Wanna team and make custom Keyboard case? :)

[Luciqueii]

Hello, friends of Geekhack,

My name is FLawLesS & I wanna build own custom 65% or 75% size kb case.
The material that will be used will be wood, a little short story we totaly dive into what I wanna achieve.
So here in Sweden, my relatives owns a  big private company where we make furniture or art stuff from wood materials only.

My goal is to make a 65% or 75% size kb with a clean design. I have all the access beside a 3D template to print out my wooden case and see how it turns out.
I don't have any kind of skills in cad or any other 3D modeling program, so if there is anyone out there with time and knowledge that knows how to make KB cases to a true size that fits for PCB
so it can be used please team up with.

If I can make this goal to become true I will ask the community of Geekhack if they are interested in a group buy of the KB case.
(The people who help will get the case for free, only paying for the ship...)

Anyone that has ideas or smart tips that wanna improve the world of keyboard cases just let us know, join us and influence us about how you would like to the perfect case to be.
Tag the people who you think or know would be the perfect guy that I could work with.

Also, I will link Imgur link with the things we make in our company so you guys can be sure that if the case design becomes real you will get a premium wooden case of high quality all the way from North Sweden.

https://imgur.com/a/5DTImOF

Thank you for reading and I wish you all amazing weekend! 

[sncbraxsc2]

Thanks for sharing this with us, the woodworking looks great. I love the whole room made of wood  ) Unfortunately, I would not be able to help with 3D modeling but your ambition to build a case reminds me of an ongoing problem I've had that may be relevant to your interests.



I know the high profile winkeyless TKL layout (in a.87 PCB size) to be one of the most loved form factors but for the longest time, the only cases available are through GB and almost exclusively aluminum so they are always expensive too. I have been surprised that there are no alternatives, whether plastic/acrylic or possibly wood. I'm not sure if some of the tolerances of say, TX-84 prevent wood from being possible but I think I would really like to know how a wood or plastic case in the same design would feel/differ.

[Luciqueii]

Thanks for the reply! I will do more research maybe even start doing some 3D training if I have too... If I will be able to make (minimalistic clean) design do you guys want 60, 65 or 75% keyboard case?
I can't really promise the price but if we can make it maybe the case would cost a maximum of 150$ + ship which is 50-70$ depending on where people live.

Thanks! 

[Sshimosawa]

This is exciting.

[hanya]

I don't have any kind of skills in cad or any other 3D modeling program, so if there is anyone out there with time and knowledge that knows how to make KB cases to a true size that fits for PCB

Once you decide key layout, put them on your PCB designing program. Export your PCB design into 3D data such as STEP file.
Most 3D CAD program can import STEP format.
Once you have the 3D model of your PCB in your CAD, you can refer the out line and hole positions of the model to design your keyboard case.

I'm using KiCAD to design keyboard PCB and to generate STEP file. If you have direct STEP export function by version 5, just export as STEP file.
If not, export PCB into IDFv3 file and then convert it into STEP by FreeCAD.
If you use other software, please refer its manual.

[MatchstickMan]

Woodkeys (https://woodkeys.click/) is one of the biggest players for wood keyboard cases in this community. I can personally vouch for their pretty phenomenal work. I imagine they'd would be a great resource to talk to.

If you're looking for someone that can do CAD, I'm happy to help out with that (CAD is my day job to support the keyboard hobby). Given a layout, I can help you get a plate design and help with what you're looking for in the rest of the case, just let me know!

[Luciqueii]

This is exciting.

Will be more exciting if I can make it, but what size of kb case do most people want on the market?
60% you can find it everywhere I was thinking about 75% or 65%.
Let me know what you want and what others might be interested in.

Thanks for tuning, much love! <3

[Luciqueii]

Woodkeys (https://woodkeys.click/) is one of the biggest players for wood keyboard cases in this community. I can personally vouch for their pretty phenomenal work. I imagine they'd would be a great resource to talk to.

If you're looking for someone that can do CAD, I'm happy to help out with that (CAD is my day job to support the keyboard hobby). Given a layout, I can help you get a plate design and help with what you're looking for in the rest of the case, just let me know!

Hello MatchstickMan,

Thanks for joining in here in the thread, I really would love to get help from you. The idea about asking woodkeys doesn't so bad maybe worth to give it a try.

So the design wise I wanted to go with the simple and clean look,

cases like those 2...

1 https://rama.works/m65a/


2 https://kbdfans.cn/collections/60-layout-case/products/kbdfans-tofu-60-aluminum-case?variant=13425375150138

I wanna make a 65% or 75% size because the most common sizes are 60% and I also think people love to have arrow keys and the extra buttons on the side...etc

Btw do you have a discord or anything there we can communicate faster, let me know

Cheers,

-FLawLesS

[Sshimosawa]

This is exciting.

Will be more exciting if I can make it, but what size of kb case do most people want on the market?
60% you can find it everywhere I was thinking about 75% or 65%.
Let me know what you want and what others might be interested in.

Thanks for tuning, much love! <3

Anything other than a 60% would be welcome. I personally vote TKL if you could figure out how....

[suicidal_orange]

I agree with avoiding 60% even though it's the most popular DIY size, great for a portable board but I don't see people throwing a nice wooden board in their bag and home desks surely have room for something a little bigger.

When I think wood I think of pretty organic curves not perfect rectangles.  It would mean designing a PCB but a layout something like this to allow some creativity in the corners might be good?

[Luciqueii]

Anything other than a 60% would be welcome. I personally vote TKL if you could figure out how....

Hey,

I see well I love TKL and 75% myself so If I can why not.... this the layout I had in my head what do you think would you go with it even if I maybe could not make TKL?

https://imgur.com/a/0eL6lgR

Thanks!

[Luciqueii]

I agree with avoiding 60% even though it's the most popular DIY size, great for a portable board but I don't see people throwing a nice wooden board in their bag and home desks surely have room for something a little bigger.

When I think wood I think of pretty organic curves not perfect rectangles.  It would mean designing a PCB but a layout something like this to allow some creativity in the corners might be good?

(Attachment Link)

Hello mate,

Thanks so much for your tips I have already taking a note of it in my book, so when you say you want smooth edges do you want the wood to be polished nicely so you can get a nice hold on the edges?
Your layout and mine are pretty similar but you have added some space so we can work on the round edges I guess?
So what are your thought about mine layout if we added more thickness around and made it round... otherwise your seems flawless as well.


https://imgur.com/a/0eL6lgR

Cheers,

-FLawLesS

[Luciqueii]

Once you decide key layout, put them on your PCB designing program. Export your PCB design into 3D data such as STEP file.
Most 3D CAD program can import STEP format.
Once you have the 3D model of your PCB in your CAD, you can refer the out line and hole positions of the model to design your keyboard case.

I'm using KiCAD to design keyboard PCB and to generate STEP file. If you have direct STEP export function by version 5, just export as STEP file.
If not, export PCB into IDFv3 file and then convert it into STEP by FreeCAD.
If you use other software, please refer its manual.

Hello mate,

Thanks for taking your time and writing to me.
I will start as you say seems pretty clever. First I will find what layout and PCB I need then start

Have a great day!

-FLawLesS

[suicidal_orange]

Your layout looks very ... normal?  When I was saying organic and curvy I was thinking something like this (please excuse my paint 'skills' ))

[Luciqueii]

Your layout looks very ... normal?  When I was saying organic and curvy I was thinking something like this (please excuse my paint 'skills' ))

(Attachment Link)

Ok... so you want round looking case all around... hmm interesting...  like this?

https://imgur.com/a/j2kSFxK

But then I have to make a custom plate for that key layout that you made or is there any 75% plates out there that support that layout? For example, does the xd84 plate support your layout?

No problem you have awesome painting skills

Cheers,

-FLawLesS