Author Topic: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB  (Read 24627 times)

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Offline num

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Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« on: Sat, 09 May 2020, 05:48:23 »
https://github.com/overset/JP01

This is a simple open-source CNC aluminum unibody case for the stock Arisu PCB https://github.com/FateNozomi/arisu-pcb using OnShape.



All CAD assets, HOWTO and many more details available at https://github.com/overset/JP01

And the first prototype build is complete:


Time-lapse video of first complete build from tonight:
Typing test of the build:

I started the project on March 24th which means I went from nothing to a fully built board in 46days. That includes getting keycaps on r/mm, switches/lube/films from vendors, and all parts modeled, reviewed, quoted, manufactured, delivered and built. I thought it would take longer. It was not cheap.

My goal was to build a very simple and unibody keyboard and I'm very happy with the result so far. It's the most silent mech I've ever owned.

Another goal of the project was to follow the open-source footsteps of the original Arisu keyboard so I'm open-sourcing my models for those interested.
There are many more pictures, assets, details, etc. on https://github.com/overset/JP01

There is a large TODO list on the repo, so there's definitely a lot of room to improve and always open to suggestions.
« Last Edit: Tue, 16 June 2020, 19:36:58 by num »

Offline suicidal_orange

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #1 on: Sat, 09 May 2020, 06:10:52 »
46 days from design to an anodized(?) case in your hand :eek: it's more than met it's design requirement of  being quiet too.

Amazing.
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Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #2 on: Sat, 09 May 2020, 13:02:06 »
46 days from design to an anodized(?) case in your hand :eek: it's more than met it's design requirement of  being quiet too.

Amazing.

Thanks! Yes, bead blasted and anodized. This was only really only half the battle and arguably easier than the original PCB design (https://github.com/FateNozomi/arisu-pcb) which was not my work. Saved a lot of time there.

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #3 on: Mon, 11 May 2020, 14:07:48 »
Took a stab at a basic wrist rest design on a new OnShape branch:

242142-0

I might shoot for solid Polycarbonate that's frosted (bead blasted) for a simple design. Do I fillet the bottom edges or not? Do I make the top surface flush with the case or leave at the bottom of the case front fillet?

I'm also trying to work through a couple of other ideas:
  • Wood version (ideally router-cut maple) with 2-4mm plated brass base with logo recessed similar to the case
  • Another wooden version with a top-layer of veg-tanned leather >2mm thickness to make it softer for resting your hands
  • Thinking through neodymium magnet placement inside the case and wrist rest without interfering with current design

Offline LightningXI

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #4 on: Tue, 12 May 2020, 01:06:43 »
Nice work! Awesome DIY process.

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #5 on: Tue, 12 May 2020, 04:34:26 »
Thanks LightningXI!

I've been getting lost in the land of excess tonight while modeling the wrist rest. The above simple PC design is by far the cheapest even with embossed logo on base and pockets for affixing to main case body. I've added 2 recessed pockets to the wrist rest surface that mates to the main case body that support 2 options:

  • Thin neodymium magnets; caveats being: mounting magnets on the inside of the case might require slight modification to the switch plate and using powerful magnets near any electronics is not a good idea. I'll need stronger magnets to have enough force being at least 4mm apart which makes me even less likely to go this route. I did not account for recessed cavities in the main case to place magnets closer to the surface.
  • I have some cheap nano tape on order and I'm curious if the fine-grit bead blasted and anodized surface will be compatible. It might not be smooth enough but it's cheap enough to test. I like the idea of reusable sticky tape that will not ruin the surface treatment and allow for relatively easy removal of the rest from the case

Another design that led me way too far down the rabbit hole:

242230-0

242232-1

The goal was to match the aesthetic of the main case. The top is a recessed 2.5mm thick high-quality veg-tanned black leather swatch that's laser-cut for a perfect fit. There might be enough room for a 0.5mm-1mm silicone or neoprene cushion underneath for added comfort. I'm really interested in this idea since it is a lot less prone to discoloration than PC, Acrylic, etc. and it's very easy to recondition or even replace.

The main body is a similar design to the main case for a perfect mating to the main case, same fillets and height with a flush fillet-free edge to mate to the top part of the case. The deck-height of the rest will be 1.5mm lower than the main case where its fillet ends - I think this is a better aesthetic than matching the deck-height and having a gap caused by matching fillets for the case and rest - like a small valley.

There is a slightly recessed-mount base plate with 2 threaded through-bolts to made a ~3mm flat brass plate to the base. I'm thinking of a laser-cut sheet instead of machined since easily 1/3 the price but will require slight modification like: countersinking, edge filing, hand polishing and a final coating.

If I go for this more complex rest, I'll then really want to match the main case with a full brass base plate. I already have a prototype laser-cut brass base plate for the main case that requires some finish work but I have yet to take it out of the seal for it to start tarnishing.

The price of this option is 25% more expensive in total than the PC version given the quotes I have so bar. I'm fairly certain I would appreciate this design more than a frosted PC rest no matter how many times I stare at the beamingrobot's Alice PC rest.

I still haven't fully explored a wood option but I'm confident I'll want to get it prototyped with a CNC router for precision, but I do not have easy access to one and I have yet to find a good vendor.

Now time to climb out of the rabbit hole...

Offline kkatano

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #6 on: Tue, 12 May 2020, 09:38:13 »
Amazing work! The case is great and the github documentation is great too.

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #7 on: Thu, 14 May 2020, 03:23:18 »
Thanks kkatano!

I settled on a flush wrist rest design:
242472-0

I placed the order for two CNC aluminum wrist rest main body parts with the same finish as the original keyboard case: bead blasted fine, RAL7024 Graphite Grey.

I've settled on a 3piece design as mentioned in a previous post. Top will be a 2.5mm thick high-quality vegetable tanned leather inlaid flush to the aluminum case which will be like a 2mm bezel around the leather. The bottom plate is the same shape as the top leather layer but only a 1mm inlay to the base of the case. There are 4 threaded holes to make it easy to change. I'll order the top leather layer and base plate to be laser cut. I'm going to prototype a 6.2mm thick brass base plate with a through-cut logo. I'm going to laser-cut another logo with thinner brass material to press into the logo cavity and give an embossed look. Accounting for kerf and tolerances is going to be fun but sendcutsend has really floored me on their accuracy given the have a fiber laser. I'll compensate for a loose fit creatively.

I've abandoned the idea of inlaid magnets or nano tape. Both the case and rest with the selected materials are so heavy they're not going to move. Now to order a few more parts and wait for them to arrive.
« Last Edit: Sat, 16 May 2020, 02:33:45 by num »

Offline gorbachev

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #8 on: Sat, 16 May 2020, 16:38:22 »
Super cool! I've got two lopro and two hipro Arisus sitting on my desk, but I'm not a big fan of layered acrylic plates, so your projects looks really interesting to me.

Curious. What are the costs of ordering 1 or 2 of these from a typical cnc milling place?

Awesome documentation on your github, btw! Really impressive.

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #9 on: Sun, 17 May 2020, 01:48:37 »
Thanks gorbachev!

The minimum parts you will need for this case are the case body, base plate and a switch plate. I got my first prototype case body and base plate from 3dhubs and switch plates from sendcutsend. I've noticed some price fluctuation recently on 3dhubs but it's around ~$550USD just for the case body and base plate as per the specifications in the current drawings on github (bead blasted matte ano RAL7024 for case; smoothed anodized RAL7001) using the longest lead time. I found quotes from Xometry with similar finishes more expensive with longer-lead times. I did not exhaustively look for quotes so there are still many more options but keep in mind a lot of shops will not do low-volume jobs. Sendcutsend 1.6mm switch plates are ~$70 for Brass, which is no surprise I found to be the best acoustics (I tried 5051 alum, 5061 alum, titanium, copper and brass).

I explored several full-Brass base plate designs, even with a shelf to match the typing angle so the case cavity was a consistent depth but all the CNC quotes in Brass I got were more expensive than the case body itself in T6 alum. I am currently exploring a full-brass base plate design that's laser cut to minimize cost. I'm experimenting with a brass inlay for the logo and properly machined countersunk holes. If this turns out well I'll put together a tutorial on how to order, modify, and polish. That is, only if it turns our better than the anodized aluminum base as part of the original spec.

This is optional, but I think it's worth getting the gaskets to help with sound dampening. The 0.5mm silicone switch plate to case body top gasket is the most expensive from Ponoko at ~$30USD. This helps dampen the sound and soften the feel slightly (also use rubber/silicone washers on the switch plate mounting screws) but most of all it drops the keys from the deck-height of the case to the nominal 7.5mm. The switch plate to PCB 2mm EVA foam gasket is ~$25USD from Ponoko and this helps dampen the sound dramatically. I think the 2mm EVA foam case filler is the most superficial, but it was only ~$4USD from Ponoko. The 1.5mm silicone base plate gasket is very useful to prevent reverberation inside the case and ran ~$25USD from Ponoko as well. If you were to just get 1 of the gaskets I think the base-plate gasket is the most worthwhile to prevent reverb.

Now to volume discounting - it's dramatic as you would expect. 3dhubs scales pretty well and I can't cite specific numbers, but their automated quoting tool makes it easy to access (as does Xometry).

Summary: ~$620USD for a single case through 3dhubs without gaskets, PCB, or screws. If you get 2, it will be substantially cheaper per-build. The wrist rest is a different story that I'm still working on and waiting for parts to arrive.

Offline Zustiur

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #10 on: Sun, 17 May 2020, 23:49:45 »
As someone who's only just getting started in case design, that's very fascinating information num, thanks.

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #11 on: Mon, 18 May 2020, 02:26:24 »
Thanks Zustiur and looking forward to seeing your designs!

I spent a few hours polishing a new laser-cut brass base plate and countersinking the holes. A single-flute 90deg countersink bit really does amazingly well on Brass. The polishing came out well, but not good enough. I was not able to completely get rid of the brushed surface that it came with and I wasn't able to tell until I got to the buffing stage. It's not worthy for a picture just yet. I'm going to go over the process again and take the extra time to clean with acetone between the incremental grit changes to make sure it's ready for the next round. It's actually easier Than I would have thought with the right equipment - e.g. automotive sanding and polishing equipment that's not horribly expensive. I'm still waiting for the inlay parts to show up hopefully this week to finish up my first fully polished base plate. This will tide me over until the wrist rest parts arrive.

Offline jouz

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #12 on: Mon, 18 May 2020, 03:29:49 »
I just checked out your github repo, and the documentation is stellar! Amazing work!

This is optional, but I think it's worth getting the gaskets to help with sound dampening. The 0.5mm silicone switch plate to case body top gasket is the most expensive from Ponoko at ~$30USD. This helps dampen the sound and soften the feel slightly (also use rubber/silicone washers on the switch plate mounting screws) but most of all it drops the keys from the deck-height of the case to the nominal 7.5mm. The switch plate to PCB 2mm EVA foam gasket is ~$25USD from Ponoko and this helps dampen the sound dramatically. I think the 2mm EVA foam case filler is the most superficial, but it was only ~$4USD from Ponoko. The 1.5mm silicone base plate gasket is very useful to prevent reverberation inside the case and ran ~$25USD from Ponoko as well. If you were to just get 1 of the gaskets I think the base-plate gasket is the most worthwhile to prevent reverb.

I really appreciate you experimenting with this! I'll try to apply some of your insights to my design :D

What's your intuition on thickness vs dampening effect of the silicone gaskets? I.e., if the design would allow it, would you run a thicker (say 1-1.5mm) silicone gasket also between top case & switch plate?

Regarding the 1.5mm base plate gasket - I notice it covers the entire plate (i.e. it's not just around the circumference were the case meets the plate. I was wondering if you think that the effect it has comes mainly from decoupling the mating surfaces, or if covering the bottom with silicone also has some effect on sound (which would explain why adding/removing the EVA foam in the bottom doesn't make as much of a difference?).

Again, thanks again for sharing!

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #13 on: Mon, 18 May 2020, 12:20:17 »
Jouz! Thanks! I'm definitely watching your BMEK build and thanks for the mention over the weekend. I still surprised I had not seen your GH build thread before a week ago and your latest hipro case design looks great. There's some great inspiration there and I probably could have used it a month ago.

When it comes to sound dampening, my experience is more empirical than scientific. Most of my observations are anecdotal through speaker designs. There are many materials that can help manage sound, but for a metal keyboard case I think it's most important to control reverberations. Honestly, anything more porous than metal will help dampen the sound. My default is some combination of dense foam (comes in many common forms of "acoustic foam" for speakers and wall-treatment) or just silicone sheets.

To answer your first question, I wouldn't run a thicker top-case<>switch-plate gasket. I don't see a massive benefit in between the 2 hard surfaces. There might be some future design to allow for more dynamic flex in the switch plate, but a lot more thought needs to be put into that. With my design, I didn't want to go >0.5mm so there would be at least 7mm of clearance to submerge keycaps.

For the base-plate I did intend to cover the entire inside surface of my flat base plate to create a nice seal, better isolation and most important to reduce reverberation. This was the single most effective dampener and adding the EVA Foam the case cavity did not help much.

I think the 2mm EVA foam between the switch plate and PCB is also very effective, but expensive to have cut.

There's a much cheaper option to start experimenting with before getting custom cut materials. There are many different forms of foam for crafts and I would choose a denser open-cell style (think neoprene). My favorite option is denser silicone sheets that are very cheap. The best I have found are 1mm silicone placemats that are cheap. Yes, placemats. They're very easy to cut and you can get in different thicknesses. I tried this material for the base-plate gasket and it took a few minutes to cut. Honestly this is cheap, effective and no one will ever see. I would start there with cheap thin/thick silicone placemats.

There are far more exotic materials to try like sorbothane, but it is expensive and harder to work with.


Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #14 on: Fri, 22 May 2020, 02:45:37 »
Still waiting on CNC order that's in progress. In the meantime I spent a great deal of time polishing the brass base plate I have and did my first test-fit of the inlay. I'm very happy with the design. The full base plate is fully mirror polished. The inlay is a 1.6mm thick brushed version of the logo pressed into the base plate to be flush. I love the contrast between mirror polish and brushed. I opted not to recess the inlay. I was able to coat the entire surface with ProtectaClear brush-on which I'm very impressed with so far and only 2 coats. I was not able to get a perfect mirror polish as there are slight minute marks most likely due to lack of enough lubrication during the wet sanding process. My next base plate I will be more vigilant in the polishing process to get as close to mirror finish without hairline minute marks.

243211-0

The base plate and logo inlays were all laser-cut and required no filing, just pressed right in with no gaps and a just a great fit. Note the 2nd brass plate in front of the case is the new base-plate for the aluminum wrist rest design.

Hopefully the wrist rest case is timely and the leather top-layer shows up in time for me to complete the next build.

I'm still toying with the idea of a cheaper polycarbonate version of the wrist rest which might be the next project if I'm not floored by this wrist rest design.

I've pushed all the model files to master on my GitHub: https://github.com/overset/JP01/commit/5062518e0fea217dad0aaeb00d0cbe6d698b4cc0 with the aluminum and polycarbonate wrist rest designs. The PC design is not finalized and I have yet to check all measurements 10x over as usual. Once I get the aluminum version built I'll update the GH repo with more pictures and explicit build details - along with the new brass base plates.

Offline jouz

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #15 on: Sat, 23 May 2020, 14:08:16 »
Damn that inlay looks insane! Cool design for the logo, too!

For a PC version, are you thinking about changing the design to allow some kind of threaded inserts, or to just tap straight into the PC material?

also thanks for the feedback regarding sound dampening!

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #16 on: Sat, 23 May 2020, 21:24:50 »
Thanks jouz!

I haven't started to really review PC version for my case in depth yet. It could be manufactured with threads directly in the PC but I would definitely worry about durability especially with a heavy base plate or furious typing on the switch plate. I would seriously consider threaded inserts. I would have to change some parts of my design to accommodate any style of insert.

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #17 on: Sat, 30 May 2020, 22:57:19 »
CNC aluminum wrist rest was completed early and shipped but now stuck in customs. We'll see how long that takes to get cleared. It's still well before the quoted delivery time.

In the meantime, I received a mirror-polished stainless steel base plate that was laser cut. I'm impressed with the precision and it mounts perfectly flush with the body of the case. I was able to use one of my brass logo inlays. Here's a quick picture of the test-fitting:

243945-0

I really like how good this looks and liking the base plate being flush with the case bottom fillets. This adds significant weight although less than the brass base plate. I only need to countersink the mounting holes to make this my new base.

Here's a comparison with the brass vs stainless steel base plates:

243947-1

I have another brass test base plate I'm not going to fillet the edges on and attempt to polish for a flush-mount into the case body with the same brushed logo inlay.

Once the wrist rest is in, I'll experiment with different base plates and try to capture as many views of it for GH feedback.

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #18 on: Thu, 04 June 2020, 19:57:15 »
CNC Aluminum wrist rest body came in the other day and put it together for test fitting:

244321-0

I have a few problems with the anodized finish that I'm working out with the vendor, but the milling/threads are spot on.

The top layer is a thick laser-cut leather inlay that I could modify tolerances on a little more to make it a more perfect fit, but it's really good right now. I have a few leather colors I ordered to test in the future but I'm settling with the black leather for now (burgundy color in picture). I installed my polished brass baseplate on the wrist rest, but I'm working on testing out a more flush polished stainless look now that would help bring total build cost and customization down as compared to brass.

Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #19 on: Fri, 05 June 2020, 03:05:55 »
God tier content, reads like a fine book. Thank you for sharing!

I am highly interested in following your steps in some time in future when I have bigger keeb spending budget.

Offline 5alt5haker

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #20 on: Fri, 05 June 2020, 04:52:21 »
Is it possible to make this out of acrylic?

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #21 on: Fri, 05 June 2020, 11:01:56 »
God tier content, reads like a fine book. Thank you for sharing!

I am highly interested in following your steps in some time in future when I have bigger keeb spending budget.

Thanks! I'm still working on filling in the gaps and writing better instructions. It's still a bit difficult to navigate my OnShape models and I would like to simplify that. I have a few more cheaper options that I'm testing now and will want to document.

Hopefully your budget will allow for some experimentation soon!

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #22 on: Fri, 05 June 2020, 11:10:18 »
Is it possible to make this out of acrylic?

My case depends on another open-source PCB: https://github.com/FateNozomi/arisu-pcb which the original author also built a stacked acrylic case for that most laser-cutting shops can make: https://github.com/FateNozomi/arisu-case

This design was really intended for CNC Aluminum. Similar to Acrylic, I was going to try a Polycarbonate build with the same design plus a few modifications. First change would need to be adding threaded inserts to support PC. It's technically possible to CNC the current design in PC just threading directly into the PC material. I would worry about the threads in the long term especially with a heavy base plate or significant pressure on the switch plate stripping the threads.

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #23 on: Mon, 15 June 2020, 23:35:51 »
I finally found a good local finishing shop that can do custom anodized color matching. I have to get the wrist rests stripped, bead blasted and anodized again to match the finish of the case. The original vendor has been very easy to work with and offered to cover costs of the re-finishing.

I have all the other parts to complete the prototype builds with the polished stainless base plates and really just waiting on the finish work to be complete by the end of the week. Once everything is fitted I'll get some updated pictures and update the README on github with more explicit instructions.

A few updates I'm planning if I get to build another prototype:
  • Larger radii for internal cutouts. My current base plate has sharp corners when I think a R2-5 corners would look a lot better. This is more for CNC cost reduction than aesthetic.
  • Larger mounting pads with threaded holes where the base plate mates to the case. This will allow me to bring the bolt holes further away from the edge for a cleaner look. It turns out I have a lot more clearance with the switch plate and PCB than I originally thought giving me more room.
  • There is a 0.4mm gap in the leather top for the wrist rest that is hard to notice, but there. I didn't take into account the laser kern when getting cut and will update the files if I fix.

I'm close to putting in an order for a bead-blasted ("frosty") polycarbonate wrist rest but have to run through the model to check dimensions. I'll likely order the prototypes before I get to optimizing the case model.
« Last Edit: Tue, 23 June 2020, 18:19:22 by num »

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #24 on: Tue, 01 September 2020, 01:36:30 »
No huge update as I've been enjoying the first build for a solid 3months. I did push a few new laser-cut DXF files to the github repo for the wrist rest base plate and leather top specific to Ponoko and SendCutSend (https://github.com/overset/JP01/blob/master/V1.1/wrist-rest_aluminum-base_laser-cut_sendcutsend.dxf and https://github.com/overset/JP01/blob/master/V1.1/wrist-rest_aluminum-top_laser_cut-ponoko.dxf).

I finally received the new corrected leather cuts from Ponoko (30day lead time these days):

250743-0

250745-1

It fits perfectly. The previous leather cut had a ~0.5mm gap that I couldn't stop looking at and I just had to pay more attention to the specific kerf with cutting leather at Ponoko.

Another great update is there was some recent work from others getting the Arisu QMK code merged into master for official support. There was also support for VIA added which makes it that much easier. I haven't seen any updates/posts from the original authors of that work yet but I put up a quick PSA on r/mk: https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/i894c4/fatenozomi_and_akscanb_added_the_opensource_arisu/

Another crazy thing happened on that thread where a scholar and gentleperson with the nick u/erladion went with my original case design and had a polycarbonate version built as noted on the above r/mk link. Here is what they shared:

250747-2

250749-3

I can't wait to see more as they beat me to the punch getting a PC version ordered. There are still a few changes on my TODO list before that happens.

Offline jouz

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #25 on: Tue, 01 September 2020, 05:00:46 »
That wrist rest is a thing of beauty! Did you simply measure the gap and "overcompensated"/oversized the previous design to get it fit prefectly, or did you change the design based on the kerf specifications from Ponoko (or did these two values end up to be exactly the same)?

Also congrats on the first DIYer using your files! It's always satisfying to see people build stuff from open source case files (since the threshold for hardware is so much higher compared to open source software!)  ;D


 




Offline robotictomato

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #26 on: Tue, 01 September 2020, 12:40:11 »
That polycarbonate case is beautiful. I'm impressed that the files worked well for both aluminum and polycarb.

I'm a big fan of the Arisu layout - and of this project. I'm hoping to someday get an aluminum case made as well.

My only change would be to add full backspace support to the plate. I have a pull request in on Fate's PCB on Github for full backspace, but I'm pretty inexperienced with PCB design so someone will need to check it. Crossing my fingers that it works, and that the plate modification for full backspace isn't hard to line up. From looking at Yuktsi's original Alice plate files, it seems to be an easier change than the PCB.

I'm excited to get my Arisu flashed with the new QMK hex and try it with VIA! I missed that on reddit.

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #27 on: Tue, 01 September 2020, 13:00:09 »
That wrist rest is a thing of beauty! Did you simply measure the gap and "overcompensated"/oversized the previous design to get it fit prefectly, or did you change the design based on the kerf specifications from Ponoko (or did these two values end up to be exactly the same)?

Also congrats on the first DIYer using your files! It's always satisfying to see people build stuff from open source case files (since the threshold for hardware is so much higher compared to open source software!)  ;D

Thanks Jouz! I did overcompensated 0.015mm on top of the default leather cutting kerf via Ponoko. Leather is malleable enough to allow for a perfect fit. The hardest part is guaranteeing the height of the leather swatch and it being consistent to fit in the recessed area, but Ponoko's leather is very consistent and very good quality.

Yeah the PC version came out of the blue as is definitely exciting to see. Not as much traction as your BMEK project as it was great to see folks picking up on your design and really running with it! Also: great updates on your BMEK with the flex plate designs which look amazing!

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #28 on: Tue, 01 September 2020, 13:59:48 »
That polycarbonate case is beautiful. I'm impressed that the files worked well for both aluminum and polycarb.

I'm a big fan of the Arisu layout - and of this project. I'm hoping to someday get an aluminum case made as well.

My only change would be to add full backspace support to the plate. I have a pull request in on Fate's PCB on Github for full backspace, but I'm pretty inexperienced with PCB design so someone will need to check it. Crossing my fingers that it works, and that the plate modification for full backspace isn't hard to line up. From looking at Yuktsi's original Alice plate files, it seems to be an easier change than the PCB.

I'm excited to get my Arisu flashed with the new QMK hex and try it with VIA! I missed that on reddit.

I'm also impressed that the design worked with PC, but I still have so many questions and want to know more about that person's build (I don't think they're on GH). They did mention warping and some inconsistencies with the shape of the upper case which leads me to believe it was not CNC milled - which would be my preferred method. I would still like to add threaded inserts at the very least before proceeding with a PC build.

Is your PR https://github.com/FateNozomi/arisu-pcb/pull/6? If so, I assume you already have a modified my case STEP files and plate DXF with your https://github.com/andygunn/JP01 fork..? Very cool that you have taken a step to try and add full backspace support as others on r/mk have asked about that specifically. I unfortunately haven't had a chance to verify the case changes, nor the PCB. See if you can ask around in a few other places for help to verifying your arisu-pcb changes!

Yeah - having VIA support does make getting an Arisu board up and running at least a little easier. Thanks to those that put in the extra effort to get the Arisu support merged in.



Offline robotictomato

  • Posts: 35
  • Location: DC, USA
Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #29 on: Tue, 01 September 2020, 14:46:03 »
Yes, I saw the video of the warping of that polycarbonate case. Not great, but a good start. I wonder also how it was produced - I wouldn't think a CNC milled polycarb block would warp like that.

Yes, that is my pull request. Good call on asking around for help with the PCB. I know there are a few threads here on GH, I will start there and see how it goes.

And yes, that is also the fork where I was experimenting with modifying the plate. I'm not sure I got it to a point where I was happy with it - I had to start over a few times. I will take a look tonight or tomorrow and make sure that fork contains a version I'm happy with.

Offline jouz

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #30 on: Tue, 01 September 2020, 16:05:34 »
From my own experience of milling two PC cases on a small CNC, it definitely can warp.

With my first attempt it warped so much during machining that it affected the tolerances quite a bit (had to shim some of the mounting standoff inside the case).
For the second case, I got it under control pretty decently with a better fixturing and tweaking feeds & speeds so that less heat was generated.
I think a CNC shop with PC experience and the right tools should have no issue producing PC parts without warping.

One problem could be that shops that offer to do your one-off case can not spend as much time on a decent workholding setup (which may require machining extra parts for fixturing first), and will just do it quick and dirty.

Offline gorbachev

  • Posts: 89
Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #31 on: Tue, 01 September 2020, 20:57:11 »
That leather wrist rest is straight from a Funkadelic video! Funky!

BTW, something I ran into just this week re: Arisu. It seems as if there's a bit of a problem with the original design and at least the Gothic70, which is a fork of the Arisu.

The switch plate will sometimes pinch the stabilizer wires. There isn't enough of a clearance between the plate and the stabilizers, which will cause the plate to actually rest on top of the stab wire and cause it not to rotate freely. It'll make your stabs sticky.

I've encountered this on all my Arisu builds, except one, and on the Gothic70, which was particularly bad with all five stabs ending up sticky. There's some discussion about the issue on the Gothic70 GB thread.

I'm not sure if your case design will make it worse or better, but something to pay attention to. I believe this would only be an issue if you use 3mm plates.

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #32 on: Tue, 01 September 2020, 21:27:59 »
From my own experience of milling two PC cases on a small CNC, it definitely can warp.

With my first attempt it warped so much during machining that it affected the tolerances quite a bit (had to shim some of the mounting standoff inside the case).
For the second case, I got it under control pretty decently with a better fixturing and tweaking feeds & speeds so that less heat was generated.
I think a CNC shop with PC experience and the right tools should have no issue producing PC parts without warping.

One problem could be that shops that offer to do your one-off case can not spend as much time on a decent workholding setup (which may require machining extra parts for fixturing first), and will just do it quick and dirty.

Great info Jouz and thanks for sharing your experience! There is the inherent waste of doing one-off work like this - which is something some seasoned keyboard designers warn against and really try to promote GB instead.  I'm inspired to think through more ways to reduce waste on the aluminum version without compromising design - i.e. less tooling changes, etc. I can definitely see PC being more difficult to clamp or have custom fixtures made to account for the part flexing/melting during the cutting process. I would imagine for it to be done right, significant time/money would need to be spent on the fixtures themselves.

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #33 on: Tue, 01 September 2020, 21:40:55 »
That leather wrist rest is straight from a Funkadelic video! Funky!

BTW, something I ran into just this week re: Arisu. It seems as if there's a bit of a problem with the original design and at least the Gothic70, which is a fork of the Arisu.

The switch plate will sometimes pinch the stabilizer wires. There isn't enough of a clearance between the plate and the stabilizers, which will cause the plate to actually rest on top of the stab wire and cause it not to rotate freely. It'll make your stabs sticky.

I've encountered this on all my Arisu builds, except one, and on the Gothic70, which was particularly bad with all five stabs ending up sticky. There's some discussion about the issue on the Gothic70 GB thread.

I'm not sure if your case design will make it worse or better, but something to pay attention to. I believe this would only be an issue if you use 3mm plates.

If you mean "Funkadelic" more in the Maceo Parker sense and less in the George Clinton sense, then I'll take that as a complement! Not sure I was shooting for a funky feel but more a comfy leather feel where my wrists would be happy resting for a few hours a day in room filled with fine leather-bound books smelling of rich mahogany (reminiscent of Ron Burgundy's gentle words).

Ouch that does not sound good with the stab wire pinching! I'm certain that's caused by the 3mm plate. I've had good luck using Durock and ZealPC stabs on my stock Arisu builds with stacked acrylic and aluminum 5052 without the stabs sticking. I'll check out the gothic70 thread and see what's up. If I were doing another build I would absolutely start filing the plates to offer more clearance for the stab wires. Of course knowing that pre-solder is *very* useful.

My design is intended for 1.5mm or 1.6mm plates. I actually slightly enlarged the stabilizer cutouts in the place to offer more clearance and that's reflected in the DXFs on my repo. There is definitely plenty of clearance:

250806-0

There's a shot with a 1.6mm copper switch plate and the stock V1.1 Arisu PCB tacked in with a few switches in the corners along with a GMK retooled stabilizer just for comparison. I could take a shot with durock or zeal stabs for comparison if folks want.

Offline gorbachev

  • Posts: 89
Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #34 on: Tue, 01 September 2020, 21:54:37 »
My design is intended for 1.5mm or 1.6mm plates. I actually slightly enlarged the stabilizer cutouts in the place to offer more clearance and that's reflected in the DXFs on my repo. There is definitely plenty of clearance:

(Attachment Link)

That looks much more spacious than the original Arisu design and the Gothic70 for sure. Both of them have a plate design with a "lip" that rests directly on top of the entire length of the stab wire.

Offline erladion

  • Posts: 3
Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #35 on: Wed, 02 September 2020, 00:11:22 »
From my own experience of milling two PC cases on a small CNC, it definitely can warp.

With my first attempt it warped so much during machining that it affected the tolerances quite a bit (had to shim some of the mounting standoff inside the case).
For the second case, I got it under control pretty decently with a better fixturing and tweaking feeds & speeds so that less heat was generated.
I think a CNC shop with PC experience and the right tools should have no issue producing PC parts without warping.

One problem could be that shops that offer to do your one-off case can not spend as much time on a decent workholding setup (which may require machining extra parts for fixturing first), and will just do it quick and dirty.

That polycarbonate case is beautiful. I'm impressed that the files worked well for both aluminum and polycarb.

I'm a big fan of the Arisu layout - and of this project. I'm hoping to someday get an aluminum case made as well.

My only change would be to add full backspace support to the plate. I have a pull request in on Fate's PCB on Github for full backspace, but I'm pretty inexperienced with PCB design so someone will need to check it. Crossing my fingers that it works, and that the plate modification for full backspace isn't hard to line up. From looking at Yuktsi's original Alice plate files, it seems to be an easier change than the PCB.

I'm excited to get my Arisu flashed with the new QMK hex and try it with VIA! I missed that on reddit.

I'm also impressed that the design worked with PC, but I still have so many questions and want to know more about that person's build (I don't think they're on GH). They did mention warping and some inconsistencies with the shape of the upper case which leads me to believe it was not CNC milled - which would be my preferred method. I would still like to add threaded inserts at the very least before proceeding with a PC build.

Is your PR https://github.com/FateNozomi/arisu-pcb/pull/6? If so, I assume you already have a modified my case STEP files and plate DXF with your https://github.com/andygunn/JP01 fork..? Very cool that you have taken a step to try and add full backspace support as others on r/mk have asked about that specifically. I unfortunately haven't had a chance to verify the case changes, nor the PCB. See if you can ask around in a few other places for help to verifying your arisu-pcb changes!

Yeah - having VIA support does make getting an Arisu board up and running at least a little easier. Thanks to those that put in the extra effort to get the Arisu support merged in.




I'm on geekhack, just a bit of a lurker. Also you are both correct in assuming it wasn't CNCd, to my knowledge it was 3d printed, as I had it ordered from China. When it comes to the threads that is where I am most afraid as I forgot to have it threaded as well. So I have tried to thread one of the holes myself and it didn't come out good, which is what I should have expected as plastic is kinda soft and the threads are so small. So my next step is to hope that just manually screwing in the screws does a good enough job with keeping it in and making threads. Otherwise I'm probably looking at expanding the holes and glue in spacers/nuts to get threads. But I'm still waiting on components so that I can finish my pcb before I'm going to try any of the approaches.
« Last Edit: Wed, 02 September 2020, 00:13:16 by erladion »

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #36 on: Wed, 02 September 2020, 00:40:53 »
I'm on geekhack, just a bit of a lurker. Also you are both correct in assuming it wasn't CNCd, to my knowledge it was 3d printed, as I had it ordered from China. When it comes to the threads that is where I am most afraid as I forgot to have it threaded as well. So I have tried to thread one of the holes myself and it didn't come out good, which is what I should have expected as plastic is kinda soft and the threads are so small. So my next step is to hope that just manually screwing in the screws does a good enough job with keeping it in and making threads. Otherwise I'm probably looking at expanding the holes and glue in spacers/nuts to get threads. But I'm still waiting on components so that I can finish my pcb before I'm going to try any of the approaches.

Hello Erladion! It's great to get more details and thanks for sharing! Sorry the threading by hand did not go so well. I would suggest getting threaded inserts like those at https://www.mcmaster.com/threaded-inserts/threaded-inserts-for-plastic/ which have multiple options like heat-set, screw-to-expand, barbed, or even larger tapped versions. I don't see many options for M2.5 but a lot of options for M3 which you could modify the case and base plate to support. I would consider an insert that could be glued in after enlarging the holes in the case. The self-tapping inserts look very cool as well which would be stronger than press-fit and might not require any glue. There is a smaller M2 https://www.mcmaster.com/93722A201/ version that would likely be small and strong enough. That specific insert has a 3.5mm diameter which should fit well in the case given the minimum width for the current bolt hole is 6.37mm. You want to make sure there is enough material surrounding the insert to prevent cracking. Using the smaller M2 screws to mount the base plate should work with the current countersunk M2.5 holes. I don't think you'll need the special tool for the inserts as you could get a longer M2 bolt and nut to lock the insert into place to allow you to drill it into the case. Let me know what you think!

Offline erladion

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #37 on: Wed, 09 September 2020, 10:51:00 »
Finally got all the parts and got it together! This is how it came out.
251366-0251368-1

I ended up just screwing the screws into the plastic, didn't work with m2 screws (pretty sure the holes were a bit too big so there were no material left for them to screw into) so I had to use m2.5 (5 mm) which seems to work fine with holes that were drilled. But I would probably advice in using inserts (as you mentioned in one of your earlier posts) and have the holes be drilled bigger, which might be what I'll do if I decide to change the pcb.

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #38 on: Wed, 09 September 2020, 12:13:00 »
It looks awesome erladion! The black PCB and switch plate looks really good with the frosted PC.

It also looks like you work to straighten the case worked out really well. There's still a small sloping to the top corners if looks like, but minimal?

The original design used M2.5 machine screws so it makes sense they would fit right now. Hopefully they will hold well until you want to change the PCB in the future. Does the base plate feel secure with those screws without using threaded inserts?

Thanks for sharing the update and really exciting to see it in PC!

Offline erladion

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #39 on: Wed, 09 September 2020, 14:54:05 »
Yea straightening it out worked out well, not sure if it's just the image but I can't really tell if there is a sloping when looking at it. Also I'm not even sure why I thought m2 screws would work, I was well aware of the m2.5 holes, I even ordered screws and tap specifically for it, but today when I was gonna assemble it I suddenly decided to try m2. When I tried tapping before I used one of the base plate holes for testing, so one of the holes has no screw in it at the moment as not even a m2.5 screw would get any traction when I tried to screw it in, so I left it as is. But it feels secure, I'm more afraid of the switch plate even though that also feels secure.

Just gotta say that I appreciate the work you did with the design and that you decided to open source it.
« Last Edit: Wed, 09 September 2020, 14:56:04 by erladion »

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #40 on: Thu, 10 September 2020, 03:12:09 »
Great to hear the you're pleased with the shape! Glad to hear you're confident the screws are secure as of now and let us know if you get around to threaded inserts! I think you'll be fine so long as no one sits on your keyboard.

Have you been able to get keycaps on it and give it a test drive? How does it work? How does it sound?

Thanks for the appreciation! I honestly think it's more exciting seeing derived work from others which is really inspiring. Thanks for sharing! I only thought it was fitting to open-source the case to follow FatNozomi's lead with the original Arisu PCB and case designs.
« Last Edit: Thu, 10 September 2020, 03:16:55 by num »

Offline kkatano

  • Posts: 61
Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #41 on: Sat, 19 September 2020, 01:57:29 »
I only thought it was fitting to open-source the case to follow FatNozomi's lead with the original Arisu PCB and case designs.
Absolutely true. Things that done by num, FatNozomi and erladion are all really cool.

Quote
How does it sound?
Yeah, I'm also curious about how typing test sounds in a PC case :D

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #42 on: Fri, 23 October 2020, 23:42:39 »
I finally got around to getting the polycarbonate wrist rest prototype made and it just arrived from the manufacturer in half their estimated lead time.

As of now it is milled perfectly to spec with no defects. All edges feature a 1.5mm fillet just the same as the original case as well as the original 5deg typing angle. The logo is symmetrical with the case's base plate logo positioning and same size, depth, fillet, etc. The surface of polycarbonate wrist rest is bead-blasted with a standard grit. I'm very pleased how it turned out and can now verify the design works well.

254347-0

254349-1

254351-2

STEP file for CNC milling: https://github.com/overset/JP01/blob/master/V1.1/wrist-rest_polycarb.step

Note: I have not updated the README on GitHub yet with instructions on how to navigate or manufacture any of my wrist rest designs nor any pictures which I intend to soon.

Offline gorbachev

  • Posts: 89
Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #43 on: Sun, 25 October 2020, 16:50:17 »
Looks sharp! Literally and figuratively :)

Are you sure the wrist rest edges/corners are rounded enough? They look a bit too sharp to me.

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #44 on: Mon, 26 October 2020, 00:35:47 »
Looks sharp! Literally and figuratively :)

Are you sure the wrist rest edges/corners are rounded enough? They look a bit too sharp to me.

Unfortunately not sharp enough to be used as a back-scratcher. It has the same fillet radius as the rest of the case, but I'll admit it's a small radius given that was the aesthetic I was shooting for.

Here's a little closer up blurry-cam picture:

254584-0

Still might be too sharp for some folks taste.

Offline gorbachev

  • Posts: 89
Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #45 on: Mon, 26 October 2020, 18:54:41 »
Yea, hard to say without actually trying obviously. I'm raising the issue because I've had quite a bit of bad luck with wrist rests regarding how sharp the edges/corners are. Yours looks very similar to ones I can't use due to how sharp the edges are. The only one I actually like is rounded quite aggressively. So much so that there really isn't an edge to it at all.

I don't know if you can see it from the photos, but this is the one I have: https://drop.com/buy/moon-key-steampunk-resin-artisan-wrist-rest/photos

There's a side profile photo of the purple version that shows the rounding pretty nicely.

Offline num

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #46 on: Fri, 20 November 2020, 00:54:59 »
Wow, I'm curious to know if the edges have cut into your wrists? What made the previous sharper-corner rests uncomfortable? The rest you posted has a significant contour and drop-off.

For me, the entire palm of my hand rests on the wrist rest with no overhang. Even with a sweater, jacket or long-sleeves I don't get any pressure on my wrist. I can't ever feel the edge of the wrist rest. Even with the lower 5deg angle on the case and rest I still never hit the edge of rest unless I'm using the arrows and I oddly enjoy having the slight fillet edge to hang my palm off of while mashing on the arrows.

Having a more dramatic contour I can see not making the comfort worse, but not the aesthetic I was shooting for.

Offline gorbachev

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Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #47 on: Fri, 04 December 2020, 14:23:19 »
Wow, I'm curious to know if the edges have cut into your wrists? What made the previous sharper-corner rests uncomfortable? The rest you posted has a significant contour and drop-off.

Maybe it's an issue with my chair/table height or distance between the two, or placement of the wrist rest, who knows, but when I use wrist rests with sharp corners either my palms or wrists often sit right on those edges. It's very uncomfortable.

Offline lac29

  • Posts: 154
Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #48 on: Fri, 04 December 2020, 16:48:11 »
There is some really great info here. Thanks for writing everything up and even showing the progress photos.

Offline mj1212

  • Posts: 3
Re: Opensource CNC Aluminum Unibody Case for Arisu PCB
« Reply #49 on: Mon, 21 December 2020, 01:20:22 »
Amazing work. Thank you so much for open sourcing the design.