Aluminium TKL Case - TEK-80 - CAD Files inside!

[Photekq]

The case has now been finished!

I'll be picking it up next weekend and checking everything works OK.

Then it's just the anodising that needs to be done!

[Tym]

Thats damn fine, do you have a total cost, or do you not want to know ? :3

[Photekq]

Thats damn fine, do you have a total cost, or do you not want to know ? :3

Lookin' at about £400 without anodising/bead blasting, probably around £500 with. Might seem crazy to some but it's 100% worth it for me.

[Tym]

The awkward moment when you discover you love the ErgoDox the day before completion. Very nice brother.

[Dubsgalore]

The case has now been finished!

I'll be picking it up next weekend and checking everything works OK.

Then it's just the anodising that needs to be done!

gotta buy those LEDs bro

[Photekq]

The awkward moment when you discover you love the ErgoDox the day before completion. Very nice brother.

) I've got a realforce coming soon from the DT euro tour. I will be heartbroken if I like topre more than mx.

gotta buy those LEDs bro

****.

[Moosecraft]

Thats damn fine, do you have a total cost, or do you not want to know ? :3

Lookin' at about £400 without anodising/bead blasting, probably around £500 with. Might seem crazy to some but it's 100% worth it for me.

Do you plan on doing a GB for these?

[Photekq]

Do you plan on doing a GB for these?

There is a high possibility I will sell 2-5. It won't be a group buy, just a classified ad with limited numbers available.

[Moosecraft]

Do you plan on doing a GB for these?

There is a high possibility I will sell 2-5. It won't be a group buy, just a classified ad with limited numbers available.

Hope to pick one up for my phantom then

[Leslieann]

Looks fantastic, nice work!

[Tym]

Thats damn fine, do you have a total cost, or do you not want to know ? :3

Lookin' at about £400 without anodising/bead blasting, probably around £500 with. Might seem crazy to some but it's 100% worth it for me.

Just because I was speaking to an 'Murican who didn't realise $1=/=£1

£500 = $778.66 [As of this second]

Hope this helps, someone...maybe... :3

[Photekq]

Looks fantastic, nice work!

Thank you leslie. Not just for your compliment, but for your input earlier on in this project. If it weren't for you I would've stuck with the standoff design, and the case would be nothing close to what it is now. In fact it probably wouldn't have even been made! Honestly, thank you so much. You encouraged me to explore alternatives.

Just because I was speaking to an 'Murican who didn't realise $1=/=£1

£500 = $778.66 [As of this second]

Hope this helps, someone...maybe... :3

Wow.. the price seems more vast when converted to USD )

[Photoelectric]

 I would kill for one of these cases, anodized in pink, one but I'll never be able to afford it   I can only live vicariously through all the awesome photos (Looking forward to more of them!!!)

[meiosis]

Damn how much was the total cost so far? Looks really nice, but I must say it looks similar to the KMAC 2 case and are you smoothing out the bottom of the brass bar? :|

[CPTBadAss]

If your case is done, I wanna see some pictures! I got to type on The_Beast's case and you're cutting/finishing yours. I'm soooo excited to see projects I had a small hand in come to fruition

[Photekq]

Damn how much was the total cost so far? Looks really nice, but I must say it looks similar to the KMAC 2 case and are you smoothing out the bottom of the brass bar? :|

So far.. £400~, expecting the total cost to be £500. Brass bar will be bead blasted, removing the marks. The aluminium will also be bead blasted and anodised.

You're right, it does look similar to the KMAC 2 case. That's because I love the classic shape of the KMAC. However, the KMAC 2 doesn't have the following things :
-Fixed winkeyblockers.
-Brass plate
I could get earlier KMAC models with fixed winkeyblockers, however they use feet. I HATE feet.

The 456GT was the closest thing to my ideal case in that it has brass plates and winkeyblockers, however it's extremely rare and expensive. I also don't like styling of it, and the fact I can't get it in grey. It'd have to be reanodised grey which would add to its already hefty pricetag.

tldr;
KMAC doesn't have everything I want.
456GT reanodised in grey wouldn't be much cheaper. I also wouldn't like the styling as much.
I also loved designing this and learning CAD along the way.

The price tag is huge but in my eyes this case is perfection and so the price tag was justified.

If your case is done, I wanna see some pictures! I got to type on The_Beast's case and you're cutting/finishing yours. I'm soooo excited to see projects I had a small hand in come to fruition

Picking it up next weekend - THERE WILL BE PICS. It's then getting sent allllll the way to korea for anodising (**** uk anodisers)

[CPTBadAss]

Oooo, Korean anodization

So...bead blasted eh? Brass is soft and I figured it'd need something more gentle like walnut shells. Hm. Do you know why? Or does anyone else know?

[Photekq]

walnut shells

)

Polishing = shiny. I don't like shiny, so bead blasting instead. Also, the place who's doing the alu can also bead blast brass so it saves me shopping around.

[CPTBadAss]

Wait what? I was under the impression walnut shell blasting was a gentler version of sand blasting. It polishes?

[Photekq]

If your case is done, I wanna see some pictures! I got to type on The_Beast's case and you're cutting/finishing yours. I'm soooo excited to see projects I had a small hand in come to fruition

Wait beast's case is a reality now? The metal one? I thought that was on hold due to extremely OTT costs?

Wait what? I was under the impression walnut shell blasting was a gentler version of sand blasting or shot peening. It polishes?

Wait what? I thought you were joking. They actually blast walnut shells at metal? Brb, need to look this up.

[CPTBadAss]

The_Beast's case exists in wood and I tried that. It still is a real case so I consider it a success. And yes they really use walnut shells mate. I've seen it used when you're trying to media blast really thin sheets of metal because you can strip the paint/clean the marks without adding too much head and warping the metal.

[nubbinator]

Crushed walnut shells are also generally what you use for polishing brass before reloading.  It can get things a little shiny.

[CPTBadAss]

Interesting. INTERDESTING.

[Photekq]

The_Beast's case exists in wood and I tried that. It still is a real case so I consider it a success. And yes they really use walnut shells mate. I've seen it used when you're trying to media blast really thin sheets of metal because you can strip the paint/clean the marks without adding too much head and warping the metal.

Beast's wooden case was most certainly a success. It turned out really nice.

Crushed walnut shells are also generally what you use for polishing brass before reloading.  It can get things a little shiny.

Ahh.. I'll definitely give that a miss then.

[meiosis]

Damn how much was the total cost so far? Looks really nice, but I must say it looks similar to the KMAC 2 case and are you smoothing out the bottom of the brass bar? :|

So far.. £400~, expecting the total cost to be £500. Brass bar will be bead blasted, removing the marks. The aluminium will also be bead blasted and anodised.

You're right, it does look similar to the KMAC 2 case. That's because I love the classic shape of the KMAC. However, the KMAC 2 doesn't have the following things :
-Fixed winkeyblockers.
-Brass plate
I could get earlier KMAC models with fixed winkeyblockers, however they use feet. I HATE feet.

The 456GT was the closest thing to my ideal case in that it has brass plates and winkeyblockers, however it's extremely rare and expensive. I also don't like styling of it, and the fact I can't get it in grey. It'd have to be reanodised grey which would add to its already hefty pricetag.

tldr;
KMAC doesn't have everything I want.
456GT reanodised in grey wouldn't be much cheaper. I also wouldn't like the styling as much.
I also loved designing this and learning CAD along the way.

The price tag is huge but in my eyes this case is perfection and so the price tag was justified.

If your case is done, I wanna see some pictures! I got to type on The_Beast's case and you're cutting/finishing yours. I'm soooo excited to see projects I had a small hand in come to fruition

Picking it up next weekend - THERE WILL BE PICS. It's then getting sent allllll the way to korea for anodising (**** uk anodisers)

Actually the 456gt (case+pcb+plate) gb price was around $480-530 USD,

So you are doing quite well on saving.

As for me... I own the 456gt and already got my LZ-SE, I have to admit the bottom and height of the 456gt is at the very least awkward, I thought the KMAC2 was really sexy, but I love my metal inserts. You definitely cannot use SPH caps on it (the 456gt).

You have a really nice design, although rather than the brass plate in the middle perhaps have made it the border instead kind of like the inside of the lz-se but on the bottom Like a square within a square. Although then you couldn't have nice font on there.

As far as anodizing goes, I believe someone on the kbdmania forums who is quite famous gets his anodized in the States in Chicago, but I might be wrong.  Powder coating is also an option .

Congrats on doing something new though . Maybe go titanium instead of brass for that super super heavy keyboard haha

[Photekq]

1. Actually the 456gt (case+pcb+plate) gb price was around $480-530 USD,

So you are doing quite well on saving.

As for me... I own the 456gt and already got my LZ-SE, I have to admit the bottom and height of the 456gt is at the very least awkward, I thought the KMAC2 was really sexy, but I love my metal inserts. You definitely cannot use SPH caps on it (the 456gt).

2. You have a really nice design, although rather than the brass plate in the middle perhaps have made it the border instead kind of like the inside of the lz-se but on the bottom Like a square within a square. Although then you couldn't have nice font on there.

3. As far as anodizing goes, I believe someone on the kbdmania forums who is quite famous gets his anodized in the States in Chicago, but I might be wrong.  Powder coating is also an option .

4. Congrats on doing something new though . Maybe go titanium instead of brass for that super super heavy keyboard haha

1. True, but who's gonna sell it for GB price? ) Reanodising wouldn't be cheap either. I would probably save SOME money, but I am happy to pay the extra for a design I prefer. The 456GT is an extremely nice keyboard, but it isn't perfect for me. That's what I was going for. My own personal keyboard perfection.

2. Couldn't be done with how my brass plate is seated : http://i.imgur.com/kRm34Fa.png http://i.imgur.com/NHhskeg.png

3. I'm sure there are a lot of good places for anodising. I just had an incredibly hard time finding one and a kind forum member offered to help me out having it done in korea. Powder coating isn't an option for me.. Anodising has many advantages.

4. Thanks! I think titanium might be a little too far ) my machinist might die.

[zenuty]

I can almost taste it now.. My machinist sent me these a little bit earlier. There are still a few things to be done, but it should be completed next weekend. Then it just needs to be anodised/finished.

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

It Looks like a shine gold  :eek:
Your project awesom !! Great work !!
Fighting Photeq  :thumb:

[Photekq]

Last photos before I go and pick it up this sunday


Anodising and bead blasting/polishing is the only thing left to be done

[baezilisK]

omg it's sunday. :D

congrats dude, this was an excellent read. looks very nice.

i know you said you didn't really plan on selling these, but is there no way i could convince you to get another one made?

[Photekq]

omg it's sunday. :D

congrats dude, this was an excellent read. looks very nice.

i know you said you didn't really plan on selling these, but is there no way i could convince you to get another one made?

Thank you man

I think it's likely I will sell 1 or 2, but I will limit it to that since this thing will be so expensive and I doubt many people, if anyone, would want to pay so much..

It'll be about $775+shipping 

[Tym]

I think he said he may do a GB for about 5 of them but obviously they are not cheap.

[Photekq]

I think he said he may do a GB for about 5 of them but obviously they are not cheap.

Yeah. It'll either be 1, 2, 3 or 4. It won't be a GB, just in the classifieds, since the numbers will be limited.

There is of course the possibility no more will be made. I obviously don't want to sell any until mine is anodised and mine is assembled so that I can show people the finished result. It all depends on when mine is finished really..

[Tym]

Ninja'd



I think its still a GB even without the discount,  because a group of people are buying an object together?  :3

[Photekq]

Ninja'd



I think its still a GB even without the discount,  because a group of people are buying an object together?  :3

I'm not sure.. I was just thinking that I'd never seen a GB with such limited quantities. I mean it does kinda count as a GB as I'd be making practically no profit when shipping to & from anodiser was included etc.

[Photekq]

[Photoelectric]

So nice <3

[Photekq]

So nice <3

Thanks

I'm extremely happy with the final result. My machinist has done such an amazing job of this.. Everything from the chamfers to the engraving is perfect.

Thanks everyone for your feedback, advice and help from the beginning. I couldn't have done it without you guys!

[meiosis]

but will it blend?

[agodinhost]

AWESOME Man!
Congrats!
Really nice work ...

[Moosecraft]

Dat weight..

[baezilisK]

it's beautiful

[UniClown]

Show Image

This picture blew me away
Congrats.

[SeriouSSpotS]

That is one awesome looking case.

[Photekq]

After hours and hours and hours and hours of phoning up about 25 anodising companies I have FINALLY got a reasonable quote. Should be sending the case off to them this week, so expect to see the finished TEK-80 some time soon!

Everything's being bead blasted/polished and the alu is being hard anodised grey.

Thanks again everyone for your help and encouragement.

[CPTBadAss]

Congrats man! I can't wait to see how it turns out

[Moosecraft]

Your case is going to turn out super awesome, I'm mad jelly.

[MOZ]

This is beautiful!

Excellent work!

[Dubsgalore]

godspeed usps, may the solda pullt arrive soon

also, congrats on the keeperS of the faith, wish i was not afk for that

[segfaultless]

I am looking forward to seeing the final product. Are you thinking of making a GB out of this?

[Photekq]

I am looking forward to seeing the final product. Are you thinking of making a GB out of this?

This has been answered numerous times. No, I'm not planning on doing a GB. I may however sell 1 or 2 in the classifieds.