Lasergist results (anyone have pics?)

[pixelpusher]

Hello, fellow geekhackers!

I'm looking to use swill's nifty online plate CAD builder and send a basic poker style 60% to lasergist for cutting.  I plan to try this plate out in a few different cases I have laying around (stock Pok3r case, Aliexpress wooden case, Chinese aluminum case, TEX low profile case, Royal Glam wooden case, etc...)

Have any of you tried this option who would be willing to share photos?  I'm really interested in seeing the gap tolerances around the edges of the plate to the case.  I'm not happy with the off-the-shelf plates I've tried so far.  They all seem to be on the short side when it comes to fitting from left to right.  Also, if you have a plate that looks nice in one of these standard cases, feel free to share that as well.

Thanks 

[cribbit]

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=85176.0 and https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=87689 have pictures of a Lasergist plate.

I've had no issues with them, they come out perfect.

[pixelpusher]

Yes, I've been following the handwiring post and I've seen your work.  Amazing stuff 

I have no doubt the plates come out well cut and nicely finished.  I'm most interested in how they fit into available aftermarket cases.  I don't have the ability to make my own case so I'm looking for a plate that will have a more precise fit than some of the plates I've come across recently.

Most aftermarket cases seem to be made with a bit of extra room.  Better too big than to have a PCB that won't go in i suppose.  However, I've noticed that it appears they HAVE actually measured exactly to the dimensions of the the popular Vortex/KBC/WASD pok3r keyboard plate.  That plate is slightly wider and fits like a glove in the Chinese aluminum cases from ebay as well as some Chinese wooden cases and the TEX low profile cases.

I've put a few builds together now and I've become more particular about aesthetics.  The gap around the edge of the plate drives me a bit insane, especially on flush, low profile cases.  I can stand 1mm or so, but my most recent plates have been closer to 3mm off.  I would order a lasergist cut plate using the swill tool in a heartbeat if I had some sort of idea about how it would line up in the cases I have.

I was just looking to see if someone had a similar setup who could provide feedback.

[cribbit]

Yes, I've been following the handwiring post and I've seen your work.  Amazing stuff 

I have no doubt the plates come out well cut and nicely finished.  I'm most interested in how they fit into available aftermarket cases.  I don't have the ability to make my own case so I'm looking for a plate that will have a more precise fit than some of the plates I've come across recently.

Most aftermarket cases seem to be made with a bit of extra room.  Better too big than to have a PCB that won't go in i suppose.  However, I've noticed that it appears they HAVE actually measured exactly to the dimensions of the the popular Vortex/KBC/WASD pok3r keyboard plate.  That plate is slightly wider and fits like a glove in the Chinese aluminum cases from ebay as well as some Chinese wooden cases and the TEX low profile cases.

I've put a few builds together now and I've become more particular about aesthetics.  The gap around the edge of the plate drives me a bit insane, especially on flush, low profile cases.  I can stand 1mm or so, but my most recent plates have been closer to 3mm off.  I would order a lasergist cut plate using the swill tool in a heartbeat if I had some sort of idea about how it would line up in the cases I have.

I was just looking to see if someone had a similar setup who could provide feedback.

Swillkb can build to any case you want. You just have to measure very carefully, then set edge padding.

[pixelpusher]

Yes, I've been following the handwiring post and I've seen your work.  Amazing stuff 

I have no doubt the plates come out well cut and nicely finished.  I'm most interested in how they fit into available aftermarket cases.  I don't have the ability to make my own case so I'm looking for a plate that will have a more precise fit than some of the plates I've come across recently.

Most aftermarket cases seem to be made with a bit of extra room.  Better too big than to have a PCB that won't go in i suppose.  However, I've noticed that it appears they HAVE actually measured exactly to the dimensions of the the popular Vortex/KBC/WASD pok3r keyboard plate.  That plate is slightly wider and fits like a glove in the Chinese aluminum cases from ebay as well as some Chinese wooden cases and the TEX low profile cases.

I've put a few builds together now and I've become more particular about aesthetics.  The gap around the edge of the plate drives me a bit insane, especially on flush, low profile cases.  I can stand 1mm or so, but my most recent plates have been closer to 3mm off.  I would order a lasergist cut plate using the swill tool in a heartbeat if I had some sort of idea about how it would line up in the cases I have.

I was just looking to see if someone had a similar setup who could provide feedback.

Swillkb can build to any case you want. You just have to measure very carefully, then set edge padding.

I thought about doing it that way, but when I select the "poker" case option, the edge padding option is no longer available.  I don't have any CAD programs, but I do know how to use Illustrator.  I can open the SVG and see that the width for Poker case plates is 285.375mm   So maybe I could just adjust this outer shape, give it some corner radius and upload it to lasergist instead of going through the swill tool connection to lasergist?

Seems like a huge waste of money if I don't do it right.  Sounds like this whole damn hobby.  I wish I wasn't addicted to keyboards

[pixelpusher]

And what's this about kerf?  I don't even know what that means.  I assume it has something to do with the width of the cutting line?  Do I have to adjust anything in the SVG that the swillkb site generates before I send it to Lasergist.  I noticed that it gets adjusted automatically when you use the build-in tool to send it.

[OfTheWild]

Kerf is the width of the cut. But I believe if i remember correctly, when talking about machining vectors is usually where you are setting the placement of the blade in relation to the line... outer, inner, center/on-line. You would want to set this up so that the "outer" edge of the kerf is the line.