Machine shop ideas?

[nubbinator]

I just discovered that my cousin has pretty much free range in a machine shop in Dallas, Texas with laser cutters, water jet cutters, CNC machines (both for wood and metal), and much more.  They also do a ton of one off designs for local artists.  Photekq should be helping me out with a 60% case design I mocked up but couldn't make in CAD, but is there anything else I should see if they could do?  Even before the GB feng is doing an IC on, I was looking at doing a carbon fiber plate.  Is that something people might be interested in?  They can't laser cut titanium or copper, but they could water jet cut them and they can cut a ton of other things.

[Lastpilot]

Cheaper and lower profile 87u alu cases!

[nubbinator]

Cheaper and lower profile 87u alu cases!

Draw one up in CAD and I'll see what can be made.  He can't anodize at the shop, but he can do it locally or I can in California.

[exitfire401]

Cheaper and lower profile 87u alu cases!

HHKB Alu case. I'd pay close to top dollar for one.

[codyeatworld]

A brass middle layer for my GONs...

[Noctane1]

Metal ergodox case!

[nubbinator]

A brass middle layer for my GONs...

Get me a file for it and I'll see if we can do it.

[CPTBadAss]

Lube station? PCB holder?

[0100010]

Where in Dallas?

[AKmalamute]

I'm still "on vacation" from producing metal Ergodox cases ... but it's a pretty straight forward project and obviously popular; a single sheet of 16-gauge 304 can completely encase one's keyboard. And everyone wants a slightly different combination or thickness ... JD's spacer design totally made that last run I did into a sweet kit. Then somebody suggested a full-hand bottom plate so wrist rests like the Griffiti that MD is running could be snugged into it while still allowing for tenting.

Myself I'm going to be wishing for a low profile phantom case for my upcoming 7-bit plate that should be cut/sent this fall sometime. No idea what that would take but I bet anything generic would sell suitably around here.

[Oobly]

If you could machine the slider holes accurately, an aluminium HHKB case would probably sell quite well

Not sure that I'd buy a CF plate. Too flexible and could be prone to delamination / breaking in the thin areas between keyswitch holes. I like my plates to be stiff and tough, aluminium is the "softest" I will go, steel is better.

If your 60% case is a nice one, you could probably sell a few of those if you offer them at decent prices. Maybe with brass inserts to tune the weight?

[mashby]

Lube station? PCB holder?

+1

[wcass]

Do they have a "slip roll"? Custom buckling spring keyboards need laser cut 18 gauge sheet metal and a trip through a slip roll to make the curve.

[telegraphist]

Cheaper and lower profile 87u alu cases!

I agree: more different aluminum cases, including 87U.
I dislike shallow cases though, when caps are fully exposed and sort of "floating" in the air.

[admiralvorian]

Cheaper and lower profile 87u alu cases!

I agree: more different aluminum cases, including 87U.
I dislike shallow cases though, when caps are fully exposed and sort of "floating" in the air.

therein lies the point of all this! I love those exposed-switch keyboards!
(I would still probably purchase any style of HHKB case)