CNC'd Keycaps

[Ramage]

I've been experimenting with CNC'ing keycaps on the machine I built. After a decent amount of fine tuning, I've finally made a few caps that I'm happy with so I can finally start using other materials. The beta testing caps were made using pine, I'll do a short walk through of the process for those interested. If you're interested in the machine I use, you can check out the partial build log https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=77195.msg1940972#msg1940972

This was the starting piece, it's pine wood.


First the piece has to be "squared" so that the x and y axis can be picked back up any time even after flipping the stock over. It's also required so you can dimension the stock which is important when you generate the Gcode



Next you can run the part! The run time for these is long so I only ran 5.  It's also a lot easier to work with smaller stock and my machine is great, but it isn't industrial grade, so I have to be mindful of the tolerance run out. 





Now I flip the stock over and pick up my x and y again with an edge finder so that the top matches the bottom, then I run the topside. I had the vacuum attachment on for this part so I only took pictures of the start and finish



Here are the parts straight off the machine. I'm working on getting the machine to take the edge off for me, but it would require a square, sacrificial fixture other than the stock it came from so I haven't gotten to it yet. For reasons unknown to me, the machine decided to "rapid" into keycap #2. It wasn't in the simulation, and it wasn't in the Gcode, and it only happened once.  Really weird error. One cap is out.


The remaining four after the edges are sanded down


Unfortunately I over sanded two of them making the wall to thin but I learned exactly how much it takes to get them down to size so it was a good learning experience. Two more out.


What a good, healthy cap looks like from the bottom.


The two that were up to spec so far


They come off the machine a little tall, I do that so I can sand them down to size after finishing the edges.


Using a height gauge and a surface plate, I carefully sand the bottoms down to size in a figure eight pattern.




Next I'm going to be using some more exotic woods and different materials and see how they turn out. I'm also gonna give engraving a shot to see how it comes out on the curved top.  Let me know if you have any interesting ideas you think I should try.

Hope you found it interesting!

[Glenmael]

These are gorgeous mate, very nice work. 

You going to try a space bar?

[heedpantsnow]

Wow very cool!

[Ramage]

These are gorgeous mate, very nice work. 

You going to try a space bar?

That's a really good idea! I'll have to start working on that, it would definitely be more challenging. Thanks!

[Steezus]

These caps look very well done, I've seen some wood caps made in the past but these seem of superb quality. I'd really be interested in a wooden spacebar as well and then perhaps trying different finishes and stains.

[Glenmael]

These are gorgeous mate, very nice work. 

You going to try a space bar?

That's a really good idea! I'll have to start working on that, it would definitely be more challenging. Thanks!

No worries, will be looking out for your updates.

[Ramage]

These caps look very well done, I've seen some wood caps made in the past but these seem of superb quality. I'd really be interested in a wooden spacebar as well and then perhaps trying different finishes and stains.

I appreciate the compliment! Staining and finishing is something I'm going to be testing out on the scrapped caps so we'll see how that goes. I tried one already and it came out ugly and orange.

[jdcarpe]

I love this. Now you just need some laser engraved legends on there.

[Steezus]

These caps look very well done, I've seen some wood caps made in the past but these seem of superb quality. I'd really be interested in a wooden spacebar as well and then perhaps trying different finishes and stains.

I appreciate the compliment! Staining and finishing is something I'm going to be testing out on the scrapped caps so we'll see how that goes. I tried one already and it came out ugly and orange.

Yeah staining and finishing will be a bit of trial and error. Eventually I would love to have a esc, spacebar, and possibly arrow key wood caps with a smooth finish on it like that of of the ear cups on my headphones below

[Zekromtor]

For reasons unknown to me, the machine decided to "rapid" into keycap #2. It wasn't in the simulation, and it wasn't in the Gcode, and it only happened once.  Really weird error. One cap is out.

It's the mach3 ghost, and it's hit all of us who have used it enough. Unpredictable stuff can go down under the best conditions due to electrical interference, but throw in some manual breaks during a run or the unthinkable - multitasking while it's running - and you're just asking for it. That's why I want to switch to LinuxCNC so badly. It's free. Just needs the superior hardware in order to interface. Just wait 'til your favorite endmill does a nose dive into the expensive chunk of aluminum you just spent hours laboring on

How's the fit to the stems?

Consider using engraving as a means to not just label but to texture the caps. That would be cool.

[tigersharkdude]

These are sweet. Would love to see a space bar done, possibly with engraved text

[rowdy]

Very well done!

I'm wondering how many install/remove cycles they will withstand as they are swapped from keyboard to keyboard.

[Ramage]

For reasons unknown to me, the machine decided to "rapid" into keycap #2. It wasn't in the simulation, and it wasn't in the Gcode, and it only happened once.  Really weird error. One cap is out.

It's the mach3 ghost, and it's hit all of us who have used it enough. Unpredictable stuff can go down under the best conditions due to electrical interference, but throw in some manual breaks during a run or the unthinkable - multitasking while it's running - and you're just asking for it. That's why I want to switch to LinuxCNC so badly. It's free. Just needs the superior hardware in order to interface. Just wait 'til your favorite endmill does a nose dive into the expensive chunk of aluminum you just spent hours laboring on

How's the fit to the stems?

Consider using engraving as a means to not just label but to texture the caps. That would be cool.

Well I'm glad I'm not the only one with these weird occurrences. It's definitely not the first time either so I'll work on being more careful. The stem fits are fantastic. I made a series of caps in one thousandth increments and used the one with the best fit as the model standard. There is no slop, it's just a slight press fit like you'd find on an OEM cap.

[Ramage]

Very well done!

I'm wondering how many install/remove cycles they will withstand as they are swapped from keyboard to keyboard.

Ya I'm wondering the same thing. I'm planning on giving some WASD sets to a few heavy gamers to see what happens. 

These caps look very well done, I've seen some wood caps made in the past but these seem of superb quality. I'd really be interested in a wooden spacebar as well and then perhaps trying different finishes and stains.

I appreciate the compliment! Staining and finishing is something I'm going to be testing out on the scrapped caps so we'll see how that goes. I tried one already and it came out ugly and orange.

Yeah staining and finishing will be a bit of trial and error. Eventually I would love to have a esc, spacebar, and possibly arrow key wood caps with a smooth finish on it like that of of the ear cups on my headphones below

Show Image

That fostex finish is something I could definitely get behind. I'll be doing some research this week.

[Zekromtor]

Another thing I'd recommend if you're making your own caps is to really experiment with the shape. This was the shape I ended up with for my custom acrylics:


Took a little bit of getting used to, but it offers a little more tactile feedback about your fingers' vertical position. I'd also like to try a convex shape, but haven't gotten around to it.

[Ramage]

Experimented with different grain directions, and applied a polyurethane coating although, they don't look quite as glossy IRL as the pictures make them appear.
And yes, they are drying inside of a broken keyboard case.

[OfTheWild]

This is pretty neat! Some exotic woods or bone/synthetic ivory or any number of odd combos might be fun too

[Leslieann]

Looks great, you should consider doing some esc keys like that with some real nice wood like walnut or something, I'm sure a few of us would pay up for them. If you know someone with a laser they could laser the letters on before you mill them.

Also, if you do the cross before milling out the underside, you will have less risk of breaking the stem. As it is, you're doing detail work on a weak structure.

[Zekromtor]

Also, if you do the cross before milling out the underside, you will have less risk of breaking the stem. As it is, you're doing detail work on a weak structure.

That'd be an extra two tool changes though =/ I'd just consider any breakage during that phase a quality control - if it'll break from being milled, it wouldn't have been a strong stem anyways.

[Matt3o]

related

[Ramage]

Also, if you do the cross before milling out the underside, you will have less risk of breaking the stem. As it is, you're doing detail work on a weak structure.

That'd be an extra two tool changes though =/ I'd just consider any breakage during that phase a quality control - if it'll break from being milled, it wouldn't have been a strong stem anyways.

Ya that's what I'm thinking as well.  The stem cutting operation involves a really small DOC, I've yet to have a single stem break during that part of the run.

related

That's a fast feedrate! What machine is that?

[Matt3o]

it's a customized chinese cnc router with a hell of a rotor

[OfTheWild]

I wonder if you could functionally mould the stem and post inside a wood CNC cap to create something stronger due to grain.

[mrbishop]

very nice. what software are you using? mill? details xD
i have an x-carve ive upgraded. running UGS for gcode and fustion 360 for cad/cam

[Ramage]

very nice. what software are you using? mill? details xD
i have an x-carve ive upgraded. running UGS for gcode and fustion 360 for cad/cam

I use HSMworks to make the G code, and Mach3 for the CNC software.  The Gcode generator inside of fusion 360 is nearly identical to HSMworks since they're both owned by Autodesk.  I have a link to the build thread in the OP for the CNC machine.  The ballscrews, bearings, and electronics were bought online and everything else was made from raw aluminum stock and assembled together over about a 5 month span. The spindle is a 2.2KW water cooled spindle I got off ebay. 

[popkorn62]

wow very very nice work