geekhack Projects > Making Stuff Together!
Plateless Retrofit Kits for Keyboards (SIMP KIT)
sony:
Sony
Interference
Mount
Plateless
Kit
Inspired by Geon's F1-8X plateless kit, I wanted to make a plateless kit for existing keyboards... so here we have
SIMP KIT
The idea is to sandwich the pcb in bottom of the case using 3d printed pieces.
These were printed out of TPU.
Advantages of Plateless:
* Soft flexy typing experience
* Can easily access switches for modification
* Can pop stab wires back in easily
Advantages of SIMP:
* Flexibility of mounting positions allows for customization of typing feel.
* Using different hardness plastic can also change typing feel
* Can easily retrofit for boards that have a bottom "tub"
* Does not require specific board/pcb design to work
* Cheap
CAD Design
https://www.dropbox.com/s/oepp34lb3l869nc/SIMP_GENERIC.STL?dl=0
Images in board.
More
How to design:
MoreIf the bottom of your case has a tub, i.e. the PCB can rest in the bottom of the case, you can SIMP kit it (probably).
You will need to measure the "gap" and the "depth".
The gap is the distance between the PCB edge and the inside edge of the case. Shown here:
The depth is the distance from the bottom of the PCB to the bottom of the case. Shown here:
This is an annotated image of the SIMP kit insert with the relevant measurements by Nevin.
I've found that the distance from the PCB to the top of the case does not matter much since there often isn't a ledge to hold the piece in.
Build Videos and Streams
Morejintae_: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/962103334?t=1h7m0s
tonykjin: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/978179226
lightningkeyboards: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1039789231
Special thanks to my friends mxblue and suyash for helping me refine the idea.
You can see more of my build on my instagram which I am shamelessly plugging https://instagram.com/sonykbd
Chippy:
Looks great man. May try it in the future.
Rayndalf:
Free me from plate tyranny comrade sony!
This is a good idea, many cases fit so tightly on the PCB that the plate is totally unnecessary. Especially for those ISO boys who keep getting left out. Integrated plates where a mistake.
Lysol_:
interesting idea, i may try this out for some of my boards when I get my printer soon.
nevin:
very cool. wonderful idea. :thumb: how does it change the sound? for the better i'm sure. ....ditching the (probably metal) plate and adding a "rubbery" TPU type bumper to space the pcb correctly, more or less making it closer to gasket or other dampened mounting method.
will also make changing parts of the switch (springs, stems, lube, etc...) so much easier not being in a plate.
if anybody is unfamiliar with TPU it is a very flexible (not brittle) printer filament. TPU is very big in drone parts/accessories like camera mounts, motor bumpers, canopies & aesthetic prints that won't break when they fall out of the sky.
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