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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: The_Beast on Wed, 14 November 2012, 16:52:30

Title: DIY Case - What is the typical screw size?
Post by: The_Beast on Wed, 14 November 2012, 16:52:30
I should probably just pm litster but whatevers. So what's the typical screw size for a DIY case? I'm thinking 1/8" cap screw like this:
http://www.fastener-express.com/2-56-x-18-socket-head-cap-screw-stainless-black-oxide-qty-100.aspx

But I'm not 100% sure. Should I go with something bigger or is 1/8" enough?
Title: Re: DIY Case - What is the typical screw size?
Post by: alaricljs on Wed, 14 November 2012, 17:13:08
If by typical you mean common, M3 screws in various lengths and heads are found on the Korean boards.  Mainly pan head, but also cap.
Title: Re: DIY Case - What is the typical screw size?
Post by: The_Beast on Wed, 14 November 2012, 17:17:12
But I don't like metric :-(


Title: Re: DIY Case - What is the typical screw size?
Post by: fohat.digs on Wed, 14 November 2012, 19:53:01
Do yourself a favor and use a fairly common size and shape.

Small nut drivers and phillips screwdrivers are much easier to find than Allen wrenches.
Title: Re: DIY Case - What is the typical screw size?
Post by: The_Beast on Wed, 14 November 2012, 20:06:22
Do yourself a favor and use a fairly common size and shape.

Small nut drivers and phillips screwdrivers are much easier to find than Allen wrenches.

Good idea but don't Korean boards use allen/hex?
Title: Re: DIY Case - What is the typical screw size?
Post by: alaricljs on Wed, 14 November 2012, 20:12:16
Yes, and hex/allen wrenches are not hard to come by nor expensive.  You can get a set of 26 (13 metric, 13 SAE) quality ball-head wrenches for $17 at HD.  And there's a lot of other options too.
Title: Re: DIY Case - What is the typical screw size?
Post by: The_Beast on Wed, 14 November 2012, 20:18:10
M3 cap/pan head hex head it is then.


Another thought, would computer case feet work for keyboard case legs? Something like this?:
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=130_133&products_id=23683
Title: Re: DIY Case - What is the typical screw size?
Post by: nullstring on Wed, 14 November 2012, 20:21:06
Would you use four of them? or two just to tilt it? IDK, doesn't seem like it'd work all that well in my ignore opinion.
Title: Re: DIY Case - What is the typical screw size?
Post by: alaricljs on Wed, 14 November 2012, 20:21:23
Not really since there's no angle ability built in to them you'd have to deal with that in the case bottom. 
Title: Re: DIY Case - What is the typical screw size?
Post by: The_Beast on Wed, 14 November 2012, 20:26:17
Would you use four of them? or two just to tilt it? IDK, doesn't seem like it'd work all that well in my ignore opinion.

Just 2


Not really since there's no angle ability built in to them you'd have to deal with that in the case bottom. 

Hmmm, yea. I'm looking for some with the rubber domes on the bottom like sherryton
Title: Re: DIY Case - What is the typical screw size?
Post by: noisyturtle on Wed, 14 November 2012, 20:32:26
It's not the size of the screw, it's the actuation of the key  ;)
Title: Re: DIY Case - What is the typical screw size?
Post by: alaricljs on Wed, 14 November 2012, 20:38:04
Speaker spikes  ;)
Title: Re: DIY Case - What is the typical screw size?
Post by: The_Beast on Wed, 14 November 2012, 20:41:56
Speaker spikes  ;)

Nice ^___^



Thanks
Title: Re: DIY Case - What is the typical screw size?
Post by: nullstring on Fri, 16 November 2012, 01:32:01
Speaker spikes  ;)

Nice ^___^



Thanks

Yes! That will work quite well
Title: Re: DIY Case - What is the typical screw size?
Post by: The_Beast on Sun, 18 November 2012, 02:06:25
New problem, how do I hold up the plate without making cutouts just to hold the plate up? I was thinking spacers between the base and the plate. Any other ideas?

(http://img1.UploadScreenshot.com/images/main/11/32202592984.png) (http://www.UploadScreenshot.com/image/1659941/6260455)

(http://img1.UploadScreenshot.com/images/main/11/32203051861.png) (http://www.UploadScreenshot.com/image/1659950/7928792)

OFC the screw won't be coming out of the top
Title: Re: DIY Case - What is the typical screw size?
Post by: alaricljs on Sun, 18 November 2012, 08:25:14
Ummm, which part is at the top of the KB?
Title: Re: DIY Case - What is the typical screw size?
Post by: The_Beast on Sun, 18 November 2012, 14:04:06
Orange is the base plate. Basically just a plate with holes in it

Blue is the "middle", a ring that will have holes drill through and be tapped for M3

Red is the plate


The screw shouldn't be ending the top but I just wanted a quick mock up. So the top would be the surface where the screw comes out.
Title: Re: DIY Case - What is the typical screw size?
Post by: alaricljs on Sun, 18 November 2012, 14:20:49
The face frame on a filco is 5/16" above the plate at the front and 3/8" above at the back.  The curve is subtle enough that it's only important as a design queue.

That's lots of space to work with.  In regard to how it's been done before, screws down through the plate ears to hold it to the base, screws up in another location holding the top frame and other layers to the base.

What material are you looking to work with for the case?
Title: Re: DIY Case - What is the typical screw size?
Post by: The_Beast on Mon, 19 November 2012, 08:04:25
The face frame on a filco is 5/16" above the plate at the front and 3/8" above at the back.  The curve is subtle enough that it's only important as a design queue.

That's lots of space to work with.  In regard to how it's been done before, screws down through the plate ears to hold it to the base, screws up in another location holding the top frame and other layers to the base.

What material are you looking to work with for the case?


I thought about the case more tonight. I wasn't sure what you were talking about when I first read it but after thinking about it the case more, I was going to come back here and ask lol. Since the difference is so small, I'm not going to worry about it, like you suggested.


The only problem with your suggestion is that base is a 1/4" flat plate, nothing more. So I'm not sure how to secure the plate to the "middle" without milling the top.


I'd like for everything to be aluminum. 1/4" for the base, 1/2" for the "middle" and 1/16" for the plate.


My plan is to have the middle, base and plate laser cut a bit bigger than final size because the edge quality is poopy (except the plate since the deflection on 1/16" isn't nearly as much as it is on 1/4" and 1/2"). Then have them sent to a machine shop (or treble318, I've already sent him a pm) to clean up the edge, bring to final dimensions, drill the base and then drill and tap the middle.

(http://img1.UploadScreenshot.com/images/thumb/11/30617023737.jpg) (http://www.UploadScreenshot.com/image/1604182/9863021)

Deflection:
(http://www.mrl.columbia.edu/ntm/level1/ch03/images/LaserCutJet.jpg)


I'll try to get better pictures up tomorrow. How many ears on the plate should I need? Right now I have 3 holes on the short side and 5 on the long side. Would you think 1 plate ear on each short side and 2 on the long side be enough? That would leave 2 screws per short side and 3 per long side to attach the base to the middle.
Title: Re: DIY Case - What is the typical screw size?
Post by: The_Beast on Mon, 19 November 2012, 09:53:49
So a section view would look something like this?
(http://img1.UploadScreenshot.com/images/orig/11/32310523248-orig.jpg) (http://www.UploadScreenshot.com/image/1664764/5443345)