geekhack

geekhack Community => New Members => Topic started by: tagaide on Mon, 28 January 2013, 17:06:05

Title: Hello From Holland, where do I start?
Post by: tagaide on Mon, 28 January 2013, 17:06:05

 ;D
I am working on (well trying to start) a keyboard project and found this great website.

I have so many questions but not really a good idea where to post them.
My project is along the lines of the great job bpiphany did however.
All based on a tiny more or less phone sized keyboard.

I am really eager to learn all aspects of keyboard development but find it hard to find a proper starting point.

I have access to a high precision cnc mill for pcb design (from a relative with a metal workshop) but would not even know what to design and what to mill.

What i am hoping to gain out of joining this forum is.
meet nice people.
Understand where i should start.
Make a roadmap so i know what steps i need to follow to a quality keyboard prototype design.

Quite a lot a guess.  :))

Thanks and keep up the good work bringing keyboard hackers together.

thanks

Title: Re: Hello From Holland, where do I start?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Mon, 28 January 2013, 17:09:03

Welcome to GH!

I'm really jealous you have access to a CNC mill. I'd love to have one available for projects like this.

I think you'll be able to find lots of into in the making stuff together (http://geekhack.org/index.php?board=117.0) subforum.
You can also read through this thread (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=37570.0) about a GH community created keyboard. I've been reading this a bit and really enjoy it.

Post up some pictures when you get something good made!

Title: Re: Hello From Holland, where do I start?
Post by: tagaide on Mon, 28 January 2013, 17:11:31

Haha, well, you would likely know what to do with a cnc mill.
Thanks for your suggestions i will start looking there.

Title: Re: Hello From Holland, where do I start?
Post by: CPTBadAss on Mon, 28 January 2013, 17:14:57

Quote from: balanar on Sun, 06 January 2013, 22:42:49

Prior to the transplant:

Show Image

(http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/5696/transplant.jpg)

Aaaaand after:

Show Image

(http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/9320/frontvkl.jpg)

Show Image

(http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/7333/rearduck.jpg)

These are from Balanar in the Post Your Poker thread. That metal case is SO sexy. If you could make me one, I'd love you forever. I think it's called a Duck Poker case? But I'm not 100% Sure.

Title: Re: Hello From Holland, where do I start?
Post by: rowdy on Mon, 28 January 2013, 17:20:16

Welcome to Geekhack!

Sounds like an interesting project, although it the keyboard is as small as I think you implied, there might not be many switches that would suit.

Title: Re: Hello From Holland, where do I start?
Post by: tagaide on Tue, 29 January 2013, 08:58:27

I am afraid you are right rowdy, i have seen small tactile switches but they have a pretty low lifespan.

I guess i need to look at metal domes. I am hoping i can still ask questions though.

Title: Re: Hello From Holland, where do I start?
Post by: koralatov on Tue, 29 January 2013, 09:17:26

You might also want to check out Deskthority (http://deskthority.net/), another keyboard forum with a large European userbase.  There are lots of people from the Netherlands there too.

Title: Re: Hello From Holland, where do I start?
Post by: dn on Wed, 30 January 2013, 08:26:47

Quote from: rowdy on Mon, 28 January 2013, 17:20:16

Welcome to Geekhack!

Sounds like an interesting project, although it the keyboard is as small as I think you implied, there might not be many switches that would suit.

I also share Rowdy's concerns, as a design student I can help you flesh out this idea and figure out the steps to making it happen, but the end product will most likely have some limitations based on the scale and the appropriate technology commercially available at that scale (switch wise) without spending A LOT of $$$$$$


Good luck and feel free to PM me!

Title: Re: Hello From Holland, where do I start?
Post by: jdcarpe on Wed, 30 January 2013, 10:50:38

If you want a really tiny keyboard (phone sized), you're looking at membrane technology for the switches. You can already get those off-the-shelf, such as this one: http://www.amazon.com/FAVI-Entertainment-Wireless-Keyboard-TouchPad/dp/B003UE52ME

If you were looking to design a Cherry MX switch based keyboard, but in a tiny form factor, a 40% board is about as small as you're going to be able to use. See kmiller8's thread here for more info on his design: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=38775.0. Maybe you could collaborate on that project?

Title: Re: Hello From Holland, where do I start?
Post by: dn on Wed, 30 January 2013, 10:59:18

Quote from: jdcarpe on Wed, 30 January 2013, 10:50:38

...If you were looking to design a Cherry MX switch based keyboard, but in a tiny form factor, a 40% board is about as small as you're going to be able to use. See kmiller8's thread here for more info on his design: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=38775.0. Maybe you could collaborate on that project?

Now that, my friend, is an idea!

Title: Re: Hello From Holland, where do I start?
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 30 January 2013, 18:44:13

Buy a sampler pack from WASD keyboard.

Title: Re: Hello From Holland, where do I start?
Post by: tagaide on Thu, 31 January 2013, 02:27:10

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will have a look at them. I think the 40% keyboard is still too big for me.

I am currently trying to figure out how to make my own pcb for metal dome switches.