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geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: andCoffee on Sun, 03 May 2015, 17:10:52

Title: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: andCoffee on Sun, 03 May 2015, 17:10:52
So this is the first product of me ****ing around with no experience and little resources. 

After this first test, I've realized that I probably need to buy a silicone molding kit and a different shade of grey coloring (or perhaps white to mix in?).  Advice is definitely welcome.

Anyway, this is what came of my first test:

(http://i.imgur.com/iMZsHsh.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/BJtQuCP.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/snI4zoX.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/dTxjFJH.jpg)
Title: Re: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: fohat.digs on Sun, 03 May 2015, 17:52:58
I saw this thread title and thought: "stupid"

But now I see that it is awesome. Great idea!

You are doing it for IBM buckling springs, right?


Title: Re: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: joey on Sun, 03 May 2015, 18:10:07
That's really cool, nice work!
Title: Re: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: suicidal_orange on Mon, 04 May 2015, 09:13:13
I've always wondered why custom caps are 1x when there's more room for creativity with a bigger key.  This is a great example :)
Title: Re: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: FrostyToast on Mon, 04 May 2015, 09:21:41
I've always wondered why custom caps are 1x when there's more room for creativity with a bigger key.  This is a great example :)

Perhaps it's because it's much harder to control the quality of larger caps which would in turn be more complicated in addition to the extra points of failure.
It's also much easier to find a spot for a 1u artisan. Most people don't have two spacebars or two enter keys. :))
Title: Re: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: morpheus on Mon, 04 May 2015, 10:15:07
May the force be with you...tee hee.

This is a cool concept doe.
Title: Re: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: Usarise on Mon, 04 May 2015, 10:58:57
Seeing this on May 4th is a treat.

Nice work andCoffee!  Looks good already and with some more refinement it's gonna look fantastic!
Title: Re: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: absyrd on Mon, 04 May 2015, 11:00:35
Nice timing with the share on this. Pretty damn cool.

And isn't it too wide to fit and actuate the keypress?
Title: Re: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: jamster on Mon, 04 May 2015, 11:11:47
I saw the thread title and thought that, even though I don't like artisans, this concept is genius. Waaay more interesting than anything else I have seen.
Title: Re: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: greath on Mon, 04 May 2015, 11:15:09
I've always wondered why custom caps are 1x when there's more room for creativity with a bigger key.  This is a great example :)

Perhaps it's because it's much harder to control the quality of larger caps which would in turn be more complicated in addition to the extra points of failure.
It's also much easier to find a spot for a 1u artisan. Most people don't have two spacebars or two enter keys. :))

You could have some crazy awesome artisan spacebars doh...
Title: Re: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: andCoffee on Mon, 04 May 2015, 15:14:35
Nice timing with the share on this. Pretty damn cool.

And isn't it too wide to fit and actuate the keypress?

Yeah, at current it's too wide, but I don't think it would be hard to narrow down.  The big issue for me is needing to invest in a silicone molding kit, some new dyes, and possibly some new resin as this stuff isn't drying as hard as I'd have liked.  I may have been a little lax with my measurements on the 1:1 mixture, though.  Still, this was just more of a test to see if the details would come out well enough to make this a worthwhile endeavor. 
Title: Re: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: andCoffee on Mon, 04 May 2015, 15:15:28
Also, you can see little notches on one of the sides where I tried to carve it down a bit with a knife. 

That didn't work very well.
Title: Re: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: JinDesu on Mon, 04 May 2015, 15:16:54
Haha, I love it. Can't wait to see it after you clean it up a bit more.
Title: Re: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: Findecanor on Mon, 04 May 2015, 15:44:29
Did you sculpt that yourself or cast it from something?
The sides were sloping somewhat on the original, but only little.
Title: Re: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: andCoffee on Mon, 04 May 2015, 16:57:31
Definitely didn't sculpt it myself.  That is not a skill I possess.
Title: Re: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: DrHubblePhD on Mon, 04 May 2015, 17:00:27
This is sickkkkkk  ^-^
Title: Re: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: tigersharkdude on Mon, 04 May 2015, 17:02:29
10/10 would buy
Title: Re: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: rm-rf on Mon, 04 May 2015, 17:08:24
i think i need this.
Title: Re: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: berserkfan on Tue, 05 May 2015, 10:21:45
Excellent. I believe patient geeks will get to buy more things on discount again.

(my logic goes like this. this is awesome, so many kids will want to buy. They will discover that they have run out of paypal cash buying too many keycaps. They will be forced to disgorge some of their previous purchases in their desperate rush for Han Solo. So more treasured keyboards will be dumped on the market at fire sale prices. I can just see someone giving up his Kishsaver just to get a Han Solo  :p )
Title: Re: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: suicidal_orange on Tue, 05 May 2015, 17:18:45
I've always wondered why custom caps are 1x when there's more room for creativity with a bigger key.  This is a great example :)

Perhaps it's because it's much harder to control the quality of larger caps which would in turn be more complicated in addition to the extra points of failure.
It's also much easier to find a spot for a 1u artisan. Most people don't have two spacebars or two enter keys. :))

You could have some crazy awesome artisan spacebars doh...
The best key to make would be caps lock - big enough for a design but not big enough to need a stabiliser (stems cause cap makers problems, don't want three of them) and not hit very often :)
Title: Re: Proof of Concept: Han Solo Return Key
Post by: fohat.digs on Tue, 05 May 2015, 18:40:44

The best key to make would be caps lock


True, but "Hans Solo Return" is a sentence (almost, at least).