I'm currently planning a custom TKL keyboard project, and I've been looking around for companies in the UK willing to CNC mill 2 pieces of approximately 3mm thick aluminium for the mounting plate and the top outer layer of the keyboard (the sides I can cut myself from aluminium bars, and I'll use a sheet for the bottom). Both are TKL keyboard sized.
After submitting a (very) rough top surface layer to Proto Labs shown below, I received a quote for about £300, which is way, WAY above what I am willing to pay (I was hoping <£100 for both together).
There are so many other CNC milling places out there that appear in a simple google search, so I'm more than a little confused.
Unfortunately the Physics department (I'm an undergraduate Physicist) at my university can't really help me, due to training that would be required to use the machines safely, etc. I'm not a member of the Engineering department, so this would probably be a no go too, but I might give it a try and see what happens.
Does anyone have any recommendations for a place more inexpensive? Ideally I'd want to order from the UK, but ordering from overseas is also an option.
Thanks a lot!
