Planet 6 - The start of a new keyboard by kurplop

[kurplop]

I thought that as things were progressing slowly, I'd take a few minutes to show what has gone wrong so far.

Early on in the milling I cut the 2 pockets for the switch plates too close to the key ring. When I milled the channel for the key ring switches to fit into and cut the holes for the switches, my fears were confirmed. The side switch holes overlap into the pockets. The open switch holes are plenty strong to support the switches but I should have held back the cuts. In fact, I probably should have not crowded the ring and the alpha switches so much. I wanted them close for ease of use but another 1/4" space would have been better.


This is what happens when the work isn't adequately clamped the the table. Fortunately the damage was limited to these cuts which will be hidden. I could mill them out but I may leave them as a reminder to be more careful in the future.


I did a bit more shaping but I'd still like to lose at least another 1/2 pound which I think I can cut out of the underside. I'm at 2.1 pounds right now.


Here's where we are at now. Back view.


And the front.

[Krytone]

aw my gad 

thats one stunning board. cant wait to see the final form. as everyone mentioned, great work sir!

[tufty]

Cor!

[Zekromtor]

Woohoo, a new plopboard (even if we can't call it that anymore).

Lookin good. You'll be happy to know, I haven't had any major issues with my Matias switches lately. I wouldn't say I love them for gaming, but they're as good as any for typing.

How much backlash does your mill have?

[kurplop]

aw my gad 

thats one stunning board. cant wait to see the final form. as everyone mentioned, great work sir!

I can get too much sun, eat too much ice cream, sleep too much and watch too much TV, but I've yet to get tired of too many kind words. Thank you.

Cor!

Merci.

Woohoo, a new plopboard (even if we can't call it that anymore).

Lookin good. You'll be happy to know, I haven't had any major issues with my Matias switches lately. I wouldn't say I love them for gaming, but they're as good as any for typing.

How much backlash does your mill have?

Zek! I figured if I dangled the bait out there long enough, you'd eventually resurface. Good to hear from you.

That's good to hear about the Matias switches. My limited experience with them has been positive as well. 

I'll check tomorrow about the backlash. It is probably pretty loose but it hasn't been a problem. I haven't had a problem with climb cutting aluminum and the DRO lets me be unconcerned about relying on the crank readings.

[kurplop]

I ground off a couple more ounces from the underside.


Slow going. I'm down to 31.5 oz. I'm not sure I'll hit my target of 1.5 pounds. I think I will wind up with about 28 oz. in the end.


I still have some more rough work to do but I smoothed it out to be able to see and feel any differences between the right and left sides.


I think I may take a break from the case for a while and start making the thumb keycaps next. I also want to refine the keyring keycaps; both to lighten them and to sculpt the tops. Part of the reason for the changeup in order, is to have the caps in place to determine if I need or want to refine the contours of the case top.

Also, I'm at the same point that I was on with the Alumaplop where I like the look of the shiny aluminum so much that I'm tempted not to dye it. I'd welcome any thoughts from the GH family regarding opinions, pros and cons, suggestions or any other input about the type of finish I might consider. I'm currently leaning toward a black satin anodized finish to match his little brother, the Alumaplop, but the decision is far from made. 
 

[Melvang]

Go with a Cerakote finish.

[absyrd]

Cerakote is what again?

I like the look of it now, so just some kind of clearcoat I hope?!?

[tufty]

Splash anodising?

[lolpes]

Splash anodising?

this ^^

[tufty]

Totally, *totally* wildcarding here, but would it be possible to do something like swirl painting with anodise?  I guess you'd need some fairly exotic oil-based dye, don't know if it's even feasible or not.

[ramnes]

Just discovering that thread. 

Keep up the good work!

[kurplop]

Go with a Cerakote finish.

How do you think that compares with the durability of an anodized finish? What are the advantages?

Unless there's a compelling reason not to, I'll probably anodize it. How else can I justify having a cart full of Sulfuric acid, de-smut, dye and power supplies.

Splash anodising?

this ^^

Interesting. I checked some sites. If I did that it would probably not be a random design but something like lines, curves or template shapes.

Totally, *totally* wildcarding here, but would it be possible to do something like swirl painting with anodise?  I guess you'd need some fairly exotic oil-based dye, don't know if it's even feasible or not.

Is that something like dyeing variegated easter eggs where the item is submerged in 2 unmixed dyes?

Just discovering that thread. 

Keep up the good work!

Thanks. I'll do my best.

[tufty]

Totally, *totally* wildcarding here, but would it be possible to do something like swirl painting with anodise?  I guess you'd need some fairly exotic oil-based dye, don't know if it's even feasible or not.

Is that something like dyeing variegated easter eggs where the item is submerged in 2 unmixed dyes?

Kinda, yeah.  You have a film of various colours of paint floating on the surface of a tank, the object is pushed through it.  Like this:

I am unsure / doubtful it would be doable with anodising dyes.  A fade anodise could be nice, though.

[CPTBadAss]

I think it would be a shame to hide that grind job. Anodize that with no dye. Just clear so you can admire that finish.

[absyrd]

I think it would be a shame to hide that grind job. Anodize that with no dye. Just clear so you can admire that finish.

What he said. It should remain looking like a ufo.

[kurplop]

The problem I run into with the clear finish is the texture and sheen. If I sandblast it, it looks dull. In fact, just the process of anodizing, which is necessary for durability, dulls the finish some. I actually like the brushed look but with the contours and turns it's hard to do a consistent job of that. Another problem with the aluminum look is the chrome ring around the ball looks washed out next to the polished aluminum. When I try a high polish, I have a hard time getting that uniform as well. Also, to get the highest sheen, I have to buff with a compound which has oils and waxes in it that may compromise the anodizing process.

Don't misunderstand, I really like the aluminum look. If I do it, I'll just have to overcome those obstacles.

As always, thanks for the input.

Totally, *totally* wildcarding here, but would it be possible to do something like swirl painting with anodise?  I guess you'd need some fairly exotic oil-based dye, don't know if it's even feasible or not.

Is that something like dyeing variegated easter eggs where the item is submerged in 2 unmixed dyes?

Kinda, yeah.  You have a film of various colours of paint floating on the surface of a tank, the object is pushed through it.  Like this:

I am unsure / doubtful it would be doable with anodising dyes.  A fade anodise could be nice, though.

It's great  to see all of these options. It really got me thinking.

While the swirl painting technique is impressive, it's not the way I would want to go. Reminds me of something you see rolling down a bowling alley.
 

[njbair]

Look into bright dipping before Anodizing. That's how Apple gets their clear anodized parts so shiny.

[kittykatmax]

Another amazing project!  So very impressed, as always.

[grav3serker]

This looks pretty sweet!  How do you like the Matias switches? I've got a V60 with quiet clicks in the mail  right now that I can't wait to try!

[kurplop]

This looks pretty sweet!  How do you like the Matias switches? I've got a V60 with quiet clicks in the mail  right now that I can't wait to try!

Thanks. I think that I will like the Matias quiet switches. I have the Matias clickys on another board and am satisfied with them. I admit however that I don't have discriminating fingers and like a wide variety of  switches. I chose them partly because their dimensions are more consistent with the nonstandard spacing of my keys and partly because my experience with Matias (the man and company) has been very good.

Look into bright dipping before Anodizing. That's how Apple gets their clear anodized parts so shiny.

Thanks for the lead. I started looking into it. Will that process give it a mirror-like finish?

Another amazing project!  So very impressed, as always.

Thanks kitty. It's good to hear from you...    as always.

[OverKill]

Kurplop,

The only way to get a glossy finish on anodizing is to polish the hell out of it. Since anodizing is basically just dying the surface (or in the case of clear anodizing they use no dye) so when anodizing whatever is on the part before it gets anodized will be there afterwards. Nothing gets hidden. Lighter colors make blemishes more prevalent and darker colors "hide" them better. Don't worry too much about compounds (contact whoever you are going to use for anodizing though). The first step with anodizing is to give it an acid bath, then they dip it in distilled water to rinse off the acid, then they put it in a tank where they leave it in the tank of dye (or un-dyed) water for x minutes at x temperature with x volts. One thing to keep in mind with anodizing is that once you have done it, there is no going back. You can have it stripped, but the surface will be ruined and you will have to refinish it all over in order to get the color changed. You can also work with the anodizing shop you use as they will have seen hundreds of thousands of parts from sand blasted to super polished. Most places are pretty easy to work with. Also you may want to ask them if they have parts going in that are the same color if you can piggy back off that order (if there is room) to reduce your lot charge.

side note: you can do home anodizing, they sell kits if you want, google aluminum anodizing kits, tutorials, etc. Lots of info online about the subject

[njbair]

Look into bright dipping before Anodizing. That's how Apple gets their clear anodized parts so shiny.

Thanks for the lead. I started looking into it. Will that process give it a mirror-like finish?

On a glass bead blasted part, it will not make a true mirror finish. But it will make each tiny "facet" shiny rather than dull. If that makes sense.

[kurplop]

Kurplop,

The only way to get a glossy finish on anodizing is to polish the hell out of it. Since anodizing is basically just dying the surface (or in the case of clear anodizing they use no dye) so when anodizing whatever is on the part before it gets anodized will be there afterwards. Nothing gets hidden. Lighter colors make blemishes more prevalent and darker colors "hide" them better. Don't worry too much about compounds (contact whoever you are going to use for anodizing though). The first step with anodizing is to give it an acid bath, then they dip it in distilled water to rinse off the acid, then they put it in a tank where they leave it in the tank of dye (or un-dyed) water for x minutes at x temperature with x volts. One thing to keep in mind with anodizing is that once you have done it, there is no going back. You can have it stripped, but the surface will be ruined and you will have to refinish it all over in order to get the color changed. You can also work with the anodizing shop you use as they will have seen hundreds of thousands of parts from sand blasted to super polished. Most places are pretty easy to work with. Also you may want to ask them if they have parts going in that are the same color if you can piggy back off that order (if there is room) to reduce your lot charge.

side note: you can do home anodizing, they sell kits if you want, google aluminum anodizing kits, tutorials, etc. Lots of info online about the subject

Thanks for the input. I have done my own home anodizing on my last project, the Alumaplop, and it turned out very well. When I was experimenting with the type of surface texture and dye color, I tried 3 different textures and ended up with the sandblasted finish.
   1.  I really liked the fine brushed look, it showed the beauty and shine of the aluminum at its best. The problem was that was, no matter how much I tried, I couldn't get the uniformity of depth and direction I wanted.   What would be simple on a flat surface became quite a challenge with all the contours and plane breaks.
   2.  Then I tried to get a mirror finish and once again I had issues. As I worked my way up through the grits up to 12,000, the surface actually turned a dull whitish color. The only way I could get a mirror polish was using oil/wax based compounds with a buffing wheel. The best I could was still inconsistent. Overall it did have a nice shine but some places appeared a bit cloudy. I was also concerned about whether I'd be able to remove the contaminants fully before anodizing. Also, the very process of anodizing creates a slightly dull finish by growing a thin semi-transparent oxide into the surface. The surface remains smooth but where the anodize meets the virgin aluminum isn't. This is what causes the irregular refraction.
   3.  I guess I put a premium on the consistency of the finish and  I found it by sandblasting. Not as striking as a mirror finish, not as dazzling as the fine brush, but lovely in its own subdued way. The matte black finish has performed well. Not a visible scratch on it. and it doesn't show smudges. As a bonus it also matches the finish on my ThinkPad. One other thing about this finish; because I am occasionally out in public with it, I didn't want the finish to scream, "Look at me".  Afterall, I'm a show off but I don't want people to know it.

Now back to the present. While my tastes don't lean towards unicorns, bubblegum, artisans, or backlighting, since this will be exclusively a home office keyboard, I don't mind trying something a bit bolder than my last finish. That's why I asked for opinions. I still like the clear finish as an option but am not quite sure how to achieve the effect I'm looking for.

Thanks again for everybody who have offered ideas. Even if I don't use some of them, they are making me aware of more options and processes which is quite helpful.

[kurplop]

Look into bright dipping before Anodizing. That's how Apple gets their clear anodized parts so shiny.

Thanks for the lead. I started looking into it. Will that process give it a mirror-like finish?

On a glass bead blasted part, it will not make a true mirror finish. But it will make each tiny "facet" shiny rather than dull. If that makes sense.

I see. So the overall effect is tiny sparkles. Is that how Apple textures their aluminum?

[njbair]

Look into bright dipping before Anodizing. That's how Apple gets their clear anodized parts so shiny.

Thanks for the lead. I started looking into it. Will that process give it a mirror-like finish?

On a glass bead blasted part, it will not make a true mirror finish. But it will make each tiny "facet" shiny rather than dull. If that makes sense.

I see. So the overall effect is tiny sparkles. Is that how Apple textures their aluminum?

Yes, exactly. Some anodizing shops are able to do this but I've never been able to find much info on how to do it yourself (i.e., what chemicals & processes to use). But then again I've never looked that hard because I don't have any of the equipment or a project that demands it.

Regarding colors, keep it simple and classy. Flashy colors and "blinkenlights" are a good way to make one boxy keyboard stand out from the others. But your boards are already in a class all their own. Wild stuff like that would only distract from the elegance of the design.

[CPTBadAss]

njbair you do remember that the middle of this board is the Stargate right? He's got the shiniest, blinkiest light ever.

More related to the topic, I'd love to see examples of that glass bead blast with a no-dye anodization job.

[njbair]

njbair you do remember that the middle of this board is the Stargate right? He's got the shiniest, blinkiest light ever.

More related to the topic, I'd love to see examples of that glass bead blast with a no-dye anodization job.

Here ya go:

[Zekromtor]

I'm currently leaning toward a black satin anodized finish to match his little brother, the Alumaplop, but the decision is far from made. 

How does the saying go? If it is not yet broken, why attempt a fix? Something like that
My vote is for black anodized via whatever method has produced the best result in the past.

[kurplop]

Well, not a whole lot got done this week but I thought I'd better give an update.

After a lot of wondering about how and what I should do about palm rests, I took he plunge and dug out some aluminum to make room for the rests.



And here is the walnut as it is being contour sanded in place.


One more from the side


The trick will be attaching the wood to the walnut. I will probably use epoxy or polyurethane glue which will be fine. My concern will be to end up with the top of the walnut and aluminum perfectly even because the aluminum will already be anodized and the wood finished before glueing. Too late then for any sanding corrections.

[neverused]

Oh I really like the walnut inlay

[nubbinator]

The trick will be attaching the wood to the walnut. I will probably use epoxy or polyurethane glue which will be fine. My concern will be to end up with the top of the walnut and aluminum perfectly even because the aluminum will already be anodized and the wood finished before glueing. Too late then for any sanding corrections.

Looking really good.  If you finish the walnut with oil and paste wax, you can still make adjustments.

[kurplop]

Oh I really like the walnut inlay

Thanks. I spent a lot of time to decide on walnut. Because I'm still undecided on the finish (probably black or clear anodized), I had to consider a wood that would complement either finish.

Looking really good.  If you finish the walnut with oil and paste wax, you can still make adjustments.

Good point. I'm also concerned about accidentally scratching the anodize if I have to further sand the wood. Fortunately, the walnut does sand very easily.

[tufty]

Good lord, that's gorgeous.

[wackottl]

This looks so nice! I wish I had such metal working skills.

I'm looking forward to seeing it with the keycaps on.

[Zekromtor]

Great choice on the walnut. It'll look perfect with the black

In general, I just like wood as a material for skin contact... well, dry wood at least. What kind of finish do you use on the wood, and does it lose that nice soft/dry feel that it has raw?

[kurplop]

How much backlash does your mill have?

X=14 thou, Y=46 thou, Z=3 thou. I don't know why the Y axis is so disproportionately high.

Good lord, that's gorgeous.

Thanks. Every parent thinks their babies are beautiful. It's nice to hear it from the friends.

This looks so nice! I wish I had such metal working skills.

I'm looking forward to seeing it with the keycaps on.

I appreciate that. I like your custom chair as well. I think we're a couple of guys who have a hard time keeping our thinking inside the box.

Great choice on the walnut. It'll look perfect with the black

If I didn't know better, I'd think that you're trying to pull a Jedi mind trick on me. It may be working too.

In general, I just like wood as a material for skin contact... well, dry wood at least. What kind of finish do you use on the wood, and does it lose that nice soft/dry feel that it has raw?

I've really liked the urethane build up with a final wax finish that I've been using on my other keyboards. They have been holding up really well with no grime buildup or wear. The finish just seems to improve with time.

I know what you mean about the natural feel but I'm afraid that my often dirty and greasy hands would quickly degrade the look.

Speaking of wood. I can't think of a wood that has such wonderful working characteristics as walnut. It cuts, sands, planes, and glues up wonderfully. The only thing I don't like about it, as well as mahogany, is it leaves a heavy aftertaste in my mouth and nose after working with it..

[neverused]

Speaking of wood. I can't think of a wood that has such wonderful working characteristics as walnut. It cuts, sands, planes, and glues up wonderfully. The only thing I don't like about it, as well as mahogany, is it leaves a heavy aftertaste in my mouth and nose after working with it..

Confirmed: kurplop is a beaver.

[Zekromtor]

That beaver comment is too funny.

I guess with that kind of backlash, you're only able to climb cut aluminum due to the high ratio of the weight of your heavy mill table to the low force of the cut. I had about 14 thou backlash on my manual mill and it drove me nuts, but that was due mainly to a lack of skill and no DRO that read off the actual table movement. That's gotta be a lifesaver. Reading off the hand cranks is awful.

Got < 1.5 thou X, Y, and Z on my CNC, thanks to those lovely ballscrews. Too bad it hardly gets used. All work and no play lately.

[kurplop]

Confirmed: kurplop is a beaver.

That's an unsubstantiated remark that has absolutely no emperical evidence to support it.

All work and no play lately.

Tell me about it. I'm currently drowning in a public works project involving the blocking and redirecting of water in a nearby stream.

[kurplop]

After much consideration, It came to me last night that the clear anodize is not the finish I'm looking for.

[Zekromtor]

Redirecting a stream in the state of California... I don't even want to think about it. You'd need some Jedi mind tricks for that as well I'd imagine.

[njbair]

Confirmed: kurplop is a beaver.

That's an unsubstantiated remark that has absolutely no emperical evidence to support it.

All work and no play lately.

Tell me about it. I'm currently drowning in a public works project involving the blocking and redirecting of water in a nearby stream.

Wow you busy be busy as a...hmm? Sorry, lost my train of thought.

[kurplop]

 I hoped I wasn't being too obscure.

[building_an_ergo]

After much consideration, It came to me last night that the clear anodize is not the finish I'm looking for.

I am just poking through this thread, so I am pretty sure it isn't possible on aluminum, but what about something similar to bluing it?

>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluing_(steel)

[kurplop]

After much consideration, It came to me last night that the clear anodize is not the finish I'm looking for.

I am just poking through this thread, so I am pretty sure it isn't possible on aluminum, but what about something similar to bluing it?

>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluing_(steel)

I think you're right, bluing is a specific process for iron. Because it is an oxidizing process, it is an approximate equivalent to anodizing on aluminum.

[kurplop]

Show Image

I just can't get this image out of my mind, complete with Alec Guinness accent and tonal fluctuations.

[Zekromtor]

lol, I'd apologize, but it would be insincere

[Melvang]

Kurplop,

Sorry about the late reply to your question regarding Cerakote.  It is a finish that was developed for gun parts iirc.  If that was not what it was originally designed for, it sure is used there a lot.  It has an extremely high abrasion resistance, can be applied very thin (down to .006" for some color iirc), can be applied to virtually anything, and has a very low coefficient of friction.

Here is a link for some of the material properties of it.

http://www.cerakoteguncoatings.com/testing/

It is also frequently used on exhaust and turbo parts as a way of insulating the metal components from the high heat in high performance engines.  Gets the heat out of the engine bay to keep the intake temp down.  I did a mouse pad for a member here using that.  He has been using it solid for a number of months, has yet to show a single sign of any wear at all.  I feel it is more durable than anodizing and much more durable than powder coat or any other liquid based paint.

[Zekromtor]

*facepalm* Only now did I understand the stream redirection was in reference to your newly identified species. I was right to first believe you would not be crazy enough to undergo an actual stream redirection in the People's Republic.