Author Topic: Starting keycap crafting (Read 128190 times)

JT_Sea · « **Reply #50 on:** Mon, 25 April 2016, 10:30:31 »

Still having trouble with bubbles, but I'll get there I think.

The clear one looks like a ghost from pacman

The row of goombas up front arent key caps. Remember when I ***ed up the first mold? Well when I mix up some resin I have more than enough to fill the working mold, and I couldn't possibly throw away the first mold, so I just pour some resin in there and see how it shapes up.

Thanks for all the support everyone, hopefully I'll have some quality keys in the not too distant future.

romevi · « **Reply #51 on:** Mon, 25 April 2016, 10:43:48 »

Quote from: JT_Sea on Mon, 25 April 2016, 10:30:31

Still having trouble with bubbles, but I'll get there I think.

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The clear one looks like a ghost from pacman
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The row of goombas up front arent key caps. Remember when I ***ed up the first mold? Well when I mix up some resin I have more than enough to fill the working mold, and I couldn't possibly throw away the first mold, so I just pour some resin in there and see how it shapes up.

Thanks for all the support everyone, hopefully I'll have some quality keys in the not too distant future.

Looking good! Like the trans ones.

JT_Sea · « **Reply #52 on:** Mon, 25 April 2016, 12:28:34 »

Quote from: romevi on Mon, 25 April 2016, 10:43:48

Looking good! Like the trans ones.

Thanks man! Now if only they didn't have bubbles in them, they'd look way better.

Moistgun · « **Reply #53 on:** Mon, 25 April 2016, 13:13:56 »

Quote from: JT_Sea on Mon, 25 April 2016, 12:28:34

Quote from: romevi on Mon, 25 April 2016, 10:43:48
Looking good! Like the trans ones.
Thanks man! Now if only they didn't have bubbles in them, they'd look way better.

Bubbles are evil. Bubbles were sent to destroy us.

Nice work. Keep it up!

JT_Sea · « **Reply #54 on:** Tue, 26 April 2016, 13:06:03 »

Quote from: Moistgun on Mon, 25 April 2016, 13:13:56

Quote from: JT_Sea on Mon, 25 April 2016, 12:28:34
Quote from: romevi on Mon, 25 April 2016, 10:43:48
Looking good! Like the trans ones.
Thanks man! Now if only they didn't have bubbles in them, they'd look way better.

Bubbles are evil. Bubbles were sent to destroy us.

Nice work. Keep it up!

Thanks man! I'll keep it up, and hopefully I can make it to the 'nice work' stage eventually

JT_Sea · « **Reply #55 on:** Tue, 26 April 2016, 13:14:34 »

Update, less bubbles but still there.

The little gang on my desk is growing

And more mold troubles. The first two molds that I made turned out just fine, and now that I'm trying to build a 2 blank mold, I'm having issues with the stems. 3rd try was not the charm

Time to pickup some pipettes if I can find them locally.

Really thought I had it last night, used a small pick to try and get everything out of the stem.. Maybe 4th try.

Moistgun · « **Reply #56 on:** Tue, 26 April 2016, 14:01:21 »

Quote from: JT_Sea on Tue, 26 April 2016, 13:14:34

Update, less bubbles but still there.

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The little gang on my desk is growing
Show Image

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And more mold troubles. The first two molds that I made turned out just fine, and now that I'm trying to build a 2 blank mold, I'm having issues with the stems. 3rd try was not the charm :( Time to pickup some pipettes if I can find them locally.
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Really thought I had it last night, used a small pick to try and get everything out of the stem.. Maybe 4th try.

Im certainly no pro, but for my stems, I found trying to even carefully inject it with a syringe still caused bubbles.

The one thing that has been 100% successful for me is just dabbing a thin paperclip in the silicone, and wiping the silicone in all four sides of the stem, then progressively dabbing more and more goop until its fill up even with the top of the stem. then high pour the rest in.

Im going to make my first buckling spring mold tonight!

JT_Sea · « **Reply #57 on:** Tue, 26 April 2016, 14:08:32 »

Quote from: Moistgun on Tue, 26 April 2016, 14:01:21

Im certainly no pro, but for my stems, I found trying to even carefully inject it with a syringe still caused bubbles.

The one thing that has been 100% successful for me is just dabbing a thin paperclip in the silicone, and wiping the silicone in all four sides of the stem, then progressively dabbing more and more goop until its fill up even with the top of the stem. then high pour the rest in.

Im going to make my first buckling spring mold tonight!

Thanks for the tip! I'm ordering the pipets today, but I may try that paper clip version tonight.

Good luck with the buckling spring, and let us know how it goes.

JT_Sea · « **Reply #58 on:** Tue, 26 April 2016, 16:25:53 »

My officemate has a few leds in their keyboard. Glowing goomba

romevi · « **Reply #59 on:** Tue, 26 April 2016, 16:36:23 »

Quote from: JT_Sea on Tue, 26 April 2016, 16:25:53

My officemate has a few leds in their keyboard. Glowing goomba

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Very good job, and a great officemate to have who has a mech keyboard!

JT_Sea · « **Reply #60 on:** Wed, 27 April 2016, 10:09:07 »

Quote from: romevi on Tue, 26 April 2016, 16:36:23

Very good job, and a great officemate to have who has a mech keyboard!

Luckily she's super cool, and that keyboard was also my first mech. I traded it to her for a breakfast burrito and an led light table from ebay.

JT_Sea · « **Reply #61 on:** Wed, 27 April 2016, 10:15:39 »

Photos!

The one on the far left is a micro goom, I didn't pour quite enough into the mold.. I think I'll hold off on transparent gooms until I can get a pressure pot.

And thanks to Moistgun, this is the best I've had for stems all week. Not 100% just yet, but I'm super effing happy with it.

Moistgun · « **Reply #62 on:** Wed, 27 April 2016, 14:50:34 »

Hell yea, the stems look way better!
Honestly, doing that, Ive made caps that fit better than all the artisans I own. (which is hardly any)

Im starting to run low on the oomoo because I was using too much early on.
Im going to order some in the next month or so and get back into making stuff other than blanks.

Nice job!

JT_Sea · « **Reply #63 on:** Wed, 27 April 2016, 15:25:21 »

Quote from: Moistgun on Wed, 27 April 2016, 14:50:34

Hell yea, the stems look way better!
Honestly, doing that, Ive made caps that fit better than all the artisans I own. (which is hardly any)

Im starting to run low on the oomoo because I was using too much early on.
Im going to order some in the next month or so and get back into making stuff other than blanks.

Nice job!

Thanks man! I'm also starting to run low on my oomoo 30, but I figure I should cast more caps atm and just deal with the molds I already have. Ideally I can make a 2nd mold for a new keycap with what I have, but I guess we'll see what happens.

Thanks again for the advice!

Kenda · « **Reply #64 on:** Thu, 28 April 2016, 03:00:01 »

really good work there. hope to see more updates

juahenza · « **Reply #65 on:** Thu, 28 April 2016, 03:15:44 »

looking good. hopefully mine will have smoother process

JT_Sea · « **Reply #66 on:** Thu, 28 April 2016, 10:07:21 »

Quote from: Kenda on Thu, 28 April 2016, 03:00:01

really good work there. hope to see more updates

I'll have some minor ones in a bit

Quote from: juahenza on Thu, 28 April 2016, 03:15:44

looking good. hopefully mine will have smoother process

I wish you the best of luck and hope that you also have a smoother process. This is rough going!

juahenza · « **Reply #67 on:** Thu, 28 April 2016, 22:24:33 »

Quote from: JT_Sea on Thu, 28 April 2016, 10:07:21

Quote from: Kenda on Thu, 28 April 2016, 03:00:01
really good work there. hope to see more updates
I'll have some minor ones in a bit
Quote from: juahenza on Thu, 28 April 2016, 03:15:44
looking good. hopefully mine will have smoother process
I wish you the best of luck and hope that you also have a smoother process. This is rough going!

best of luck to you too. will sure support the sales thread whenever you're ready. Cool designs!

)

JT_Sea · « **Reply #68 on:** Tue, 03 May 2016, 23:34:30 »

Got some updates.

Casting a few before the molds stem broke.

F-up jar

Pre-Jar

Put the purple goomba up on /r/mechmarket and it sold in under 5 minutes, so I threw up a few others. Yellow & Dark brown didn't sell, but still super excited that a few people we willing to buy them knowing they were C grade caps. Looking forward to having a real sale in the next few weeks.

Working on new 4x mold, and I decided that I would try and make the stems with real caps.
Doing the layout

Hot glued the base to the wax paper.

Gluing in the sprus

Oomoo in

Got the goomba section in the mold tonight.

Whole family shot of the not totally effed caps

xtrafrood · « **Reply #69 on:** Tue, 03 May 2016, 23:40:25 »

Nice colors! I'm looking forward to more developments

romevi · « **Reply #70 on:** Tue, 03 May 2016, 23:54:52 »

Very interesting. Noted for my own endeavors in the future.

I like that short teal one in the first pictures. I don't know why, but I've come to prefer shorter artisan caps lately.

xtrafrood · « **Reply #71 on:** Wed, 04 May 2016, 00:08:43 »

Quote from: romevi on Tue, 03 May 2016, 23:54:52

Very interesting. Noted for my own endeavors in the future.

I like that short teal one in the first pictures. I don't know why, but I've come to prefer shorter artisan caps lately.

I'm here to see the Goomba army

JT_Sea · « **Reply #72 on:** Wed, 04 May 2016, 09:49:27 »

Many expletives.

Guess I got in a hurry last night and didn't pour it correctly.

Not sure if you can see from this photo, but the lineup isn't quite right.

Fortunately there is an easy fix for that at least!

So now that I'm out of oomoo.. It'll have to wait a little bit before I can recast the goomba 4x. I think next go I'll put this one with the caps in it, under the goombas.

Maybe that'll help them line up more correctly. I'm also kicking around the idea of a cut out plate that would work for lining up caps in the molds.

JT_Sea · « **Reply #73 on:** Wed, 04 May 2016, 09:57:23 »

Quote from: csmertx on Tue, 03 May 2016, 23:40:25

Nice colors! I'm looking forward to more developments

Thank you! I've been mixing in some white and then a little of another color in order to make an opaque color from the tints that I have. Next time I make an order, probably today or tomorrow, if I can afford it I'll pick up some opaque colors.

Quote from: romevi on Tue, 03 May 2016, 23:54:52

Very interesting. Noted for my own endeavors in the future.

I like that short teal one in the first pictures. I don't know why, but I've come to prefer shorter artisan caps lately.

Funny story about those, they aren't actually keycaps. The short ones are, as I have taken to calling them anyway, desk warts. If you read further up in this thread you'll find that I royally messed up the stem part of my first mold. I didn't spray the mold with release agent when I poured the 2nd batch of oomoo onto it... I was able to cut the goomba out, and I had a perfectly reasonably mold of that part of the keycap. So I've just kept on practicing casting with it when I mix up a batch of smooth-cast.

I was thinking about selling those as 'placeholder' keycaps. I'd invoice someone and send them the desk wart version as a placeholder while I get the pressure pot and more supplies ordered. Then if I tried to bail with the cash, or didn't deliver the keycap within an agreed on time frame the buyer could force a refund through paypal since the placeholder isn't actually a keycap. I thought it'd give a better degree of protection for someone. I wonder if anyone would be willing to buy them that way.

Quote from: csmertx on Wed, 04 May 2016, 00:08:43

Quote from: romevi on Tue, 03 May 2016, 23:54:52
Very interesting. Noted for my own endeavors in the future.

I like that short teal one in the first pictures. I don't know why, but I've come to prefer shorter artisan caps lately.

I'm here to see the Goomba army

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Elite desk wart division

DeTommie · « **Reply #74 on:** Wed, 04 May 2016, 10:04:00 »

Hi JT_Sea,

First of all: cool keycaps! Your project make me wanna make my own. Too bad I can't sculpt...

Here is a link to a video on making a silicone mold, maybe there are some tips in there to combat the bubbles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEVi0mEaJJQ

BTW: there is no way to say bubbles angrily.

JT_Sea · « **Reply #75 on:** Wed, 04 May 2016, 10:29:03 »

Quote from: DeTommie on Wed, 04 May 2016, 10:04:00

Hi JT_Sea,

First of all: cool keycaps! Your project make me wanna make my own. Too bad I can't sculpt...

Here is a link to a video on making a silicone mold, maybe there are some tips in there to combat the bubbles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEVi0mEaJJQ

BTW: there is no way to say bubbles angrily.

Glad you like them! I'm kinda getting tired of looking at the goombas myself, but I'll keep at it till I have a decent enough batch to move onto keycap 2.

I love TESTED, I'll watch the video today. Thanks for the link.

Kenda · « **Reply #76 on:** Wed, 04 May 2016, 20:49:46 »

Have you tried using a pipette or a syringe to pour resin in. I tried it and it eliminated 99% of bubbles. Also I find more sprue holes work for me. Good luck with your project

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

JT_Sea · « **Reply #77 on:** Thu, 05 May 2016, 00:09:01 »

Quote from: Kenda on Wed, 04 May 2016, 20:49:46

Have you tried using a pipette or a syringe to pour resin in. I tried it and it eliminated 99% of bubbles. Also I find more sprue holes work for me. Good luck with your project

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The pipettes that you can order on Amazon? Like the clear plastic disposable ones? Or the scientific ones?

And when you say more sprue holes, how many and where on the key?

Kenda · « **Reply #78 on:** Thu, 05 May 2016, 00:15:56 »

Yea the disposable ones. I made 9 holes all around the keycap edge

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

JT_Sea · « **Reply #79 on:** Thu, 05 May 2016, 07:19:40 »

Quote from: Kenda on Thu, 05 May 2016, 00:15:56

Yea the disposable ones. I made 9 holes all around the keycap edge

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you! I'll see about ordering some shortly. If you wouldn't mind indulging some more questions. Do you use a pressure pot, and what do you use for the sprues? I've been using q-tips.

JT_Sea · « **Reply #80 on:** Thu, 05 May 2016, 13:28:54 »

I think I'm just wasting resin at this point - this mold idea didn't pan out quite right. I've got ideas for V2, so we'll see how that comes along.

You can see how the registration is off - next time reg marks.

In other news I"m selling all my cool things on /mechmarket so I can fund more supplies & a pressure pot.

Kenda · « **Reply #81 on:** Thu, 05 May 2016, 22:44:36 »

Quote from: JT_Sea on Thu, 05 May 2016, 07:19:40

Quote from: Kenda on Thu, 05 May 2016, 00:15:56
Yea the disposable ones. I made 9 holes all around the keycap edge

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thank you! I'll see about ordering some shortly. If you wouldn't mind indulging some more questions. Do you use a pressure pot, and what do you use for the sprues? I've been using q-tips.

Same here, i also used q-tips as sprue. I'm still hesitating in using a pressure pot. And up till now from what i'm doing, my method seems working for me. So for a keycap with only a tiny bubble, it's fine for me.

switchnollie · « **Reply #82 on:** Fri, 06 May 2016, 19:27:06 »

Great progress

JT_Sea · « **Reply #83 on:** Mon, 09 May 2016, 11:00:41 »

Quote from: switchnollie on Fri, 06 May 2016, 19:27:06

Great progress

Quote from: Kenda on Thu, 05 May 2016, 22:44:36

Quote from: JT_Sea on Thu, 05 May 2016, 07:19:40
Quote from: Kenda on Thu, 05 May 2016, 00:15:56
Yea the disposable ones. I made 9 holes all around the keycap edge

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thank you! I'll see about ordering some shortly. If you wouldn't mind indulging some more questions. Do you use a pressure pot, and what do you use for the sprues? I've been using q-tips.

Same here, i also used q-tips as sprue. I'm still hesitating in using a pressure pot. And up till now from what i'm doing, my method seems working for me. So for a keycap with only a tiny bubble, it's fine for me.

I'll be posting the most likely mis-adventures of using a pressure pot very soon! And thanks for the tips, I think the pipetts will work very well in the future.

Quote from: switchnollie on Fri, 06 May 2016, 19:27:06

Great progress

Thanks! I'm glad it seems like there is progress, I feel like I've been in a backslide..

JT_Sea · « **Reply #84 on:** Mon, 09 May 2016, 11:01:49 »

No photos of goombas today, but a minor update just the same.

I'm really excited for test casting tonight. We'll see how the bubbles fair now.

Mattc777 · « **Reply #85 on:** Mon, 09 May 2016, 12:10:40 »

Quote from: JT_Sea on Mon, 09 May 2016, 11:01:49

No photos of goombas today, but a minor update just the same.

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I'm really excited for test casting tonight. We'll see how the bubbles fair now.

That is exciting!

Moistgun · « **Reply #86 on:** Mon, 09 May 2016, 14:03:50 »

Bet those bubbles will be running for the hills.

Stay safe with that garage bomb, and post pix

JT_Sea · « **Reply #87 on:** Mon, 09 May 2016, 14:24:49 »

Quote from: Moistgun on Mon, 09 May 2016, 14:03:50

Bet those bubbles will be running for the hills.

Stay safe with that garage bomb, and post pix

Thanks for the warning! I'll be keeping it at low pressure to start. I still have the stock pressure-valve in there, and I'm genuinely curious to see what a 20ish psi does for the caps.

Moistgun · « **Reply #88 on:** Mon, 09 May 2016, 15:32:26 »

For some reason I think most diy casting is done around 40-ish

Im jelly. what brand?

JT_Sea · « **Reply #89 on:** Mon, 09 May 2016, 17:01:18 »

Quote from: Moistgun on Mon, 09 May 2016, 15:32:26

For some reason I think most diy casting is done around 40-ish

Im jelly. what brand?

Dis guy - http://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-H6329-Paint-Gauges-37288-Gallon/dp/B0007D2D7I

JT_Sea · « **Reply #90 on:** Mon, 09 May 2016, 23:37:38 »

Guys!

Still not perfect, but at least its not bubbles that are causing the issues now!

romevi · « **Reply #91 on:** Mon, 09 May 2016, 23:39:25 »

Quote from: JT_Sea on Mon, 09 May 2016, 23:37:38

Guys!

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

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Still not perfect, but at least its not bubbles that are causing the issues now!

They're like little gum drops!

xtrafrood · « **Reply #92 on:** Tue, 10 May 2016, 00:06:00 »

Quote from: romevi on Mon, 09 May 2016, 23:39:25

Quote from: JT_Sea on Mon, 09 May 2016, 23:37:38
Guys!

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

Still not perfect, but at least its not bubbles that are causing the issues now!

They're like little gum drops!

Tasty grape gumdrops :p I can definitely see the difference with the latest casts

DeTommie · « **Reply #93 on:** Tue, 10 May 2016, 03:02:32 »

Quote from: csmertx on Tue, 10 May 2016, 00:06:00

Quote from: romevi on Mon, 09 May 2016, 23:39:25
Quote from: JT_Sea on Mon, 09 May 2016, 23:37:38
Guys!

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

Still not perfect, but at least its not bubbles that are causing the issues now!

They're like little gum drops!

Tasty grape gumdrops :p I can definitely see the difference with the latest casts

Make it so.

Homemade Gummy Snacks Recipe
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 5 mins
Total time: 10 mins
Serves: 16+

Ingredients

1 cup 100% fruit juice
2 tbsp grass-fed gelatin
Silicone candy molds or an 8" x 8" glass baking dish

Instructions

1. Pour the juice into small saucepan. Heat gently until the juice is very warm but not boiling.
2. Turn off the heat, and slowly pour the gelatin into the juice while whisking until it's incorporated. Repeat with the other tablespoon of gelatin.
3. Pour the mixture into silicone molds or an 8-inch by 8-inch glass baking dish that's been very lightly greased with coconut oil. You don't have to grease the silicone molds if you decide to use those. How many gummy snacks you'll end up with depends on how big your molds are.
4. Refrigerate the Homemade Gummy Snacks for at least 2 hours, then pop them out of the molds. You may want to freeze them for 15 minutes before you try to unmold.
5. Keep these gummy snacks refrigerated in a covered container. They keep for 3 to 5 days.

xtrafrood · « **Reply #94 on:** Tue, 10 May 2016, 03:05:01 »

Quote from: DeTommie on Tue, 10 May 2016, 03:02:32

Quote from: csmertx on Tue, 10 May 2016, 00:06:00
Quote from: romevi on Mon, 09 May 2016, 23:39:25
Quote from: JT_Sea on Mon, 09 May 2016, 23:37:38
Guys!

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

Still not perfect, but at least its not bubbles that are causing the issues now!

They're like little gum drops!

Tasty grape gumdrops :p I can definitely see the difference with the latest casts

Make it so.

Homemade Gummy Snacks Recipe
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 5 mins
Total time: 10 mins
Serves: 16+

Ingredients

1 cup 100% fruit juice
2 tbsp grass-fed gelatin
Silicone candy molds or an 8" x 8" glass baking dish

Instructions

1. Pour the juice into small saucepan. Heat gently until the juice is very warm but not boiling.
2. Turn off the heat, and slowly pour the gelatin into the juice while whisking until it's incorporated. Repeat with the other tablespoon of gelatin.
3. Pour the mixture into silicone molds or an 8-inch by 8-inch glass baking dish that's been very lightly greased with coconut oil. You don't have to grease the silicone molds if you decide to use those. How many gummy snacks you'll end up with depends on how big your molds are.
4. Refrigerate the Homemade Gummy Snacks for at least 2 hours, then pop them out of the molds. You may want to freeze them for 15 minutes before you try to unmold.
5. Keep these gummy snacks refrigerated in a covered container. They keep for 3 to 5 days.

Mmmmmm, nom nom grass-fed gelatin :)

Mattc777 · « **Reply #95 on:** Tue, 10 May 2016, 13:22:13 »

Quote from: JT_Sea on Mon, 09 May 2016, 23:37:38

Guys!

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

Still not perfect, but at least its not bubbles that are causing the issues now!

Oh man those are awesome! :thumb:

Crazy how much of a difference a pressure chamber can make.

dannrawr · « **Reply #96 on:** Tue, 10 May 2016, 14:31:05 »

great improvement!!!

tinymakesthings · « **Reply #97 on:** Tue, 10 May 2016, 14:50:05 »

Really interesting to see the progress you're making (you move so fast!). Seeing a lot of improvement with the pressure pot! Those purp goombas are looking quite tasty d:

JT_Sea · « **Reply #98 on:** Tue, 10 May 2016, 17:28:05 »

Quote from: tinymakesthings on Tue, 10 May 2016, 14:50:05

Really interesting to see the progress you're making (you move so fast!). Seeing a lot of improvement with the pressure pot! Those purp goombas are looking quite tasty d:

Thanks! I feel like I"m moving so slow, I'm glad to see someone things I'm moving quickly.

Quote from: dannrawr on Tue, 10 May 2016, 14:31:05

great improvement!!!

Thank you! I'm excited to start getting some caps out to my 'backers'. I sent them DM on reddit this morning with progress shots. Everyone seems pretty excited about the purps.

biocalves · « **Reply #99 on:** Tue, 10 May 2016, 17:46:17 »

Quote from: JT_Sea on Tue, 10 May 2016, 17:28:05

Quote from: tinymakesthings on Tue, 10 May 2016, 14:50:05
Really interesting to see the progress you're making (you move so fast!). Seeing a lot of improvement with the pressure pot! Those purp goombas are looking quite tasty d:
Thanks! I feel like I"m moving so slow, I'm glad to see someone things I'm moving quickly.

Quote from: dannrawr on Tue, 10 May 2016, 14:31:05
great improvement!!!
Thank you! I'm excited to start getting some caps out to my 'backers'. I sent them DM on reddit this morning with progress shots. Everyone seems pretty excited about the purps.

I love that you're active in posting updates. It looks like you're progressing nicely and it's nice to see you're excited about it.

News:

Author Topic: Starting keycap crafting (Read 128190 times)