geekhack

geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Fwiffo on Fri, 22 October 2010, 11:36:46

Title: Adding labels to keys
Post by: Fwiffo on Fri, 22 October 2010, 11:36:46

I'm thinking of adding some labels to some of my keys that I've mapped to stuff like multimedia functions (e.g. win+up and win+down for volume up and down) and was wondering if there was a good looking, reasonably durable way to do that... The labels would be on the front of the keys, so they wouldn't have to be SUPER durable. I assume somebody here has tried something like this. Do letraset type transfers work?

Title: Adding labels to keys
Post by: Moogle Stiltzkin on Fri, 22 October 2010, 11:39:25

Well, the double shots w a s d orange keys i ordered don't have arrow keys at the side.

So that could be a good candidate to add on arrow labels :X so i too am curious how to do this.

Title: Adding labels to keys
Post by: WhiteRice on Fri, 22 October 2010, 12:56:21

Get some slide on decal model paper and print your own stuff, then hit it with some matte clear coat to preserve it.

Title: Adding labels to keys
Post by: Fwiffo on Fri, 22 October 2010, 13:24:49

Not sure if that decal paper is going to be ideal for getting light colored legends on dark keys. I could try making stencils from adhesive vinyl then use model paint. This may require a lot of experimentation.

Title: Adding labels to keys
Post by: WhiteRice on Fri, 22 October 2010, 13:31:51

Yeah unless you can print white, decal paper won't work on dark surfaces. You gave me a good idea though. I'm just going to order a sheet from bandai and make my function row gundam themed.

Title: Adding labels to keys
Post by: Moogle Stiltzkin on Fri, 22 October 2010, 13:37:52

Quote from: WhiteRice;237403

Yeah unless you can print white, decal paper won't work on dark surfaces. You gave me a good idea though. I'm just going to order a sheet from bandai and make my function row gundam themed.

oooo plz take some screenshots if you do.

Title: Adding labels to keys
Post by: Pylon on Fri, 22 October 2010, 16:10:30

Just buy a bunch of Microscale lettering sets. They're mainly intended for model railroading, but since a lot of black locomotives get white lettering, I guess they'll work on black surfaces. However, they probably need glossy surfaces to apply well.
http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=ALPHA

HO scale is 1/87 as far as I know. So 1 HO scale inch = 1/87".

This might be good. White Futura. 1/16" or so tall for the 4" lettering, 1/12th inch for the 7", ~1/8 inch for the 8".

Title: Adding labels to keys
Post by: Findecanor on Fri, 22 October 2010, 16:43:52

Let me suggest that you put the decal on the key's front instead of its top. Unlike the top, the front does not get as much wear and it is often a smooth surface.

Title: Adding labels to keys
Post by: Phaedrus2129 on Fri, 22 October 2010, 16:52:47

Or get relegendable keycaps.

Title: Adding labels to keys
Post by: Fwiffo on Fri, 22 October 2010, 23:04:54

Damn, I've even used those lettering kits before... On my HO scale model trains when I was a kid. My memory is useless.

Title: Adding labels to keys
Post by: mike on Wed, 27 October 2010, 17:13:20

Can't tell you how durable they are, but Letraset transfers fine onto Unicomp keycaps :-

(http://zonky.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=55521&g2_serialNumber=2)

(sorry, should have swished the cap around in water to wash off the bits of Mike :) )

That's supposed to be a copyright symbol (©), but if you're going to try and merge letters like this make sure you have two different sizes.