[IC] CF-XS/CF-LITE 40% Carbon Fiber Skeleton-Style Case

[hwood34]

FORM LINK

I guess it's that time again? This is a quick IC to see if anyone is interested in a 40% version of the CF-LX/CF-LXXX. There wasn't too terribly much interest in R2 of CF-LX, so before I make any renders or serious plans, I thought I'd put up a simple form to gauge interest first. The case will be in the same style as previous models, just in the 40% size. For reference, here are the links to the other GBs with pictures: CF-LX R2 | CF-LXXX (TKL)

Specs
~ 1.6cm matte carbon fiber
~ Frosted white/solid black acrylic midpiece
~ Switch-mount PCB
~ M3 screws/posts




If it get enough interest within a few days, I'll have some renders made for everyone to see.

[ChrisSwires]

I'm curious as to what you mean by 40% style? What's the precise layout or is that still to be decided? I've marked myself as interested either way.

I mean you said 40. I'd be lying if I said I weren't.

[UsualSuspectXXX]

Tentatively interested depending on price, timeline, and qmk support.

[MMKB]

Do you mean 40% not 45%?

[FrostyToast]

Please hwood. 40% would be XS not XL.
SMH.

[hwood34]

I'm curious as to what you mean by 40% style? What's the precise layout or is that still to be decided? I've marked myself as interested either way.

I mean you said 40. I'd be lying if I said I weren't.

Something like a JD40 layout (and honestly similar in case style lol)

Tentatively interested depending on price, timeline, and qmk support.

Since I'll likely be using the same person for manufacture, it should go pretty quickly. I'd give it around the same timeline as the last round of this I did. I'm finished with school the first week of May, so I'd aim to be shipping everything out then.

Do you mean 40% not 45%?

Yes

Please hwood. 40% would be XS not XL.
SMH.

Now that I think about it CF-LITE might be better..

[hwood34]

Obviously, I'm not active on the keyboard scene very much anymore, so if someone could give me some info on what 40%'s are like these days that would be great. I'm not sure what the most popular PCBs are, if I could get a list I could throw up a poll to determine what the case would be compatible with.

Also if anyone wants an Ergodox case I might run just one more buy after this.

[hwood34]

OK so, unlikely this happens lol.

[hwood34]

Well, enough responses that I could just do another run capped at 10 I guess.

[ruhe]

I see you mentioned ErgoDox a few days ago. That's got my attention. What's the price estimate for an ErgoDox case?

Stupid question time: would it be possible to make the middle layer compatible with the ErgoDox EZ tenting kit? If not, would it possible to make it tentable using bolts or something else?

[hwood34]

I see you mentioned ErgoDox a few days ago. That's got my attention. What's the price estimate for an ErgoDox case?

Stupid question time: would it be possible to make the middle layer compatible with the ErgoDox EZ tenting kit? If not, would it possible to make it tentable using bolts or something else?

Since it's around the same amount of material, I'd likely put it somewhere around $80-100? I'll shoot an email over and get a rough estimate back to you.

I never really kept up with ergo-boards ever so I'm not super certain what you're referring to. Do you have a link I could look at? And if not that, it wouldn't be hard to have holes cut into the bottom so you could mount something, yes (maybe even included with the package, not sure).

[ruhe]

I see you mentioned ErgoDox a few days ago. That's got my attention. What's the price estimate for an ErgoDox case?

Stupid question time: would it be possible to make the middle layer compatible with the ErgoDox EZ tenting kit? If not, would it possible to make it tentable using bolts or something else?

Since it's around the same amount of material, I'd likely put it somewhere around $80-100? I'll shoot an email over and get a rough estimate back to you.

I never really kept up with ergo-boards ever so I'm not super certain what you're referring to. Do you have a link I could look at? And if not that, it wouldn't be hard to have holes cut into the bottom so you could mount something, yes (maybe even included with the package, not sure).

This is the tent kit. I don't know enough to know if it's possible to do something like this with acrylic, but here's a compatible middle layer that someone did for the Iris keyboard, as an example. It seems he 3D-printed the layer though, so it might not work with acrylic.

As for the tent variant using bolts, I thought such a thing already existed for the ErgoDox, but I can't find such a thing now. This is the variant for the Iris, which shows what I had in mind. I probably confused the Iris with the ErgoDox in the first place.

[hwood34]

I see you mentioned ErgoDox a few days ago. That's got my attention. What's the price estimate for an ErgoDox case?

Stupid question time: would it be possible to make the middle layer compatible with the ErgoDox EZ tenting kit? If not, would it possible to make it tentable using bolts or something else?

Since it's around the same amount of material, I'd likely put it somewhere around $80-100? I'll shoot an email over and get a rough estimate back to you.

I never really kept up with ergo-boards ever so I'm not super certain what you're referring to. Do you have a link I could look at? And if not that, it wouldn't be hard to have holes cut into the bottom so you could mount something, yes (maybe even included with the package, not sure).

This is the tent kit. I don't know enough to know if it's possible to do something like this with acrylic, but here's a compatible middle layer that someone did for the Iris keyboard, as an example. It seems he 3D-printed the layer though, so it might not work with acrylic.

As for the tent variant using bolts, I thought such a thing already existed for the ErgoDox, but I can't find such a thing now. This is the variant for the Iris, which shows what I had in mind. I probably confused the Iris with the ErgoDox in the first place.

Ok that's pretty sweet actually. The only problem there is that we would have to thread the acrylic through the side which adds a layer of complexity. I'll look into something, but maybe some sort of latches that can swing out from the bottom? Doesn't really give the same effect, unfortunately.

[ruhe]

I see you mentioned ErgoDox a few days ago. That's got my attention. What's the price estimate for an ErgoDox case?

Stupid question time: would it be possible to make the middle layer compatible with the ErgoDox EZ tenting kit? If not, would it possible to make it tentable using bolts or something else?

Since it's around the same amount of material, I'd likely put it somewhere around $80-100? I'll shoot an email over and get a rough estimate back to you.

I never really kept up with ergo-boards ever so I'm not super certain what you're referring to. Do you have a link I could look at? And if not that, it wouldn't be hard to have holes cut into the bottom so you could mount something, yes (maybe even included with the package, not sure).

This is the tent kit. I don't know enough to know if it's possible to do something like this with acrylic, but here's a compatible middle layer that someone did for the Iris keyboard, as an example. It seems he 3D-printed the layer though, so it might not work with acrylic.

As for the tent variant using bolts, I thought such a thing already existed for the ErgoDox, but I can't find such a thing now. This is the variant for the Iris, which shows what I had in mind. I probably confused the Iris with the ErgoDox in the first place.

Ok that's pretty sweet actually. The only problem there is that we would have to thread the acrylic through the side which adds a layer of complexity. I'll look into something, but maybe some sort of latches that can swing out from the bottom? Doesn't really give the same effect, unfortunately.

Precise insets, such as those that were printed to hold the leg and the nut, might not be possible, but maybe a column-like inset would be good enough? The nut wouldn't be able to turn if it was surrounded by acrylic on both sides, and it looks like the legs have a bit of a rise that would extended out of an inset that they would sit in. That would just leave putting a simple unthreaded hole in the acrylic.

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Hopefully my horrible diagram illustrates what I mean.

[hwood34]

Precise insets, such as those that were printed to hold the leg and the nut, might not be possible, but maybe a column-like inset would be good enough? The nut wouldn't be able to turn if it was surrounded by acrylic on both sides, and it looks like the legs have a bit of a rise that would extended out of an inset that they would sit in. That would just leave putting a simple unthreaded hole in the acrylic.

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Hopefully my horrible diagram illustrates what I mean.

The only problem with that is that the screw in the EZ kits is pretty short, so you'd likely have to be buying your own longer ones that go all the way through the acrylic.

[peggisan]

Interested depending on the layout.

Would be more interested in another 60% or 65% tho

[babyphil]

40s are nice but I prefer the Minivan layout to the JD40.

[hwood34]

Interested depending on the layout.

Would be more interested in another 60% or 65% tho

I just don't think there's enough interest in another round of the 60%, unfortunately.

40s are nice but I prefer the Minivan layout to the JD40.

Yeah, I'll add a field to the Google form so people can add their preference.

[hwood34]

If you've already answered the form, just put down in the thread here what layout you'd like to see. Also, if anyone with 40% experience could PM me with PCB specs (dimensions, screw hole placement, etc.) I'd much appreciate it.

[hwood34]

Lot's more things coming very soon, stay tuned

[hwood34]

For anyone still interested, please move here