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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: noisyturtle on Wed, 11 September 2013, 17:37:29

Title: Glass keycaps
Post by: noisyturtle on Wed, 11 September 2013, 17:37:29: Thinking about making a ceramic mold and filling it with glass frit to create a glass set. Has anyone tried this method before, and have you encountered any issues I should look out for? Would slumping be a better rout?
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: phetto on Wed, 11 September 2013, 17:42:08: Are you sure they arent going to break? I believe I might destroy glass keycaps. Perhaps youre a bit more careful when computing. :p

Anyway very cool! I will follow this. :)
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: rowdy on Wed, 11 September 2013, 17:46:40: Thick glass should be fine. Need to be very careful of sharp corners.
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: TheSoulhunter on Wed, 11 September 2013, 18:17:31: Do ceramic molds work for glass casting?
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: noisyturtle on Wed, 11 September 2013, 18:20:59: Quote from: phetto on Wed, 11 September 2013, 17:42:08
Are you sure they arent going to break? I believe I might destroy glass keycaps. Perhaps youre a bit more careful when computing. :p

Anyway very cool! I will follow this. :)

It would be fairly thick, and probably frosted in the end as well. I have no idea how to implement stems yet though, because consistency is very important to me and having a loose or slightly off-center stem would mean me probably having to re-cast the entire thing again. I'll have to ask some advice from folks who do their own casting about it. All I know is that the stems would be attached after the slumping process. Probably by drilling into the glass with a wet drill and gluing it in, but then there's the issue of where do I get/how do I make them. I have access to a big pottery studio as well as a local artist who works with glass and has the proper tools. Maybe he'll have some ideas.
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: mashby on Wed, 11 September 2013, 18:22:56: If you tempered the glass after casting, that would probably help.
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: Binge on Wed, 11 September 2013, 18:28:18: huehuehuehuehuehuehue :-\

nobody will ever know the true meaning behind this laugh
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: terrpn on Wed, 11 September 2013, 18:31:37: don't forget the windex :))
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: Tarzan on Wed, 11 September 2013, 18:32:48: Quote from: noisyturtle on Wed, 11 September 2013, 18:20:59
Quote from: phetto on Wed, 11 September 2013, 17:42:08
Are you sure they arent going to break? I believe I might destroy glass keycaps. Perhaps youre a bit more careful when computing. :p

Anyway very cool! I will follow this. :)

It would be fairly thick, and probably frosted in the end as well. I have no idea how to implement stems yet though, because consistency is very important to me and having a loose or slightly off-center stem would mean me probably having to re-cast the entire thing again. I'll have to ask some advice from folks who do their own casting about it. All I know is that the stems would be attached after the slumping process. Probably by drilling into the glass with a wet drill and gluing it in, but then there's the issue of where do I get/how do I make them. I have access to a big pottery studio as well as a local artist who works with glass and has the proper tools. Maybe he'll have some ideas.

Maybe metal stems. Cast the caps like Model M caps, and use metal/plastic stems with a square, flat top surface for maximal adhesion. A bit of epoxy, and those are never coming loose.
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: phetto on Wed, 11 September 2013, 19:12:52: binge: glass wasdson?
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: MOZ on Wed, 11 September 2013, 22:15:25: Excited!
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: cactux on Wed, 11 September 2013, 22:29:30: How well do you think they will take the stress before the first cracks?
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: SpAmRaY on Wed, 11 September 2013, 22:35:28: How about gorilla glass molded into key caps!
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: noisyturtle on Wed, 11 September 2013, 22:39:07: Quote from: cactux on Wed, 11 September 2013, 22:29:30
How well do you think they will take the stress before the first cracks?

I could see fracturing around the stem insertion for those who type with gusto, but the actual caps would be thick, heavy, and solid.
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: BakerMan1971 on Thu, 12 September 2013, 05:20:01: Not sure if they could handle gaming rage, but they would look awesome!
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: nubbinator on Fri, 13 September 2013, 13:30:57: It's something I was researching for a while since I wanted to experiment with it, but it's really problematic and, from what I saw, there was no real feasible way to make a stem. You'd have to fit a stem into the glass.
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: TheSoulhunter on Fri, 13 September 2013, 15:45:48: Perhaps transplanting stems from clear polycarbonate caps?
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: nubbinator on Fri, 13 September 2013, 15:48:07: Potentially, but you also run into issues with epoxy and the like. It's definitely an interesting idea and one that I've been trying to figure out how to do for a while, but it has its issues that are hard to get around.
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: TheSoulhunter on Fri, 13 September 2013, 15:56:21: No epoxy...
Thought more of crystal clear adhesive as used for glass and plexi!
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: TheSoulhunter on Fri, 13 September 2013, 16:03:36: Perhaps creating the mold with a blind-hole:

[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: noisyturtle on Fri, 13 September 2013, 16:55:09: Quote from: TheSoulhunter on Fri, 13 September 2013, 16:03:36
Perhaps creating the mold with a blind-hole:

(Attachment Link)

But the glass would slump over it. The other option would be having the hole be created by the top side of the mold with a protrusion the same size of the stem, but the issue with glass it that it starts out solid. If I use slumping which is probably the best method, I would have to drill a hole in the glass before firing. If I use frit there would be no guarentee as to how the glass would settle around the stem part, so it would be a sort of crap shoot for each key.
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: TheSoulhunter on Fri, 13 September 2013, 17:39:23: Oh, sorry...
That was actually supposed to be the finished thing (Glass-cap/Adhesive/PC-stem)

[attachimg=1]

The mold would be 2 piece like this ^^;
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: noisyturtle on Fri, 13 September 2013, 17:52:02: Quote from: TheSoulhunter on Fri, 13 September 2013, 17:39:23
Oh, sorry...
That was actually supposed to be the finished thing (Glass-cap/Adhesive/PC-stem)

(Attachment Link)

The mold would be 2 piece like this ^^;

That actually might be possible, but would require a lot of attention. essentially it would be:
Lay the glass over the top mold
Fire it in the kiln until softened
Place the top piece of the mold and continue firing

Double the molds means double the chance of the glass sticking to it too. Also my ceramics teacher is wary of the glass exploding in the kiln.
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: noisyturtle on Mon, 14 October 2013, 20:59:05: My initial mold came out of the kiln today and sadly there was an air bubble in it somewhere and it exploded destroying a bunch of other peoples work with it. Now my teacher wants me to stick to the curriculum, but says I can try again over winter break. :(
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: MKULTRA on Mon, 14 October 2013, 21:18:12: Quote from: noisyturtle on Mon, 14 October 2013, 20:59:05
My initial mold came out of the kiln today and sadly there was an air bubble in it somewhere and it exploded destroying a bunch of other peoples work with it. Now my teacher wants me to stick to the curriculum, but says I can try again over winter break. :(
HAHAH that is ****ing hilarious.
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: xecut on Mon, 14 October 2013, 23:06:24: wow, i like the idea of a glass keycap
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: terran5992 on Tue, 15 October 2013, 04:56:08: Quote from: xecut on Mon, 14 October 2013, 23:06:24
wow, i like the idea of a glass keycap

I forsee glass injuries
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: iAmAhab on Tue, 15 October 2013, 06:42:55: Quote from: noisyturtle on Mon, 14 October 2013, 20:59:05
My initial mold came out of the kiln today and sadly there was an air bubble in it somewhere and it exploded destroying a bunch of other peoples work with it. Now my teacher wants me to stick to the curriculum, but says I can try again over winter break. :(

Well this made smile, so all the carnage was not in vain.
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: noisyturtle on Tue, 15 October 2013, 07:21:29: Quote from: iAmAhab on Tue, 15 October 2013, 06:42:55
Quote from: noisyturtle on Mon, 14 October 2013, 20:59:05
My initial mold came out of the kiln today and sadly there was an air bubble in it somewhere and it exploded destroying a bunch of other peoples work with it. Now my teacher wants me to stick to the curriculum, but says I can try again over winter break. :(

Well this made smile, so all the carnage was not in vain.

A bunch of people were pissed and had to have their grades smoothed out before midterm. I sort of feel like God.
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: viowastaken on Tue, 15 October 2013, 10:12:48: this could be very interesting if the glass was sandblasted. Glossy regular glass seems incredibly uncomfortable to type on. Sticky icky :-\
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: Moosecraft on Tue, 15 October 2013, 10:28:27: This would be so sick
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: Melvang on Thu, 24 October 2013, 04:31:11: I would buy 4 and use as arrow keys in a heartbeat.
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: Jixr on Mon, 28 October 2013, 11:13:43: An allum case and glass keycaps is apples wet dream of a keyboard.
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: mashby on Mon, 28 October 2013, 13:29:30: Quote from: Jixr on Mon, 28 October 2013, 11:13:43
An allum case and glass keycaps is apples wet dream of a keyboard.

I think it might be mine too. LOL! :))
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: BakaPhoenix on Mon, 28 October 2013, 15:53:18: A satin glass will be nice, but a full transparent glass will be awfull with all the fingerprints on the keycaps.
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: MKULTRA on Mon, 28 October 2013, 19:11:58: (http://i.imgur.com/mDCDw.jpg)
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: rowdy on Mon, 28 October 2013, 20:00:06: Quote from: MKULTRA on Mon, 28 October 2013, 19:11:58
Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/mDCDw.jpg)

They glass? Or just plastic?
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: MKULTRA on Mon, 28 October 2013, 23:46:51: Quote from: rowdy on Mon, 28 October 2013, 20:00:06
Quote from: MKULTRA on Mon, 28 October 2013, 19:11:58
Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/mDCDw.jpg)

They glass? Or just plastic?
Resin. CC made them
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: jonathanyu on Mon, 28 October 2013, 23:48:24: Quote from: MKULTRA on Mon, 28 October 2013, 23:46:51
Quote from: rowdy on Mon, 28 October 2013, 20:00:06
Quote from: MKULTRA on Mon, 28 October 2013, 19:11:58
Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/mDCDw.jpg)

They glass? Or just plastic?
Resin. CC made them
I want a whole keyboard with these
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: rowdy on Mon, 28 October 2013, 23:54:41: Quote from: jonathanyu on Mon, 28 October 2013, 23:48:24
Quote from: MKULTRA on Mon, 28 October 2013, 23:46:51
Quote from: rowdy on Mon, 28 October 2013, 20:00:06
Quote from: MKULTRA on Mon, 28 October 2013, 19:11:58
Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/mDCDw.jpg)

They glass? Or just plastic?
Resin. CC made them
I want a whole keyboard with these

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=49929.0

Start buying ... ;)
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: BakaPhoenix on Tue, 29 October 2013, 06:07:53: Quote from: MKULTRA on Mon, 28 October 2013, 19:11:58
Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/mDCDw.jpg)

Those looks really nice!
Title: Re: Glass keycaps
Post by: rowdy on Tue, 29 October 2013, 20:17:53: Quote from: BakaPhoenix on Tue, 29 October 2013, 06:07:53
Quote from: MKULTRA on Mon, 28 October 2013, 19:11:58
Show Image
(http://i.imgur.com/mDCDw.jpg)

Those looks really nice!

They are CC's - how could they be anything but nice? ;)