[IC] Brass plates: Custom and 60% ANSI/ISO (Soon)

[KaosJ]

Hello GH,   
I found a good way to water-cut shiny/polished brass plates here in Italy. I'm considering to start a GB for 60% plates since i can't buy by myself the whole Brass sheet for only my plates.   

For the 60% i was thinking of doing 2 versions:

• ANSI (standard or multiple layouts) - the most important thing to me here is that every switch will clip correctly in the plate.
• Universal - Including ISO, ANSI in multiple layouts, some switches will not clip so you might need some PCB mounted switches.
• I can accept custom layouts as long as the person will provide a .dxf for it (i will not test your design, I will just cut it)

Price should be (not sure yet) $30-35 for a 60% plate, not idea for custom layouts.     
Shipping is not included and i'm considering someone wiling to proxy this to US brothers, possibly a vendor or someone known.

Please fill the form below if you might be interested or if you want to help me out to understand what you/other people want. 
IC FORM here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScpa_NsRQVezRpoy1XREtZZTY00NFyC_5lVVXkL7F8K26MfQA/viewform

Also, coating is planned but i have to discuss this with the producer
Thanks 


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EDIT: for coating read here 

EDIT 2: Added sample of brass

More

   

EDIT 3 (03-12-2017): Brass GB still happening, i had to change the producer for a better one so it toke time, hopefully the GB will start this week if everything goes well. Custom layouts confirmed, covered brass confirmed, previous price should be confirmed. 

EDIT 4 (new producer):  https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=91995.msg2540246#msg2540246 Cut is laser, no longer water, cut on point, coat NOT on point (fixing coating is the goal now)   

EDIT 5 :  Got a lot of interest. Due me not having 2-3 weeks of free-time to handle GB and mostly shipping, the project is momentarily on hold, i won't start anything if i can't make sure that everything goes smooth, basically i can start this only when i have enough time to dedicate to the GB.    Hopefully project will restart when possible.

[KaosJ]

A sample of the shiny brass





Soon^TM

[Murrellz]

Looks like a really nice sample. Definitely still interested in this.

[Damonskv]

I am very interesting in variant with a removable stabs, in this case, you can make a thicker plate, have you considered the possibility of increasing the thickness? It is possible to do up to 5mm, i’m think i’m not only one, who love additional weight of it

[KaosJ]

I am very interesting in variant with a removable stabs, in this case, you can make a thicker plate, have you considered the possibility of increasing the thickness? It is possible to do up to 5mm, i’m think i’m not only one, who love additional weight of it

 

This will imply a bigger cost, if there are T H I C C smaller sheets i can do some of these (i should ask again to the seller). In this case not sure if the holes to make switch top open is still ok. 

Have a sample of the stabilizer removable plate (that i did for myself), is a sample in Stainless steel and not cleaned yet and i'm testing it right now. 

The first thoughts on the sample are:

• Maybe i should do the holes slightly bigger, i did  exactly 14mm that is supertight on the switch, good for stable switch but hell to remove. Also with steel might scratch/bend the pins to clip the switch after few swaps so a bigger hole will be better (maybe 14.1mm)
• I'm also considering doing it smaller than 1.5mm, the current samples are 1.5 (standard) and the switch is really tight, will destroy the clip-pins after few swap.  I have with me some plates from kbdfans and other and seems like they do it slightly tinner, idk no calipher now, but seems like it is 1.3 or 1.4mm 

[dr_derivative]

Most of the plates I have here are actually ~1.4 mm thick, even Lasergist's 1.5 mm steel is actually 1.4 mm.

Most holes do seem to be 14 mm square when measured with my caliper. It could very well be possible that there is some small margin of error in the manufacturing process. This means that even though the machine tried to cut 14 mm holes, the holes actually ended up at 13.9 mm. I would check your plates with a caliper to determine if this is the case and to compensate for it, rather than accidentally ending up with plates that are way too loose.

[TalkingTree]

Very interested in two or three plates (price depending) with a custom layout.

[Blackhawk]

Also interested in a custom plate depending on price

[ipreferpie]

That looks amazing! I'm looking to get some for my VE.A. But need to customize some parts for ALPS switches. Does anyone know who can help modify the base .dxf file I have in hand? Many thanks

[KaosJ]

Very interested in two or three plates (price depending) with a custom layout.

Also interested in a custom plate depending on price

Custom plates should be near the price of the base but depends also on how bigger it will be or how many more cuts 

[KaosJ]

That looks amazing! I'm looking to get some for my VE.A. But need to customize some parts for ALPS switches. Does anyone know who can help modify the base .dxf file I have in hand? Many thanks

 

I really can't help with ALPS, i usually do just cherry style switches.  Also afaik the alps needs a 1.2mm plate to clip, while this will be a 1.5mm. 

I think you will still be able to do it by just making thight holes i guess, but if you want something that fully clips, you need 1.2mm 

[TalkingTree]

Custom plates should be near the price of the base but depends also on how bigger it will be or how many more cuts

When would we be able to submit a file for a quote?

[KaosJ]

Custom plates should be near the price of the base but depends also on how bigger it will be or how many more cuts

When would we be able to submit a file for a quote?

When the GB starts (so i will also talk about all the details to make it), in fact the GB should have started already from my plans and to be honest i could have started it already but i wanted to be 100% sure on everything before doing so.  Didn't really wanted to start to take money and in the meantime do the last tests. 

I miss the coating tests for now and some explanation on how should i quote the custom plates for who upload the file.   

[duynguyenle]

Interested in some TKL sized ones (I already got dxf files )

[tristinDLC]

Are you offering smaller sizes of 40% or numpad options?

[amnesia0287]

Anyone got a tada68 plate design lol


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[tristinDLC]

Anyone got a tada68 plate design lol

I could make one. If youre the same one from Slack, PM there or here is fine. I'll make you one.

[KaosJ]

Are you offering smaller sizes of 40% or numpad options?

Custom are accepted, so yeah 40% and numpad too, just not sure how to price them. 

[KaosJ]

Anyone got a tada68 plate design lol


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If TristinDLC don't do it first, i saw some guys on discord already having that file. 
Let me know in case so i can put it in the directory of the files. 

[duynguyenle]

Anyone got a tada68 plate design lol

I could make one. If youre the same one from Slack, PM there or here is fine. I'll make you one.

I already made several tada plates last year when I was doing a few Tada69 conversions

[KaosJ]

Anyone got a tada68 plate design lol

I could make one. If youre the same one from Slack, PM there or here is fine. I'll make you one.

I already made several tada plates last year when I was doing a few Tada69 conversions

Show Image

hey bud, mind to share the file with me too :)   

There will be (probably) a "tested" directory  that will include the two base 60 keebs cutted and pre-tested by me. 
But there will be also a "custom" directory  where i will put some designs not-tested by me (files made by me or other people) so if people want can use these or start their .dxf from these files

[duynguyenle]

Anyone got a tada68 plate design lol

I could make one. If youre the same one from Slack, PM there or here is fine. I'll make you one.

I already made several tada plates last year when I was doing a few Tada69 conversions

Show Image

hey bud, mind to share the file with me too :)   

There will be (probably) a "tested" directory  that will include the two base 60 keebs cutted and pre-tested by me. 
But there will be also a "custom" directory  where i will put some designs not-tested by me (files made by me or other people) so if people want can use these or start their .dxf from these files

Pretty sure we were already talking about yesterday in the MKUK Discord but sure I'll shoot some files when I get to my home PC

[KaosJ]

Anyone got a tada68 plate design lol

I could make one. If youre the same one from Slack, PM there or here is fine. I'll make you one.

I already made several tada plates last year when I was doing a few Tada69 conversions

Show Image

hey bud, mind to share the file with me too :)   

There will be (probably) a "tested" directory  that will include the two base 60 keebs cutted and pre-tested by me. 
But there will be also a "custom" directory  where i will put some designs not-tested by me (files made by me or other people) so if people want can use these or start their .dxf from these files

Pretty sure we were already talking about yesterday in the MKUK Discord but sure I'll shoot some files when I get to my home PC

 

Yeah thanks mate  :thumb:

[Dominathan]

Is someone making an M65-A plate?

[KaosJ]

Is someone making an M65-A plate?

M65 is a public file and asked Rama a while ago if people could use that file.

[mike873]

What about EXENT? Some people who want brass plates couldn't get them.

...yes, I know it hasn't shipped yet.

[KaosJ]

What about EXENT? Some people who want brass plates couldn't get them.

...yes, I know it hasn't shipped yet.

Not sure, if you can't find it just ask the EXENT op if he mind to share it to get it produced for who wants it  

[Darknight00z]

Any updates on this GB? Starting in December or Jan?

[KaosJ]

Any updates on this GB? Starting in December or Jan?

Should start the next week and this time for real, so will be november   

[Darknight00z]

Any updates on this GB? Starting in December or Jan?

Should start the next week and this time for real, so will be november   

Awesome stuff!!

[graefeln]

I asked reconsiderit about the file for the Southpaw, since his GB isn't offering brass. He said he didn't design the plate, but he'll pass along my request. If he can get it, I'll probably be in for plate!

[KaosJ]

I asked reconsiderit about the file for the Southpaw, since his GB isn't offering brass. He said he didn't design the plate, but he'll pass along my request. If he can get it, I'll probably be in for plate!

Great  I guess you can do the Southpaw layout by yourself, but yeah probably is better if you ask OP who did it.

[Dominathan]

Any update on this?

[KaosJ]

Any update on this?

Sorry i forgot to update here, added the update here. 

Brass GB still happening, i had to change the producer for a better one so it took time, hopefully the GB will start this week if everything goes well (the week that is coming, but can't 100% confirm it). Custom layouts confirmed, coated brass confirmed, previous price should be confirmed as well depending on the last quote to coat the brass.   

[dr_derivative]

Any update on this?

Sorry i forgot to update here, added the update here. 

Brass GB still happening, i had to change the producer for a better one so it took time, hopefully the GB will start this week if everything goes well (the week that is coming, but can't 100% confirm it). Custom layouts confirmed, coated brass confirmed, previous price should be confirmed as well depending on the last quote to coat the brass.   

Good news! 

[dr_derivative]

Is this still happening soon? 

[KaosJ]

Is this still happening soon? 

   

Kinda, i expected the new plates + coat time ago but i didn't got it yet.   

The new producer after some problems (since he had much work) finally cut 2 plates and sent them to coat, so now i'm waiting for the plates to return from coating (not the same company). 
I should have the new samples in my hands in the next days, but you know... Christmas is coming.   

[KaosJ]

Ok just got two new sample:
https://imgur.com/a/TEQu4 

TL;DR cut is good, coat is not ok for now. 

More

NB: The samples had this process Raw brass > brushed and polished (mirror finish) > coated with a clear coat oven-dried.
The real product will be a brass factory polished with mirror finish, basically a better mirror finish and no brush (i guess). 

My thoughts:

• The CUT is on point.
• The COATING is not really what i wanted (see below)

 
The coating is made from another factory working for them but it didn't meet my expectation at all.  I mean is cool and everything and even if at the touch seems a even/flat surface, it is not. 
Maybe you can see that from the pics, the coating has some disparities, you can't feel that with the finger but it's easy to see it with your eyes, some microns of difference/leaks that makes a effect that i don't like since i wanted a perfect product.  Also there are some small dots under the coat, clear sign that the coat wasn't made in a depressurized and super-clean ambient. That's something else that i definetely do not like.   
The plan was to make the GB not to make money but to have plenty of brass plates for myself (this will be my earn basically),  so the final product must be good enough to meet my standards and currently the coat does not. 

How i plan to solve it: 

• I will look for someone else coating it
• If i will not find someone meeting my expectations, i'm considering doing it uncoated, so a mirror finish polished brass. That's something i wanted to avoid so i will look carefully for someone that only coats brass and that can do it perfectly

[TalkingTree]

Solid update, thanks for that.
Out of curiosity, could you show an uncoated plate so we can get an idea?
Thanks.

[Lisinge]

Thanks for the update and great to see some progress!

I appreciate you want to make sure it's top quality!

[KaosJ]

Solid update, thanks for that.
Out of curiosity, could you show an uncoated plate so we can get an idea?
Thanks.

They coated both, so i don't have a clean sample of the uncoated right now but you can refer to the previous sample (pic below from previous producer).
The coat is basically a TRANSPARENT plastic compound dried in the oven (120 degrees if i'm not wrong) so you will see basically the mirror brass directly. The GB brass will be the factory mirrored that is more expensive but it comes directly mirror polished, it is better than a raw brass later polished and brushed (like the samples). 
The coat is something you can feel only with your fingers (touching brass directly vs touching the coat). The coat was an extra i wanted to add. 

[TalkingTree]

Got it. Thanks.

[zekkin]

Thanks for the update!

[dr_derivative]

Great update! 

Have you decided what sizes you will be using for switch holes? I'll probably be designing my own plate and want to make sure my holes aren't too tight or too loose either.

[KaosJ]

Great update! 

Have you decided what sizes you will be using for switch holes? I'll probably be designing my own plate and want to make sure my holes aren't too tight or too loose either.

Not decided yet, but will be for sure something between 13.85 and 14mm, still have to test the new samples. 
Actually i was thinking to not offer any BASE plate but just let people do their own or take my files if they can't, most of files untested, except for the 60% plates that will be tested in the next days. 

e.g. turning this GB into a full custom plates GB and for who can't do a .dxf will be able to just get some of the files that i will do and put in a drive. 

[duynguyenle]

Great update! 

Have you decided what sizes you will be using for switch holes? I'll probably be designing my own plate and want to make sure my holes aren't too tight or too loose either.

Not decided yet, but will be for sure something between 13.85 and 14mm, still have to test the new samples. 
Actually i was thinking to not offer any BASE plate but just let people do their own or take my files if they can't, most of files untested, except for the 60% plates that will be tested in the next days. 

e.g. turning this GB into a full custom plates GB and for who can't do a .dxf will be able to just get some of the files that i will do and put in a drive.

14 +/- 0.05 mm is the official Cherry spec (specsheet here: http://switches-sensors.zf.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Keymodule_MX_EN.pdf)

If you use the direct output of swills tool, you can see that they default to the looser end of the tolerance band (switch cutouts on a swills tool output is 14.05mm square)

Please do not use 13.85mm, that is out of spec.

[dr_derivative]

Great update! 

Have you decided what sizes you will be using for switch holes? I'll probably be designing my own plate and want to make sure my holes aren't too tight or too loose either.

Not decided yet, but will be for sure something between 13.85 and 14mm, still have to test the new samples. 
Actually i was thinking to not offer any BASE plate but just let people do their own or take my files if they can't, most of files untested, except for the 60% plates that will be tested in the next days. 

e.g. turning this GB into a full custom plates GB and for who can't do a .dxf will be able to just get some of the files that i will do and put in a drive.

14 +/- 0.05 mm is the official Cherry spec (specsheet here: http://switches-sensors.zf.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Keymodule_MX_EN.pdf)

If you use the direct output of swills tool, you can see that they default to the looser end of the tolerance band (switch cutouts on a swills tool output is 14.05mm square)

Please do not use 13.85mm, that is out of spec.

You're forgetting there will be manufacturing tolerances and errors too, so if a dxf has 13.85mm holes the resulting plates are going to be slightly off anyway. If KaosJ's dimensions have been properly tested they are a lot more likely to give a good fit. 

[xondat]

Use 14mm for proper fitment. I've found that it's the manufacturer that'll determine the fitment - something you can't really control, apart from choosing the best place. You don't want manufacturer tolerances taking it outside of specification.

[KaosJ]

Great update! 

Have you decided what sizes you will be using for switch holes? I'll probably be designing my own plate and want to make sure my holes aren't too tight or too loose either.

Not decided yet, but will be for sure something between 13.85 and 14mm, still have to test the new samples. 
Actually i was thinking to not offer any BASE plate but just let people do their own or take my files if they can't, most of files untested, except for the 60% plates that will be tested in the next days. 

e.g. turning this GB into a full custom plates GB and for who can't do a .dxf will be able to just get some of the files that i will do and put in a drive.

14 +/- 0.05 mm is the official Cherry spec (specsheet here: http://switches-sensors.zf.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Keymodule_MX_EN.pdf)

If you use the direct output of swills tool, you can see that they default to the looser end of the tolerance band (switch cutouts on a swills tool output is 14.05mm square)

Please do not use 13.85mm, that is out of spec.

Yeah i know Cherry specs.  The current sample was made from the file with a default 14mm. 
As i said everyone will pick or draw whatever they want but yeah my base files will be a flat 14mm.  On a side note, 13.85 is the minimum that i definetely like for MYSELF.  13.85 definetely works and gives you a really tight fit with a dense clack when the switch clips to the plate. Of course if you insert and remove the switch multiple times with a tight fit, the clips will be slightly flattened. 

[TalkingTree]

Knowing the manufacturer machine's kerf would help by any chance?