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geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: Joey Quinn on Tue, 12 May 2015, 21:49:17

Title: Time For Another Custom Board
Post by: Joey Quinn on Tue, 12 May 2015, 21:49:17
Last Summer I made this https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=61141.0 and it was an awesome process that taught me a ton. I think I've finally found some Blue Alps and that means it's time for another custom board project. The idea will be essentially the same but this time I'm going all out so no JD style case, ITS CNC ALU TIME *****ES!!

Yeah the basic idea will be a programmable 65ish% board similar to the KMAC Mini but I'll be swapping the function key block for a numpad because they belong on the left :p . I'll be documenting the entire process much better than my last board and posting all my ramblings here. Hopefully it'll help someone. Also there's a slim chance I open this up for 1 or 2 people to join (You can't call dibs yet)

Goals

65% Blue Alps board with a numpad on the left
cnc case
carbon or anodized alu backplate
a standardish layout so finding caps will be easier

This is the first layout, it may change a bit but I'm not sure yet
More
(http://i.imgur.com/DAgv13G.jpg)
Title: Re: Time For Another Custom Board Project
Post by: Joey Quinn on Tue, 12 May 2015, 21:49:23
reserved
Title: Re: Time For Another Custom Board
Post by: metalliqaz on Tue, 12 May 2015, 21:52:03
Niiice.  Do you already have a fabricator in mind for milling a case?  What will you be using to design it?
Title: Re: Time For Another Custom Board
Post by: byker on Tue, 12 May 2015, 21:54:34
Love the layout! Best of luck on the designing and I will keep my eye posted on the potential spots.  :thumb:
Title: Re: Time For Another Custom Board
Post by: Joey Quinn on Tue, 12 May 2015, 21:55:15
Quote from: metalliqaz on Tue, 12 May 2015, 21:52:03
Niiice.  Do you already have a fabricator in mind for milling a case?  What will you be using to design it?



No not yet, I was going to ask for some good places later. At this point I'm kinda hoping I can convince my boss to let me hijack a CNC machine for a bit.  :))

For the design I'm using KiCAD for the PCB, AutoCAD for the plate, and either Inventor or SolidWorks for the case.
Title: Re: Time For Another Custom Board
Post by: Evo_Spec on Tue, 12 May 2015, 22:06:42
Looks interesting, excited to see the results
Title: Re: Time For Another Custom Board
Post by: njbair on Tue, 12 May 2015, 22:10:47
Might I recommend FreeCAD for the 3D design. I've been using it for my Kishsaver 60 case plans and I've really grown to like it.
Title: Re: Time For Another Custom Board
Post by: Joey Quinn on Tue, 12 May 2015, 22:14:43
Quote from: njbair on Tue, 12 May 2015, 22:10:47
Might I recommend FreeCAD for the 3D design. I've been using it for my Kishsaver 60 case plans and I've really grown to like it.

Thanks but I'll probably stick with Inventor and SolidWorks because I already have the licenses for them.
Title: Re: Time For Another Custom Board
Post by: metalliqaz on Tue, 12 May 2015, 22:18:39
Yeah if you have the means, you can't beat Solidworks.  I wish I had access to those tools.
Title: Re: Time For Another Custom Board
Post by: CPTBadAss on Tue, 12 May 2015, 22:20:30
Agreed. If you can get a hold of or access to Solidworks, it's the best CAD program I've found.
Title: Re: Time For Another Custom Board
Post by: Joey Quinn on Tue, 12 May 2015, 22:21:46
Quote from: metalliqaz on Tue, 12 May 2015, 22:18:39
Yeah if you have the means, you can't beat Solidworks.  I wish I had access to those tools.

Quote from: CPTBadAss on Tue, 12 May 2015, 22:20:30
Agreed. If you can get a hold of or access to Solidworks, it's the best CAD program I've found.

I use it at work all the time, it just makes sense and everything is where you want it.
Title: Re: Time For Another Custom Board
Post by: njbair on Wed, 13 May 2015, 12:47:19
Definitely can't go wrong with free access to Solidworks!

The shop where I used to work (I'm no longer in the trade) has MasterCam with an add-on for reading Solidworks files, but no way to actually create/edit them. I usually send them a STEP file exported from
FreeCAD. So far I've never had any trouble with that.
Title: Re: Time For Another Custom Board
Post by: cmadrid on Wed, 13 May 2015, 17:19:49
Love the numpad on the left!   :thumb: