geekhack
geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: Keyboard_Warrior364 on Tue, 20 October 2020, 13:42:16
-
Hello guys, I'd like to show you a project I've been working on with a couple of friends for quite a while now. Its a 60% keyboard with arrow keys, machined completely out of 6082 aluminium.
It's still not fully complete, It needs to get anodized, to a matt black and silver finish.
It features a 4.5mm thick integrated backplate and an industrial grade USB type-C port thats mounted on a separate pcb. Due to its unique shape it was quite a hassle to machine and it took some time.
We're very eager and a bit nervous to see your thoughts on the design and aesthetics.
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
[attachimg=3]
[attachimg=4]
-
I like the design, but that lip looks bothersome. I dont know how much of my hand would actually touch it, I don't type in a ergonomic way, but for people who type flatter than me might find it uncomfortable.
Thank plate is THINCC. Interested in a sound test.
-
Hello and thanks for the reply. Before actually milling the case we made a 3d printed model to test everything including ergonomy and based on it we did do a few changes like increasing the angle a bit.
As for the lip, I dont think we have an issue there, cause in real life the lip isnt that thick nor is it very high, so I dont see how people could use it as a handrest. I hope I understood you correctly. Perhaps after I post the fully assembled keyboard the proportions will be more visable. I'll make a sound test of it as well when its complete, though I have to disclose, dont expect some very fast WPM scores from me :D.
-
out of curiosity, do you have plans to run a GB or release the model so that we can make one for ourselves or even modify it to suit us better?
-
Thats a HEFTY chunck of metal there. You can provably make half a car off of that :p
Just jocking. I like the shape an the detail on the top left, are you planning to engrave something there?
I love the milling marks. I'm not sure if the ano would cover them though...
-
Thanks, it is relatively hefty, the case and backplate weigh around 1.6kg.
We arent sure if we want to engrave anything on the left side yet, I personally like it clean, without anything, though that might change.
We will see if the anodization covers the lines. These pieces were made without tools for holding the aluminium block properly since they're the first pieces. If we were to make tools for machining it properly it would have a smoother finish especially after anodizing. I think some lines will be visable with these pieces, but they still turned out great, considering they were done without proper holding tools.
-
Very thicc I like :)
-
Thanks, will post some pics after I get it from anodizing, probably tomorrow.
-
Hey guys here are some pics after the anodizing. Sorry for the poor image quality. Ill make a post when its fully assembled. What do you think?
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
[attachimg=3]
-
Whats the prize really want to get this
Sent from my SM-G985F using Tapatalk
-
We would have to calculate how much it would have to cost if we were to organize a small groupbuy. But I'm very glad that you'd be interested.
-
Stunning!
-
Here are a few pics of an assembled board. I ordered some nicer keycaps but they havent arrived yet, so I used what I had. Hope you guys like it.
[attachimg=2]
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=3]
-
out of curiosity, do you have plans to run a GB or release the model so that we can make one for ourselves or even modify it to suit us better?
Sorry I didnt answer before, mustve missed your messege. We would be interested in making a small production if anyone is interested.
-
Treeleaf does not like integrated plate :(
-
I'm aware that some people dont like integrated plates, its not for everyone. But we have managed to make it so it sounds nice, since our tolerances are very tight, there is no ringing or anything like that. It is stiff however cause its 4.5mm thick, but we were going for that.
-
out of curiosity, do you have plans to run a GB or release the model so that we can make one for ourselves or even modify it to suit us better?
Sorry I didnt answer before, mustve missed your messege. We would be interested in making a small production if anyone is interested.
i do like the design but i kinda want iso support and either way not sure it would fit in my budget at all, it is why the prospect of having the model to play with was in the question, either way, nice design and thank you for the answer, better late than never
-
Love the foliage and the feet on the bottom!
Is that cork?
-
thanks, yup its cork.
-
Yui, we didnt want to do multiple layout support since that could cause misaligned switches, and that would ruin the keyboard for us. As for how much it'd cost, we're still calculating.
-
Yui, we didnt want to do multiple layout support since that could cause misaligned switches, and that would ruin the keyboard for us. As for how much it'd cost, we're still calculating.
understandable, still a nice design, can only wish you the best going forward :)
-
So when is the gb?
No but honestly this looks very interesting I like the Look of the almost organic shapes and yet very angular design.
Must be expensive as all hell to make though
-
Honestly you're correct that its very expensive to make. The final machining cost was a bit of a surprise for us as well, which is why in the end we ended up making only a few keyboards for ourselves and a few friends. Cause if we wanted to sell it, we'd have to price it at over 500USD for sure. Sorry for the late reply btw
-
I am working on a similar project, can I ask who you used to do the machining and how much prototyping cost? Totally understand if you are not comfortable sharing that!
-
I really like the inset colored trim and the "bump" that (further) protects the cable from getting damaged. It's industrial but also rounded to it won't catch on anything. $500 is high, but not outragous especially for those curves.
A version with removeable plate would support more layouts and would probably cost less to manufacture. Could be worth looking into in the future but I understand if you think that would compromise the design too much (or you just don't want to run an open GB, from what I understand it's a lot of work).
-
I am working on a similar project, can I ask who you used to do the machining and how much prototyping cost? Totally understand if you are not comfortable sharing that!
A friend of mine milled the prototypes, the milling was about 400EU per board plus materials. The complete prototyping cost us around 2000EU. We did everything ourselves from the design, electronics prototyping and pcb assembly. We had one revision of the pcb as well. We milled a numpad ourselves on our own machine recently.
-
Here are a few more images of the boards for those interested.
On some early post I made a mistake by saying its an integrated plate even though it was visable from the pictures(since i wasnt too familiar witht the terminology), its actually a tray mount.
Making multiple backplates would probably be quite expensive. We didnt want to have one backplate with many layouts, cause that causes fitment problems with switches. Then you'll have an expensive board with misaligned switches and thats a problem that even the cheapest commercial keyboards dont have. It would drive me nuts