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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: phwog_ on Tue, 27 April 2021, 10:02:58

Title: would greatly appreciate some help with buying.
Post by: phwog_ on Tue, 27 April 2021, 10:02:58
yo!! I bought my first keyboard parts for my first custom build, but I will admit I miss the overall quality and material of older keyboards. it doesn't help that custom keyboard cases these days look like crap to me  ;D

so I wanna ask, does anyone know of any thick, sturdy plastic cases that are being manufactured for 60% keyboards?
Title: Re: would greatly appreciate some help with buying.
Post by: jamster on Tue, 27 April 2021, 10:24:18
Haven't really seen any feedback on this, but if you want old school and sturdy: https://www.pckeyboard.com/page/product/MINI_M
Title: Re: would greatly appreciate some help with buying.
Post by: phwog_ on Tue, 27 April 2021, 10:27:06
Haven't really seen any feedback on this, but if you want old school and sturdy: https://www.pckeyboard.com/page/product/MINI_M
thank you for the response. yes, I have seen this website, as well as I own a lot of keyboards like it. I was into "vintage" keyboards for a very long time before getting into customs. I was specifically asking for 60%, and 60%. thank you for the help though.
Title: Re: would greatly appreciate some help with buying.
Post by: Maledicted on Tue, 27 April 2021, 14:52:11
Does it have to be plastic? The sky's kind of the limit for 60% boards. You could get a nice dark walnut, if you really want something vintage.  ;D
Title: Re: would greatly appreciate some help with buying.
Post by: Leslieann on Tue, 27 April 2021, 18:22:43
For 60% just get a nice thick aluminum tub.
They're cheap enough to not worry about.

Otherwise, look into a 3d printer, you can make 60% tubs pretty cheap and easy on most printers.
Title: Re: would greatly appreciate some help with buying.
Post by: phwog_ on Mon, 03 May 2021, 09:30:36
For 60% just get a nice thick aluminum tub.
They're cheap enough to not worry about.

Otherwise, look into a 3d printer, you can make 60% tubs pretty cheap and easy on most printers.
thank you very much!! I do not like aluminum cases based on my experience but I will look into this
Does it have to be plastic? The sky's kind of the limit for 60% boards. You could get a nice dark walnut, if you really want something vintage.  ;D
thank you for the suggestion!! I LOVE the look, feel, and sound of thick plastic cases. but I guess it doesn't have to be plastic if it has the same properties. so I ask you, are there any cases you recommend, or maybe even some good starter 3d printers I could use to get started making my own cases? hope this isn't too much of a bother. many thanks!!

Title: Re: would greatly appreciate some help with buying.
Post by: Maledicted on Mon, 03 May 2021, 10:52:15
For 60% just get a nice thick aluminum tub.
They're cheap enough to not worry about.

Otherwise, look into a 3d printer, you can make 60% tubs pretty cheap and easy on most printers.
thank you very much!! I do not like aluminum cases based on my experience but I will look into this
Does it have to be plastic? The sky's kind of the limit for 60% boards. You could get a nice dark walnut, if you really want something vintage.  ;D
thank you for the suggestion!! I LOVE the look, feel, and sound of thick plastic cases. but I guess it doesn't have to be plastic if it has the same properties. so I ask you, are there any cases you recommend, or maybe even some good starter 3d printers I could use to get started making my own cases? hope this isn't too much of a bother. many thanks!!

I haven't actually used it, since I want dedicated arrow keys and haven't amassed a frankenstein configuration of caps that I'm happy with for such a purpose, but I do have one of these (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32842042097.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4djFMBFR) and it seems very nice. I wish more came totally unfinished so I could hit them with boiled linseed oil without trying to remove the factory finish myself.

Leslieann would probably have good recommendations in regard to printing, although I don't think things printed in plastic are typically as strong as an injection molded object of the same thickness and similar material. I haven't done any of that stuff myself.

If you want a plastic case, and you want it to be durable above all else, you probably want something polycarbonate. That stuff is used in paintball and ski masks and can literally stop bullets, depending on caliber and thickness of the material.
Title: Re: would greatly appreciate some help with buying.
Post by: phwog_ on Mon, 03 May 2021, 11:25:16
For 60% just get a nice thick aluminum tub.
They're cheap enough to not worry about.

Otherwise, look into a 3d printer, you can make 60% tubs pretty cheap and easy on most printers.
thank you very much!! I do not like aluminum cases based on my experience but I will look into this
Does it have to be plastic? The sky's kind of the limit for 60% boards. You could get a nice dark walnut, if you really want something vintage.  ;D
thank you for the suggestion!! I LOVE the look, feel, and sound of thick plastic cases. but I guess it doesn't have to be plastic if it has the same properties. so I ask you, are there any cases you recommend, or maybe even some good starter 3d printers I could use to get started making my own cases? hope this isn't too much of a bother. many thanks!!

I haven't actually used it, since I want dedicated arrow keys and haven't amassed a frankenstein configuration of caps that I'm happy with for such a purpose, but I do have one of these (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32842042097.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4djFMBFR) and it seems very nice. I wish more came totally unfinished so I could hit them with boiled linseed oil without trying to remove the factory finish myself.

Leslieann would probably have good recommendations in regard to printing, although I don't think things printed in plastic are typically as strong as an injection molded object of the same thickness and similar material. I haven't done any of that stuff myself.

If you want a plastic case, and you want it to be durable above all else, you probably want something polycarbonate. That stuff is used in paintball and ski masks and can literally stop bullets, depending on caliber and thickness of the material.
much appreciated!!
Title: Re: would greatly appreciate some help with buying.
Post by: Leslieann on Mon, 03 May 2021, 18:55:23
Leslieann would probably have good recommendations in regard to printing, although I don't think things printed in plastic are typically as strong as an injection molded object of the same thickness and similar material. I haven't done any of that stuff myself.
They aren't quite as strong but but how strong do you actually need, most boards have a steel plate which is where the real strength lies anyhow.
And if it were to break you can always print another for like $3. Myy PLA tub for my GH60 was quite strong and my 65% which used an entire spool of PETG was pretty darn close without even using a pcb or plate.

The thing to remember is you can do things with 3d printing that you can't with injection molding, besides making it how you want, you can leverage engineering in place of brute strength. This means you can tune strength as well as harmonics if you want to spend the time and money on plastic.