Author Topic: [IC] Sterling Silver KeyCaps - row E + BS + Alps + Topre! (Read 48657 times)

Glissant · « **Reply #150 on:** Sun, 09 December 2012, 17:08:12 »

I'm not sure which bale configuration would be best, but I don't think it matters much to me. It would just be hanging on a silver chain I own already. Let me know what you think would be best.
And paying a couple of extra quid would be no problem for that either. SO EXCITING

!

TheGrey · « **Reply #151 on:** Sun, 09 December 2012, 18:17:38 »

Silver spacebar please be next project!

The_Ed · « **Reply #152 on:** Sun, 09 December 2012, 23:27:16 »

Titanium not good enough for you?

asura · « **Reply #153 on:** Mon, 10 December 2012, 12:21:18 »

Silver would probably be too heavy for a space bar, I haven't weighed my 6.25 bar so I don't know for sure, but as a guestimate it'd be somewhere in the region of 45g for a thin one, or about double that for a thick wall!

Next'll probably be bottom row modifiers, not fully decided on 1, 1.25, or 1.5 yet.

Equally I've had a thought about the cuff links. A simple set of cuff links with a raised cross, that way the caps themselves would be detachable - one could simply take them off ones keyboard, and put them on ones sleeves.

Alessandro · « **Reply #154 on:** Mon, 10 December 2012, 12:23:52 »

Quote from: asura on Mon, 10 December 2012, 12:21:18

#one could simply take them off ones keyboard, and put them on ones sleeves.

You have my full attention.

asura · « **Reply #155 on:** Mon, 10 December 2012, 12:39:28 »

And of course my young friend, it would allow you to put any MX key cap onto the links!

Alessandro · « **Reply #156 on:** Mon, 10 December 2012, 13:14:57 »

I can't tell you awesome this is, I can save a fortune on cufflinks. If I want something new I can just have it custom lasered. Count me in ASAP!

TheGrey · « **Reply #157 on:** Tue, 11 December 2012, 17:36:31 »

Quote from: The_Ed on Sun, 09 December 2012, 23:27:16

Titanium not good enough for you?

you best be kidding...a double shot silver with gold, windowed in crystal quartz keyset....then maybe enough

asura · « **Reply #158 on:** Tue, 11 December 2012, 17:55:25 »

I'm afraid it won't be double shot, engraved and in-filled is the best I can offer unless you want a platinum first and gold/silver second. Any preference on font? And would you like round or square windows?

Seriously though, not doing double castings. The rest is all possible, for the right price.

asura · « **Reply #159 on:** Fri, 14 December 2012, 15:39:02 »

Appologies for the double post, but I thought you'd like to see pictures of the other two finishes. I'll update the OP while I'm here...

Brushed

Beed blasted

TheProfosist · « **Reply #160 on:** Fri, 14 December 2012, 15:51:30 »

not so keen on the brushed but the bead blasted looks cool i think i prefer standard though

dorkvader · « **Reply #161 on:** Sun, 16 December 2012, 21:00:36 »

The polished titanium looks really good, and I think polished silver looks best. Of the tow, I prefer bead blasted ofcourse.

I well certainly be getting of for BS, and possible cherry. Thank you very much for putting all the work into this.

Jupiter · « **Reply #162 on:** Sun, 16 December 2012, 21:46:14 »

Wow that bead blasted looks amazing. Wouldn't mind getting one for an Esc key or something.

This is one expensive hobby. So many nice things on these forums!

razorsharpgears · « **Reply #163 on:** Sun, 16 December 2012, 22:33:09 »

Quote from: Jupiter on Sun, 16 December 2012, 21:46:14

Wow that bead blasted looks amazing. Wouldn't mind getting one for an Esc key or something.

This is one expensive hobby. So many nice things on these forums!

I agree these keycaps look amazing, and it also is an expensive hobby xD

Shadovved · « **Reply #164 on:** Sun, 16 December 2012, 22:42:47 »

Me likes the normal one

Germanium alloy please!

)

asura · « **Reply #165 on:** Mon, 17 December 2012, 13:56:15 »

Just a little not about the BS cap - the stem is to complex, and the differences in tensile elasticity between plastic and silver further precludes doing a single piece cap. So they'll be of the two part variety and once you put the parts together you'll need a spreader (scalpel ideal) to part them as - again - silver is stronger than plastic.

I don't know what alloy they use, simply that it's a "stain free" silver, it's quite likely that the geranium alloy won't work well for casting, there's almost certainly some silicon in there... besides, I thought you wanted fine

Glissant · « **Reply #166 on:** Mon, 17 December 2012, 19:22:58 »

Do I contact you directly for my pendant keycap, or will you be informing us when/if you are taking orders on those? I am really really really interested!

DanGWanG · « **Reply #167 on:** Mon, 17 December 2012, 23:46:21 »

The brushed finish looks like you scraped it across some barbed wire lol

asura · « **Reply #168 on:** Tue, 18 December 2012, 12:29:10 »

Quote from: DanGWanG on Mon, 17 December 2012, 23:46:21

The brushed finish looks like you scraped it across some barbed wire lol

Shhhhh! Stop giving away trade secrets

It's just polished up to 240 grit paper, then random strokes with 150 grit to give it the texture, I really like it - sometimes producing an even more brutalised appearance by repeatedly dragging the corner of a file across a piece producing a beautiful sinusoidal finish.

I might get a diamond tip for my hammer hand-piece and offer a stippled finish too, though that'd probably be best on the top only... thinking about it, perhaps not - it's a b**** to clean without resorting to dipping in acid...

Quote from: Glissant on Mon, 17 December 2012, 19:22:58

Do I contact you directly for my pendant keycap, or will you be informing us when/if you are taking orders on those? I am really really really interested!

There's going to be an "any other comments" or some such in the ordering phase, for variations, additions, and etcetera so you can just put it down there, even include a link to an image if you like.

Shadovved · « **Reply #169 on:** Tue, 18 December 2012, 21:41:51 »

Yeap fine is fine by me.

Pun intended

cobraj · « **Reply #170 on:** Thu, 27 December 2012, 03:33:03 »

Wow
That looks amazing.
This is why I can never save money.
I am keen.

TheGrey · « **Reply #171 on:** Thu, 27 December 2012, 17:13:27 »

I love the brushed key

rekanise · « **Reply #172 on:** Sat, 29 December 2012, 18:32:35 »

omg want them all

snoopy · « **Reply #173 on:** Sun, 30 December 2012, 10:31:47 »

I'm interested in a polished one for BS

asura · « **Reply #174 on:** Sun, 30 December 2012, 11:37:24 »

A quick update for you all then - I have cast a wax model of each key and I'll be posting them out on Saturday to arrive in Birmingham on Monday. I'm sure that there'll be a mass of stuff waiting for them due to the christmas/new-year break, so I probably won't get them back in silver for a fortnight.

Following that I'll get one of each finish on them and photograph them together, this'll make it much easier to compare the differences than having different pictures in different lighting conditions.

Oh and I just finished a spoon, it's very cool.

Alessandro · « **Reply #175 on:** Sun, 30 December 2012, 11:56:55 »

Awesome! I patiently await cufflinks.

Glissant · « **Reply #176 on:** Sun, 30 December 2012, 12:08:40 »

Great news! Can't wait to get my hands on your work

rekanise · « **Reply #177 on:** Sun, 30 December 2012, 15:05:13 »

awesome! cant wait for it to be available for purchase!

Shadovved · « **Reply #178 on:** Sun, 30 December 2012, 15:12:32 »

Me too!

Im still waiting for my gold cap!

Magnusian · « **Reply #179 on:** Mon, 31 December 2012, 00:32:36 »

Bead blasted for buckling spring please!

KuhnTang · « **Reply #180 on:** Mon, 31 December 2012, 01:34:43 »

Posting so that I can follow this thread and see when these go up for sale.

this has probably already been discussed, but I've had silver before, and it oxidizes very quickly, but is easy to shine right back up. Are the brushed keys easy to return to to luster?

asura · « **Reply #181 on:** Sat, 05 January 2013, 13:58:45 »

Another delay I'm afraid... apparently, the post office only work until 12:00 on Saturdays. Part timers! So the wax castings will be going out in the post on Monday (two days hence) morning instead of Saturday (today) afternoon. Other than that everything's looking good.

The more textured the key, the more difficult it will be to polish - the company I use for casting have a "stain free" silver and also cast in fine silver (pure silver, no copper) which should either need far (far, far, far) less frequent polishing or no polishing.

I'm thinking cuff-links may come post caps simply to avoid any further delays. I can always post up instructions on how to make your own out of a few sacrificed stems...

Glissant · « **Reply #182 on:** Sat, 05 January 2013, 14:23:36 »

Every time I see an update from you, asura, my wallet screams in pain xD

asura · « **Reply #183 on:** Sat, 05 January 2013, 16:27:41 »

No, your desires scream in pain, your wallet says a prayer of thanks

seferphier · « **Reply #184 on:** Sun, 06 January 2013, 06:54:29 »

this looks awesome

gojira54 · « **Reply #185 on:** Sun, 06 January 2013, 08:46:03 »

This looks amazing, I'm in for one

BlindRAGE606 · « **Reply #186 on:** Sun, 06 January 2013, 08:53:18 »

In for a Topre Fn key -polished, if you're making!

Shadovved · « **Reply #187 on:** Sun, 06 January 2013, 08:54:29 »

COME ON.

MAKE ME A SILVER KEYSET!

*and it shall be more expensive than longwallet's scarface caps!*

asura · « **Reply #188 on:** Sun, 06 January 2013, 14:49:08 »

I do plan on doing all rows, both MX profiles and most/all unit widths. But I won't be complete any time soon - the good news is that IBM buckling spring rows are all the same profile, so IBM owners can get a whole set (of two part caps) of one unit keys from the outset, the rest of you will have to be patient.

I'll speed up after this first round, part of the delay is simply that I'm pacing the manufacturing to match the gubbins at the back - i.e. I work seven days a week in December and therefore haven't been to the bank so I'm not yet set up to take on line payment etcetera.

In other news, The_Ed you'll be over-joyed, thick walled Cherry only - the 0.8mm wall didn't produce consistent waxes either, for some reason, and I can't be bothered to make another (lazy boy!) so there will only be five profiles to choose from; MX OEM, MX Cherry, ALPS, Topre, BS.

I'm not entirely decided which keys to make next, my thoughts are either just drop down a row (so Cherry's row D [that being QWERTYU etcetera]) or to start on modifiers, 1.5 / 1.25 row A and whatever is appropriate to other switch types.

Thoughts gentlemen and ladies?

snoopy · « **Reply #189 on:** Sun, 06 January 2013, 15:03:54 »

Where's the order form?

Lookin' forward to the BS ones!

The_Ed · « **Reply #190 on:** Sun, 06 January 2013, 17:06:29 »

Thicker is always better.

By the way, are you doing 3 rib or 4 rib?

(Acanthophis's pic shows the difference)

asura · « **Reply #191 on:** Sun, 06 January 2013, 17:41:55 »

0 rib!

mkawa's picture

Motan22 · « **Reply #192 on:** Sun, 06 January 2013, 18:37:26 »

Dropping in to comment on your prototype sterling silver keycaps; they look superb asura.

I have just received my first mechanical keyboard, a Filco Majestouch 2 with Cherry MX blues and I am thoroughly enjoying it.

Patiently awaiting to grab a polished MX OEM keycap. I think my descent into keyboard madness has begun!

The_Ed · « **Reply #193 on:** Sun, 06 January 2013, 21:27:57 »

...But I thought you said for the thick cherry profile you were going to make a mold from a cherry cap, which would thus have ribs...

asura · « **Reply #194 on:** Mon, 07 January 2013, 06:33:22 »

Yes it's from a thick cherry cap but I ripped its insides up a bit - to make the prongs adjustable + I already have a 30% failure rate with the stems as-is and with the thinner curved sections that could only rise. The ribs and rounded connected parts of the stems are there because the plastic is brittle; silver isn't so they're redundant.

rek55 · « **Reply #195 on:** Mon, 07 January 2013, 09:27:34 »

A silver cast key... excessive, but in a way that I greatly approve of!

asura · « **Reply #196 on:** Thu, 10 January 2013, 03:46:11 »

Quick update before work; the Sterling silver keys are cast, the fine silver is being cast today, they'll be posted out on Monday arriving Tuesday/Wednesday and I can start cleaning them up Thursday-Sunday. And hopefully final photos on Monday.

The bank - when I went in, couldn't see me straight away, and couldn't make an appointment for me either. I've had to leave my phone number and am currently awaiting a callback to make an appointment for some unknown point in the future... all fun and games till somebody looses an eye...

TheProfosist · « **Reply #197 on:** Thu, 10 January 2013, 03:52:36 »

Needs some caps 3 row 4 to start maybe?

Elrick · « **Reply #198 on:** Thu, 10 January 2013, 04:17:30 »

Quote from: asura on Thu, 15 November 2012, 17:41:31

As a brief introduction; I’m a product of the times, I graduated with a Masters degree in Architecture in Scotland a few weeks before this headline add to this an unwillingness to move out of my immediate area for work and I'm suddenly pretty much unemployable in my area of study.

Don't worry there are a whole lot of us who were trained in Universities that never ended up working in their chosen field of expertise. Hence the dilemma, adapt to the situation at hand or go hungry.

Quote from: asura on Thu, 15 November 2012, 17:41:31

So I fall back on my weekend/summer job – only unlike so many of my cohort this isn’t bar work, or waiting tables. I make jewellery, I always hesitate to call myself a jeweller as I have no formal training, but I've been doing it on and off for about eighteen years so I'm fairly competent in what I'm doing.

Some of the BEST works of Art are by so called 'Amateurs'. Because they do it purely for the love of it and nothing else, their work is often of the highest quality.

Good that you've decided to branch out and produce something that others appreciate. I hope you sell them for at least $200 a cap. Stuff like this should never go for $50 or $100 because it means you don't value your skills. Because to me they are worth far more than any plastic Click Clack that was ever made thus far.

Can't wait to see the Silver turn dark green with slightly different colourations because Silver ages beautifully in it's natural state with no polishing.

Elrick · « **Reply #199 on:** Thu, 10 January 2013, 04:39:41 »

Quote from: asura on Thu, 10 January 2013, 03:46:11

The bank - when I went in, couldn't see me straight away, and couldn't make an appointment for me either. I've had to leave my phone number and am currently awaiting a callback to make an appointment for some unknown point in the future... all fun and games till somebody looses an eye...

Umm if you are looking for a handout from the bank (that's what I'm presuming, I may of course be seriously wrong) please be aware these parasites won't lift a finger in handing out any money.

Mainly because you just started a NEW venture, unless you've started other businesses that have turned over a minimum of $100,000 per year or you have lots of saleable assets for the bank to grab if your venture goes Kaput. In the end you have to go it alone, because Banks are what destroyed many countries throughout the World today.

I know you need equipment and what not, but the safest place to play around with melting/wax casting is enrolling in a school that trains people in the art of casting and finishing. The good thing about that is you will have access to FREE ovens, pits, wax molding equipment. Hence you can seriously turn out a large number of caps for the addicts on here, and get a qualification to boot.

Although I have no idea what the Scottish system for training and education is like or if you need vast sums of money to enroll like in the United States.

News:

Author Topic: [IC] Sterling Silver KeyCaps - row E + BS + Alps + Topre! (Read 48657 times)