[IC]Titanium alloy 3D printed keys

[damorgue]

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dGdBUDZSME10NHFDV09FYm96eXR4ZHc6MQ

More nfo below, but not that altogether relevant. Form above is where you want to click. :boink:

I don't know if I should post this in the classifieds or here. Anyways:

I happen to work for a company which makes 3D-printing machines. Simply put, they can print parts in metal from cad-files. I saw a thread about titanium keys which sold for quite a lot (50$) and there was some interest for other keys. If I am able to pull this through, even a small number of a keycaps is possible and we can make a large number of designs as well. The keys will probably be made from a medical grade titanium alloy. Perhaps we have some discarded material that can be used to make the keycaps cheaper.

A) Does anyone happen to have a 3d model of mx keycaps?

B) Does anyone happen to have a 3d model of the snap on keycaps of the Model M's?

C) Does anyone have access to an exact enough 3d scanner to be able to scan the differrent rows of mx keycaps or the small tabs on the model m covers? I have one which is probably not exact enough since it was made to scan larger details. Here is an example of the clay model i made of a mouse and scanned http://i.imgur.com/qxQZD.png
Some detail is lost and i believe that I won't be able to scan on the detail level required for this.

D) Is there any interest in this? What would you pay for a key of your own design?

[Djuzuh]

I'm interested, but it doesn't have to be titanium, as those are expensive.

I'm happy with cheaper materials too !

I'd love a 3D cthulhu keycap !

[The_Beast]

MAKE A SPACE BAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?!?!??!??!?!??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[metafour]

How about working with these guys for a stepped capslock?

http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?32423-Center-Stemmed-Stepped-Capslock-discussion

[The_Beast]

Why does everyone here get a boner for stepped caps locks? I have not problem with my un-stepped caps lock

[Djuzuh]

Something about being old school I suppose.

[i3oilermaker]

I would pay big bucks for both a spacebar and a center stemmed stepped caps lock.

I'm sorry I can't help with cad/3D scanning.

[damorgue]

I actually want a stepped caps lock myself, my current cherry boards annoy me with that. I'll test scanning a key this weekend. Once we have that, the surface of the key is fairly simple. A 2d extrusion up or downwards 0.5mm or so will do. An actual 3d shape on the surface of the key is possible as well (something like the skull which is fairly common)

There are three things needed:
Cadfiles, I can make a semi decent scan or measure it and model it but only the smallest of differences will probably be noticeable (I don't have a stepped caps lock but could probably make one out of a non-stepped one if i manage to get a model of that one)
Interest (seems to be some)
Approval to build them (will ask)

[dmbr]

Interested, but I imagine the price will be too steep for me ($50+?)

[demik]

Wu tang "W" logo

[Loligagger]

How prohibitive would the price for a full titanium keycap set be? What about cheaper materials? Also could something crazy like an engraved design that goes across the whole board be done? Like this for example:

[ Attachment Invalid Or Does Not Exist ] 52910[/ATTACH]

[minifridge]

Wu tang "W" logo

my man. +1

[IvanIvanovich]

Depending on price points. I would most like an ansi enter key, Cherry profile of course. If not enough interest in enter, perhaps a space bar or top row key.

[Java Doc]

If you could make Topre caps, I think you'd get quite a bit of interest as well since we have very few other options.

[dorkvader]

If you could make Topre caps, I think you'd get quite a bit of interest as well since we have very few other options.

IBM: It would be really easy to make the top of a two piece.

I would want about 5 spacebars (for cherry), but I'd only be able to afford 1. Any idea what pricing would be?

Can't go wrong with titanium modsifiers

[damorgue]

I did a quick key based on some measurements I made. It was modeled after the H-key (I typed the letter M which was retarded since they don't have the same shape being on different rows and all). It does not seem that difficult to model them at this point. I will see how accurate thy are if I get one made.

Sidenote: Is there a code-tag in this forum to hide stuff in a expandable square?

[Djuzuh]

I don't think anybody will protest if you make the walls thicker (unless it rises up costs by a huge number, or they get too heavy).

[damorgue]

I don't think anybody will protest if you make the walls thicker (unless it rises up costs by a huge number, or they get too heavy).

I was a bit afraid that they would interfere with the switch itself. I might have to model the switch too. The cylindrical piece with the cross sinks into the switch and there has to be some space there. I will increase them to whatever is possible with the switch, thx for the suggestion. I did attempt to increase the thickness of the top surface.

[OrangeJewce]

I don't think anybody will protest if you make the walls thicker (unless it rises up costs by a huge number, or they get too heavy).

Wait you don't want the loudest keycaps possible?! Come on mang! Put these on some cherry greens and clicky clacky away :wink:

Cheers,

[damorgue]

Thicker as requested. Looking at it now, it sort of looked way to thin earlier. I am thinking of redoing the stem as seen below too.

[inlikeflynn]

I happen to work for a company which makes 3D-printing machines.

Stratasys? or somewhere else?

That render you did is looking nice!

It needs some clearance for the switch, but not a whole lot depth wise. The ClickClack custom skull keys have only a tiny stem visible....although they do sit a little bit higher than other keys too

[digitalleftovers]

That is a really interesting idea for the stem.  I don't own any metal caps, but I have read complaints from others about their fit on cherry stems.  Some people end up putting a thin sheet of plastic over the stem and squishing the cap over it to give a tighter fit, since the metal fitting must be slightly larger and is sometimes a little too large for the stem.  I'm curious if your design would allow for a tighter fit, and reduce friction from taking the cap on and off.

[i3oilermaker]

That is a really interesting idea for the stem.  I don't own any metal caps, but I have read complaints from others about their fit on cherry stems.  Some people end up putting a thin sheet of plastic over the stem and squishing the cap over it to give a tighter fit, since the metal fitting must be slightly larger and is sometimes a little too large for the stem.  I'm curious if your design would allow for a tighter fit, and reduce friction from taking the cap on and off.

Yea feng's aluminum keys were like this, and some fit perfect and some where loose and some where too tight.  I'm not sure what the tolerance is on damorgue's machine, but I would rather them all be a little lose and go with the plastic approach than too tight.  But if the tooling is precise enough to make a perfect fit that would me awesome!

[The_Beast]

I like my women the opposite I like my metal keycaps; I'd rather the keycap be too lose than to tight

[Djuzuh]

Yea feng's aluminum keys were like this, and some fit perfect and some where loose and some where too tight.  I'm not sure what the tolerance is on damorgue's machine, but I would rather them all be a little lose and go with the plastic approach than too tight.  But if the tooling is precise enough to make a perfect fit that would me awesome!

I hade one who was too tight, to the point It didn't fit.

I simply pushed the 4 stems appart with some sort of conical metal thingie (think, the end of a pen). I just inserted it and pushed hard.

Now it fits perfectly.

It's a bit harder however if the key fits too lose :/.

[damorgue]

I hade one who was too tight, to the point It didn't fit.

I simply pushed the 4 stems appart with some sort of conical metal thingie (think, the end of a pen). I just inserted it and pushed hard.

Now it fits perfectly.

It's a bit harder however if the key fits too lose :/.

A pair of pliers would probably do, just push them together.

Did a quick stepped caps lock, didn't quite like how it turned out. I have no stepped caps lock for cherry keys so I took some inspiration from the caps lock of a model m.

[damorgue]

I'm interested, but it doesn't have to be titanium, as those are expensive.

I'm happy with cheaper materials too !

I'd love a 3D cthulhu keycap !

I suppose it would look something like the image below. I found a model already made which I suppose is the one you were looking for.

[damorgue]

Interested, but I imagine the price will be too steep for me ($50+?)

I suppose they could be made cheaper than 50, depends on several factors. How many do you think could be sold if they cost $30-40?

[megnin]

Dude!  Those are awesome.  I have a few questions.

1. Can you make them fit properly? (there was some issue of some aluminum keys being too tight)
2. What kind of volume can you produce?  (1 per week, a thousand a day?)
3. What price range would make it feasable for you?  From a simple blank 1x1, modifiers, space bar, to something like that 3D cthulhu keycap thing in the picture above. That's weird, but it's cool.
4. What sort of finishes can you produce?  Your models have from a smooth to pebbled finishes.

Thanks!

[damorgue]

Dude!  Those are awesome.  I have a few questions.

1. Can you make them fit properly? (there was some issue of some aluminum keys being too tight)
2. What kind of volume can you produce?  (1 per week, a thousand a day?)
3. What price range would make it feasable for you?  From a simple blank 1x1, modifiers, space bar, to something like that 3D cthulhu keycap thing in the picture above. That's weird, but it's cool.
4. What sort of finishes can you produce?  Your models have from a smooth to pebbled finishes.

Thanks!

This is highly speculative.
1) Not sure, I will have to test this. Here in lies the problem, I may have to make a couple to get them right. If I do, it will be rather easy to reproduce.
2) If the quantities are large and there is enough profit, the company might get interested. The market is unfortunately small and as such, I am quite certain that this will be more of a small project by me. I may get to throw in a couple to be made and be done with it. One machine could make, say 1000 a day, if it really comes to that. If it does, I may be able to get support from the company. Do you really believe the market to be that large?
3) I don't really know, but I thought I would check interest for $50 per 1x1key, see how many that are interested at different price points to estimate if the project is feasible.
4) People called some of my earlier print screens 'renderings' even though they were straight from modeling. I decided to make a more representative image with cthulhu. Unless polished, they will most likely look sandblasted, a bit more matte than the cthulhu image. I will prepare a key and see if I can't get it printed as a reference.