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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Xaero252 on Fri, 14 September 2012, 21:48:16

Title: Replacement Housing for 87U?
Post by: Xaero252 on Fri, 14 September 2012, 21:48:16
So, I've had my 87U for quite a while now, and the housing has started to show its age in a bad way, the plastic clips that hold the front of the housing down have broken (in part due to a little bit of an accident and in part to age) Does anybody know of any housings available custom or otherwise that could be used to bring the life back into this keyboard? I know of the Aluminum ones on ebay, and while tantalizing, they are just far too expensive for my current income.
Title: Re: Replacement Housing for 87U?
Post by: khaangaaroo on Wed, 26 September 2012, 19:37:25
From the lack of replies, I would think that you're not gonna have much luck finding a cheap replacement case. If you don't transport your board much, you could ditch the case altogether and stick some rubber feet onto the bottom of the pcb, and have it rest on that. I personally like the look and the angle it gives. But it's all a matter of preference.
Title: Re: Replacement Housing for 87U?
Post by: sth on Wed, 26 September 2012, 19:40:37
you could get one like mine. i'm too lazy to dig up pics but search for f'realforce and you might find it. they're on taobao for about 220.
nevermind the search function just ignores the f'. i'll see if i can dig up some pics.
Title: Re: Replacement Housing for 87U?
Post by: BucklingSpring on Wed, 26 September 2012, 20:08:07
they're on taobao for about 220.

220 just for the case?
Title: Re: Replacement Housing for 87U?
Post by: sth on Wed, 26 September 2012, 20:08:52
yeah, cheaper than the ugly ones on ebay but still pretty ridiculous :))
Title: Re: Replacement Housing for 87U?
Post by: BucklingSpring on Wed, 26 September 2012, 20:11:11
yeah, cheaper than the ugly ones on ebay but still pretty ridiculous :))

OP said he is currently incomingly challenged. You are not making his life easier :-)
Title: Re: Replacement Housing for 87U?
Post by: sth on Wed, 26 September 2012, 20:11:47
yeah, cheaper than the ugly ones on ebay but still pretty ridiculous :))

OP said he is currently incomingly challenged. You are not making his life easier :-)
they're like half the price...
Title: Re: Replacement Housing for 87U?
Post by: khaangaaroo on Wed, 26 September 2012, 20:15:54
4 x rubber feet...$2 :P

Please do post photos of the case though. I wanna see!
Title: Re: Replacement Housing for 87U?
Post by: sth on Wed, 26 September 2012, 20:18:57
i think all the photos I had are pretty bad. hashbaz took a few at the meetup though:
(http://i.imgur.com/lLvQ4.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/Yzu4h.jpg)

if it's not obvious, mine is the one with non-printed yellow keycaps (two black 45G topres with yellow keys... the only realforces at the meetup besides that numpad )))

having the poker and kmac for size comparison really helps. all the photos of this thing make it look really big and obnoxious but it's actually pretty low-profile.
Title: Re: Replacement Housing for 87U?
Post by: metalliqaz on Wed, 26 September 2012, 20:32:59
I've been jelly of sth's case ever since I saw it in the tenkeyless thread.  It's gigantic and probably looks a little bit silly in front of you but I like the "monolith" look, its so distinctive.  May have played a part it making me take the plunge to give the Realforce a try.  Unfortunately, from what I understand, they sold out on taobao almost as soon as they went on sale.

Anyway back to the topic.  If your case is that worn out, the rest of it must be pretty beat up.  Why not just take the opportunity to get a shiny new one from EK!  Maybe you could even recoup some money by selling the old one for parts.
Title: Re: Replacement Housing for 87U?
Post by: sth on Wed, 26 September 2012, 20:35:27
I've been jelly of sth's case ever since I saw it in the tenkeyless thread.  It's gigantic and probably looks a little bit silly in front of you but I like the "monolith" look, its so distinctive.


that's what i thought before i got mine. like i said, they are much smaller and thinner in person. there is definitely a battlestation feel to it but it's very sleek. someone from the meetup said it reminded them of a william gibson-esque deck or something. i can't wait to see what it looks like with my new desk/setup when i move :)

Title: Re: Replacement Housing for 87U?
Post by: khaangaaroo on Wed, 26 September 2012, 21:10:24
Nice! is it brushed aluminum? it must zap the heat away from your hands like crazy in the winter...haha
That case would actually match perfectly with my Lian Li PC-A05
Title: Re: Replacement Housing for 87U?
Post by: sth on Wed, 26 September 2012, 21:12:37
yeah brushed+anodized afaik. it can get a little chilly but i live in CA now. cold weather here is like 40 degrees /smh
Title: Re: Replacement Housing for 87U?
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 26 September 2012, 21:20:03
I could make that outta woood... for way less than 220
Title: Re: Replacement Housing for 87U?
Post by: sth on Wed, 26 September 2012, 21:20:41
yeah you probably could

go do it
Title: Re: Replacement Housing for 87U?
Post by: dorkvader on Thu, 27 September 2012, 08:39:14
I'm a big fan of making things out of cardboard. I will probably be making my phantom case out of cardboard once I get it put together.
Title: Re: Replacement Housing for 87U?
Post by: metalliqaz on Thu, 27 September 2012, 09:04:04
I'm a big fan of making things out of cardboard. I will probably be making my phantom case out of cardboard once I get it put together.

Even thought that wouldn't last very long under my hands, I'll bet you could come up with something that really works nicely.  I've been surprised in the past by what people can make out of corrugated fiber.  I'd like to see it.