geekhack

geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: rm-rf on Sat, 31 October 2015, 01:40:24

Title: The Aluminum Battle Station
Post by: rm-rf on Sat, 31 October 2015, 01:40:24

Time to start this off...
I purchased a Grass Valley keyboard.
The whole reason I bought it in the first place was because I wanted a project.
What I plan to do is gut it, polish it, and modify the plate inside.
Then get all the keys working the way I want.
And of course make it USB compatable.
maybe even put a USB hub inside.

Here is what i bought.
a Grass Valley VPE Series Controller Keyboard, Model 151.
(http://i.imgur.com/9yJWZyi.jpg)
sorry for the bad photo's

So, time to take it apart right?

Here is the top of the case, painted with texture.. bleh.
(http://i.imgur.com/QUV5vUg.jpg)

And here is one of the PCB's
(http://i.imgur.com/zvHg7Fq.jpg)

Time to sand it down.
started with 100 grit, and worked my way down to 600.
(http://i.imgur.com/raGF4JY.jpg)
whew. my hands are sore. was sanding for over 4 hours.
I was tempted to use some power tools, but I felt it would look better if I just did it by hand.

Now its time for some polish!
here is a little bit to show the contrast.
(http://i.imgur.com/hbFIcQ1.jpg)

here is more polish..
(http://i.imgur.com/HjUnSf2.jpg)

and this is what stage I was at before I decided to post.
(http://i.imgur.com/Ih2Qfy1.jpg)

updates to come...

Title: Re: The Aluminum Battle Station
Post by: rm-rf on Sat, 31 October 2015, 01:40:35

reserved

Title: Re: The Aluminum Battle Station
Post by: rm-rf on Sat, 31 October 2015, 01:40:44

reserved

Title: Re: The Aluminum Battle Station
Post by: 0100010 on Sat, 31 October 2015, 10:46:52

Nice.  Definitely a battleship.  Like an F107 plus double function rows.

Title: Re: The Aluminum Battle Station
Post by: njbair on Sat, 31 October 2015, 10:58:05

This looks awesome! Are you going to clear anodize it once you're done polishing?

Title: Re: The Aluminum Battle Station
Post by: heedpantsnow on Sat, 31 October 2015, 11:05:12

This is cool

Title: Re: The Aluminum Battle Station
Post by: rm-rf on Sun, 01 November 2015, 14:35:06

Quote from: njbair on Sat, 31 October 2015, 10:58:05

This looks awesome! Are you going to clear anodize it once you're done polishing?

yeah, either clear, or black.
I am having second thoughts on the polish already, I forgot how soft aluminum is.
I may just have to repaint it if the anodizing doesn't give the effect and protection I want.

Title: Re: The Aluminum Battle Station
Post by: KaminKevCrew on Sun, 01 November 2015, 14:44:27

Quote from: rm-rf on Sun, 01 November 2015, 14:35:06

Quote from: njbair on Sat, 31 October 2015, 10:58:05

This looks awesome! Are you going to clear anodize it once you're done polishing?

yeah, either clear, or black.
I am having second thoughts on the polish already, I forgot how soft aluminum is.
I may just have to repaint it if the anodizing doesn't give the effect and protection I want.

You could always have it hard anodized for even more protection.

I don't know how hard it is to paint an anodized surface, or if it's even recommended, but you could possibly anodize it and then clear coat the anodizing.

Title: Re: The Aluminum Battle Station
Post by: Data on Sun, 01 November 2015, 21:36:43

Epic.

It looks like a movie set piece in the last photo.  Nice work.

Title: Re: The Aluminum Battle Station
Post by: Bucake on Wed, 04 November 2015, 23:47:22

sweet!

Title: Re: The Aluminum Battle Station
Post by: dorkvader on Thu, 05 November 2015, 00:06:39

Quote from: rm-rf on Sun, 01 November 2015, 14:35:06

Quote from: njbair on Sat, 31 October 2015, 10:58:05

This looks awesome! Are you going to clear anodize it once you're done polishing?

yeah, either clear, or black.
I am having second thoughts on the polish already, I forgot how soft aluminum is.
I may just have to repaint it if the anodizing doesn't give the effect and protection I want.

anodyzing increases the thickness of natural Al2O3 that builds on aluminium quickly after it's exposed to an oxygen environment, making it quite hard.

I don't know as much about paint, but it should be no different than painting an un-anodyzed aluminium surface, since they both are Al2O3

Great work on a great KB. 120+% all the way!

Title: Re: The Aluminum Battle Station
Post by: ramnes on Fri, 18 December 2015, 06:59:36

Just posting to keep an eye in here.  :rolleyes: