I've never seen that layout before. What's the thinking behind it? Don't you want the middle-finger keys to be higher than all of the others?I am having a hard time visualizing the layout based on the photos tbh.
I've never seen that layout before.Nor will you likely ever again!
Are those thumb keys with odd-sized caps? And the ring around the trackball also looks like it's made of keys.
This is really impressive work. I can't wait to see it!!! I'm sure I don't have to tell you, but please keep us posted on your progress.
This is really impressive work. I can't wait to see it!!! I'm sure I don't have to tell you, but please keep us posted on your progress.
I know I'm just a metal working novice so I really appreciate that coming from a real live machinist.
Oh my god! It's full of keys!
I'm gonna have to see a video after you are done on how you are using those keys in the ring around the trackball.
As usual, cool design. And thanks for sharing it in a "rough state"; this is the best part of MST.
A few pictures of the keyring switches and caps.
(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)
The caps still need some appearance enhancements before anodizing and dyeing but they fit well after the first try. :)
The switches are linear SMK's which came off of an old NEC keyboard. I chose them for the keyring and the thumb clusters because they have a very sturdy feel with little lateral give. This will be important because I don't intend to use stabilizers with one possible exception,and some of the caps are bigger than normal.
Amazing as always, this is what makes this forum great.
A few pictures of the keyring switches and caps.
(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)
The caps still need some appearance enhancements before anodizing and dyeing but they fit well after the first try. :)
The switches are linear SMK's which came off of an old NEC keyboard. I chose them for the keyring and the thumb clusters because they have a very sturdy feel with little lateral give. This will be important because I don't intend to use stabilizers with one possible exception,and some of the caps are bigger than normal.
Interesting switches. How heavy are they? I imagine with those big metal keys on top you wouldn't want something too light.
The ring center reminds me of the portal from Stargate SG-1. Your case and design looks great! And yesssssss, mill porn <3
Well now you're going to have to engrave Egyptian hieroglyphs onto those keycaps.The ring center reminds me of the portal from Stargate SG-1. Your case and design looks great! And yesssssss, mill porn <3
I've been caught! I've heard it said that originality is being able to hide your sources. As usual, thanks for the encouragement CBA.
Well now you're going to have to engrave Egyptian hieroglyphs onto those keycaps.
A note about cap weight. Obviously, a heavy walled aluminum cap will weigh far more than a plastic one, but they are still pretty light; I suspect a small percentage of the typical spring resistance.I have long suspected that the rise in popularity of heavier switches (mx clears and blacks) versus blues and browns is due to the higher availability of thicker caps.
Has anyone done an analysis on spring resistance and cap weight? Specifically, the sluggishness caused by an under sprung switch combined with a heavy cap.
Now all I need is someone who can engrave.They're aluminium, right? Etching should be pretty easy. No harder than doing PCBs.
Wow, this looks awesome. What kind of monster CNC mill is that?
Now all I need is someone who can engrave.They're aluminium, right? Etching should be pretty easy. No harder than doing PCBs.
I have long suspected that the rise in popularity of heavier switches (mx clears and blacks) versus blues and browns is due to the higher availability of thicker caps.
If you think about it, heavier caps effectively make switch actuation lighter, and they dampen tactile feedback due to shock absorption.
What would the sequence be? Anodize and dye the aluminum first, reverse mask the aluminum, then etch?Assuming you're anodising, yes, that's exactly it. Use caustic soda rather than your standard etchant, should be pretty much "brush on, wash straight off".
Are those thumb keys with odd-sized caps? And the ring around the trackball also looks like it's made of keys.
Yes, the thumb keys will have to be custom made. The 'key ring' is made up of frequently used keys for cad work. The ring keycaps are already made.
(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)
I hesitate to show it in such a rough state but at least you can see where I'm going with it.
What would the sequence be? Anodize and dye the aluminum first, reverse mask the aluminum, then etch?Assuming you're anodising, yes, that's exactly it. Use caustic soda rather than your standard etchant, should be pretty much "brush on, wash straight off".
Toner transfer works fine with caustic soda, the only difficult bit is going to be doing the actual transfer on non-planar key surfaces.
Here's someone who does stomp boxes - http://diy-guitar-effects.tumblr.com/etching
This is incredible - I never would have thought of a layout like this! Good work so far and keep us updated :thumb:
That's my favorite part about your builds kurplop. They're unapologetically for you and only you. Sometimes I imagine is as a figurative middle finger
One other question. How do I print negatives of lettering on a laser printer?Do your lettering white on black?
One other question. How do I print negatives of lettering on a laser printer?Do your lettering white on black?
H*** s*** that's awesome.
Yes. I would have to have the toner mask everything but the letters. Right?Yep. If you're going to do a dip, you want to mask all the rest (sides, bottom) of the key as well, wax should be good for this.
I took some measurements of the amount of force required to activate the SMK switches that I'm using for the ring and thumb keys. I don't claim that they are accurate because I didn't calibrate my scale but they should be good enough for comparison purposes.Are the switches serviceable? Maybe a spring swap is in order.
It turns out that they aren't as stiff as I had guessed. I was getting readings of 55g for the Cherry reds I had and about 58 for the Cherry blues. The Matias clicky's came in at 62. The SMK switches measured 62g also. I was expecting more. It was difficult to determine the actuation point so I just recorded the highest reading before bottoming out.
I then weighed several commercial single unit caps I had and they ranged from about .75g to 1.05g. My aluminum ring caps were 5.9 and 6.9g for the 2 sizes. 7x heavier than stock caps. A huge weight increase but only an 8% increase in spring stiffness necessary to compensate for the extra load.
As I mentioned before, I don't think this tells the whole story. The extra weight makes the action feel less responsive and lightening the caps would improve performance. Probably worth another trip to the mill. It shouldn't be to hard to remove a couple more grams since I intentionally left them fat.
Thanks. Even if I don't dip them, I can see the etchant spilling, dripping, or somehow migrating to areas unwanted. When you say wax, do you mean paraffin or some other kind?I was thinking paraffin. I've used ski wax before :)
After etching, can the wax be removed by heating the part and wiping?chuck 'em in boiling water
I am wondering though if it may make more sense to do the etching before the anodizing. The biggest obstacle would probably be getting the sealer off the surface completely, or the anodize and subsequent dyeing wouldn't be even. What do you think?Yeah, total cleaning might be an issue with that. Depends the result you'e after, though - anodise then etch will remove the anodised colouring leaving your lettering "raw" aluminium, etch then anodise will leave you with coloured lettering in relief.
As an afterthought, what do you think if I applied self stick letters to the aluminum, applied wax over the entire surface, peel off the stickers and then etch? That would completely avoid the toner transfer stage.I can see that working, yeah, although you might have trouble getting adhesive lettering that fine.
Are the switches serviceable? Maybe a spring swap is in order.
I am wondering though if it may make more sense to do the etching before the anodizing. The biggest obstacle would probably be getting the sealer off the surface completely, or the anodize and subsequent dyeing wouldn't be even. What do you think?Yeah, total cleaning might be an issue with that. Depends the result you'e after, though - anodise then etch will remove the anodised colouring leaving your lettering "raw" aluminium, etch then anodise will leave you with coloured lettering in relief.
This is pretty sexy. Thank you for the eye pron 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.
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?
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.
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.
Did you mill the switch holes in the plate yourself?
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.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.
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 should probably buy you a plane ticket and hire you to spend a week showing me how to use the thing.
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?
Sounds like you learn best by doing.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.
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.
Around these parts MST usually means Making Stuff Together.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?
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.
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.
But 2+2=5 For extremely large values of 2.
Around these parts MST usually means Making Stuff Together.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?
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 make a sandcasting. You should make an aluminum Pikachu statue.
I hope you make a sandcasting. You should make an aluminum Pikachu statue.
That picture makes me feel tingly and my mouth drool a little. I wish I had a metal shop and that mill :eek:
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.If you were to grind your chips down and add some rust, the recycling might become significantly more fun.
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.
That's the scheister scrapyard trick. Total scumbag move.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'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.
Then why do the Slovenian scrappers do it here in Northeast Ohio?That's the scheister scrapyard trick. Total scumbag move.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.
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.
kurplop, if you want the legends laser-engraved on your anodized aluminum caps, I can do that for you. :)
Then why do the Slovenian scrappers do it here in Northeast Ohio?That's the scheister scrapyard trick. Total scumbag move.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.
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.
I think you're missing the point (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqvQwfH_wGQ)
hand.. hand milled? this is beyond inspiring. can't wait to see the finished product. pics so far look incredible!
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.
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. :thumb:
Your oards are works of art.
You never cease to amaze me.
Will be watching your thread with anticipation
Paul (HB)
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. :thumb:
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. ;)
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.
Thats looking really, really nice. Good grinder work, too.
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.
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"...
aw my gad :eek:
thats one stunning board. cant wait to see the final form. as everyone mentioned, great work sir!
Cor!
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?
Splash anodising?
Go with a Cerakote finish.
Splash anodising?
this ^^
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.
Just discovering that thread. :eek:
Keep up the good work!
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: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?
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.
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: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?
I am unsure / doubtful it would be doable with anodising dyes. A fade anodise could be nice, though.
This looks pretty sweet! :thumb: 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!
Look into bright dipping before Anodizing. That's how Apple gets their clear anodized parts so shiny.
Another amazing project! So very impressed, as always. :)
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?
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 :)
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.
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 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.
I'm currently leaning toward a black satin anodized finish to match his little brother, the Alumaplop, but the decision is far from made.
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.
Oh I really like the walnut inlay
Looking really good. If you finish the walnut with oil and paste wax, you can still make adjustments.
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.
Thanks. Every parent thinks their babies are beautiful. It's nice to hear it from the friends.
Good lord, that's gorgeous.
This looks so nice! I wish I had such metal working skills.
I'm looking forward to seeing it with the keycaps on.
Great choice on the walnut. It'll look perfect with the black :)
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.
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?
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.
All work and no play lately.
Wow you busy be busy as a...hmm? Sorry, lost my train of thought.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.
After much consideration, It came to me last night that the clear anodize is not the finish I'm looking for.
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)
Show Image(https://i.imgflip.com/tt2hp.jpg)
*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.
Melvang- I'm pretty impressed with the Ceracote specs. Do you think that it would work well for the keycaps? Have you shot it yourself? I'm curious about the viscosity and if it could be sprayed with an airbrush.
I'm not quite that crazy. I'm in the process of pulling a permit for a bathroom remodel and the city wants full plans complete with pictures of existing conditions, a full plot plan, literature on the windows, framing details for a header over a pocket door, etc... I'm guessing the permits will be about $500 and with all of the details I'm providing, I may even get hit up with a plan check fee. Why should they be surprised by all of the bootlegging that goes on in the construction industry.
Trust me, there are good reasons for making the average Joe get those permits. It is because the average Joe doesn't know, care, or give a **** about building codes. They cobble stuff together, then when they sell the house to someone, a ceiling, floor, or wall falls down, and this could be a best case scenerio. Imagine that you now put this into electrical work with 120vac.
Trust me, there are good reasons for making the average Joe get those permits. It is because the average Joe doesn't know, care, or give a **** about building codes. They cobble stuff together, then when they sell the house to someone, a ceiling, floor, or wall falls down, and this could be a best case scenerio. Imagine that you now put this into electrical work with 120vac.
Good intention is a horrible justification for laws that restricts freedom. We already have a legal system which would hold said average Joe liable for such shortcomings, with punishments far more severe than the penalties that are dolled out for failing to get a permit. Thus, average Joe simply doesn't abide by the permit law, and the only people that do would have built it right regardless. The net result is wasted time, wasted money, and a needless loss of freedom.
The same argument could be made to justify extremely strict gun laws, where only "professionals" were allowed to own them. Because, I mean, trust me, you wouldn't want some average Joe shooting his guns into the air like a lunatic, raining lead down on unsuspecting innocents miles away, right?
Very cool info on cerakote. I had no idea it was so thin. Something to look into.
All the law suits in the world don't mean anything if there is no company in business any more to sue.This dissolved company scenario pertains to lawsuits no more than it does to permitting. Companies can cheat permits the same as an individual. The fact remains that a lawsuit arising from someone actually getting injured, has been and will be a greater incentive for both companies and individuals to build things correctly than permits.
This ends up being pretty common after natural disasters.Yes, you've already identified the problem. My argument is not that the problem doesn't exist, but that your solution in permitting is arguably ineffective. And even if it were perfectly effective, it is a violation of a freedom so basic - the building of a structure to shelter yourself - that regardless of the amount of protection it offers from shoddy workmanship, it still is not justified.
As a trackball user, I really like how you're integrating it into the board - it looks like something out of a sci-fi movie! My only question is do you have any plans for a scroll wheel (possibly like the Kensington orbit or CST ones)?
4 flute isn't ideal, but it typically is fine as long as you've got a strong compressed air stream and are only doing perimeter cuts, not slotting.
BTW, where'd you get whatever you're using for your compressed air? I've got some jerry rigged copper tubing that I bend into place (and slowly drip mineral oil onto for lubrication), but I wouldn't mind a system that would allow for easier positioning. I'm too cheap to buy the fog buster.
4 flute isn't ideal, but it typically is fine as long as you've got a strong compressed air stream and are only doing perimeter cuts, not slotting.It is a fogger but I don't have it hooked up to anything but air. My daughter's father in law is a machinist and he scared me about that stuff floating around in the air. I think it's similar to one Grizzly sells. I'll take a picture when I'm back in the shop.
BTW, where'd you get whatever you're using for your compressed air? I've got some jerry rigged copper tubing that I bend into place (and slowly drip mineral oil onto for lubrication), but I wouldn't mind a system that would allow for easier positioning. I'm too cheap to buy the fog buster.
(Attachment Link)I see what you did there.
Any last minute guesses before I reveal where that disc came from?.
I thought it was gonna be from the nose of the aircraft you flew in WW2 or something, not some scrap from your key caps :)
(Attachment Link)
Any last minute guesses before I reveal where that disc came from?.
(Attachment Link)
Any last minute guesses before I reveal where that disc came from?.
Looks like a fan for a PC case.
I thought it was gonna be from the nose of the aircraft you flew in WW2 or something, not some scrap from your key caps :)
How old do you think he is?!?
kurplop just put some sanwas into this keyboard?? One step closer to being able to play Street Fighter on a MAME cabinet with this board. Do you think that the Goa'uld can handle my hadoukens?
Moving on from stupid references, that center part is looking might Stargate now :D. Board really looking good!
[
It is a fogger but I don't have it hooked up to anything but air. My daughter's father in law is a machinist and he scared me about that stuff floating around in the air. I think it's similar to one Grizzly sells. I'll take a picture when I'm back in the shop.
Yeah, that's why I stick to mineral oil. I buy the pharmacy grade stuff from CVS that you could drink if you wanted to, so I don't mind breathing some of it in.
kurplop just put some sanwas into this keyboard?? One step closer to being able to play Street Fighter on a MAME cabinet with this board. Do you think that the Goa'uld can handle my hadoukens?
Moving on from stupid references, that center part is looking might Stargate now :D. Board really looking good!
Thanks to you I just learned 3 new words.[
It is a fogger but I don't have it hooked up to anything but air. My daughter's father in law is a machinist and he scared me about that stuff floating around in the air. I think it's similar to one Grizzly sells. I'll take a picture when I'm back in the shop.
Yeah, that's why I stick to mineral oil. I buy the pharmacy grade stuff from CVS that you could drink if you wanted to, so I don't mind breathing some of it in.
I drink milkshakes but I wouldn't want to inhale them. :p
UPDATE: I started reshaping the "Stargate" key ring caps. It would have been easier to have done it while the caps were all part of the nose from the Corsair I flew in WW2 but that's another story. ;) ( I was born a decade after they stormed Normandy)
I' m open to suggestions. I think JB has an epoxy based product especially formulated for aluminum. I will be able to supplement it with a few small screws also but thought an adhesive may offer added integrity. There are still several webs from the old integrated plate supporting the trackball but I thought making a continuous bond would guarantee trouble free results.I was mainly thinking of the weight of the trackball plus the key presses, all exerting downward force, nearly any bond except a weld is likely to fail eventually.
Are you asking with regards to the acid bath anodize or the reliability of bonding aluminum with cements?
Start making room in the workshop. It's time to start TIG welding. Only half joking. That would be really cool.
Start making room in the workshop. It's time to start TIG welding. Only half joking. That would be really cool.
Start making room in the workshop. It's time to start TIG welding. Only half joking. That would be really cool.
Aluminum warps pretty bad when welding. Stainless, especially 300 series is about the only ting works for the home welder.
I'm not completely sold on that. Always wary when somebody starts talking about things that for some reason magically don't work in your home, but they can work quite perfectly elsewhere. But lets say TIG isn't viable due to warping issues:
But what about soldering it?
I'm not completely sold on that. Always wary when somebody starts talking about things that for some reason magically don't work in your home, but they can work quite perfectly elsewhere. But lets say TIG isn't viable due to warping issues:
But what about soldering it?
But screws sound like less potential for disaster unless you have experience with gas welding (not knocking your skills in any way).
I thought I was a pretty bad welder but then I loaned my mig to the kid next door. He showed me his work a couple days later and now my welds seem to look a lot better.You owe me a new keyboard.
Today is Thanksgiving. I thought I'd get in an early celebration by making some keycaps.
I spaced them so I could run a 1/4" endmill between them and then a finish pass on each side to clean them up.
(Attachment Link)
I made the bevel passes and the radius cuts to finish roughing in the tops.
(Attachment Link)
I'm hoping that I can cut in the stems on the underside ant the polish the top before I separate the individual caps. The are easier to handle and work consistently in combined units.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Today is Thanksgiving. I thought I'd get in an early celebration by making some keycaps.I was just thinking how you were going to make them work with cherry switches then went to the first page and noticed you are using apls and thought to my self damn why didn't I think about using apls so it would be less work making keycaps lol
I spaced them so I could run a 1/4" endmill between them and then a finish pass on each side to clean them up.
(Attachment Link)
I made the bevel passes and the radius cuts to finish roughing in the tops.
(Attachment Link)
I'm hoping that I can cut in the stems on the underside ant the polish the top before I separate the individual caps. The are easier to handle and work consistently in combined units.
Happy Thanksgiving!
There's that round piece of scrap from the ring keycaps again!
I was just thinking how you were going to make them work with cherry switches then went to the first page and noticed you are using apls and thought to my self damn why didn't I think about using apls so it would be less work making keycaps lol
Doesn't get any cooler than aluminum key caps, but if weight is ever an issue you can always use acrylic.
I use the rest more for orientation than resting, so I come in contact with it but just barely. No handstands on it. I have decided to cerakote the caps to avoid the blackening possibility although I think the anodize would resist it pretty well.If the iPod is any indication, anodized aluminum can stand up to a good deal of manhandling.
If the cold hard feel of the caps don't feel right I can always make a mold out of one and resin cast them.
I am a little concerned about them being too cool to the touch. Any thoughts?Inductive heating. Charge your phone and burn your fingers at the same time. :)
Any chance of an update for Christmas?
Please, Santa.
Any chance of an update for Christmas?
Please, Santa.
Thanks tufty for asking about this. I was beginning to wonder if Planet 6 had been long forgotten. :(
Have you been a good little boy?Of course not. Why on earth did you feel the need to ask?
I was beginning to wonder if Planet 6 had been long forgotten. :(Stuff like this is too cool to be forgotten. Hope the family health stuff gets better.
Hope the family health stuff gets better.Thanks. My wife and I were t-boned by a person running a red light 4 months ago. 22 thousand dollars damage to the car. I wasn't hurt but my wife got whiplash by the side airbag deployment and has been to Physical Therapy, has been on pain killers and has had several epidurals to try to relieve the pain. If you have the option, try to avoid traffic accidents.
Those sanded caps look great. I'm eager to see it all come together. Key legends are for people who can't type, save yourself the trouble :)
Any updates on this, Kurplop?
I need a fix of machining porn :)
Not sure which is more impressive between your keyboards and house mods - that huge slide out workbench :eek:
Unfortunately, I had to put the project on the shelf until I could find a block of time to finish it.Priorities, priorities. I understand entirely. Hope it doesn't put too much stress on your own family life.
I just hope I feel this way in a few months. ;D
I just hope I feel this way in a few months. ;D
People projects make custom keyboards look easy - well, at least the flat ones :) Best of luck with both.
Not the best day in the shop. I had an incident that may make me rethink the Planet 6's layout.
(Attachment Link)
I took a picture of my hand but it is probably too gruesome for the general public.
Not the best day in the shop. I had an incident that may make me rethink the Planet 6's layout.Wow, sorry, man. I lost the tip of my right index finger in high school machine shop class. My fingernail still grows in kind of funny. Fortunately I didn't hit the bone.
(Attachment Link)
I took a picture of my hand but it is probably too gruesome for the general public.
Jointer accident.
I will keep this up for 2 days for the curious but, honestly, don't look if you have a weak stomach. https://www.flickr.com/gp/kurplop/tq2A5C
It's the last picture in the album.
Jointer accident.
I will keep this up for 2 days for the curious but, honestly, don't look if you have a weak stomach. https://www.flickr.com/gp/kurplop/tq2A5C
It's the last picture in the album.
So far I haven't been in pain. Actually, I'm feeling pretty good. I guess having numb hands is finally coming in handy.
I consider myself fortunate. Except for one finger missing its last bone, I should be fully functional in a few weeks. Sure I will be horribly disfigured but having sired all the children I intend to, I don't care so much that women will turn away in abject disgust.
Jointer accident.Duuuuuuuuude ! :'( So sorry for you. Wishing you heal perfectly.
I will keep this up for 2 days for the curious but, honestly, don't look if you have a weak stomach. https://www.flickr.com/gp/kurplop/tq2A5C
It's the last picture in the album.
Oddly enough, I have had very little pain and I'm not even down about it.
Jointer accident.Duuuuuuuuude ! :'( So sorry for you. Wishing you heal perfectly.
I will keep this up for 2 days for the curious but, honestly, don't look if you have a weak stomach. https://www.flickr.com/gp/kurplop/tq2A5C
It's the last picture in the album.
Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk
Oddly enough, I have had very little pain and I'm not even down about it.
Funny, this is how I remember feeling as well. But watching it happen to someone else makes it seem like a way bigger deal. Granted, you've got 3 injured fingers versus my one, but even so... you just kind of realize, "well there's no getting them back, so no point in dwelling on it."
Narsty.On the other hand he still has all five fingers.
On the other hand, with 2 fingers down, that's 20% less keys left to machine..
Accident scene findings– It looks like my jointer's depth lock wasn't fully tight and it allowed the cut to go deeper as I fed the wood through. That explains why it grabbed the wood and shot it back. Still my fault for not checking.Don't blame yourself, kurplop, this is no time for finger pointing (hahaha!)
Accident scene findings– It looks like my jointer's depth lock wasn't fully tight and it allowed the cut to go deeper as I fed the wood through. That explains why it grabbed the wood and shot it back. Still my fault for not checking.Don't blame yourself, kurplop, this is no time for finger pointing (hahaha!)
That really sucks. Mistakes are impossible to avoid in their entirety, but it's not like you just dropped a miter saw down on your hand like a total idiot. I wish I had seen the graphic pic as a reminder to stay sharp when near rapidly spinning objects.
Hard to tell from the x-ray how bad it is, but I don't think you'll let this keep you from doing what you want to do. You coulda lost an arm and you'd still be doing circles around everybody here with your woodworking and manual milling. Just keep making stuff!
I don't know how many months like this April I can survive.From the rest of what you wrote, I'd say "loads". Having stuff ripped off sucks, though. Bah.
Now would be a good time to up your foot input game, Kurp. Yesterday I put a joystick underneath my right foot, bound to my arrow keys. I'm liking it.I. Just. Oh my God. That's such a good idea. What sort of joystick?
Now would be a good time to up your foot input game, Kurp. Yesterday I put a joystick underneath my right foot, bound to my arrow keys. I'm liking it.I. Just. Oh my God. That's such a good idea. What sort of joystick?
sent via tapatalk
Things are beginning to settle down some with my work and personal life and I hope to get back to work on this keyboard soon. I'm already allowing myself to plan and dream about the next steps. I've been experimenting with different etching techniques as well as trying to modify the key assignments to work better with my new limitations. I strongly doubt that I will ever to use my ring finger and possibly also my middle finger (for typing) because of the shape of the partial amputations and the very confused sensory nerves at the fingertips.
I hope my extended hiatus hasn't caused some of you Planet 6 followers to tune out. I have greatly appreciated your past suggestions, comments and encouragement.
Also wishing that your doubts will be replaced by surprises.
The picture is to show an unexpected problem I'm encountering while typing. The ring finger's short reach makes its use impractical but its extra width further complicates it. What I am surprised by is how the angled tips of the other 2 fingers add width to their typing "footprint", adding further to the clumsiness of my typing experience. I'm currently using my thumb and index finger primarily and beginning to implement the little finger.
I wonder if the Tony Iommi case could be inspiring in this case.The picture is to show an unexpected problem I'm encountering while typing. The ring finger's short reach makes its use impractical but its extra width further complicates it. What I am surprised by is how the angled tips of the other 2 fingers add width to their typing "footprint", adding further to the clumsiness of my typing experience. I'm currently using my thumb and index finger primarily and beginning to implement the little finger.
Do you think a fingertip prosthesis could make a useful difference regarding the short reach? I'm assuming it is an inconvenience not only when it comes to typing. 3D printing can do a lot for cheaps these days.
Do you think a fingertip prosthesis could make a useful difference regarding the short reach? I'm assuming it is an inconvenience not only when it comes to typing. 3D printing can do a lot for cheaps these days.
Wow ! Great improvement indeed !
RIP paintbrush :))
Noticeable improvement after sanding but I get the feeling you won't be stopping until it's perfect - however long it takes it will be worth it!
Love the etching progress. That is something I will have to consider since, as you say, it doesn't take much and the results look promising. Good stuff.
P.S. I'm shooting you an e-mail now. I need some advice on purchasing finger-chomping machinery.
Congratulations on your lathe purchase. I hadn't heard of the Schaublin before but they look like a great tool. Did you get it primarily for turning or for milling?Primarily for turning, but having the milling head is a bonus. The guy didn't know what he was selling, all he knew was it was a 3 phase machine with its internal wiring cut (and he only had single phase power anyway), that had been hulking in his garage for 20 years since he inherited it, and he wanted it gone. I offered him twice the scrap price and he nearly bit my arm off. it came with a 10 kilo box of taps and dies, another 10 kilos of turning tools, about 15 kilos of milling bits, drills, etc.
Be honest... was your "accident" with the jointer really just you trying to do this carpal tunnel surgery on the cheap?
Very neat looking! I see you make lots of use of the SlimBlade trackball; is it as good as it looks?
My hand? That was a whole week ago. I'd almost forgotten about it.
How come you know everything from woodwork to milling to CAD to electronics?
Amazing work sir. I am astounded at your persistence and will. Bravo sir.
Can't wait for Planet 6 to complete.
What switches are you using for your keyring keys?
I don't really have anything to say but it seems rude looking at all the pretty pics without commenting. It's interesting to read the explanations too - you make it all sound so simple!
Here's hoping it's an easy case so you can get back to the workshop soon :thumb:
I'm not really a fan of mixing aluminum and brass since they are known to not play nice with each other but its looking good
Shame you're in the states, I have some biggish chunks of teflon lying about, I'd have sent you some gratos. Shipping overpond is liable to be more than buying the stuff pre-machined...
Bearing bronze and steel rods would be a good choice, otherwise.
By the way, *nasty* bit of milling going on here...Show Image(https://s17.postimg.org/ccy9lu3sv/DSC02780.jpg)
If you're saying "that doesn't look very stable", you're right. Very shallow cuts, I was only taking off 2mm in 1/10ths
****in' ell, (s)he's guilty, already. Send 'em down! Life without parole, hard labour or solitary!
Now, where's my bloody update?
Here in the New World we have laws.I refer the honorable gentleman to the case of SCO vs IBM (also SCO vs DaimlerChrysler, SCO vs Autozone, SCO vs Novell), and question whether the guillotine is such a terrible thing after all.
Here in the New World we have laws.I refer the honorable gentleman to the case of SCO vs IBM (also SCO vs DaimlerChrysler, SCO vs Autozone, SCO vs Novell), and question whether the guillotine is such a terrible thing after all.
347? I guess there's a calculation to arrive at such a random looking figure :))
Glad to hear it's over!
It's been almost four decades that the french justice didn't kill innocent people because we death penalty is abolished over here. Just sayin'.
Back to keyboard asskicking, please ?
Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk
/me adds an annular cutter and a collet to dream workshop shopping list
Those round buttons look perfect, will the random shaped thumb caps need manual work to finish or do you have another cool machine for them too?
Hand is looking good, doesn't look like your first scar...
I hope that the absence of smiley faces doesn't imply that I was in any way serious with my comments about French justice. Because I'm 50% French, my father's parents were immigrants from France, I felt a freedom to joke about the subject. I was just having fun with tufty; besides, he started it!
I hope that the absence of smiley faces doesn't imply that I was in any way serious with my comments about French justice. Because I'm 50% French, my father's parents were immigrants from France, I felt a freedom to joke about the subject. I was just having fun with tufty; besides, he started it!My bad :-P
Those round caps look beautifully industrial. Glorious. And that annular cutter makes me drool.
What lathe do you have? No way of getting (or making) an R8 collet adaptor for your headstock?
Nice job with the bondo hack. Work holding is the hardest part of milling IMO. I'd love to have a vacuum table, but even those only solve a handful of problems.
Have you posted a layout of your key mapping ideas? So many buttons to use for capslock now, I want to know which one(s) you choose :)
I have a pre WW2 Logan with a badly worn 3 jaw chuck. I don't have many hours on it and little metal lathe experience period. I might be able to get collets but I'm not sure I want to put much money into it.Logan's a lovely machine. How big is it*?
Those tops look great !
Logan's a lovely machine. How big is it*?
No reason why you couldn't make your own collet chuck for it. If your 3-jaw chuck is tired, you can improvise a certain amount of the machining on the mill, and for the screwcutting side of things it's possible, but annoying, to shim stuff in a 3-jaw to get it close enough to concentric as long as you have a comparator. Something like this, perhaps, but adapted for the collets you already have on the mill?
http://warhammer.mcc.virginia.edu/ty/7x10/collet-chuck.pdf
*Show Image(http://www.theorangetreebaldock.com/quizzes/images/vizcha10.jpg)
(only brits will get this, I suspect)
I'd be honoured to do the firmware in EasyAVR, what are you using as the controller?
I'd be honoured to do the firmware in EasyAVR, what are you using as the controller?
I'm blown away and honored (US English spelling) by your willingness to help out. Thanks. I'll probably continue using a teensy 2.0 unless you have a better suggestion. I haven't burned the main PCB's yet so I'm flexible. Will you need a matrix layout from me?
You've given me direction and hope! I think it's an 11x36. I'll check when I'm back in the shop. I think a collet adapter would make a world of difference for it but I'm not sure that the R8 collets will fit in the spindle bore. I'll check that also.For accuracy, apart from collets, you really can't go wrong with a 4-jaw and a comparator. Needs a bit of practice, of course, but don't be afraid of it.
It did come with 2–4 jaw chucks of difference sizes but I'm a bit intimidated by them not being self centering. I know that they are potentially more accurate than a 3 jaw though.
BTW, where did you get that picture of me?http://viz.co.uk/category/cartoons/strip-cartoons/finbarr-saunders/
Can't go wrong with a Teensy :thumb:
Were you thinking of making it a 6x12 matrix with the thumb keys and joystick buttons on the bottom of the normal columns or 6x14 with the thumb keys attached to the buttons as their own columns? Either way the ring looks like two columns of 6, I'll put the top switch in the column on the QWERTY side (not sure if you think from the top or bottom - could get confusing!)
I wouldn't mind seeing a pic of your sandblasting setup. Right now mine is a tupperware container with old sweatshirt arms in it :)
And do you have anything beyond the usual dust masks to keep that crap out of your lungs?
For accuracy, apart from collets, you really can't go wrong with a 4-jaw and a comparator. Needs a bit of practice, of course, but don't be afraid of it.
R8 collets aren't going to fit directly into your spindle bore, and the type of design I linked to earlier isn't going to work "out of the box" as it's for externally threaded collets. You'd probably need 3 parts for an internally threaded collet.
If the intertubes fail me not, your best bet is to get (if you don't already have one) an adaptor from the proprietary taper in the spindle down to MT3 (probably still available from Logan, but if not you could make one yourself), and then a set of relatively cheap "industry standard" MT3 collets would fit.
Here's what I had in mind. What do you think?
(Attachment Link)
Love seeing the continued evolution of this board! I really want to get back into a machine shop now :rolleyes:
Here's what I had in mind. What do you think?
(Attachment Link)
Looks good to me, I hadn't taken into account the mouse buttons being completely separate so that's a bonus (routing to the edge columns would have been a bit messy)
I'm missing a couple of keys but the firmware's pretty much done, hopefully the missing keys are at the bottom...Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/IA5ZF2J.png)
The stem fits snugly into the previously drilled hole in the cap. For final assembly, I will use some kind of cement to permanently attach them. Any suggestions? I was thinking something strong but able to be removed, if necessary, with heat.If you have access, Loctite 603 bearing locker would be killer, if perhaps a little overkill. Not sure how much heat it takes to break a bond, though. We use a 60 tonne press, that's certainly overkill.
The stem fits snugly into the previously drilled hole in the cap. For final assembly, I will use some kind of cement to permanently attach them. Any suggestions? I was thinking something strong but able to be removed, if necessary, with heat.If you have access, Loctite 603 bearing locker would be killer, if perhaps a little overkill. Not sure how much heat it takes to break a bond, though. We use a 60 tonne press, that's certainly overkill.
Probably the best / cheapest / most available bet would be standard low-viscosity superglue, which will creep into your joint via capillary action - and if you ever need to remove it, acetone, which is probably what you want to clean the surfaces with first anyway.
Love seeing the continued evolution of this board! I really want to get back into a machine shop now :rolleyes:
There's nothing as satisfying as progress.Here's what I had in mind. What do you think?
(Attachment Link)
Looks good to me, I hadn't taken into account the mouse buttons being completely separate so that's a bonus (routing to the edge columns would have been a bit messy)
I'm missing a couple of keys but the firmware's pretty much done, hopefully the missing keys are at the bottom...
That was quick. Many thanks for taking this on. What is the next step?
Adding the missing keys might be a good start :)) Then I'll check it thoroughly (was hungover and working on it last thing at night...) add some random pins and compile, flash and test - if all goes well I send you the config and you'll just need to change the pins and save it in the right place then it will show up in the EasyAVR gui (https://deskthority.net/wiki/Easy_AVR_USB_Keyboard_Firmware) so you can finish the keymap and configure macros etc, I'll be around if you have any questions :)
Those shiny plungers look really good, it's almost a shame to hide them!
My first thought was low viscosity super glue but I don't think the acetone will work because it will be inaccessible after installed. That's why I was thinking a heat release adhesive. My guess is that the super glue would probably release at about 350º anyways. What do you think?Yah, I think superglue lets go at around that sort of temperature. Acetone is good for eating superglue, though, and once it's dissolved it, it will creep into the gaps as well, I would have thought. Might take longer, than you'd expect, of course. If I have time tomorrow I'll give it a test.
You inspired me to investigate what exactly was hidden in the lathe cabinet. … It only came with a 5/8" collet but it's a start. Does that look like a MT 2 or 3 to you?No, it doesn't. Looks too short to be morse. The lathes.co.uk page for logan reckons a proprietary (but close to 3MT) taper for the 11" model, but in any case it shouldn't really matter for collets as long as the collet drawbar matches the spindle taper. What you're really interested in is the collets themselves, and if you have one of them, you should be able to work out what they are.
My first thought was low viscosity super glue but I don't think the acetone will work because it will be inaccessible after installed. That's why I was thinking a heat release adhesive. My guess is that the super glue would probably release at about 350º anyways. What do you think?Yah, I think superglue lets go at around that sort of temperature. Acetone is good for eating superglue, though, and once it's dissolved it, it will creep into the gaps as well, I would have thought. Might take longer, than you'd expect, of course. If I have time tomorrow I'll give it a test.You inspired me to investigate what exactly was hidden in the lathe cabinet. … It only came with a 5/8" collet but it's a start. Does that look like a MT 2 or 3 to you?No, it doesn't. Looks too short to be morse. The lathes.co.uk page for logan reckons a proprietary (but close to 3MT) taper for the 11" model, but in any case it shouldn't really matter for collets as long as the collet drawbar matches the spindle taper. What you're really interested in is the collets themselves, and if you have one of them, you should be able to work out what they are.
As a hint, the answer is probably "5C", which is good news as 5C is very common, but bad news in that they don't have a very wide clamping capacity per collet, so you need a bigger set.Show Image(http://www.metalartspress.com/sites/default/files/chapter-images/mskh-chapter3-image004.gif)
good haul, though.
Yessssssssssss kurplop is feeling better and he unleashed a torrent, a deluge even, of machining porn. Absolutely loving all the pictures and the details about the progress. Really makes me wish I had a lathe/mill at home.
Wow, this is one heck of a build-log! You're doing amazing work, keep it up!
Moved to its own thread to avoid further polluting yours.
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=84627.0
Ooh, shiny!Yes it is! :D
How much do your caps weigh compared to a "standard" cap?I'd be interested in knowing this as well.
Wow. The caps floating inside deep chambers is very cool. I might just need to steal that idea for my next build whenever that comes. Opens the door to be able to use all sorts of switches. Might get a microswitch keyboard built after all.
Congrats on not compromising. This keyboard has surpassed my expectations.
Ho. Lee. Fook.
That's awesome. I'd be kinda worried about the mass of the caps myself, and "graunchiness" from the alu/alu sliding interface. Still, if you don't try... How much do your caps weigh compared to a "standard" cap?
How much do your caps weigh compared to a "standard" cap?I'd be interested in knowing this as well.
Ooh, shiny! Glad it worked, must have taken a while to cut that 'plate' :eek:
Ooh, shiny! Glad it worked, must have taken a while to cut that 'plate' :eek:
The shine is striking but impractical. It will be sandblasted to a matte finish before anodizing. After all, I must retain my respectable image.
I am guessing that I have about 6–8 hours in the "plate". If I was more proficient on the mill I think I could cut that time in half.
Kurplop is an artisan whose results on a standard mill won't be replicable without a ton of practice, wasted material, and expensive tooling.I'd just like to echo this. He's enormously humble about what he's doing, but it's, quite frankly, frickin' astounding. I've not seen *anyone* else get results like that from a hand cranked mill.
Given the springs compression resistance 45+grams, I don't think weight is the problem.It wasn't weight WRT spring compression I was worried about, more about inertia of moving the extra mass about making it hard on the hands. Sounds like you're in the ballpark, though, "time will tell".
If the aluminum to aluminum proves to be an issue, casting resin caps or teflon strips would be my next step. Milling the plates out of teflon could be an option also.Teflon strips would be my approach, too, but that depends how you'd be going about doing it. Knowing you it would be 4 individually machined strips per key in custom cut slots, amirite?
I read a couple of books on machining to get some of the basics down. Then it's just practice. I don't mean to suggest that machining is simple. Machinists spend a lifetime in metallurgy and feel like they are just scratching the surface. Fortunately for me, holding loose tolerances in aluminum is all I need for this kind of work and I don't have to watch the clock. Someday I'd like to try CNC milling but really enjoy this hands on stuff for now.Hmm... reading something can't hurt though it's far from my best way of learning. Much like you I like the sound of hands on - sending a design to a CNC is just a quicker (noisier and messier...) version of sending it to a company to do it for you. Though you can watch which is fun. And instant prototyping...
Then I read this and wonder what the chances are I'll get within a whole mm consistently :))Kurplop is an artisan whose results on a standard mill won't be replicable without a ton of practice, wasted material, and expensive tooling.I'd just like to echo this. He's enormously humble about what he's doing, but it's, quite frankly, frickin' astounding. I've not seen *anyone* else get results like that from a hand cranked mill.
Wouldn't a heavier cap make it easier on the hands as gravity will help?Given the springs compression resistance 45+grams, I don't think weight is the problem.It wasn't weight WRT spring compression I was worried about, more about inertia of moving the extra mass about making it hard on the hands. Sounds like you're in the ballpark, though, "time will tell".
Kurplop: What media do you like to use to get the matte finish on the aluminum? I can't wait to see how things turn out.
Kurplop is an artisan whose results on a standard mill won't be replicable without a ton of practice, wasted material, and expensive tooling.I'd just like to echo this. He's enormously humble about what he's doing, but it's, quite frankly, frickin' astounding. I've not seen *anyone* else get results like that from a hand cranked mill.
Teflon strips would be my approach, too, but that depends how you'd be going about doing it. Knowing you it would be 4 individually machined strips per key in custom cut slots, amirite?
I guess loose tolerances are relative - you may not be in the 20 micron accuracy range offered by a relatively cheap CNC but half a mm is pretty damn small in the real world and you're well below that!
Even if I were to buy a CNC I'd still need something to finish the pieces made else they'd be covered in semi-random swirls, right?
Wouldn't a heavier cap make it easier on the hands as gravity will help?Given the springs compression resistance 45+grams, I don't think weight is the problem.It wasn't weight WRT spring compression I was worried about, more about inertia of moving the extra mass about making it hard on the hands. Sounds like you're in the ballpark, though, "time will tell".
sending a design to a CNC is just a quicker (noisier and messier...) version of sending it to a company to do it for you.
Bah, self-adhesive strips. Lightweight!Teflon strips would be my approach, too, but that depends how you'd be going about doing it. Knowing you it would be 4 individually machined strips per key in custom cut slots, amirite?
You gotitpal.
It reminds me of a time about 20 years ago when I was stuck under a house for a few hours, the only connection with the outside world was a voice coming through a vent hole as I lay there in the darkness.Was that voice asking "What the bloody hell are you doing under my house, you pervert?"
Bah, self-adhesive strips. Lightweight!
Was that voice asking "What the bloody hell are you doing under my house, you pervert?"
Re-cast the plate from zamak, machine spiral oil channels into each hole, and equip each key with a drip oiler.
Bah, self-adhesive strips. Lightweight!
I'm open to suggestions as long as they are complicated and extend the finish date substantially.
I'm open to suggestions as long as they are complicated and extend the finish date substantially.Re-cast the plate from zamak, machine spiral oil channels into each hole, and equip each key with a drip oiler.
sending a design to a CNC is just a quicker (noisier and messier...) version of sending it to a company to do it for you.
You don't understand how it works if you think you make the design and let your CNC do the rest. This isn't the thread for it, but it's not quick or easy. CAD is typically straightforward. CAM can be hell. And no CAM does your workholding (afaik).
Efficient solution ! I like it :-DI'm open to suggestions as long as they are complicated and extend the finish date substantially.Re-cast the plate from zamak, machine spiral oil channels into each hole, and equip each key with a drip oiler.
I'd make a thread if I knew what I needed to know, if the derails offend let me know and I'll split it :)
I invite and welcome your opinions.
I invite and welcome your opinions.
I can imagine the shiny red trackball really popping out visually if the rest is all black. But then again, the unique keys and physical layout that you have created are a large part of what makes the Planet 6, so my final answer would be "accent the keys". What color is the base going to be?
My vote is for all black. The red ball and wood should be plenty of contrast without adding in grey.
Was the sandblasting done with the mystery media or the 70 grit alu oxide? Looks good. I need to get a decent cabinet. It's very satisfying Karl Marxing all your little pieces and making them look uniform. No wonder why politicians love to do it.
I don't know why I didn't think of that. Not only does that meet my initial criteria, it also has the added benefit of requiring expensive and potentially dangerous casting equipment. I wonder if we could substitute the inexpensive zinc based zamak with unobtainium?Well, that merely reduces it to a supply chain issue. Magnesium might be fun. Not, you understand, an aluminium alloy containing trace amounts of magnesium, but full on, 100% magnesium. It's got a fairly low melting point , so melting it down should be <ahem> fairly feasible using standard aluminium techniques. As long as there's no water or oxygen anywhere near, of course.
Black is an extremely sensible colour option ("It's the new black", after all) in terms of repeatability / consistency if nothing else.
And those palm rests look gorgeous.
I wonder if that dye looks it's efficacy after a certain amount of time. Or the chemicals in general.
And for some reason that voltage issue is really sticking out to me. But I don't know enough to comment on that part of the process....or much on anodizing in general.
I don't know anything about anodizing, but I found a PDF for troubleshooting that might be useful: http://www.nmfrc.org/pdf/sf2005/sf051502.pdf (http://www.nmfrc.org/pdf/sf2005/sf051502.pdf). And here is a very short thread that touches on the problem of the dye not sticking: http://www.finishing.com/3600-3799/3679.shtml (http://www.finishing.com/3600-3799/3679.shtml).
Here's to hoping. :thumb:
Aaargh. ****.
Or cerakote, you quitter you.
Aaargh. ****.
Working backwards from what you've said
The dye wouldn't take.
This implies either you have no / very thin anodize, the dye is bad, or the anodize came out of the bath already sealed (not sure if this can happen but if you got the process wrong somehow...)
As you say a pen wouldn't take on the surface either, we can probably discount the "bad dye" option. Still, test the dye on something that definitely will take dye, to be sure, maybe?
That leaves the question "are the pieces anodized at all?". Run a multimeter over it, the anodised layer should be non-conductive, and thick enough that your probe tips pushed against the surface can't penetrate through to the raw alu below.
If it's (properly) anodised, it could be that your process fouled up and the parts came out already sealed, which means you're into "strip and dip" time. Or cerakote, you quitter you. My money's on "it's not anodised". If that's the case, "why not?".
You were getting at least some current through, the bubbling shows that. Maybe a check with the same solution would be worthwhile, a piece of planet 6 scrap, and a multimeter inline, in 10A ammeter mode (*quick* test, no more than 5/10 seconds at a time).
Otherwise, chemicals. You say you used the same chemicals as for the alumaplop, I'll discount them "going bad", or even getting contaminated, but are you sure you haven't just diluted an already diluted acid?
I inhaled enough hydrogen fumes to make me as high a a Graf Zeppelin.If your next project isn't a 122 key contoured ergo board called "oh, the huge manatee (http://i.imgur.com/FrH2ZXS.jpg)"...
I inhaled enough hydrogen fumes to make me as high a a Graf Zeppelin.If your next project isn't a 122 key contoured ergo board called "oh, the huge manatee (http://i.imgur.com/FrH2ZXS.jpg)"...
Yeah, sleeping on the job. Sorry :)
I think you probably ought to see if it's anodised anyway. Not sure how cerakote will stick to raw aluminium, and if it's still raw it will still be soft...
I just don't want to re-wire 68 caps again. That was very tedious.Eeek. I can imagine. I figured you'd done something like "drill a bunch of holes in a sacrificial aluminium plate", rammed the key stems in that, and anodised the lot in one hit, as it were.
I just don't want to re-wire 68 caps again. That was very tedious.Eeek. I can imagine. I figured you'd done something like "drill a bunch of holes in a sacrificial aluminium plate", rammed the key stems in that, and anodised the lot in one hit, as it were.
Also, cerakote is gun technology, and gun technology is always cool. Speshly when you're turning swords into plowshares, as it were.
Thanks for sharing the resources, it's good to see that you're still around.
I hadn't seen either article and they were good checklists. The one article applied to architectural finishes which use a different method for coloring because of the need for protection from the sun but still offered good reminders.
A few things stood out as possibilities and in the end I think it had to be either the old materials or waiting too long between steps. I think that I'm going to go ahead and Ceracote the shell and other body parts. If I'm happy with the finish, I'll do the same to the caps. My biggest concern is the potential wear on the caps. I'm amazed how well the black anodize is holding up on the AlumaPlop, although the shell doesn't get the abuse the caps would get.
I thought I heard someone out there in the bleachers. :) Thanks.
I'm cheering you on from the sidelines. ;)
Also, cool spray gun!
Were you the one in the short skirt with pompoms? :eek:
I decided it wasn't worth it and decided to go with the Ceracote which came today.
Yeah, go ceracote. I wouldn't even bother with trying the anodize again on the keys, just ceracote the lot.
After doing a test piece, obviously.
I decided it wasn't worth it and decided to go with the Ceracote which came today.
Cerakote it is then. Just a final question before we leave the land of anodization; didn't you anodize the Alumaplop? That turned out well I think.
I did anodize the Alumaplop and it turned out incredible. That is why the decision to not continue pursuing anodization was such a hard one to make. I will probably never know for sure what went wrong and will try again on other projects but I just don't have it in me to start from scratch again, especially when I'd have to strip everything before I could even start from scratch.
I rely heavily on the comments of my friends here to help me sort through the many decisions that inherently come with a project like this. In the end, it is me that makes the decision and lives with the consequences, but in so many ways you have influenced that decision. Because of that, at the risk of sounding codependent, thanks for giving me "permission" to Cerakote rather than anodize. Without your approval I would forever wonder if I was compromising the project even though the coating may be, in some ways, superior.
You can see the inconsistent texture and color from the anodize on the ring.
Probably not much progress on P6 until the weekend, I've got a bathroom tore up and need to get the shower finished soon.
Everything is getting black, but the ring caps look kinda nice natural. Although, maybe just a little too much.They look great like that, IMO
You can see the inconsistent texture and color from the anodize on the ring.Just barely. Not as much as the way the whole thing makes the plastic ring around the trackball look scabby and cheap...
Good luck with the building. Does the wife allow you free rein?
Everything is getting black, but the ring caps look kinda nice natural. Although, maybe just a little too much.They look great like that, IMO
Maybe better if they were anodized red to match the trackball no no no no no don't say that bad simon smack. :DYou can see the inconsistent texture and color from the anodize on the ring.Just barely. Not as much as the way the whole thing makes the plastic ring around the trackball look scabby and cheap...
(Attachment Link)Why you are building a chicken coop in your shower is beyond me, but who am I to judge. ;D
A rare Kurplop selfie (I think it's my first, possibly the last outside the shower area) and ready to get to work.
(Attachment Link)Why you are building a chicken coop in your shower is beyond me, but who am I to judge. ;D
What chicken wire?(Attachment Link)Why you are building a chicken coop in your shower is beyond me, but who am I to judge. ;D
Back on Task
I have the PCB trace paths almost done and will be burning them soon. That will allow me to do a test assembly of the alpha keys before applying the Cerakote.
(Attachment Link)
I don't want to pre-finish everything then find I need to drill a hole or grind something that's in the way, since it can't be touched up after it has cured.
I did some further testing on the ring switches and am pleased with the feel.
(Attachment Link)
Makes me wish I knew how upload to YouTube so you can experience the sound and responsiveness, not that I'm done making adjustments. I had to put spacers between the ring plate and PCB to get the proper travel. Earlier I mentioned that I was considering various adhesives to attach the ring caps. They press fit so nicely, it won't be necessary to use anything.
I am really looking forward to seeing the completed board on video!
Makes me wish I knew how upload to YouTubeNever figured out how to upload to yotube either, I tend to use vimeo. Less arsehole comments on vimeo, too.
Lookin' good, by the way. Are you able to shower again?Thanks. The shower I'm working on now is in the 2nd floor bathroom. Nothing up there but my office and a spare bedroom. We have 3 baths downstairs so no sense of urgency to get it done.
What chicken wire? To be more accurate, what you saw wasn't chicken wire, it was pre-furred wire lath. Bigger hexagons and heavier gauge wire. It will still keep the weasels out.
I think the new undamaged plastic chrome plated ring will look less scabby and cheap. I do want to soften the sandblast texture, at least around the trackball, so that scrolling won't sand down my fingers. ( I already am having a hard time with finger health :-[)
Makes me wish I knew how upload to YouTube so you can experience the sound and responsiveness, not that I'm done making adjustments.
I was in the Home Depot parking lot the other day and saw an old 1955 Studebaker President. I was amazed at the styling considering what the other cars of that era looked like. It didn't take long before I was making parallels between Studebaker and my own projects. In spite of a good design and execution, Studebaker went out of business a decade later while other automakers flourished. Too much thinking outside the box? Limited market appeal? Poor management or promotion? Who knows. Maybe in another 60 years, one of your grandchildren will pull my Planet 6 out of an old abandoned barn and you can say, "Let me tell you sonny boy about how it used to be in those days. I was around to see the Model M, the Atreus, and I even talked to the nutty old bald headed guy who invented that crazy thing."
What about it? Is it because of the mishap we got to read about before? How is it doing?
You should be able to upload videos on Flickr. Give it a go, it would be lovely to see it in action.
I encourage you to test the waters. :) If Studebaker went from one of the four largest U.S. car manufacturers to bankrupt in ten years, management must have been inattentive.
I suppose my inattentive management style is what kept me from amassing a great fortune.
That's part of the reason I'm not in a big hurry to start my next job. I don't want to be seen performing at 50%.
Hope your hand gets better over time, that sounds nasty. I'd say I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but that might be taken as "rubbing your face in it" :)
I suppose my inattentive management style is what kept me from amassing a great fortune.
Nah, you'll probably find that what's stopped you amassing a great fortune is not starting with a great fortune in the first place.
What excellent Sunday reading. The second photo makes me want to do electronics work too.
Man, this has been a great thread to read. I can't wait to see more Cerakote.
The inside of the keyboard looks tidy with all the components mounted. I'm trying to find the missing solder in the photo, but I can't find it.
Dead center on the left side. It's funny how easy it is to not see things that aren't there. :)
One thing (of the hundreds) I didn't consider, was that as the egg crate, switches, and PCBs stack up, they converge together because of the tenting. It won't pose a problem as long as I the keyring PCB isn't at the same elevation as the alpha PCBs. You can see them overlapping in the picture above.
One thing that never fails to confuse me is trying to keep straight the proper orientation of the PCBs. My blunder this time was orienting the Teensy as if it would be mounted on the backside of the PCB. Fortunately, correcting the problem just involved scratching off a small section of a trace, a jumper wire, and remapping the firmware.
(Attachment Link)
What's does the programming for the Teensy involve? Is it the entire controller for the keyboard or just for interfacing with the trackball?
I was baking a cake at the same time … One of my key ring caps disappeared.
I was baking a cake at the same time … One of my key ring caps disappeared.
Did your cake have a hard, possibly uncooked, bit?
I was fitting things together before making final adjustments and decisions and thought I'd get a quick picture out to give you an idea how it will look before breaking it down for the last time (I hope). The ring caps will be changed but otherwise this is the general look.
(Attachment Link)
The alpha and keyring switches work better than I could have hoped. It will be a delight to use. The thumb keys seem just a little sluggish. I don't think it's the weight of the caps. More likely that they just seem that way because the others are very snappy.
That looks rubbish. For starters, it's back to front. Send it to me and I'll dispose of it properly. Will it blend?
I assume the scar in the cerakote came out, I don't see it in the photos. What's with that totally flat ring cap, though? Trying out new shapes? To my eye they all look a bit high, I'd probably have gone for putting the start of the bevel flush with the case, but that all depends what you're going for with the new ring caps. Something a little more "organic" might be more comfortable in the long run, maybe something like a slight dish with rounded over edges. Would look less "industrial" though...
The palm rests look lush.
Thanks everybody (except tufty, of course):thumb:
Yes, the flaws came out but it took two more tries to do so. I think it was oil in the aluminum. The first time, I re-sandblasted then dipped in acetone for 30 minutes but neglected to bake it at 350º for 30 minutes to draw out any additional oils. I think that was the mistake because the re-spraying yielded even more blemishes. The third try (with baking) came out flawless.I wondered if you'd re-done it. Should have guessed it was twice.
The caps are just slightly pushed into the rods; that explains the extra height. They hold so well I was afraid to push them down all the way yet, knowing I'd be disassembling soon for final detailing. Funny thing is, the flat cap feels better than the others in operation! I think I will make new ones with a very slight dome shape in the top. I could easily modify the existing ones but I'd have to make a new one from scratch anyways and a new set would guarantee uniformity. I agree with the industrial look; I wish I could keep the shape but it doesn't feel as good when pressed from the variety of angles and digits I intend to employ.Ah, right, that explains the fact they aren't all at the same height, too. And don;t get me wrong, I don't think a more organic look would look wrong, just - different. I like the industrial touch they give, but it's a functional piece above all, right?
I think you should probably make it "finished" at some point.
I just wanted to say how inspiring all your work is, amazing stuff man!
I can't believe that it's almost done!
It's all wired, tapped, adjusted and now it's time to attach and finish the wrist rests.
(Attachment Link)
After hot glueing the walnut rests in place, I did a little sanding and then applied several coats of finish. I applied clear strapping tape to protect the Cerakote from the sanding.
(Attachment Link)
While the finish was drying between coats, I finished up the base. I made it out of walnut and thought it would be the bottom but when I changed the switches it became necessary to fatten it up because the PCB's were too low.
(Attachment Link)
I had to cut out sections for clearance, so I epoxied a piece of 1/4" aluminum to the underside. It will end up being better this way because, being mounted to a tray arm, the heavy aluminum will be more durable than wood.
I still need to cut down screws to size so I can mount the bottom but this is pretty close to the finished product. I also need
to change the resistors for the LED indicator lights; they are blinding now. I'm hoping to install the firmware soon and by the end of the week it will be mounted to my desk.
(Attachment Link)
I'll post more pictures after I clean up all of the lint and smudges. Funny how you don't notice them until you blow up the pictures
Tomorrow morning, one year, one month, one week, and one day after my first post in this thread, Planet 6 will be done. Ic07 is coming over to help me install the firmware that suicidal orange prepared for me. I'm sure there will be little things to deal with but I think this project is pretty much in the can. If it works as well as the AlumaPlop has, I will be quite happy.
I posted a video/slideshow on YouTube showing highlights of the process. I'd be honored to have you check it out, but go easy on me. This video/slideshow/YouTube stuff is all new to me
I think I will wait a few months before posting it in use. I know I will like using it but it takes me a quite a bit of time to get use to anything new and I don't want to document my clumsy and awkward technique and misrepresent how well it will work one day.
And I'd love to show it to you. Maybe I'll fly out to the next big east coast keyboard event and you can try it out.
It's absolutely gorgeous man! This is one of the few boards I'd love to see in person!
What a great build buddy! Thank you for the video of the work, it really brings it all together.
How is it to use after all this time? It looks very comfortable.
I'm sure it feels just as good as it looks. Not that you should be allowed to sully it by using it to "type" on.
Well done. Really, really, well done.
Awesome job on the build Kurplop! It's been fun following this project for the last year!
Amazeballs.
BTW nominated for Deskthority Awards 2016.
As soon as the good pictures are taken, I'm going to have it covered with dust and grime in no time.Now you've finished making the prototype, you should send it to me like I agreed, and get on with making the real one. Slacker!
This project is so inspirational, it just makes me want to build something.
As soon as the good pictures are taken, I'm going to have it covered with dust and grime in no time.Now you've finished making the prototype, you should send it to me like I agreed, and get on with making the real one. Slacker!
I'll miss making them. Nearly as much as I miss checking for updates on this thread. But I'm sure you'll find *something* to machine.
Here's something for you to try.Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/DAs75ze.gif)
I figured that's how it was done. A friend of mine owned a metal stamping company and their tool room used an edm machine to cut their dies. Pretty impressive. I wonder if they used two separate pieces to make it because I don't think the edm wire would be that fine.I'll miss making them. Nearly as much as I miss checking for updates on this thread. But I'm sure you'll find *something* to machine.
Here's something for you to try.Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/DAs75ze.gif)
@tufty that requires Electric Discharge Machining which is it's own machine and really expensive since it is so precise.
Holy crap. That thing looks great, but it sounds even better if you used the actual sound of it in the intro to that video.
I didn't deserve to be named in that video after going AWOL for a month. New house = lots of work and no time.
Did you refinish the metallic ring around the trackball? I don't see any issues in the later pics. It's probably plastic and a ***** to redo though.
Are the thumb keys responding fast enough now? Would you consider thinning them to reduce their mass or is that not the issue?
Is it too soon to ask if there are any little (or big) things that are bugging you that you wish you'd changed?
this sucker is compact and fully functional. Bravo.
The alumaplop never did it for me cause I need wrist rests, but this sucker is compact and fully functional. Bravo.
this sucker is compact and fully functional. Bravo.
I agree. It's the best thing ever, and I need one.
you should run an GB. seriously.
you should run an GB. seriously.
I'd love to if there were a way to produce them economically.
if you adapted it to use DSA you probably could
+1 to nominate for keyboard of the year.
+1 to nominate for keyboard of the year.
Nice of you to say. Thanks. I think I'd have to win KOTM first though.
+1 to nominate for keyboard of the year.
Nice of you to say. Thanks. I think I'd have to win KOTM first though.
Oh you'll see :rolleyes:
Well, at least Planet 6 is in the final round of Deskthority Award for best "other" input device (https://deskthority.net/final-vote-f101/best-other-input-device-t15234.html).
Thanks.
if you want to take it to market and have it appeal to the masses, you're going to have to replace the trackball with something else (even tho the trackball is probably better than everything other than a mouse or pen tablet) and reduce the number of dedicated capslock keys to below 3
in all a seriousness, it's the definition of a custom. it's not gimmicky enough to get viral support. it's not shaped like a heart, it's not a steam punk typwriter, it's a perfectly refined ergonomic split tented keyboard w/ radial buttons and a giant effing trackball in the middle, lol. For Kurplop. By Kurplop.
This looks absolutely incredible. I am seriously blown away and it inspires me to want to make my own keyboard of my dreams. I only wish I had access/technical know-how for all those tools :p
I've seen the light and think I may be able to get by with justonesixteen
I've seen the light and think I may be able to get by with justonesixteen
fixed that for you.
I'm uncertain of the value of the unconventional spacing, compared to, for example, spending the time to make a fully contoured key bowl à la Maltron.
for those desiring a sculpted or curved profile, I think it makes more sense to accomplish it with the caps rather than at the plates
for those desiring a sculpted or curved profile, I think it makes more sense to accomplish it with the caps rather than at the plates
I can't disagree with this more. The point of a curved profile is that the desired force vector for key actuation changes to the most comfortable vector given the curvature of the finger at any one point. Making a curved profile by using taller and shorter caps keeps the actuation vector vertical, at which point the "curve" you've made is counterproductive; it means you're hitting the keys off-axis, at best you're doing more work and at worst you'll get keystroke misses.
Well, i like it curved both in the back and the front. The bottom curve is obvious: one hardly could hit the 2nd row below home row without moving the hole hand if it is not curved. I like the top curve too since it makes keys nearer. No need to reach so far.
Hey guys, same feeling about well vs. half-well keyboard.
You get much more comfortable and faster keypresses on the keys in the bottom row (closer to palm). You can comfortably make the palm rest really close to the keys, so you curl up your fingers inwards to press the keys on the bottom row.
The keys outwards are really NOT comfortable, regardless of position. The most comfy thing to do was to arrange them in a staircase manner, each next outward row ascending compared to the previous one, but with minimal change to the pressing angle. This may cause wrist pains though, because you need to tension up the whole upper part of your hand to reach these, as opposed to pushing the whole hand forward with the forearm when they're laid out flat.
Source: I made several really dirty mockups of this, trying to push the idea to the extreme, like this one here (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=74463.msg1940393#msg1940393)
Also, typing at a 20 degree inverted angle for a few months now, and never trading back for anything less (G81, spring-modded Cherry MY's, 9 centimeters raised on the front, with makeshift foam palmrests. It's really really ugly, but works like a charm)
On a final note: Kurplop, with this one, you've reached the endgame. Of the sequel. Before it was released.
That was a lot of fun. We should do that again some time. I am sure Nubbinator knows a good place to meet up somewhere in Orange county.
Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk
That was a lot of fun. We should do that again some time. I am sure Nubbinator knows a good place to meet up somewhere in Orange county.
Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk
Sounds great. I'd like to get together with you guys. I'm pretty busy through the end of the year. How does January sound? Should we invite all local GHers?
Just wanted to say that I come to this thread for inspiration. I'm not interested in collecting heaps of keyboards but I love watching the creative process as an individual creates their "perfect device".
Gorgeous, gorgeous work you did with the Planet 6.
That was a lot of fun. We should do that again some time. I am sure Nubbinator knows a good place to meet up somewhere in Orange county.
Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk
Sounds great. I'd like to get together with you guys. I'm pretty busy through the end of the year. How does January sound? Should we invite all local GHers?
Some time in the new year works for me. Pretty busy with family in town the next couple weeks.
I am always down to meet new people that share the same hobbies. Maybe do a good gastro pub or something that has good beer, but won't discriminate from the younger members that might want to join us?