Qtan Rocks: A Photo Essay -also- Help me fix this!

[metalliqaz]

Wow, that title sounds contradictory but it isn't.  Read on...

I really liked this case when I saw it here.  (I suspect sth owns that example now)  Like most of the goodies I see on geekhack, I figured I wouldn't be able to get my hands on one.  I googled it anyway and quickly found it listed on Taobao.  Still didn't think it would be in stock but I asked qtan anyway.

qtan is really responsive...and a man of few words.  He simply sent the price to me and I counted myself lucky and decided to splurge.

First of all, once he received it, it was in my hands 3 days later.  3 days China to USA.  Color me impressed!  That's faster than I usually wait for domestic packages.  I ordered something from UK weeks before I even contacted qtan and it still hasn't arrived.  In addition, based on the fragility of the package he took it upon himself to give it extra packing at no extra charge.  Check it out!

Nicely sealed. No idea what that says.


Bubble wrapped and taped.


Boxed and taped.


Packed tightly with foam padding.  No room to move.


Wrapped in soft foam.


Ta-Da!


That packing job was straight-up perfect.  Consider this my endorsement.  I will definitely be working with qtan again.

Now, on to the sad part.  The case was damaged.   


The flash makes it look worse than it actually is.  I think it is the exact same damage that tsangan had on his.

The way I figure it, there are three possibilities:
1) Seller was selling damaged gear or factory seconds.
2) Damaged between Taobao and qtan.
3) Damaged between qtan and me.

Based on the above photos, I very much doubt it was #3.  It very well may be #1 and I would never have known because I can't read the Taobao page.

Regardless of how it happened, I need help!  I don't really care about the looks so much, but I really need to smooth it out.  I need advice.  How should I smooth it out?  Hammering?  Grinding?  Should I keep my big, dumb hands off it?  I really hope someone who has experience working with metal can speak up.

Finally, some thoughts on this case.

• I love the plain, flat look.  So cool.  It has that look like it should be a built-in keyboard on the control panel in some missle silo.  Way better than those hugely expensive Alu cases on ebay.
• It is COLD.
• This thing is not aluminum, it's steel.  I think I definitely over paid for it.  Especially considering it may already have been damaged.  Live and learn. 
• I need some custom caps for my Realforce now.  I think black would look best but I can't get blanks and I would have to get an entire new keyboard.  What color should I get?  I don't like pink but I have to admit that I think "cherry blossom" would look best.  Definitely not yellow, it's been done.

[sth]

welcome to the f'realforce club do lime green!

i cant tell from your picture -- is the corner bent or chipped? if it is bent you can take a file to it very softly then use a sharpie or something to darken the metal. i didn't file mine but it had similar 'love marks' that i sharpied in and can hardly notice now.

[metalliqaz]

It was obviously dropped on the corner.  It was flattened a little bit, not chipped.  It has a big burr there on the top 'edge'.  My cell phone is inadequate to capture it.

[sth]

yeah that sounds just like mine/tsangans.

i remember now that i took a knife or something and used the flat edge to sort of press the corner back into place before i hit it with the sharpie. that might help restore the shape a bit better than simply filing but a file will help clean up the edge once you get it as close to flat as you can.

[rowdy]

Just guessing, but if it is a nick (dent, bit missing, whatever) maybe a small blob of solder to fill it out, then carefully file it smooth and colour it black.

[metalliqaz]

yeah that sounds just like mine/tsangans.

i remember now that i took a knife or something and used the flat edge to sort of press the corner back into place before i hit it with the sharpie. that might help restore the shape a bit better than simply filing but a file will help clean up the edge once you get it as close to flat as you can.

That was my first instinct.  Glad someone has tried it already.  Thanks!

The nice thing about black is that pretty much any color will go with it.  I think my top choice is that bright orange but I already have a Round3/Orange on the way.  Lime green is also a top choice.

[sth]

if you are correct in assuming that it is steel and not aluminum it should be that much easier to 'bend' it back into place. good luck, can't wait to see it with keys.

might have to get mine powder coated now that i'm not the only cool kid on the block...

[metalliqaz]

With those new shipments of KMAC minis, I have a feeling I've already been demoted to short-bus chess champion.

[MMB]

Qtan is a solid dude. He will take care of you, I am sure.

[tsangan]

Mine was damaged from seller to the middleman, which I am pretty sure what happened here also. With the way Qtan packed it up I dont think it could have gotten damaged.

Sadly for a soft metal like alu and a pretty thin sheet at that it is hard to transport it without damage

[metalliqaz]

By the way... Here is something I haven't seen on GH...



Official Filco.  Anyone have one of those?

Edit: Photo credit: Feng

[metalliqaz]

Qtan is a solid dude. He will take care of you, I am sure.

You think I should try an return it?  I dunno.  99% sure the guy is sold out now.

[tsangan]

Not sure how returns would work tbh honest and you definitely lose out on money from shipping and Qtan's fee so I don't think its worth it.

As for the metallic Filco Feng has one which is where your pic is from.

[metalliqaz]

Not sure how returns would work tbh honest and you definitely lose out on money from shipping and Qtan's fee so I don't think its worth it.

Yeah, I really don't want to do that.  It's not even that bad, anyway.

As for the metallic Filco Feng has one which is where your pic is from.

Hah! not surprised that came from here.

[AKIMbO]

That case is smexy...I'm jealous.  It looks anodized so I wouldn't grind it.  See if you can put a wood block flush on the outside of the case where its bent and hammer the dent out (hammering from the inside of the case) with a deadblow hammer first, then try a metal hammer if the deadblow hammer doesn't work.

[rowdy]

Personally I would find the non-removable wrist rest a bit frustrating.

But it is a very nice case

[sth]

thats like... the entire point of the case >_<

[rowdy]

That is just me tho - the first thing I do is remove any wrist rest I happen to get.

Thus I would not want this case ... but I can appreciate its aesthetic qualities

[metalliqaz]

I'm really looking forward to it.  I've been wanting to increase my typing speed and one of the things I'll have to do is reduce fatigue.  Bringing the hands up means you don't have to pull back on your fingers as much and you can get more leverage.  I like that this board seems to sink the keys into the table, instead of propping up your arms.

[MissMurd3r84]

First of all, once he received it, it was in my hands 3 days later.  3 days China to USA. 

I hate you at the moment, I ordered something on the 17th from China, a keypuller, and am still waiting on the 11th.

Hope you work out a fix for the damage.

[rowdy]

I hate you at the moment, I ordered something on the 17th from China, a keypuller, and am still waiting on the 11th.

Hope you work out a fix for the damage.

PCCG and AusPC both sell key pullers.

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=113_1421&products_id=21178
http://www.auspcmarket.com.au/daskeyboard-keypuller-tool-for-removing-keycaps-from-clicky-keyboards/

[jeroplane]

I hate you at the moment, I ordered something on the 17th from China, a keypuller, and am still waiting on the 11th.

Hope you work out a fix for the damage.

PCCG and AusPC both sell key pullers.

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=113_1421&products_id=21178
http://www.auspcmarket.com.au/daskeyboard-keypuller-tool-for-removing-keycaps-from-clicky-keyboards/

But $15! WASD has them for $9 or $6.50 shipped to Australia. I'm guessing eBaying them from China/HK would be even cheaper than that.

[MissMurd3r84]

I hate you at the moment, I ordered something on the 17th from China, a keypuller, and am still waiting on the 11th.

Hope you work out a fix for the damage.

PCCG and AusPC both sell key pullers.

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=113_1421&products_id=21178
http://www.auspcmarket.com.au/daskeyboard-keypuller-tool-for-removing-keycaps-from-clicky-keyboards/

$18 for a plastic one like the one I broke, well that is before you buy something else to get up to the $22 minimum spend they have... or $26 delivered for one like the one I already spent $9 on.. Hm, thanks but no thanks.

[TheProfosist]

So that case fits which boards exactly and may i ask how much you picked it up for as i do like that wrist rest.

[MissMurd3r84]

So that case fits which boards exactly and may i ask how much you picked it up for as i do like that wrist rest.

I suspect it is for a Topre keyboard, both people who bought the case on these forums have one.

[tsangan]

any of the RF tenkeyless will fit so such as RF 86/87/91

[rowdy]

@jeroplane @MissMurd3r84 http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_trksid=p3907.m570.l1313&_nkw=cherry+keyboard&_sacat=0&_from=R40

$2.49 with free postage 

[MissMurd3r84]

@jeroplane @MissMurd3r84 http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_trksid=p3907.m570.l1313&_nkw=cherry+keyboard&_sacat=0&_from=R40

$2.49 with free postage 

Estimated between Mon. 29 Oct. and Fri. 9 Nov <-- Delivery. I'd hope the one I already ordered shows up before that would. LOL.

[jeroplane]

@jeroplane @MissMurd3r84 http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_trksid=p3907.m570.l1313&_nkw=cherry+keyboard&_sacat=0&_from=R40

$2.49 with free postage 

Estimated between Mon. 29 Oct. and Fri. 9 Nov <-- Delivery. I'd hope the one I already ordered shows up before that would. LOL.

Haha, oh the woes of living down here. I actually still don't own a keypuller. I've been using one that I DIY'd out of large paperclips - works surprisingly well! But I'm definitely getting a proper one with my next WASD order which I'm expecting to do soon - at least they only take a week to arrive.

Also, sorry to metalliqaz for derailing your thread!

[SmallFry]

Nice case!

[tillertow]

Yeah...i wonder if it's available for ISO layouts

[MissMurd3r84]

The case is giant.. I couldn't imagine using it personally, but looks good.

[metalliqaz]

The case is giant.. I couldn't imagine using it personally, but looks good.

It's actually not that big.  If you follow the link in the OP to tsangan's thread, you can see it behind an IBM industrial SSK.  Very similar in size.

[TotalChaos]

0. Remove keyboard from case.
1. Turn on Gas Stove.
2. Place bent corner of steel case into fire.
3. Wait a bit for it to get hot.

Your steel is now soft and malleable.

4. Pound it into any shape you want with whatever hammer you want.

5. Wait for it to cool back down.

6. Profit

[MMB]

I am not sure a gas stove will be hot enough to melt steel.

[AKIMbO]

Umm...isn't the case annodized?  That will eff up the annodization no?

[metalliqaz]

Yes I would never put it in a stove.  I just live with the scar.