[IC] CNC Aluminum Case for Topre RealForce TKL keyboards

[norbauer]

At last, the time has come.









Interested?
Please make your voice count in this survey to make sure it happens.



Background info

Proceeding from many lessons, tweaks, and improvements learned from my two rounds of Novatouch cases, I decided it was time to tackle something more ambitious: the beast that is the Realforce TKL keyboard (perhaps my personal favorite all-time board, keycaps notwithstanding).

I have arrived at a core case design that I think will work and I'm currently getting prototypes made in various materials and experimenting with some other cool features.

Material

The main innovation I'm currently working on is that I want to try to make the case available in...STONE. Or, more precisely, a ceramic composite that is made to feel like stone but that has superior technical properties: namely, Dupont Corian (or similar). It's a non-porous material that is used in laboratory countertops, store displays, architectural features, and high-end artistic furniture. It is rarely used in consumer products, but with some care, the material is machinable. It is remarkably heavy and feels cool to the touch, similar to natural stone, but not nearly as brittle. Also unlike natural stone, it is impervious to staining due to its lack of porosity.

It comes in all kinds of faux-marble patterns, but am mostly interested in white and black. Though it's hard to find examples of Corian used outside of architectural applications, here are a couple examples of consumer products made in Corian.







If Corian doesn't work out, there is always good old anodized aluminum, in various colors. 

Case features:

• No side seam line (there is a hidden plate at back)
• Magsafe-style cable on the outside (with USB type A on the other end). For those who prefer a regular cable, the magsafe head can be pulled out and a USB-C cable used.
• The kit includes a custom internal cable and sub-PCB to replace the stock Topre cable that goes inside the case.
• Internal surge and line noise protection on the sub-PCB.
• Can be used flat (0 degree angle) or with (included) risers

PCB overhang

A quirky feature of RealForce keyboards is the wonky keyboard overhang at the top. I've contemplated various ways of perhaps using that dead space to a decorative end. If we do end up going with decorative plates, I'm thinking of making them magnetically interchangeable.

Brushed metal


Wood


We could maybe even add grooves for writing instruments


Quilted leather (sorry for the crappy rendering, the real thing would look a lot nicer and not have those vertical lines) Sort of like something you'd see on the interior of an old Bentley or something.


Pricing: honestly, I have no idea since this case's overall profile is significantly larger than the Novatouch, and if we end up using Corian, it's a rather expensive material. But let's assume, depending on finish and material, that we have at least one option around $250, with some upgrade options offered.

Update
Here is my prototype in aluminum, which is an alternate backup material if Corian doesn't work out















Next steps

As I mentioned, it's currently in prototyping to verify the fit of the plate, etc. And I'm doing some experiments to see about the viability of Corian for this geometry and purpose.

If you're interested and haven't already, please join my email list for announcements whenever something is actually available as a group buy.

And, of course, thoughts, feedback, questions, and tomato-throwing are all welcome below.

[scwoopz]

Looks great. I love the pencil grooves, though the leather isn't my thing.

I really hoped that this was an HHKB case, how long till that one 😥 (I know you don't love 60%s)?

[norbauer]

I really hoped that this was an HHKB case, how long till that one 😥 (I know you don't love 60%s)?

I have never actually even used an HHKB base, but my understanding is that there are significant design challenges—based on prior attempts I've read about. If I were to do a sub-TKL case, it would be more likely the Leopold FC660C, but again I would feel like a bit of a charlatan doing so, since it's not a keyboard I personally use. (Even though I try to do everything to a professional standard, this is still just a hobby for me, so I tend to let my passions lead me to projects.) That being said, I've been meaning to give the Leopold a try, so perhaps I'll come around on that one.

[xondat]

Looks far too complicated for my taste, but if there is anyone that could be tackling new cases for existing boards then you have the résumé.

[megaforce]

Would love a white powder-painted one with just a plain top overhang for this!

[DALExSNAIL]

Put my vote in, and I'm down to try one for sure.

My suggestion for the top portion of the case was either blank, or possible a brass insert similar to a weight like in MX customs. An engraving on a brass weight with a logo or something similar would make it an instant buy for me.

[cynviloq]

YEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS

Is a corian insert possible on a corian case?

[zslane]

If Corian does work out, would it be a suitable material for making a replacement case for the RealForce RGB in the future?

The Revo Peach project suggests that CNC aluminum is suitable for full-size boards like the RealForce RGB, but if you'd prefer to work with Corian, then I'd certainly be game.

[norbauer]

Put my vote in, and I'm down to try one for sure.

My suggestion for the top portion of the case was either blank, or possible a brass insert similar to a weight like in MX customs. An engraving on a brass weight with a logo or something similar would make it an instant buy for me.

Interesting. Brass is really expensive to machine (and the raw material itself), but I'll investigate.

Blank is still a leading contender.

[norbauer]

If Corian does work out, would it be a suitable material for making a replacement case for the RealForce RGB in the future?

The Revo Peach project suggests that CNC aluminum is suitable for full-size boards like the RealForce RGB, but if you'd prefer to work with Corian, then I'd certainly be game.

My main concern about Corian, which is what I'm currently wanting to prototype and test, is that across the long thin stretch where the keycap openings are, it may prove susceptible to breaking. It is quite a strong and resilient material (it has properties similar to both metal and stone from a functional perspective), but I just want to be sure. It seems that on a 100% case, the risk would be higher of that being an issue, but only some testing will confirm this. If it looks like enough people are interested in Corian, I'll definitely be getting prototypes made. If not, aluminum is always there for us.

[norbauer]

Is a corian insert possible on a corian case?

Yes, absolutely. It can actually be fused in an almost seamless way. For example, a white Corian case with a light gray insert in Corian might be cool!

[autobot]

Very interesting concept norbauer!

When you said Corian, I envisioned something a little more soft and pillow-like, almost like the picture of that black product.

I think something like that product would reflect more of Topre, which has a "softer" feel and sound. Almost cloud-like when compared to the stock non-silenced MX switches.

The tabs of the bottom plate also seem a little disconnected from the sophistication of your last case. I get why the tabs are there, but that detail can benefit from a more sophisticated execution. 

As for filling in that space on the top, maybe a machined "Norbauer" badge/logo?

[Panzerhawx]

Hey Norbauer!

First of all, great work. Been onboard with your cases since R1 Novatouch. Any chance of a version with Winkey blockers? Similar to the RF 10th AE edition.

Pic for reference: http://imgur.com/pNBsChm

It would really complete the custom look.

[norbauer]

Thanks for the thoughtful feedback!

When you said Corian, I envisioned something a little more soft and pillow-like, almost like the picture of that black product.

I think something like that product would reflect more of Topre, which has a "softer" feel and sound. Almost cloud-like when compared to the stock non-silenced MX switches.

Maybe it's hard to tell in the renderings, but I intentionally designed this case with softer lines and lot more radii to reflect the exact sort of idea you're alluding to.

The tabs of the bottom plate also seem a little disconnected from the sophistication of your last case. I get why the tabs are there, but that detail can benefit from a more sophisticated execution. 

That was an intentional trade-off. I wanted to hide the utilitarian bits on the underside of the case where nobody will see them. It comes at the slight cost of the tabs at the bottom, but it buys us a seam-free case from the front, which in my view is much preferable.

As for filling in that space on the top, maybe a machined "Norbauer" badge/logo?

I'd be open to that, but I hadn't considered it it seemed to me me maybe a little vain to put my little emblem (borrowed from an old software company that I founded years ago) in such a prominent place. But if people are in favor of it (someone suggested similar above), I'm quite content to do so.

[norbauer]

Hey Norbauer!

First of all, great work. Been onboard with your cases since R1 Novatouch. Any chance of a version with Winkey blockers? Similar to the RF 10th AE edition.

Pic for reference: http://imgur.com/pNBsChm

It would really complete the custom look.

Interesting. Maybe we could do two versions, since it's a very minor change to the geometry. Solid would be nicer than inserts, I feel.

Forgive my ignorance, but what's the idea with winkey blockers? Is it that some countries don't use winkeys?

[nsmechkb]

Awesome!  The possibility of using Corian is very interesting.  Just trying to decide if I'd prefer it in white or black.

[ntw]

looking good

[Panzerhawx]

Hey Norbauer!

First of all, great work. Been onboard with your cases since R1 Novatouch. Any chance of a version with Winkey blockers? Similar to the RF 10th AE edition.

Pic for reference: http://imgur.com/pNBsChm

It would really complete the custom look.

Interesting. Maybe we could do two versions, since it's a very minor change to the geometry. Solid would be nicer than inserts, I feel.

Forgive my ignorance, but what's the idea with winkey blockers? Is it that some countries don't use winkeys?

I definitely agree, and that was what I was implying - in the vein of the insert blockers of the 10th AE case, but as solid extrusions that are part of the top case.

The idea with winkey blockers is not because of a regional difference. It is an aesthetic choice carried from vintage boards - back in the day, a lot of keyboards did not feature Winkeys because operating systems simply did not use them. Here is a link about layouts for reference: https://www.keychatter.com/form-factors-and-layouts/

Realforce boards carry the same "retro aesthetic" (with the exception of the RF RGB), and feature the same key spacings for a winkeyless design to be plausible, which is why I want to see this happen. I'm sure many others in this community (especially our retro-loving friends at Deskthority!) would love to see a winkeyless version of your case. In fact, the winkeyless design has been prominent recently, with almost every Korean custom board I've seen.

[norbauer]

Hey Norbauer!

First of all, great work. Been onboard with your cases since R1 Novatouch. Any chance of a version with Winkey blockers? Similar to the RF 10th AE edition.

Pic for reference: http://imgur.com/pNBsChm

It would really complete the custom look.

Interesting. Maybe we could do two versions, since it's a very minor change to the geometry. Solid would be nicer than inserts, I feel.

Forgive my ignorance, but what's the idea with winkey blockers? Is it that some countries don't use winkeys?

I definitely agree, and that was what I was implying - in the vein of the insert blockers of the 10th AE case, but as solid extrusions that are part of the top case.

The idea with winkey blockers is not because of a regional difference. It is an aesthetic choice carried from vintage boards - back in the day, a lot of keyboards did not feature Winkeys because operating systems simply did not use them. Here is a link about layouts for reference: https://www.keychatter.com/form-factors-and-layouts/

Realforce boards carry the same "retro aesthetic" (with the exception of the RF RGB), and feature the same key spacings for a winkeyless design to be plausible, which is why I want to see this happen. I'm sure many others in this community (especially our retro-loving friends at Deskthority!) would love to see a winkeyless version of your case. In fact, the winkeyless design has been prominent recently, with almost every Korean custom board I've seen.

Ah, ok. Cool. Thanks for clarifying! This will be an issue to explore once I'm further along with negotiating with a factory (i.e., asking them to do two variant designs), but I'll bear it in mind. If anybody else would like this option, please speak up so I have a sense of how interested folks would be.

[nmur]

have been jealously looking over at the novatouch case build/GB threads for a while now, very pleased to see that a case might be made for the RF, considering the digilog cases are so difficult to get a hold of

that being said, i'm still partial to having the case in aluminium, and without a decorative overhang

i also think that an engraving might be cool, but only if it was an actual RF logo

all the best with this one, will be following closely

[norbauer]

have been jealously looking over at the novatouch case build/GB threads for a while now, very pleased to see that a case might be made for the RF, considering the digilog cases are so difficult to get a hold of

that being said, i'm still partial to having the case in aluminium, and without a decorative overhang

i also think that an engraving might be cool, but only if it was an actual RF logo

all the best with this one, will be following closely

Might still do aluminum, or both. And, yes, it looks like the general consensus is to leave the PCB overhang blank, which I'm totally fine with because it makes my life easier.

[richard912]

have been jealously looking over at the novatouch case build/GB threads for a while now, very pleased to see that a case might be made for the RF, considering the digilog cases are so difficult to get a hold of

that being said, i'm still partial to having the case in aluminium, and without a decorative overhang

i also think that an engraving might be cool, but only if it was an actual RF logo

all the best with this one, will be following closely

Maybe a strip of alu in contrasting color for the pcb overhang area? No special effects, just a strip of alu. Better think about potential legal issues if an RF logo was used without consent.

Might still do aluminum, or both. And, yes, it looks like the general consensus is to leave the PCB overhang blank, which I'm totally fine with because it makes my life easier.

[FSund]

Looking good! I have a R1 black anodized case for my ISO Novatouch, so a custom case for the Topre seems appropriate!

Please, pretty please, try to make this compatible with the 88UB as well as the 87U.
I would think that the PCB and everything else is the same between those two boards, but I haven't seen any real comparisons.

Corian looks very interesting!
I wouldn't mind a white Corian case, depending on the price of course.
Will the Corian come in a polished finish?

[DALExSNAIL]

Put my vote in, and I'm down to try one for sure.

My suggestion for the top portion of the case was either blank, or possible a brass insert similar to a weight like in MX customs. An engraving on a brass weight with a logo or something similar would make it an instant buy for me.

Interesting. Brass is really expensive to machine (and the raw material itself), but I'll investigate.

Blank is still a leading contender.

If it's not a possibility that's understandable, I just really like the look and feel of a big brass weight haha.

Any plans on a logo engrave where the realforce logo would normally be? Not sure how others would like it, but I think it would look pretty good.

[fine_italian_leather]

Not in love with the top, feels like some of the boards identify is lost. A blank top with a small engraving or interchangeable badges would be more appealing for me.

[afrokobe]

what relatively would the weight difference be between corian and aluminium? 

[dgneo]

Definitely interested, as long as the typing angle remains the same.

FWIW my preference is feet that run the length of the case vs a couple risers for the back.

[poolside]

Reading the description, the underside of the case would remain exposed, right?
Can we see the inside shape of the case without that "hidden" gray plate shown in the CAD renders? I can't see where it attaches to the case.

[norbauer]

Please, pretty please, try to make this compatible with the 88UB as well as the 87U.

I'm almost certain it would be compatible. As we get further along, I'll be able to confirm for sure, however.

[norbauer]

Reading the description, the underside of the case would remain exposed, right?
Can we see the inside shape of the case without that "hidden" gray plate shown in the CAD renders? I can't see where it attaches to the case.

My apologies, but I don't understand your question. Maybe we've got our wires crossed on terminology. So, the the thing that comes out of the original Realforce keyboard I'm calling the plate (which also incidentally has a PCB attached to it). The Corian/aluminum thing we're putting it into, we'll call the case. The there is another "plate" (which is to say a contoured piece of sheet metal) which we can call the back cover; it attached to the underside of the case with little tabs and chamfered screws that hold it down into a recessed groove at the bottom of the case. So, no, the underside of the case isn't exposed except for that back cover; it faces down toward the table but you'll never it when the keyboard is resting on a table. Is that what you mean by the plate being "hidden?" Sorry for my confusion. Please clarify.

[norbauer]

Definitely interested, as long as the typing angle remains the same.

With the risers attached, it is roughly the same as the 87U case without its own flip-out feet deployed.

[norbauer]

Not in love with the top, feels like some of the boards identify is lost. A blank top with a small engraving or interchangeable badges would be more appealing for me.

When you say the "top," do you mean my design in general or just the PCB overhang area?

[DribbelDog]

Very interested in this project. Still using my R1 "Warm Gray" Novatouch every day with great joy. My favorite keyboard of all time however is the 87U, so this would be a great way to solidify its place on top of my list

Personally I quite like the quilted leather option, as I feel it amplifies the idea of a 'professional office' keyboard, which I feel suits the 87U best.

I find it somewhat difficult to envision the case in Corian. It definitely sounds interesting and I can't say I oppose it, but black/white does sound slightly dull to me. If this were to be an option I would probably prefer a more 'marble style' look.

[dgneo]

Definitely interested, as long as the typing angle remains the same.

With the risers attached, it is roughly the same as the 87U case without its own flip-out feet deployed.

Excellent, color me interested

[norbauer]

Better think about potential legal issues if an RF logo was used without consent.

Might still do aluminum, or both. And, yes, it looks like the general consensus is to leave the PCB overhang blank, which I'm totally fine with because it makes my life easier.

Agreed about the legal issues, so I won't be doing that. If we end up doing Corian, maybe I could do my own little cast metal logo in silver that we inset into a small pocket at the center of the PCB overhang area.

[norbauer]

what relatively would the weight difference be between corian and aluminium?

Hey afrokobe!

Density of Corian is 1.7g/mL and Aluminum is 2.7g/mL

[norbauer]

FWIW my preference is feet that run the length of the case vs a couple risers for the back.

I don't know if you noticed above, but my design does precisely that. This is one of the improvements I wanted to make over the last cases I designed. I feels more intentional and sleek to me, though obviously much more expensive to fabricate.

[dgneo]

FWIW my preference is feet that run the length of the case vs a couple risers for the back.

I don't know if you noticed above, but my design does precisely that.

oh wow I don't know how I missed that one, doubly interested now

[norbauer]

FWIW my preference is feet that run the length of the case vs a couple risers for the back.

I don't know if you noticed above, but my design does precisely that.

oh wow I don't know how I missed that one, doubly interested now

No worries. It's kind of subtle. But this pic shows it best.

[DribbelDog]

Better think about potential legal issues if an RF logo was used without consent.

Might still do aluminum, or both. And, yes, it looks like the general consensus is to leave the PCB overhang blank, which I'm totally fine with because it makes my life easier.

Agreed about the legal issues, so I won't be doing that. If we end up doing Corian, maybe I could do my own little cast metal logo in silver that we inset into a small pocket at the center of the PCB overhang area.

Even though that does sounds subtle, I would personally prefer no logos at all. On the Novatouch I really like how the keyboard now feels like something custom by not having any branding, instead of something off the shelf. While I respect you wanting to leave your mark, and while this would probably not be a deal breaker to me, I would prefer a case without branding.

[poolside]

Reading the description, the underside of the case would remain exposed, right?
Can we see the inside shape of the case without that "hidden" gray plate shown in the CAD renders? I can't see where it attaches to the case.

My apologies, but I don't understand your question. Maybe we've got our wires crossed on terminology. So, the the thing that comes out of the original Realforce keyboard I'm calling the plate (which also incidentally has a PCB attached to it). The Corian/aluminum thing we're putting it into, we'll call the case. The there is another "plate" (which is to say a contoured piece of sheet metal) which we can call the back cover; it attached to the underside of the case with little tabs and chamfered screws that hold it down into a recessed groove at the bottom of the case. So, no, the underside of the case isn't exposed except for that back cover; it faces down toward the table but you'll never it when the keyboard is resting on a table. Is that what you mean by the plate being "hidden?" Sorry for my confusion. Please clarify.

Yes, that's what I meant. Thanks for clarifying.
When screwed into position, will that back cover be flush with the underside of the case? I mean, the case and the back cover will then be one smooth surface?

[norbauer]

While I respect you wanting to leave your mark, and while this would probably not be a deal breaker to me, I would prefer a case without branding.

I actually prefer not to leave my mark. There are exceptions to this were branding can add some beautiful ornamentation to products (the snow caps on Mont Blanc products, for example), but generally speaking I don't like branding for its own sake unless it add something aesthetically to the product. I was mainly responding to requests by others above, but generally speaking I tend to have a strong anti-branding bias and prefer to let the product speak for itself.

[norbauer]

Reading the description, the underside of the case would remain exposed, right?
Can we see the inside shape of the case without that "hidden" gray plate shown in the CAD renders? I can't see where it attaches to the case.

My apologies, but I don't understand your question. Maybe we've got our wires crossed on terminology. So, the the thing that comes out of the original Realforce keyboard I'm calling the plate (which also incidentally has a PCB attached to it). The Corian/aluminum thing we're putting it into, we'll call the case. The there is another "plate" (which is to say a contoured piece of sheet metal) which we can call the back cover; it attached to the underside of the case with little tabs and chamfered screws that hold it down into a recessed groove at the bottom of the case. So, no, the underside of the case isn't exposed except for that back cover; it faces down toward the table but you'll never it when the keyboard is resting on a table. Is that what you mean by the plate being "hidden?" Sorry for my confusion. Please clarify.

Yes, that's what I meant. Thanks for clarifying.
When screwed into position, will that back cover be flush with the underside of the case? I mean, the case and the back cover will then be one smooth surface?

You've got it. The back cover may be ever so slightly recessed (like 0.25mm or something) for a little technical safety margin, but effectively it will be flush.

[vulup]

This is great, thank you. I like it simple and would prefer the brushed metal version.

[axtran]

I'd love one in the Soviet-Era green. It would go so well with my red LEDs. Since the brink of nuclear war is on us, I might as well feel like the era that we've recessed to, right? /s

[clorex]

Please, pretty please, try to make this compatible with the 88UB as well as the 87U.

I'm almost certain it would be compatible. As we get further along, I'll be able to confirm for sure, however.

If it works for ISO, will it also be compatible with the TKL JIS 91u? From the thread title I'd assumed it was ANSI only.

[nya]

I really hoped that this was an HHKB case, how long till that one 😥 (I know you don't love 60%s)?

I have never actually even used an HHKB base, but my understanding is that there are significant design challenges—based on prior attempts I've read about. If I were to do a sub-TKL case, it would be more likely the Leopold FC660C, but again I would feel like a bit of a charlatan doing so, since it's not a keyboard I personally use. (Even though I try to do everything to a professional standard, this is still just a hobby for me, so I tend to let my passions lead me to projects.) That being said, I've been meaning to give the Leopold a try, so perhaps I'll come around on that one.

yes please!! 

[norbauer]

Please, pretty please, try to make this compatible with the 88UB as well as the 87U.

I'm almost certain it would be compatible. As we get further along, I'll be able to confirm for sure, however.

If it works for ISO, will it also be compatible with the TKL JIS 91u? From the thread title I'd assumed it was ANSI only.

I think it should fit the 91U as well. They all have the same overall key through-holes, as I understand it. The differences are only how the keys are arranged within those openings. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, however.

If anybody can post pics of those boards taken apart (i.e., the metal plates inside), I should be able to confirm with greater confidence. I have owned a 91U in the past, but I didn't keep the plate. I used it to dome-swap 30g onto my daily driver 87U.

[pixelpusher]

I already submitted my form.  Super excited to see this one happen.  Corian in any color (hopefully white) with wood might cause extra wood to appear... if you know what I mean 

[child]

Corian option seems very interesting and unique, but I'm a little concerned about durability, especially during shipping. I understand cleaning should not be a problem given the smooth surface?

Also, do I read it correctly that the weight of Corian case would be about 2/3 of aluminum one? Doesn't it make the Corian one a bit on the "light" side?