WANT!Don't have a picture at the moment, and yes that's exactly what inspired me to organize this group buy.
Any pics? Is it similar to the one that was posted on reddit a while back?
I'd totally be down for at least one set. I'd love to get a semi-transparent case like the skeleton Sega Saturn.Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/HE56BgG.jpg)
I'd totally be down for at least one set. I'd love to get a semi-transparent case like the skeleton Sega Saturn.Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/HE56BgG.jpg)
I did some 60% cases in resin, they require a very skilled mold maker with a very large pressure pot, heat cure resin and an industrial oven. Also the standoffs have to be hand threaded. Its going to be very hard to find someone that can pull that off in bulk.
AFAIK Polyurethane is pretty malleable
AFAIK Polyurethane is pretty malleable
So the first problem, if you try and cast the existing threaded holes, the resin will not fill the hole. Leaving you with a standoff that has just a little indention in it, if you use a self threading screw, the standoff itself will explode trying to displace the resin. Resin will flex a little, but not as much as you need to make it work. You have to drill a hole then thread it. Beleave me i tried it.
Second problem, Resin is pretty malleable, leading to a case that deforms fairly easy unless its heat cured. This could be remedied by testing tons of different resins, finding one that has the rigidity that you need, but it may not be clear, etc. There goes your budget (I tried this too)
Third problem for the HHKB, the caster will need 2, 2 part molds because the HHKB case is 2 parts. This sounds easy but in practice its very hard to get the consistency you need out of resin to make the 2 halves fit together properly.
If he finds someone that has the tools and the know how to pull this off, it will not be $60, it will be double that, easily.
You need injection molding to pull this off with consistency.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but on the HHKB, does the top of the case not also have all the barrels? Such a barrel plate would require a flawless cast with tight tolerances.
The mould-making material (usually RTV silicone) and urethane resin shrinks a couple of percent - may not sound much but could possibly be significant enough for the sliders not fitting. There might also be slight warping and the keyboard would also be a couple mm smaller than an original HHKB.
In comparison, threaded standoffs might not be as big a problem. You could place threaded inserts into the mould when casting.
And BTW, urethane resin is not nearly as durable as ABS.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but on the HHKB, does the top of the case not also have all the barrels? Such a barrel plate would require a flawless cast with tight tolerances.
The mould-making material (usually RTV silicone) and urethane resin shrinks a couple of percent - may not sound much but could possibly be significant enough for the sliders not fitting. There might also be slight warping and the keyboard would also be a couple mm smaller than an original HHKB.
In comparison, threaded standoffs might not be as big a problem. You could place threaded inserts into the mould when casting.
And BTW, urethane resin is not nearly as durable as ABS.
Polyurethane rubber in wheels are different. There are many different types of polyurethane.
And I am referring to urethane you can find in a casting kit. I have bought and built urethane kits for over a decade and cast my own sculpts for half that time.
I have (had) helmets for cosplay both of rotocast urethane and of vacuformed ABS, and I much prefer ABS because it does not break as easily if you would bump it or drop it.
While they are some urethane resins that withstand shocks better, clear urethane resin isn't that kind of resin, or everyone in the cosplay world would be using it.
I assume the idea comes from /u/flehrad (aka RAG caps) that managed to make it work on Reddit.
r/mk: https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/4prjed/artisan_hhkb_fun/ (https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/4prjed/artisan_hhkb_fun/)
album: http://imgur.com/a/r0jLi (http://imgur.com/a/r0jLi)
Kind of strange that you havent posted any concept pics though :confused:here's the album of the prototype from RAG Caps maker (/u/flehrad): http://imgur.com/a/r0jLi