Square or ball of keys

[UnlikeAny]

You guys are better experts than I am. Would it be possible to make a square out of keys? Just imagine yourself taking it into a hand and squishing loads of your favorite switch keys with just one hand motion.

Like this, but pressable.


Or even a ball of keys, if it's possible. It wouldn't, of course, be perfect.
Something like this, but more dense.


Mmmm...

[adventurepoop]

I dont see why It wouldn't be possible. I think the best bet would be to get a "plate" 3d printed for you to mount the switches on, and just stick keycaps on that.

[SpAmRaY]

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=58593.0

[adventurepoop]

I doubt you could do the tight corners like on what you posted though, The backs of the switches would be hitting each other most likely.

[RabRhee]

I played a bit with this sort of concept, the main restriction I found is (for ALPS/MX) that the sides and corners would need about 5mm clearance so that the switches don't overlap each other. some of that would be covered by the cap being about 2mm a side larger than the switch but it would still have a gap on the right angles.

I got some ML switches with a view to making a 6 sided one. those switches are much shallower so easier to have them at right angles to each other. It is definitely doable. of sorts.

[adventurepoop]

I played a bit with this sort of concept, the main restriction I found is that the sides and corners would need about 5mm clearance so that the switches don't overlap each other. some of that would be covered by the cap being about 2mm a side larger than the switch but it would still have a gap on the right angles.

I got some ML switches with a view to making a 6 sided one. those switches are much shallower so easier to have them at right angles to each other. It is definitely doable. of sorts.

I didn't even think of ML switches. Good idea

[UnlikeAny]

I played a bit with this sort of concept, the main restriction I found is (for ALPS/MX) that the sides and corners would need about 5mm clearance so that the switches don't overlap each other. some of that would be covered by the cap being about 2mm a side larger than the switch but it would still have a gap on the right angles.

I got some ML switches with a view to making a 6 sided one. those switches are much shallower so easier to have them at right angles to each other. It is definitely doable. of sorts.

So are you going to make one? It would be amazing to see how it looks. It would be even better for you, because you could touch it.

[RabRhee]

I played a bit with this sort of concept, the main restriction I found is (for ALPS/MX) that the sides and corners would need about 5mm clearance so that the switches don't overlap each other. some of that would be covered by the cap being about 2mm a side larger than the switch but it would still have a gap on the right angles.

I got some ML switches with a view to making a 6 sided one. those switches are much shallower so easier to have them at right angles to each other. It is definitely doable. of sorts.

So are you going to make one? It would be amazing to see how it looks. It would be even better for you, because you could touch it.

Aye, I dare say I will make a one-switch wide ML one sometime, I was going to give it the 1-6 sides as standard dice (and see how well it rolls). The plan got somewhat waylaid when I started sticking MX switches in dice instead, plus there are so few really nice ML keycaps about. Making a full 54* switch MX one would be cool, I reckon even with the >3mm overhang edges it may look good. I would be just as keen to see it if someone else ran something up too.

My first ML keychain was a sort of trial for the ML die. The switch had to be glued in though, which bugs me a little.


edit: 54, not 56. Its too late in the day for complex maths like 9x6

[RabRhee]

Well, a minor necro to this post, mainly because I just made the 1x1x1 ML cube.

I made it as reasonably small as I thought I could, the centre cube is 12.5mm. As the ML switches are 12mm wide I could have gone a little smaller, but perhaps at the cost of some switch stability. The other concern I had was orientation of the switches, because I don't have any symmetrical (DSA/SA) ML caps (if they even exist), so orientation played a part.

The gaps between keys is probably as small as ML can go. When one is pressed it depresses further than the edges of the other keys, so blocks the adjacent ones being pressed fully. Rolls pretty well.

With coloured blanks, and with letters for a CTRL-ALT layout.


Basic block (Alu)


Block with switches

[SpAmRaY]

Well, a minor necro to this post, mainly because I just made the 1x1x1 ML cube.

I made it as reasonably small as I thought I could, the centre cube is 12.5mm. As the ML switches are 12mm wide I could have gone a little smaller, but perhaps at the cost of some switch stability. The other concern I had was orientation of the switches, because I don't have any symmetrical (DSA/SA) ML caps (if they even exist), so orientation played a part.

The gaps between keys is probably as small as ML can go. When one is pressed it depresses further than the edges of the other keys, so blocks the adjacent ones being pressed fully. Rolls pretty well.

With coloured blanks, and with letters for a CTRL-ALT layout.
(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)

Basic block (Alu)
(Attachment Link)

Block with switches
(Attachment Link)

What is this magic?