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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: JustCallMeCrash on Wed, 02 November 2011, 04:23:48
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I work at a corrugated conversion plant (we make custom cardboard boxes, essentially) and I have access to a table where I can cut pretty much any shape out of corrugated board.
I recently asked one of our designers to produce a box for my Poker to travel in inside my laptop bag. Since I use a backpack, I had him design it such that I can slide the board in longways and have access to it without removing the box itself from my bag (open top). I'm considering doing a fiberglass reinforcement layer on it and, since I'll have the fiberglass already mixed and no other real uses for it at the moment, I thought I'd check to see if anyone else A) wants a very slim travel box for their KBC Poker and B) if they want it reinforced (on the outside) with fiberglass. I will leave it unpainted, though you can get a finish similar to the exterior of a car if you know how to apply the paint (it's essentially bondo after all).
So what do you think? What's fair market price for something like this? I was thinking $2-3+shipping for the plain and, maybe $6-7+ shipping for the reinforced.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]30620[/ATTACH]In my bag.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]30621[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]30622[/ATTACH] Yes, that is my DAS in the background. Yes I do like crazy color schemes.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]30623[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]30624[/ATTACH]
Any specific design requests? I obviously haven't done one with the fiberglass yet. Payment will be due before it ships, but not before it's produced.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]30626[/ATTACH] PDF if the CAD plans. I have an Illustrator EPS file, too, but it won't let me add it here.
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What about somewhere to store the usb cable?
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I work at a corrugated conversion plant (we make custom cardboard boxes, essentially) and I have access to a table where I can cut pretty much any shape out of corrugated board.
I recently asked one of our designers to produce a box for my Poker to travel in inside my laptop bag. Since I use a backpack, I had him design it such that I can slide the board in longways and have access to it without removing the box itself from my bag (open top). I'm considering doing a fiberglass reinforcement layer on it and, since I'll have the fiberglass already mixed and no other real uses for it at the moment, I thought I'd check to see if anyone else A) wants a very slim travel box for their KBC Poker and B) if they want it reinforced (on the outside) with fiberglass. I will leave it unpainted, though you can get a finish similar to the exterior of a car if you know how to apply the paint (it's essentially bondo after all).
So what do you think? What's fair market price for something like this? I was thinking $2-3+shipping for the plain and, maybe $6-7+ shipping for the reinforced.
(Attachment) 30620[/ATTACH]In my bag.
(Attachment) 30621[/ATTACH]
(Attachment) 30622[/ATTACH] Yes, that is my DAS in the background. Yes I do like crazy color schemes.
(Attachment) 30623[/ATTACH]
(Attachment) 30624[/ATTACH]
Any specific design requests? I obviously haven't done one with the fiberglass yet. Payment will be due before it ships, but not before it's produced.
just post the plans, its a cardboard box.
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He plans to do it in fiberglass, no?
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just post the plans, its a cardboard box.
I'll add them to the OP as soon as I get them from our designer.
He plans to do it in fiberglass, no?
I plan to coat the corrugated in fiberglass (on the outside only). I feel this will give a bit of cushion to the board and still be very rigid. I'm thinking I may have to use the mesh on it as well, to keep it from being too brittle.
EDIT: Added PDF to the OP.
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I could go for a reinforced one!
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I mentioned fiberglass to another guy in the design department (those guys are fascinating) and he went home at lunch and came back with a gallon of bondo and the hardener and we stood out in the plant and coated two of these to see how they do.
They've hardened up nicely and are in my car (the fumes were causing consternation in the office) and I'll test them for strength when I get home. This just might be pretty cool.
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Take pictures when you get home.
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Take pictures when you get home.
Definitely will.
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Nice laptop bag. I rock a different model from the same company, and I love it. There's enough room for my laptop and clothes for a day trip, and it's extremely light.
I have no input on the Poker box,* sorry.
*In before "I'll Poker box."
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Cool idea, maybe you'll get more interest if you ensure the box fits both the Poker and the HHKB and advertise it as such ... I don't have a HHKB but according to elitekeyboards.com the HHKB is 4.3" wide, so the Poker seems to be narrower at 4". Other dimensions are almost the same (.1" difference).
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Cool idea, maybe you'll get more interest if you ensure the box fits both the Poker and the HHKB and advertise it as such ... I don't have a HHKB but according to elitekeyboards.com the HHKB is 4.3" wide, so the Poker seems to be narrower at 4". Other dimensions are almost the same (.1" difference).
At present, it only fits the Poker. It could be made for ANY kb, though (yes, even your giant POS, if that's what you want). I already have the plans and a couple prototypes of the Poker box (thanks ItlnStln, now I'll snicker every time I say that), so I'll make sure it works right before I go on with any other boards.
EDIT: Also, I'm not sure how much wider I can actually go before compromising the integrity of the corrugated. I fear it would collapse at larger widths.
EDIT2: To be clear, I'm not calling the HHKB a Piece of ****. I was using the common shorthand for Point Of Sale. Hope that didn't come across the wrong way.
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Photos of the fiberglass reinforced boxes. I'm not going to sand them or knock the spurs down... I don't intend for this box to ever come out of my bag, so I don't really care what it looks like.
I'm pretty surprised at how the craft board turned out... looks like some sort of polished brown marble. The black one was cut and glued today right before we did the fiberglass coating. Even though it's a narrower flute, the paperboard used to make it is thicker, so it's actually the stronger of the two boxes. It's hard to get a good picture given how glossy these things are. By the way, if I were to sand them, they would turn white.
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Interesting... any thoughts on one for a leopold size one (Tenkeyless with detachable cable).
Might be interested in that poker size one also...
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I'd second that Leopold one.
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Nice, been thinking about how I could get my Leopold tenkeyless in and out of my backpack safely and easily and something like this would work quite nicely. Now to find me some cardboard =D
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Very cool, I don't own a poker, but the idea sounds sweet :smile:
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Knowing the Poker isn't built like a tank (or even like a Filco), I figured I'd better protect it. I'll check with my guy in design, but, honestly, this could be made any size at all. You supply me the dimensions and I'll do what I can.
The cuts made on the plans up top are really easy to reproduce with a box cutter and a decent sized sheet of corrugated. The trickiest part is the scores (so the board bends instead of snapping or creasing crookedly), and those can be made with a ruler.
The one I have would fit in a UPS Letter Envelope (or a Pak, the plastic envelope) if flat. You'd have to do the bondo coat yourself if it ships flat, though.
I'll use this one a couple weeks and see how it holds up before I go and get more fiberglass. You guys keep expressing interest and I'll keep you up to date on durability.
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I would love one of these for my Filco it just doesnt seem like theres a good way to put the board in my messenger bag
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Having read a couple threads about Poker boards getting damaged it transit, I figured it couldn't hurt to protect it as much as I can. I put it back in the microfoam pouch it comes in from the factory and slid it down into my case... works great! No rattle and minimal chance of crushing. If this board gets crushed, I'll be looking at a more serious problem than replacing a $90 keyboard.
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Any update on this? If I manage to get a poker case for my DOX i might be interested.