I picked up a Dell AT101W (Black) on Ebay last week, and it was delivered yesterday. I found out about these excellent keyboards by following a thread here on this site.
I had already decided to steampunk it before it arrived so it would match my custom cherry wood computer case. I decided to borrow ideas from a SteamPunk artist named Jake von Slatt. I purchased some recycled brass from the local recyclers and went to work.
It was actually pretty easy and quick. As you see it, three hours of work. I cut the parts out of a sheet of 1/4" for the sides, the front and back rails are from a double bullnosed piece of 7/8" x 3/4" thick stock. I cut it down the middle to have two rounded pieces with flats on top and bottom (and the square side toward the keyboard).
The parts were cut out with a bandsaw, and chop saw. I did the dado's (Grooves to hold the keytray) on my metal mill machine. A little time with a palm sander (320 grit), some 3M grey scotchbrite pades, car wax, and elbow grease resulted in the shiney peices you see (or soon will). The Keytray is lined with dark grey felt, it is pieced in as I didnt have a way to safely pull the keys and lay it under them. It is actually hard to tell it is pieced in.
The Dell "Clicky" was heavy before I started this, now it weighs a ton! I love typing on it, is is stable and solid on the desk. The keys have not faded or worn off at all, although it has been well used (the keys are very discolored but I have no intention of buffing them up. The discoloration goes well with the "steampunk look).
The von Slatt keyboards use antique keys as replacements for the modern plastic keys, but I type too alot of papers and worry about being comfortable with flat round keys so I kept the stock caps on there.
With no further adieu nor guilding of the lilly, I give you my steampunked Dell AT101W keyboard!
Update:
Here are some pictures of the PC this keyboard belongs to:
