WIP: My first custom keyboard (TKL)

[mastercontrol90]

Since I found a wreckage of a 90s terminal keyboard full of Cherry MX Black switches, I'm thinking about building a custom keyboard. I did some specs and resources research and I draw this metal + acrylic enclosure based off the phantom plate. What do you think about this kind of design? I know this is nothing fancy but hey, newbie here! If you have any questions just ask, I don't bite!:P

UPDATE 16 September 2015
Nope the project is not death, just me and my friend being really really busy. As you can see the PCB making has made some huge progress, tell us if you see something wrong with that!


UPDATE 28 August 2015
I'm switching from a plate mounted to a pcb mounted desing. This change is necessary due to the high cost of steel and aluminium laser cutting. The first step of the design change is an adaption of our PCB to sustain typing, plus some new optimizations.


UPDATE 26 August 2015
Thanks to the help of a friend of mine, my keyboard will probably have is own iso layout dual layer PCB with backlight LEDs support (not only on off but also on with a dimmer light). We are working hard to optimize it as much as possible!


UPDATE 21 August 2015
I did a major overhaul of my enclosure design. While it isn't changed much aesthetically, now spacing is way more efficient and so the casing is overall smaller (370 mm x 165 mm) and more elegant.



******Older design******

More

3D render of the "fully" assembled keyboard and 3D exploded sketch





Sizes, parts and alternative version with no acrylic cover



Assembled 3D sketches from different angles

[/spoiler]

[DrHubblePhD]

Pretty cool. Would be interested to see an assembled render of the parts. 

[mastercontrol90]

Pretty cool. Would be interested to see an assembled render of the parts. 

Thanks! Sadly CorelDraw can't handle 3D like a complete cad but, since I'm still waiting for the desolder pump delivery to scavenge those cherry mx black, I'll try to found a way to render it

[mastercontrol90]

***UPDATED****

[mastercontrol90]

Pretty cool. Would be interested to see an assembled render of the parts. 

Not exactly a real 3d render of the fully assembled keyboard, but close enough! By the way a friend of mine will render it fully assembled (keycaps included) using maya, but it will take a while.
*****EDITED, check first topic post for images*****

[mastercontrol90]

As promised, here it is a 3D render of the fully assembled keyboard (with front cover)

[mrflow3r]

Nice rendering! Did you draw everything from scratch? I'd like to design a case for my keyboard too. Don't know where to start from.
Is this all done with CorelDraw?

[mastercontrol90]

Nice rendering! Did you draw everything from scratch? I'd like to design a case for my keyboard too. Don't know where to start from.
Is this all done with CorelDraw?

Except the mounting hole layout (taken almost straight from the phantom plate) it's all from scratch. Yes, I did all of this with CorelDraw + CorelDesigner except the fully assembled 3D render (latest image), which is made with maya by a friend of mine using my dxf file. By the way I saw your 30% prototype keyboard board and it is.... exotic... I LIKE IT A LOT!

[mrflow3r]

Nice rendering! Did you draw everything from scratch? I'd like to design a case for my keyboard too. Don't know where to start from.
Is this all done with CorelDraw?

Except the mounting hole layout (taken almost straight from the phantom plate) it's all from scratch. Yes, I did all of this with CorelDraw + CorelDesigner except the fully assembled 3D render (latest image), which is made with maya by a friend of mine using my dxf file. By the way I saw your 30% prototype keyboard board and it is.... exotic... I LIKE IT A LOT!

Wow those are the tools I have never used before! Great job learning them. Ya I'm building a custom keyboard too. The 30% is getting there.. Albeit it's not perfect haha. I notice you and I are both working on custom keyboards, and we started from the opposite ends. You from the outside and I from inside. Cool!

I'd send you a board if I had a spare, but I already gave some away. On V2 may be!

[mastercontrol90]

Nice rendering! Did you draw everything from scratch? I'd like to design a case for my keyboard too. Don't know where to start from.
Is this all done with CorelDraw?

Except the mounting hole layout (taken almost straight from the phantom plate) it's all from scratch. Yes, I did all of this with CorelDraw + CorelDesigner except the fully assembled 3D render (latest image), which is made with maya by a friend of mine using my dxf file. By the way I saw your 30% prototype keyboard board and it is.... exotic... I LIKE IT A LOT!

Wow those are the tools I have never used before! Great job learning them. Ya I'm building a custom keyboard too. The 30% is getting there.. Albeit it's not perfect haha. I notice you and I are both working on custom keyboards, and we started from the opposite ends. You from the outside and I from inside. Cool!

I'd send you a board if I had a spare, but I already gave some away. On V2 may be!

Just write here pcb width and height and precise switches positions (relative to the center of them) of your keyboard and I'll draw an enclosure for you, at least a good one for personal use and prototyping. By the way I did started from the casing because I'm using a standard layout so I did skipped a lot of work. In the meanwhile check the first post, I'm updating it with a way sleekier desing... same concept but smaller and more elegant.

[mrflow3r]

Nice rendering! Did you draw everything from scratch? I'd like to design a case for my keyboard too. Don't know where to start from.
Is this all done with CorelDraw?

Except the mounting hole layout (taken almost straight from the phantom plate) it's all from scratch. Yes, I did all of this with CorelDraw + CorelDesigner except the fully assembled 3D render (latest image), which is made with maya by a friend of mine using my dxf file. By the way I saw your 30% prototype keyboard board and it is.... exotic... I LIKE IT A LOT!

Wow those are the tools I have never used before! Great job learning them. Ya I'm building a custom keyboard too. The 30% is getting there.. Albeit it's not perfect haha. I notice you and I are both working on custom keyboards, and we started from the opposite ends. You from the outside and I from inside. Cool!

I'd send you a board if I had a spare, but I already gave some away. On V2 may be!

Just write here pcb width and height and precise switches positions (relative to the center of them) of your keyboard and I'll draw an enclosure for you, at least a good one for personal use and prototyping. By the way I did started from the casing because I'm using a standard layout so I did skipped a lot of work. In the meanwhile check the first post, I'm updating it with a way sleekier desing... same concept but smaller and more elegant.

Arg, I've been trying to get you the dimensions of my board. I would love to see a case for it! However Kicad is one of the the most unintuitive tools of our time and it's giving me a hard time. I posted a question at Kicad user forum - https://forum.kicad.info/t/dimension-of-my-board/1207. As soon as I figure it out, I will get you the numbers. Thanks a lot for the help

[mastercontrol90]

Nice rendering! Did you draw everything from scratch? I'd like to design a case for my keyboard too. Don't know where to start from.
Is this all done with CorelDraw?

Except the mounting hole layout (taken almost straight from the phantom plate) it's all from scratch. Yes, I did all of this with CorelDraw + CorelDesigner except the fully assembled 3D render (latest image), which is made with maya by a friend of mine using my dxf file. By the way I saw your 30% prototype keyboard board and it is.... exotic... I LIKE IT A LOT!

Wow those are the tools I have never used before! Great job learning them. Ya I'm building a custom keyboard too. The 30% is getting there.. Albeit it's not perfect haha. I notice you and I are both working on custom keyboards, and we started from the opposite ends. You from the outside and I from inside. Cool!

I'd send you a board if I had a spare, but I already gave some away. On V2 may be!

Just write here pcb width and height and precise switches positions (relative to the center of them) of your keyboard and I'll draw an enclosure for you, at least a good one for personal use and prototyping. By the way I did started from the casing because I'm using a standard layout so I did skipped a lot of work. In the meanwhile check the first post, I'm updating it with a way sleekier desing... same concept but smaller and more elegant.

Arg, I've been trying to get you the dimensions of my board. I would love to see a case for it! However Kicad is one of the the most unintuitive tools of our time and it's giving me a hard time. I posted a question at Kicad user forum - https://forum.kicad.info/t/dimension-of-my-board/1207. As soon as I figure it out, I will get you the numbers. Thanks a lot for the help

No problem man! If I remember correctly kicad can export to different cad formats, including the common dxf (autocad), if you want you can just export it in this formant and send it to me. You can also try the Trial version of Corel Draw Technical Suite and measure it with it (or try the breeze of a vector/cad like software).

[mrflow3r]

Alright here is the .cad file I exported. Don't even know if it's the right CAD format!
In the mean while, I still trying to figure out the exact dimensions in Kicad (I'm sad I actually don't know this..)

Thanks!

Btw if this takes too much time and effort, don't worry about it. I will just study your design and try on my own!

[mastercontrol90]

Alright here is the .cad file I exported. Don't even know if it's the right CAD format!
In the mean while, I still trying to figure out the exact dimensions in Kicad (I'm sad I actually don't know this..)

Thanks!

Btw if this takes too much time and effort, don't worry about it. I will just study your design and try on my own!

Nope, this format isn't compatible. See if it is available dxf, dwg or svg as a save or export option. Btw I'm installing kicad too to try to check by myself

[mrflow3r]

Doh, this is all I have as export options. Will report back a few hours with exact dimensions!

[mastercontrol90]

Doh, this is all I have as export options. Will report back a few hours with exact dimensions!

OUCH I can open none of those, I'll wait for you then.

[mastercontrol90]

Doh, this is all I have as export options. Will report back a few hours with exact dimensions!

No wait there is one! Look "export to svg"  that is a good one!

[mrflow3r]

I'm convinced Kicad's dimensioning feature cannot measure anything between grid-dots =(.
I had to manually subtract coordinates to figure out the dimensions of the board. And it is 202mm by 80mm.
Attached is the SVG, although I am not sure if we can figure out the measurements from it? It doesn't look to have any numerical data?

And btw I realized I forgot to wire the Enter key to it's column. Rework is needed..

[mastercontrol90]

I'm convinced Kicad's dimensioning feature cannot measure anything between grid-dots =(.
I had to manually subtract coordinates to figure out the dimensions of the board. And it is 202mm by 80mm.
Attached is the SVG, although I am not sure if we can figure out the measurements from it? It doesn't look to have any numerical data?

And btw I realized I forgot to wire the Enter key to it's column. Rework is needed..

the svg file was almost perfect, there was some glitch here and here (I presume where there were some info text outside the pcb) but the pcb was perfect

I'm starting right know to work on it

[mrflow3r]

I'm convinced Kicad's dimensioning feature cannot measure anything between grid-dots =(.
I had to manually subtract coordinates to figure out the dimensions of the board. And it is 202mm by 80mm.
Attached is the SVG, although I am not sure if we can figure out the measurements from it? It doesn't look to have any numerical data?

And btw I realized I forgot to wire the Enter key to it's column. Rework is needed..

the svg file was almost perfect, there was some glitch here and here (I presume where there were some info text outside the pcb) but the pcb was perfect

I'm starting right know to work on it

Great! Like I said, please don't spend hours on making me a case! ANYTHING would be appreciated. If you can share the files with me, I can improve from there too! Thanks!

[mastercontrol90]

I'm convinced Kicad's dimensioning feature cannot measure anything between grid-dots =(.
I had to manually subtract coordinates to figure out the dimensions of the board. And it is 202mm by 80mm.
Attached is the SVG, although I am not sure if we can figure out the measurements from it? It doesn't look to have any numerical data?

And btw I realized I forgot to wire the Enter key to it's column. Rework is needed..

the svg file was almost perfect, there was some glitch here and here (I presume where there were some info text outside the pcb) but the pcb was perfect

I'm starting right know to work on it

Great! Like I said, please don't spend hours on making me a case! ANYTHING would be appreciated. If you can share the files with me, I can improve from there too! Thanks!

oh I need one simple thing, how big are the space key and the other key on the same row?

[mrflow3r]

I'm convinced Kicad's dimensioning feature cannot measure anything between grid-dots =(.
I had to manually subtract coordinates to figure out the dimensions of the board. And it is 202mm by 80mm.
Attached is the SVG, although I am not sure if we can figure out the measurements from it? It doesn't look to have any numerical data?

And btw I realized I forgot to wire the Enter key to it's column. Rework is needed..

the svg file was almost perfect, there was some glitch here and here (I presume where there were some info text outside the pcb) but the pcb was perfect

I'm starting right know to work on it

Great! Like I said, please don't spend hours on making me a case! ANYTHING would be appreciated. If you can share the files with me, I can improve from there too! Thanks!

oh I need one simple thing, how big are the space key and the other key on the same row?

It's 1.25-6.25-1.25!

[mastercontrol90]

It's 1.25-6.25-1.25!

Ok, thanks! I need those to put the stabilizer holes. While you are here, a part of the spacebar, there are other keys that need stabilizers?

[mrflow3r]

It's 1.25-6.25-1.25!

Ok, thanks! I need those to put the stabilizer holes. While you are here, a part of the spacebar, there are other keys that need stabilizers?

Space is the only one.  Don't stay up too late bro!

[mastercontrol90]

It's 1.25-6.25-1.25!

Ok, thanks! I need those to put the stabilizer holes. While you are here, a part of the spacebar, there are other keys that need stabilizers?

Space is the only one.  Don't stay up too late bro!

Almost done, wait for it!!! BTW here is 11:15 am

[mastercontrol90]

It's 1.25-6.25-1.25!

Ok, thanks! I need those to put the stabilizer holes. While you are here, a part of the spacebar, there are other keys that need stabilizers?

Space is the only one.  Don't stay up too late bro!

Done!!! Check your keyboard topic!

[mrflow3r]

Really appreciate you working on my case! So this is all possible with CorelDesigner and CorelDraw? I am gonna see if I can get my head wrapped around it too. This is exciting!

[mastercontrol90]

UPDATED, check the main post

[mrflow3r]

awesome! I would like to put LEDs on my next version as well. What kind LED are you using? How do you power/control them?
Also, I noticed it was an ISO layout. Any particular reason for the choice?

Btw, I wish I had a friend like yours haha

[mastercontrol90]

awesome! I would like to put LEDs on my next version as well. What kind LED are you using? How do you power/control them?
Also, I noticed it was an ISO layout. Any particular reason for the choice?

Btw, I wish I had a friend like yours haha

just put standard 3mm LED in parallel with one common resistor to dim them on a 5 volt line

Regarding the layout, I'm from the old continent so... ISO all the way here

BTW, do you know any decent PCB producer/seller website? The lower cost one here costs to me 168€ for two pcbs

[mrflow3r]

awesome! I would like to put LEDs on my next version as well. What kind LED are you using? How do you power/control them?
Also, I noticed it was an ISO layout. Any particular reason for the choice?

Btw, I wish I had a friend like yours haha

just put standard 3mm LED in parallel with one common resistor to dim them on a 5 volt line

Regarding the layout, I'm from the old continent so... ISO all the way here

BTW, do you know any decent PCB producer/seller website? The lower cost one here costs to me 168€ for two pcbs

I see. I will probably start with a simple LED configuration like that.

I used PCBway.com . Paid less than $100 for 5 boards including shipping and customs and duties. Let me know if you need help with it.

[mastercontrol90]

awesome! I would like to put LEDs on my next version as well. What kind LED are you using? How do you power/control them?
Also, I noticed it was an ISO layout. Any particular reason for the choice?

Btw, I wish I had a friend like yours haha

just put standard 3mm LED in parallel with one common resistor to dim them on a 5 volt line

Regarding the layout, I'm from the old continent so... ISO all the way here

BTW, do you know any decent PCB producer/seller website? The lower cost one here costs to me 168€ for two pcbs

I see. I will probably start with a simple LED configuration like that.

I used PCBway.com . Paid less than $100 for 5 boards including shipping and customs and duties. Let me know if you need help with it.

Thanks and nice prices! But sadly Italy is a mess with customs (sometimes they even forget they have your package or they don't belive you about how much you paid for the merch), so I need a local or European PCB maker.... This is gonna be pretty hard!

[mrflow3r]

awesome! I would like to put LEDs on my next version as well. What kind LED are you using? How do you power/control them?
Also, I noticed it was an ISO layout. Any particular reason for the choice?

Btw, I wish I had a friend like yours haha

just put standard 3mm LED in parallel with one common resistor to dim them on a 5 volt line

Regarding the layout, I'm from the old continent so... ISO all the way here

BTW, do you know any decent PCB producer/seller website? The lower cost one here costs to me 168€ for two pcbs

I see. I will probably start with a simple LED configuration like that.

I used PCBway.com . Paid less than $100 for 5 boards including shipping and customs and duties. Let me know if you need help with it.

Thanks and nice prices! But sadly Italy is a mess with customs (sometimes they even forget they have your package or they don't belive you about how much you paid for the merch), so I need a local or European PCB maker.... This is gonna be pretty hard!

Ya it will be expensive... The quality of the locally made PCBs are great. Just to expensive unfortunately.

[mastercontrol90]

--Ya it will be expensive... The quality of the locally made PCBs are great. Just to expensive unfortunately.

I have some news... The good one is that I found a nice PCB maker here that it isn't that expensive. The bad one is that here the laser cut for the mounting plate costs more than the pcb... a lot more!

[mrflow3r]

--Ya it will be expensive... The quality of the locally made PCBs are great. Just to expensive unfortunately.

I have some news... The good one is that I found a nice PCB maker here that it isn't that expensive. The bad one is that here the laser cut for the mounting plate costs more than the pcb... a lot more!

That's great! How much is the quote for the Pcb and laser cut?

[mastercontrol90]

--Ya it will be expensive... The quality of the locally made PCBs are great. Just to expensive unfortunately.

I have some news... The good one is that I found a nice PCB maker here that it isn't that expensive. The bad one is that here the laser cut for the mounting plate costs more than the pcb... a lot more!

That's great! How much is the quote for the Pcb and laser cut?

I got about 26€ X 10pcs for the pcbs and about 110€ for a mounting plate... I'm switching to a pcb mounted design to lower costs.

[mastercontrol90]

UPDATED, check the main post