Need help checking my custom Alps plate

[nguyenhimself]

Hi, so I’m planning to hand-wire my own Alps build, which of course requires that I cut my own plate.

And me being an amateur, I just export my layout into builder.swillkb.com and let it create a Poker-style 60% plate for me. So far, I’ve edited the dxf file just a bit here and there.

 Can anyone more knowledgeable on Alps take a look at my plate and tell me if I need to change anything? Thank you so much.





My dxf file: https://www74.zippyshare.com/v/smPzPA0r/file.html

[Anakey]

Plate looks good to me, good luck with your build don't see many hand wired alps boards

[hasu]

Dimensions of switch opening is wrong, it should be 15.5x12.8mm. Check this spec.
https://deskthority.net/w/images/3/32/Alps_Electric_--_spec_--_5454_31.pdf

Stabilizer dimensions look like not standard size for Alps stab. Though, it depends on stabs you are going to use. You will need to do caliper job on your stabs. And I think you want to check existent designs closely here.
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=82916.msg2201282#msg2201282

[nguyenhimself]

Dimensions of switch opening is wrong, it should be 15.5x12.8mm. Check this spec.
https://deskthority.net/w/images/3/32/Alps_Electric_--_spec_--_5454_31.pdf

Stabilizer dimensions look like not standard size for Alps stab. Though, it depends on stabs you are going to use. You will need to do caliper job on your stabs. And I think you want to check existent designs closely here.
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=82916.msg2201282#msg2201282

Hey hasu! Thanks a lot for commenting. Love your works.

I’m very new to this, so this plate file was made simply by importing my layout into the swiillkb site with the following Alps settings:



I did check your Alps64 files, but since I don’t know how to use CAD softwares yet, I haven’t checked all the measurements. So you’re saying the Alps settings by swillkb is not correct?

(FWIW I’ll be using both switches, keycaps, and stabilizers from an AEK)

Thanks!

[hasu]

As far as I tried with embedded "default 60% layout" swill's tool works great with that Alps setting, its switch opening dimensions(15.6x12.8mm +-0.1 is not problem in fact) are all right at least.

I thought you changed the dimensions(of switch and stabs) yourself puposely(or unintentionally?) because you said this in open post.

And me being an amateur, I just export my layout into builder.swillkb.com and let it create a Poker-style 60% plate for me. So far, I’ve edited the dxf file just a bit here and there.

As for stabilizer cutouts I think swill's design will work for AEK keycaps except for Right Shift(2.75u). Check my AEK plate design for reference and give caliper job with real stabs of your AEK yourself to confirm that.

[nguyenhimself]

As far as I tried with embedded "default 60% layout" swill's tool works great with that Alps setting, its switch opening dimensions(15.6x12.8mm +-0.1 is not problem in fact) are all right at least.

I thought you changed the dimensions(of switch and stabs) yourself puposely(or unintentionally?) because you said this in open post.

And me being an amateur, I just export my layout into builder.swillkb.com and let it create a Poker-style 60% plate for me. So far, I’ve edited the dxf file just a bit here and there.

As for stabilizer cutouts I think swill's design will work for AEK keycaps except for Right Shift(2.75u). Check my AEK plate design for reference and give caliper job with real stabs of your AEK yourself to confirm that.

One week later and I finally have time to sit down and re-did my drawing based on your HHKB Alps plate.

If Hasu or anyone can kindly check my work and let me know if everything seems fine, I would truly appreciate it. I am so new to this (and CAD in general). Also let me know if I should move this to the main "Open Source 60% Alps Plates" thread. My 60%-with-split-spacebars layout can be seen in the first post.



Thank you so much.

[nguyenhimself]

Anyone? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[senter]

It looks good to me. The edges around the bottom stab cutouts are very thin tho.  Make sure your manu has the accuracy to cut that thin edge.

ai03's plate generator is great btw.
https://kbplate.ai03.me/
You can generate the file from this site and compare it with yours.

[hasu]

Perpendicular room between botom row and row above it seems to be wrong. When measuring distance between switch opeening 's bottom edge and top edge from the respective rows, it is 6.1434mm in my tool(QCAD) but it should be around 6.25mm.

[nguyenhimself]

It looks good to me. The edges around the bottom stab cutouts are very thin tho.  Make sure your manu has the accuracy to cut that thin edge.

ai03's plate generator is great btw.
https://kbplate.ai03.me/
You can generate the file from this site and compare it with yours.

Hey thanks, I didn't know about that ai03 site. I tried swill's layout builder and the result was a bit strange sizing-wise.
That said, it seems the plate as built by this ai03 site doesn't include cutout holes for a Pok3r-styled 60% case? I have to add them myself?
Here's what I got (I'll probably remove the stab cutout for the Caps Lock):

[Martinsos]

I am also an amateur and have also just recently used swiillkb page to create a plate (my first) for Alps keyboard for handwiring. I had no big problems, mostly just followed instructions on the page and everything was ok, switches fit in really nicely, so I hope that gives you some confidence.

The main problems I had were with screw holes, I was not sure what the dimensions should be and I actually messed smth up so holes on my top plate were very tight and I had to screw the screws (M3) through them. It had probably to do with me not calculating for the kerf correctly, but I guess if you follow the instructions closely it should be fine.

Also, consider how thick is the plate going to be. I was using Mathias Alps and they are supposed to go into the plate of 1.1mm thickness, +- 0.1mm. I went with 1.2mm and that worked great. However, I was going with steel, for aluminum that might be allegedly too thin, although I am not sure, maybe it is worth trying.

[The Gambler]

I am wondering if you could just use Costar stabs for this plate instead? The keycap stabilizer inserts I got from Matias look a lot like regular Costar inserts. I am assuming ofc that the keycap stem is ALPS-style (rectangular) but the keycap stabilizer insert stem is Cherry (cross).