geekhack
geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => DIY Discussions ARCHIVE => Topic started by: elShoggotho on Sun, 18 October 2009, 07:09:32
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Well, I steampunked a German Cherry G80-1000 from 1994. Burn me at the stake if you want, but I gave it the Von Slatt-Datamancer steampunk treatment. Still work in progress, the balsa I intended to use is too weak. If there are any questions, ask away!
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/th_013.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/013.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/th_012.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/012.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/th_011.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/011.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/th_010.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/010.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/th_009.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/009.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/th_008.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/008.jpg)
(http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/th_007.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/007.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/th_006.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/006.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/th_005.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/005.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/th_004.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/004.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/th_003.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/003.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/th_002.jpg) (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b374/elShoggotho/Steamy%20glory/Keyboard/002.jpg)
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Although we are somewhat saddened when the irreplaceable stock of Model M keyboards is drawn upon for steampunk modifications, I don't think anyone is annoyed here when this is done to a keyboard in current production. So don't worry about torches and pitchforks.
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The case will be made of wood, with the brass parts seen in the pictures as side panels. I'm already tinkering with the wood panel to get the holes rectangular, to fit the switch sockets through them.
I might switch over to modern POS keyboards for my projects, but I won't go for anything else than a Cherry G80 or MX series. Before that, I'll go for a 122 key terminal keyboard though.
On a different note: The keyboard uses blue switches, with a green space bar switch. Quite clicky.
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Although we are somewhat saddened when the irreplaceable stock of Model M keyboards is drawn upon for steampunk modifications, I don't think anyone is annoyed here when this is done to a keyboard in current production. So don't worry about torches and pitchforks.
Yes, the steampunked M15 was a bit of a horror story.
I'll be watching this one.
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Great looking piece of work.
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Although we are somewhat saddened when the irreplaceable stock of Model M keyboards is drawn upon for steampunk modifications, I don't think anyone is annoyed here when this is done to a keyboard in current production. So don't worry about torches and pitchforks.
While I agree the M15 mod was more than a bit disturbing, despite the artistry of Datamancer's work, I'm still not sure where the sadness about a run-of-the-mill M being used comes from. I mean, it's not as if the case design of a stock M is a work of art or anything. At best it could be described as rugged and utilitarian.
The F case has much more pleasing lines, and the M15 is a whole other level of cool from a form and function perspective (plus the fact they are so rare).
To me, for a common M at least, as long as the result is a usable buckling spring board then it's at worst a wash, while if the result is something esthetically pleasing then it's actually an improvement. It's nothing like the abhorrent practice of typewriter key harvesting where you keep the keys and throw away the main mechanism (understandable exception being when the writer's a total loss due to rust and wear).
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There's a problem: The cooler the keyboard, the stronger the urge to do something woody and brassy to it. The more keys, the better. I'm already looking for decent POS keyboards to modify.
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There's a problem: The cooler the keyboard, the stronger the urge to do something woody and brassy to it. The more keys, the better. I'm already looking for decent POS keyboards to modify.
Considering how POS keyboards generally look, that would probably be an improvement pretty much no matter what you do.
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The average POS keyboard comes with a boatload of fully programmable keys, which makes it a perfect base for a steampunk modification. Problem is that I can't work with carbon bubble switches. I want the interior to match the exterior in durability, and I build my cases to last. Can't go for a flimsy little keyboard that only lasts a decade or two.
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Finishing will greatly increase the hardness. Use one of those pour on finishes, and you wouldn't worry about hardness anymore.
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Just a quick update. I replaced the standard LEDs with amber ones, looks better in the end. A quick test on the USB adapter proved that it works fine.
Sorry for the delay, I had to bury my dog. Rat poison.
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Sorry to hear that.