Planet 6 - The start of a new keyboard by kurplop

[Melvang]

Every time I come across this thread, I think to myself, I really need to get my mill.  Just going to be a Sherline.  But I am holding out for the new 5800 they have teaser pics of.

[kurplop]

This is pretty sexy.  Thank you for the eye pron kurplop

Thanks Binge.

[kurplop]

Every time I come across this thread, I think to myself, I really need to get my mill.  Just going to be a Sherline.  But I am holding out for the new 5800 they have teaser pics of.

After working with a full size mill, how do you think you'll like the Sherline? I've heard that they can be quite accurate.  Is it CNC equipped?

[Melvang]

Every time I come across this thread, I think to myself, I really need to get my mill.  Just going to be a Sherline.  But I am holding out for the new 5800 they have teaser pics of.

After working with a full size mill, how do you think you'll like the Shurline? I've heard that they can be quite accurate.  Is it CNC equipped?

I only have maybe an hour of milling experience with a full sized bridgeport.  And everything I did could have easily been done on the smallest of Sherline mills.

But no CNC for me.  Just manual version with no Sherline DRO.  I find the limitations of their implementation to restricting for my liking. 

[kurplop]

Every time I come across this thread, I think to myself, I really need to get my mill.  Just going to be a Sherline.  But I am holding out for the new 5800 they have teaser pics of.

After working with a full size mill, how do you think you'll like the Sherline? I've heard that they can be quite accurate.  Is it CNC equipped?

I only have maybe an hour of milling experience with a full sized bridgeport.  And everything I did could have easily been done on the smallest of Sherline mills.

But no CNC for me.  Just manual version with no Sherline DRO.  I find the limitations of their implementation to restricting for my liking. 

I've become quite dependent  on my DRO. At my age I just can't depend on my eyes to see those tiny graduations. I admit that I don't know how to use 90% of the DRO's functions though.

[Melvang]

Every time I come across this thread, I think to myself, I really need to get my mill.  Just going to be a Sherline.  But I am holding out for the new 5800 they have teaser pics of.

After working with a full size mill, how do you think you'll like the Sherline? I've heard that they can be quite accurate.  Is it CNC equipped?

I only have maybe an hour of milling experience with a full sized bridgeport.  And everything I did could have easily been done on the smallest of Sherline mills.

But no CNC for me.  Just manual version with no Sherline DRO.  I find the limitations of their implementation to restricting for my liking. 

I've become quite dependent  on my DRO. At my age I just can't depend on my eyes to see those tiny graduations. I admit that I don't know how to use 90% of the DRO's functions though.

I can understand, I don't have an issue with DRO, or CNC, just want to get used to some manual stuff before going further.

I will probably put DRO on it, then pick up some manual feed stuff, and finally go to DRO.  My biggest issue with Sherline DRO is how they implement it.

They have the sensor tied into the lead screw, not the table slides.  So, you see backlash as movement in the DRO.  Granted, those machines are supposed to be fairly tight out of the factory, I would rather have it in the slides instead of the leadscrew.  Plus, there is zero switching from inches to metric.  Your DRO units is tied to the leadscrew again.  If you have a metric leadscrew, you have metric DRO.  This should be able to be fairly easily fixed in the firmware.

Did you mill the switch holes in the plate yourself?

[kurplop]

Did you mill the switch holes in the plate yourself?

Yes. On past boards I painstakingly calculated all of the coordinates for every corner and left the DRO zeroed out at the same point. This led to a confusing quantity of numbers to mess me up. This time I found a starting point in the center of the first hole, zeroed out the DRO, move to a corner, in my case, up .21875", left .26875, and then moved to the next corner which would be a combination of those 2 numbers (+ and- of course). After completing a hole, Move down to the center of the next, in my case .65", zero out and start again. Much less confusing, quicker and both plates turned out without any mistakes.

I put the numbers on the DRO to remember them. As you can see, the DRO's acuity only allowed me to get within 20/100,000",  so my holes ended up 5/100,000"x2 small which may explain the necessary filing to fit. I used a 1/16" bit and the rounded corners weren't a factor at that size.

[njbair]

Writing down your dimensions? Looks like you're learning fast. I also like the center zero trick. That's a great way to do pockets.

Does that readout have a centerline function? Mine had a button where I could set a zero on the left edge, wheel over and find the right edge, and just hit the CL button to set a new zero at the halfway point. Very handy for this kind of thing.

[kurplop]

Writing down your dimensions? Looks like you're learning fast. I also like the center zero trick. That's a great way to do pockets.

Does that readout have a centerline function? Mine had a button where I could set a zero on the left edge, wheel over and find the right edge, and just hit the CL button to set a new zero at the halfway point. Very handy for this kind of thing.

I'm sure that my DRO can do that as well as many other things that I don't have a clue about. One of the problems with many tools from China is  that the instructions are incomprehensible.

I should probably buy you a plane ticket and hire you to spend a week showing me how to use the thing.

One way that I made things easier was to limit the number of vertical staggers to 2. It may appear like there are more but I intentionally did that to simplify things and I only had to shift what I thought was ideal by 10 thou. or so to line them up.

[njbair]

I should probably buy you a plane ticket and hire you to spend a week showing me how to use the thing.

I would highly encourage you to take a class. Credit hours are cheaper than scrapped parts and you learn the same lessons from both. Do you have a local community college or trade school nearby?

[kurplop]

I should probably buy you a plane ticket and hire you to spend a week showing me how to use the thing.

I would highly encourage you to take a class. Credit hours are cheaper than scrapped parts and you learn the same lessons from both. Do you have a local community college or trade school nearby?

I'm sure you're right. For some unknown but probably irrational reason, I've had an aversion to formal education. I live within walking distance to a community college but never took advantage of what they provide. It may have something to do with my background. I am experienced in many trades and I would benefit more from an instructor filling in the gaps rather than beginning at square one. This is not intended to sound boastful, just honest. Most disciplines contain skills which carryover to other ones. Whether you're taking measurements with a mic, tape or scale, 1+1 still equals 2. 

Your suggestion does have merit though and I will consider it.

[njbair]

I should probably buy you a plane ticket and hire you to spend a week showing me how to use the thing.

I would highly encourage you to take a class. Credit hours are cheaper than scrapped parts and you learn the same lessons from both. Do you have a local community college or trade school nearby?

I'm sure you're right. For some unknown but probably irrational reason, I've had an aversion to formal education. I live within walking distance to a community college but never took advantage of what they provide. It may have something to do with my background. I am experienced in many trades and I would benefit more from an instructor filling in the gaps rather than beginning at square one. This is not intended to sound boastful, just honest. Most disciplines contain skills which carryover to other ones. Whether you're taking measurements with a mic, tape or scale, 1+1 still equals 2. 

Your suggestion does have merit though and I will consider it.

Sounds like you learn best by doing.

Depending on the instructor, if he or she is really passionate about what they do, you may be able to work out an informal mentor/protege relationship and just get some pointers about specific methods. It might be refreshing for an instructor who's used to dealing with disengaged college-age kids.

[Melvang]

I should probably buy you a plane ticket and hire you to spend a week showing me how to use the thing.

I would highly encourage you to take a class. Credit hours are cheaper than scrapped parts and you learn the same lessons from both. Do you have a local community college or trade school nearby?

I'm sure you're right. For some unknown but probably irrational reason, I've had an aversion to formal education. I live within walking distance to a community college but never took advantage of what they provide. It may have something to do with my background. I am experienced in many trades and I would benefit more from an instructor filling in the gaps rather than beginning at square one. This is not intended to sound boastful, just honest. Most disciplines contain skills which carryover to other ones. Whether you're taking measurements with a mic, tape or scale, 1+1 still equals 2. 

Your suggestion does have merit though and I will consider it.

But 2+2=5  For extremely large values of 2.

[Zustiur]

As usual, cool design. And thanks for sharing it in a "rough state"; this is the best part of MST.

Thanks. I have a natural resistance to showing my warts but I agree that seeing the process with all its faults, is what we learn the most from.

Edit:   I confess I wasn't familiar with the acronym MST. After consulting the dictionary, which had 30+ possibilities, I found Manufacturing, Science and Technology the most likely and Material Support for Terrorism the least. How did I do?

Around these parts MST usually means Making Stuff Together.

[kurplop]

Sounds like you learn best by doing.

Depending on the instructor, if he or she is really passionate about what they do, you may be able to work out an informal mentor/protege relationship and just get some pointers about specific methods. It might be refreshing for an instructor who's used to dealing with disengaged college-age kids.

I think you nailed it on all of your points. While there are inefficiencies and risks in learning by doing it does have some advantages. That shouldn't be mistaken for being self taught. Most of what I've learned has come from others. For instance, you,melvang and tufty, have taught me more in the last few days than what I learned in the shop.

Your other comment reminded me of what my daughters use to tell me when they were in college. They generally liked the older students but would be annoyed that they would mess up the grading curve."It was as if they were actually trying to learn something".

But 2+2=5  For extremely large values of 2.

That may be true in some relative post-Einsteinian sort of way but my heros were Archimedes, Euclid and Newton.

[kurplop]

As usual, cool design. And thanks for sharing it in a "rough state"; this is the best part of MST.

Thanks. I have a natural resistance to showing my warts but I agree that seeing the process with all its faults, is what we learn the most from.

Edit:   I confess I wasn't familiar with the acronym MST. After consulting the dictionary, which had 30+ possibilities, I found Manufacturing, Science and Technology the most likely and Material Support for Terrorism the least. How did I do?

Around these parts MST usually means Making Stuff Together.

Thanks. I appreciate the correction before I did too much damage with my misunderstanding.

[kurplop]

I thought I'd better update the thread. I got in a lot of milling time over the weekend. I finished up most of the precision work so now I'm beginning to slim down things.
It probably weighed about 6 pounds on Friday and now it's probably about 3. I think it I can get it down to about 1- 1.5 without components. Next comes the fun part of shaping the angular shapes into fluid contours

As you can see by the trash can, most of the block of aluminum is swarf now.  That's my mill in the background. Notice also that my metal shop is almost as messy as my office.

[CPTBadAss]

That picture makes me feel tingly and my mouth drool a little. I wish I had a metal shop and that mill

[njbair]

I thought I'd better update the thread. I got in a lot of milling time over the weekend. I finished up most of the precision work so now I'm beginning to slim down things.
It probably weighed about 6 pounds on Friday and now it's probably about 3. I think it I can get it down to about 1- 1.5 without components. Next comes the fun part of shaping the angular shapes into fluid contours

As you can see by the trash can, most of the block of aluminum is swarf now.  That's my mill in the background. Notice also that my metal shop is almost as messy as my office.
(Attachment Link)

I hope you're planning to scrap all that stuff and not just throw it away!

[CPTBadAss]

I hope you make a sandcasting. You should make an aluminum Pikachu statue.

[njbair]

I hope you make a sandcasting. You should make an aluminum Pikachu statue.

This seems so random yet I'm having a hard time disagreeing with the idea.

[Melvang]

I hope you make a sandcasting. You should make an aluminum Pikachu statue.

Sandcast mold of the Planet 6 case would me amazing.

[kurplop]

I hope you're planning to scrap all that stuff and not just throw it away!
[/quote]

Definitely. It's worth keeping it separate so that it can be recycled. I hesitated showing the scrap for fear of someone accusing me of ruining the planet. I know this isn't the most efficient way of making a keyboard but it's a fun challenge.

That picture makes me feel tingly and my mouth drool a little. I wish I had a metal shop and that mill

It is a lot of fun. I have no regrets getting it.

[njbair]

What kind of mill is it? From what I can see it looks like an old Lincoln or Chevalier. Also, it's nice that you have a surface grinder in the background. You can do some cool stuff with that setup.

[kurplop]

I hope you make a sandcasting. You should make an aluminum Pikachu statue.

Sandcast mold of the Planet 6 case would me amazing.

I've heard that unless the chips are compressed before melting, the vast surface area reacts to the oxygen and heat, and you end up with mostly dross. It's more efficient to recycle it and let the pros deal with it.

[kurplop]

It is an old Kent mill body with an Acra head. I bought it from a local used machine dealer 2 years ago. The dealer said that the head was only a year old. Who knows?

It has an acceptable level of backlash, but then, I don't really have anything to compare it with.

I picked up the surface grinder to use mostly for sharpening planer/jointer blades, etc.

[tufty]

I've heard that unless the chips are compressed before melting, the vast surface area reacts to the oxygen and heat, and you end up with mostly dross. It's more efficient to recycle it and let the pros deal with it.

If you were to grind your chips down and add some rust, the recycling might become significantly more fun.

[kurplop]

I've heard that unless the chips are compressed before melting, the vast surface area reacts to the oxygen and heat, and you end up with mostly dross. It's more efficient to recycle it and let the pros deal with it.

If you were to grind your chips down and add some rust, the recycling might become significantly more fun.

I can remember recycling about 100 lbs. of  aluminum window frames a few years ago. Because there were a couple of steel screws left in the extrusions, they gave me about a third of what I'd have got otherwise.

[njbair]

I've heard that unless the chips are compressed before melting, the vast surface area reacts to the oxygen and heat, and you end up with mostly dross. It's more efficient to recycle it and let the pros deal with it.

If you were to grind your chips down and add some rust, the recycling might become significantly more fun.

I can remember recycling about 100 lbs. of  aluminum window frames a few years ago. Because there were a couple of steel screws left in the extrusions, they gave me about a third of what I'd have got otherwise.

That's the scheister scrapyard trick. Total scumbag move.

[jdcarpe]

kurplop, if you want the legends laser-engraved on your anodized aluminum caps, I can do that for you.

[kurplop]

I've heard that unless the chips are compressed before melting, the vast surface area reacts to the oxygen and heat, and you end up with mostly dross. It's more efficient to recycle it and let the pros deal with it.

If you were to grind your chips down and add some rust, the recycling might become significantly more fun.

I can remember recycling about 100 lbs. of  aluminum window frames a few years ago. Because there were a couple of steel screws left in the extrusions, they gave me about a third of what I'd have got otherwise.

That's the scheister scrapyard trick. Total scumbag move.

I know. I'm a pushover. I feel a bit out of my element there. Most of the employees are non-english speaking and sometimes I think that this may be their way of getting back at the white guys who stole California from them.

[njbair]

I've heard that unless the chips are compressed before melting, the vast surface area reacts to the oxygen and heat, and you end up with mostly dross. It's more efficient to recycle it and let the pros deal with it.

If you were to grind your chips down and add some rust, the recycling might become significantly more fun.

I can remember recycling about 100 lbs. of  aluminum window frames a few years ago. Because there were a couple of steel screws left in the extrusions, they gave me about a third of what I'd have got otherwise.

That's the scheister scrapyard trick. Total scumbag move.

I know. I'm a pushover. I feel a bit out of my element there. Most of the employees are non-english speaking and sometimes I think that this may be their way of getting back at the white guys who stole California from them.

Then why do the Slovenian scrappers do it here in Northeast Ohio?

[kurplop]

kurplop, if you want the legends laser-engraved on your anodized aluminum caps, I can do that for you.

That sounds great. I'll be in touch when the time comes.

[kurplop]

I've heard that unless the chips are compressed before melting, the vast surface area reacts to the oxygen and heat, and you end up with mostly dross. It's more efficient to recycle it and let the pros deal with it.

If you were to grind your chips down and add some rust, the recycling might become significantly more fun.

I can remember recycling about 100 lbs. of  aluminum window frames a few years ago. Because there were a couple of steel screws left in the extrusions, they gave me about a third of what I'd have got otherwise.

That's the scheister scrapyard trick. Total scumbag move.

I know. I'm a pushover. I feel a bit out of my element there. Most of the employees are non-english speaking and sometimes I think that this may be their way of getting back at the white guys who stole California from them.

Then why do the Slovenian scrappers do it here in Northeast Ohio?

Maybe it's an immigrant 'us against them' mindset.

[tufty]

I think you're missing the point

[kurplop]

I think you're missing the point

Yes I did. I should have known better too. I've got a friend who is a licensed pyro-technician who is always talking about the materials of the trade.

Pretty scary stuff. I've heard that magnesium is especially dangerous to sand.

[lucaslink]

hand.. hand milled? this is beyond inspiring. can't wait to see the finished product. pics so far look incredible!

[kurplop]

hand.. hand milled? this is beyond inspiring. can't wait to see the finished product. pics so far look incredible!

Thanks. It's not quite finished on the mill but I needed to get a sense of the final shape, so I pulled out the angle grinder with a 40grit wheel and began shaping the top.

This part involves a certain judgement. Up until now it's all pictures, ideas and geometric angles. Making it all flow together with a priority on it feeling right when it's all done requires, if I dare say it, an artistic discretion. The fear is removing metal too hastily and later regretting it.

You can see in this picture some of the compound curves necessary.

I shot some video but I don't know how to upload it.

[njbair]

Absolutely amazing! Bench work like this is a dying art, especially with 5- and 6-axis mills becoming more commonplace. I am genuinely impressed.

For video, you'll have to upload to YouTube or Vimeo. Then you can use the link buttons in the edit toolbar. Geekhack doesn't host video directly.

[kurplop]

Absolutely amazing! Bench work like this is a dying art, especially with 5- and 6-axis mills becoming more commonplace. I am genuinely impressed.

For video, you'll have to upload to YouTube or Vimeo. Then you can use the link buttons in the edit toolbar. Geekhack doesn't host video directly.

Thanks. I must say, I feel a bit like a body and fender man, grinding away on that metal.

Thanks for the direction to go with the video's. Stay tuned for the introductory episode of Kurplop in the Shop.

[iamtootallforthis]

This board is epic! I am amazed with what you are able to do with  both designing and building. I really look forward to seeing the finished product.

[kurplop]

This board is epic! I am amazed with what you are able to do with  both designing and building. I really look forward to seeing the finished product.

Thanks. I'm equally impressed with your ability to deadlift that much weight while being elevated. That, and your height working against you makes it even more noteworthy.
Many many years ago when I was a fanatical weight lifter. I always thought the short guys had an incredible advantage when powerlifting. The bar is already almost up to their knees when deadlifting and the shorter overall travel made all the lifts deceptively easier for them.

Sorry to derail the thread but I started it.

[heroinbob]

Your boards are works of art. 
You never cease to amaze me.

Will be watching your thread with anticipation

Paul (HB)

[kurplop]

Your oards are works of art. 
You never cease to amaze me.

Will be watching your thread with anticipation

Paul (HB)

Thanks Paul. I will see you at the Meet n Chill in a couple weeks.

[iamtootallforthis]

This board is epic! I am amazed with what you are able to do with  both designing and building. I really look forward to seeing the finished product.

Thanks. I'm equally impressed with your ability to deadlift that much weight while being elevated. That, and your height working against you makes it even more noteworthy.
Many many years ago when I was a fanatical weight lifter. I always thought the short guys had an incredible advantage when powerlifting. The bar is already almost up to their knees when deadlifting and the shorter overall travel made all the lifts deceptively easier for them.

Sorry to derail the thread but I started it.

Thank you! My deadlift has stalled as of late though sadly. Typically shorter guys have the advantage, but it is really all about lever arms and proportions. Ed Coan is fairly short compared to George Leeman but they both deadlift incredible amounts of weight albeit in a different weight class.

Speaking of deadlifting though, I need to look up a new program to run.

[heroinbob]

Your oards are works of art. 
You never cease to amaze me.

Will be watching your thread with anticipation

Paul (HB)

Thanks Paul. I will see you at the Meet n Chill in a couple weeks.

Sweet!!! Really excited about the get together - I couldn't get so lucky it being in HB.

[tufty]

 Thats looking really, really nice.  Good grinder work, too.

[kurplop]

Thats looking really, really nice.  Good grinder work, too.

Thanks a really, really lot!

 A little update on the etching: Jdcarpe has offered to help me with laser engraving the legends. That should eliminate one hurdle but I still want to etch part of the Planet6 logo. I was excited to get a container of drain cleaner in the mail yesterday (how's that for weird?), and hope to start some experiments soon.

[tufty]

A little update on the etching: Jdcarpe has offered to help me with laser engraving the legends. That should eliminate one hurdle but I still want to etch part of the Planet6 logo. I was excited to get a container of drain cleaner in the mail yesterday (how's that for weird?), and hope to start some experiments soon.

That's cool, means you can play with stuff that's larger than the lettering on keys.

Also means you can invite the ladies up to "see your etchings"...

[kurplop]

A little update on the etching: Jdcarpe has offered to help me with laser engraving the legends. That should eliminate one hurdle but I still want to etch part of the Planet6 logo. I was excited to get a container of drain cleaner in the mail yesterday (how's that for weird?), and hope to start some experiments soon.

That's cool, means you can play with stuff that's larger than the lettering on keys.

Also means you can invite the ladies up to "see your etchings"...

Don't let my wife in on my ulterior motive. And here, she thinks that I just like to type. She has no clue what a chick magnet you become when you have a fine keyboard.