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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: mashby on Thu, 31 January 2013, 11:47:40

Title: Anatomy of a Key Cap
Post by: mashby on Thu, 31 January 2013, 11:47:40: Since I'm a newb, that means wrapping my head around all the massive discussion that is GH and organizing my thoughts. The Key Caps entry (http://wiki.geekhack.org/index.php?title=Key_Caps) in the GH wiki is currently empty and as I go down this rabbit hole, I'd like to parlay this into a proper entry. To do that I need your help. :D

Below is a breakdown of factors that go into choosing a key cap. Please correct and help me fill in the gaps as you see them. My hope is that once we reach a consensus of information, we can turn this into a wiki entry/entries.

Anatomy of a Key Cap
Material
- ABS
- PBT
- Polycarbonate
- POM
- PVC

Family
- Cherry
- Cylindrical
- Standard

- Signature Plastics
- DSA
- DCS
- LP
- KT
- SA
- SS

- OEM

Profile
   - Curved Backplane
   - Contoured
   - Staircase
   - Flat
   - Chiclet

Inscription
   - Blank (aka Otaku)
   - Double shot injection molding
   - Dye sublimation
   - Laser engraved
   - Laser etched
   - Pad printing
   - UV printing

Legend (Position)
   - Centered
   - Off-set

Legend (Font)
   - Cherry
   - Signature Plastics WYSE

Color
   - Signature Plastics Color Wheel
   - ?


I'm sure I'm missing a ton of information, so please don't hesitate to correct and/or add.
Title: Re: Anatomy of a Key Cap
Post by: alaricljs on Thu, 31 January 2013, 11:51:45: Inscription (aka Legend) - infill, consists of engraving and then filling with paint/plastic
Title: Re: Anatomy of a Key Cap
Post by: mashby on Thu, 31 January 2013, 12:01:55: Quote from: alaricljs on Thu, 31 January 2013, 11:51:45
Inscription (aka Legend) - infill, consists of engraving and then filling with paint/plastic

Totally forgot that. Thank you!

Yeah, as you no doubt noted, I've broken out Legend into Inscription and Position for the purposes of this list.

Thanks again!
Title: Re: Anatomy of a Key Cap
Post by: alaricljs on Thu, 31 January 2013, 12:26:46: And here I thought position was in regard to stem. You might want to put Legend image and legend location?
Title: Re: Anatomy of a Key Cap
Post by: asura on Thu, 31 January 2013, 12:46:14: Cherry do two profiles - standard and cylindrical. Cylindrical is our standard...
Title: Re: Anatomy of a Key Cap
Post by: alaricljs on Thu, 31 January 2013, 13:10:56: Got a physical description for 'standard Cherry' profile ?
Title: Re: Anatomy of a Key Cap
Post by: asura on Thu, 31 January 2013, 13:37:15: "Cylindrical Type (7mm)"
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a258/supermanic/Keyboards/mx_keydim_cyl.gif)

"Standard Type (8mm)"
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a258/supermanic/Keyboards/mx_keydim_stand.gif)

Or have I missed something obvious?
Title: Re: Anatomy of a Key Cap
Post by: alaricljs on Thu, 31 January 2013, 13:41:51: Oh, so flat profile :) I've seen those pictures so many times I forget what's in them. I'm scrolling past it for the part numbers.
Title: Re: Anatomy of a Key Cap
Post by: Acetrak on Thu, 31 January 2013, 14:29:39: Scoops nipples and dashes for f and j keys?
Title: Re: Anatomy of a Key Cap
Post by: SmallFry on Thu, 31 January 2013, 14:42:01: ^ and the 5 key on the number pad/
Title: Re: Anatomy of a Key Cap
Post by: SmallFry on Thu, 31 January 2013, 14:42:49: Also, by the way Mashby, very nice list. I'm glad we got you onto the wiki crew. :)
Title: Re: Anatomy of a Key Cap
Post by: Lu_e on Thu, 31 January 2013, 15:34:36: kinda a grey area that i've touched on before.. but thicknesses?

The sidewalls are obvious but for accuracy (on the more common/prevalent caps) that may require someone to actually cut keycaps in half to get a true measurement on the 'face' thickness (where the legend goes), on these "thick" china pbt caps... etc
Title: Re: Anatomy of a Key Cap
Post by: mashby on Thu, 31 January 2013, 16:59:41: Quote from: Lu_e on Thu, 31 January 2013, 15:34:36
kinda a grey area that i've touched on before.. but thicknesses?

The sidewalls are obvious but for accuracy (on the more common/prevalent caps) that may require someone to actually cut keycaps in half to get a true measurement on the 'face' thickness (where the legend goes), on these "thick" china pbt caps... etc

That crossed my mind too. It's just going to take someone smarter than me to figure out how to quantify it, but I'd love to have it in the list.
Title: Re: Anatomy of a Key Cap
Post by: asura on Thu, 31 January 2013, 17:24:11: No need to cut, a suitable pair of callipers will give you the measurement in a non destructive fashion.
Title: Re: Anatomy of a Key Cap
Post by: Lu_e on Thu, 31 January 2013, 17:25:44: Thickness... of where the legend is printed? No.
Title: Re: Anatomy of a Key Cap
Post by: asura on Thu, 31 January 2013, 17:49:27: The thickness of where the legend is printed. Yes.

enter into search engine of choice "external dial caliper"
Title: Re: Anatomy of a Key Cap
Post by: Lu_e on Fri, 01 February 2013, 13:54:14: Calipers? oh wait.. some funny jaw shaped ones? Well **** didnt think of that til now... i'm no machinist but wouldn't a micrometer be better up to the task?
Title: Re: Anatomy of a Key Cap
Post by: MKULTRA on Fri, 01 February 2013, 16:28:00: Why do you call the SP font Signature Plastics WYSE. Shouldn't it just be SP since they use it on all of their keycaps...
Title: Re: Anatomy of a Key Cap
Post by: mashby on Fri, 01 February 2013, 17:41:17: Quote from: MKULTRA on Fri, 01 February 2013, 16:28:00
Why do you call the SP font Signature Plastics WYSE. Shouldn't it just be SP since they use it on all of their keycaps...

It's my understanding that it's SP's version of the WYSE font. If that's wrong, then let's change it.
Title: Re: Anatomy of a Key Cap
Post by: asura on Sat, 02 February 2013, 17:06:39: A lot of micrometers have (relative to the inside of keycaps) large-ish heads, whereas callipers tend to come to points, making it much easier to get a measurement - and also, much cheaper if you don't already own anything similar.