheets later to cut the foil from. Then ill likely solder the foil to the fork part. Eventually I will also just use stencil maker to get better click leaf and actuation leaf as mine are quite rough.

Anyway its basically $100 for those switchplate parts... I think it will look ultra-cool when they arrive. I decided to not get gold plated brass as I'm not exactly looking for long term functionality with the switch. As well it will look more original. Excited to receive the parts though in order to make the switch actually functional.


Robb

[SneakyRobb]

Hi,

So these arrived. Neat.

Will need to figure how to attach brass sheet best. Maybe solder, maybe glue.

I think it might be mirrored... Shouldn't matter! Also cat hair on mouse pad.

[NeK]

They look good. I mean the cat hairs :p

j/k the do look nice.

[SneakyRobb]

They look good. I mean the cat hairs :p

j/k the do look nice.

Hey, thank lel.

I measured 0.001" for the foil on the original. I will try 0.003" foil for this big one.

I soldering seems annoying. I think I will just try glue at first to attach the foil. I will use siccor to cut the foil and try.

Also it is not mirrored. I just accidentally printed the lower part mirrored. Will make replacement.

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