Firebolt's possible keycaps

[Firebolt1914]

Hey geekhack, you guys might have seen me post a bit about my possible glass keycaps. I'm currently waiting for supplies, will update when things happen.

[Firebolt1914]

Reserved if I take off

[mr.squishy]

Learn to hand blow glass?
I don't know. But this does seem very interesting...

[Firebolt1914]

Learn to hand blow glass?
I don't know. But this does seem very interesting...

I think hand blowing keycaps would be close to impossible, therefore I would cast them.

[mr.squishy]

Learn to hand blow glass?
I don't know. But this does seem very interesting...

I think hand blowing keycaps would be close to impossible, therefore I would cast them.

I've never heard of casting glass, but if you know how to do it, all the more power to you. If I were doing this I personally would use the "Lost Wax" casting method, but that's just me. Good luck man!

[sethk_]

Hey geekhack, you guys might have seen me post a bit about my possible glass keycaps. I need a bit of help with the most important part: the mold. Making a stem in glass would be close to impossible, and also very fragile, so what I will have to do is have a fairly solid keycap (similar to a clickclack), but instead of a stem, a hole. The challenge now for me, is to make it. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I could do?

Just mold plastic for the stem, and glue it on with super glue?

[Firebolt1914]

Hey geekhack, you guys might have seen me post a bit about my possible glass keycaps. I need a bit of help with the most important part: the mold. Making a stem in glass would be close to impossible, and also very fragile, so what I will have to do is have a fairly solid keycap (similar to a clickclack), but instead of a stem, a hole. The challenge now for me, is to make it. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I could do?

Just mold plastic for the stem, and glue it on with super glue?

The problem is making a keycap mold without a stem :

[sethk_]

Hey geekhack, you guys might have seen me post a bit about my possible glass keycaps. I need a bit of help with the most important part: the mold. Making a stem in glass would be close to impossible, and also very fragile, so what I will have to do is have a fairly solid keycap (similar to a clickclack), but instead of a stem, a hole. The challenge now for me, is to make it. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I could do?

Just mold plastic for the stem, and glue it on with super glue?

The problem is making a keycap mold without a stem :

How? Get clay, and imprint the top of the keycap, and just cut out the bottom of the stem, or pull it out with pliers.

[dorkvader]

I would use the bottom half of an IBM keycap for the stem and just mould the top piece.

It might also be easier to do the whole thing as there is a large opening. You would have to get the spring rocker angle correct though.

[FrostyToast]

Dremel and sand off the stem of a regular keycap I guess. Then use that to construct a mold.

[Firebolt1914]

Alright guys, a masterplan is being formulated Will let you know when stuff starts happening

[Firebolt1914]

Just bought a **** ton of supplies Will let you guys know how it goes with pictures.

[heedpantsnow]

Just bought a **** ton of supplies Will let you guys know how it goes with pictures.

Bring it

[FrostyToast]

I will be watching this thing intently.
Here's to hoping that this works out.

[KatzenKinder]

Excited to see how these turn out!

[sethk_]

What do you plan for them being made of? In case you need any tested, and any interest of topre, I can help with that

[tigersharkdude]

Interested

[Firebolt1914]

What do you plan for them being made of? In case you need any tested, and any interest of topre, I can help with that

I'm currently planning for the top to be glass, and the bottom to be polyurethane. If everything I plan goes correctly, the point where the glass meets the polyurethane won't be a straight line.

[Firebolt1914]

Glass mold created:

[tigersharkdude]

[Oobly]

Glass mold created:

Show Image

Cold pressed ceramic? Looks a bit rough, but should work fine for first tests. I'm very interested in following your progress on this, hopefully with pics at each stage :) Glass molding is something I have an interest in, but I'm quite intimidated by the high temperatures needed and differences in thermal expansion coefficients of mold materials and glasses, particularly as I'm interested in eventually molding pure fused silica...

It may be possible to mold a glass "shell" of about 1mm thickness and "fill" the inside with the PU, a bit like a relegendable keycap, but joined permanently.

[Dihedral]

Wow, this is getting more serious than I expected. Posting so I can see all the updates.

[Firebolt1914]

Glass mold created:

Show Image

Cold pressed ceramic? Looks a bit rough, but should work fine for first tests. I'm very interested in following your progress on this, hopefully with pics at each stage :) Glass molding is something I have an interest in, but I'm quite intimidated by the high temperatures needed and differences in thermal expansion coefficients of mold materials and glasses, particularly as I'm interested in eventually molding pure fused silica...

It may be possible to mold a glass "shell" of about 1mm thickness and "fill" the inside with the PU, a bit like a relegendable keycap, but joined permanently.

It's a plaster silica mix, and yes, I need to work on the molds, as you said, this is for testing. I have thought about doing what you suggested with the shell of glass, although that is my backup plan.

[Firebolt1914]

Currently there's a delay on the kiln; the one at the school won't let me use my plaster-silica in their kiln. I'll try to find a way to make this work

[csnickba]

I'm pretty excited to see how these turn out, best of luck to you. If you make them happen, I'll definitely buy one...or two.

[hjc1710]

Currently there's a delay on the kiln; the one at the school won't let me use my plaster-silica in their kiln. I'll try to find a way to make this work

Find a kiln yet? Really interested in these babies and was wondering status (also posting to stay updated).

[Firebolt1914]

I tried using a blowtorch which cracked the mold. Time to make a better one, and try putting it in a kiln.

[nubbinator]

I tried using a blowtorch which cracked the mold. Time to make a better one, and try putting it in a kiln.

Did you dry the mold in the oven first?  If you don't get rid of all the moisture in the plaster, it will crack.

[Firebolt1914]

I air dried it for about a week or two, but it could have been the moisture rather than the excessive heat from the blowtorch.

[nubbinator]

I air dried it for about a week or two, but it could have been the moisture rather than the excessive heat from the blowtorch.

You need to dry it in the oven, then do so again before you use it.  Toss it in the oven for an hour or few at ~200F (at least that's the temp I remember when I was doing research into plaster molds).  The torch caused the moisture in it to expand, causing it to crack.  Anytime you do a plaster mold in a kiln, you have to dry it thoroughly first.  Air drying is not enough.

[Badwrench]

Are you planning on "slumping" the glass into the mold or actually dropping molten glass?  Also what kind of glass are you planning on using.  I would recommend pyrex due to its lower expansion and working temps, also the fact that you can make it molten with a torch and dont nead to anneal it.

[Firebolt1914]

Hmm, I might try borosilicate, never thought of it.

[Firebolt1914]

I'm most likely going to buy a kiln soon imgonnadoit.

[rowdy]

So the idea is not dead!  Sweet

[lolpes]

Keycaps like marbles?
Please? Please? PLEASE?

[Aengus]

Keycaps like marbles?
Please? Please? PLEASE?

Show Image

That would be awesome.


Really interested to see how these come out, never thought of glass for a keycap.  Good luck!

[Kad]

This idea is just crazy enough to be awesome! I can't wait to see what this turns out with, and I second the marble idea! See if you can get those weird filament things that are in cats eye marbles and make a cap with one of those, it would look so good.

[Firebolt1914]

.

[1swt2gs]

This is pretty freaking awesome! Can't wait to see more progress pictures and the end result!

[Dernubenfrieken]

So far, I thought I had an idea, but i still need to work it out before. If anyone has experience in working with glass please pm me.


My idea right now is to have the top half of the cap be glass and the bottom half be resin. If anyone has any idea how to get the two together in an interesting way; I will reward with possible prototypes
Currently the only way i can do so is to bond it with some sort of epoxy, but that's lame.

I was thinking of having 'hooks' in the glass like waves almost, and then I'll have it in the mold for resin casting so that the resin sticks to the glass and won't be easily separated.

Sorry if no one can comprehend my crazy rambling ideas.

Gloyz the artisan I believe is a glass blower, maybe contact him?

[Jhonan]

So far, I thought I had an idea, but i still need to work it out before. If anyone has experience in working with glass please pm me.


My idea right now is to have the top half of the cap be glass and the bottom half be resin. If anyone has any idea how to get the two together in an interesting way; I will reward with possible prototypes
Currently the only way i can do so is to bond it with some sort of epoxy, but that's lame.

I was thinking of having 'hooks' in the glass like waves almost, and then I'll have it in the mold for resin casting so that the resin sticks to the glass and won't be easily separated.

Sorry if no one can comprehend my crazy rambling ideas.

Thats kind of what i was thinking, like may be a wide L or elbow that hooks into two sides inside the glass giving tabs the resin can slip into before hardening so that it will hold secure