Got my first custom layout back from the laser cutter...

[tobsn]

It's going to be my first built and it's going to be a custom layout about which I wrote before here that I call "isode".

I like the idea of 45% keyboards but I did not like the key placements since I'm used to a DE iso layout, hence I made my own layout after tracking for a few weeks where exactly I hit keys.

I made multiple changes on the layout after digging through TMK/QMK how to best set modifier etc.

The result is this:

http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/ff3374e064770867929c23c6e186fdb2
More key details: http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/8aad181321763ef4e284bd14e7626b80


After finding a local acrylic laser cutter I was able to produce a few front/back sets with M3 mounting holes in different paddings.

Here is the current, unsoldered, progress:









Next up, this week, I'm going to get steel and aluminum plates - best part is, they're actually cheaper than the acrylic parts so I might be up to organize a group buy in the future since it's really incredible cheap. Quality I will see this week...

If anyone knows how I would be able to get an actual case for it, please let me know!

[suicidal_orange]

A fellow 'top of ISO enter' hitter   You must be a better typist than me though - no backspace! )

For a custom board you would need a custom case, mr bishop could probably do something in wood if that's of any interest?  I think it looks just fine as a transparent sandwhich

[tobsn]

A fellow 'top of ISO enter' hitter   You must be a better typist than me though - no backspace! )

I'm planing to use the mod or one of the left modifiers as a switch to turn enter into backspace.
seems risky but we'll see how it will go

For a custom board you would need a custom case, mr bishop could probably do something in wood if that's of any interest?  I think it looks just fine as a transparent sandwhich

It's a bit wobbly since it's only 1.5mm - it was more of a test of the padding/spacing with layouts from swills builder. I could try using two stacked together but I dream of a frosted full-size, one piece case...

[FletchINKy]

Looks great!

Good choice on the 8 external supports, I've had bad results with internally supported acrylic plates that are that thin.

[27.9.2016]

Nice build man 

Next week I will go cut my aluminium plate. Is 20€ for 60% plate cheap?
And can you teel me your settings?



Thanks

[xtrafrood]

Looks great! I like the split spacebar design

[tobsn]

Nice build man 

Next week I will go cut my aluminium plate. Is 20€ for 60% plate cheap?
And can you teel me your settings?

Show Image

* Number of holes: 8
* Diameter: 2.98
* edge width, top, left, right, bottom I think the one that worked for me great (because they didn't mark them) is 6mm in all of them

Little hint, if you laser cut it doing variations of the outer part isn't so expensive - I'm waiting on my laser cut aluminum and steel atm and one set of back and front would've been 30 euro but 5 sets with different paddings all five in alu and steel are together 90 euro... so... 20 euro for one set is definitely cheap ;)

[tobsn]

Looks great! I like the split spacebar design

Thanks!
Sadly it's a pain in the ass to get any keycap sets :/
You'd technically need to buy two sets or one set with extra modifiers and then you have two SHIFT keys for space bars...

[tobsn]

Looks great!
Good choice on the 8 external supports, I've had bad results with internally supported acrylic plates that are that thin.

Thanks!

Even with 8 on acrylic 1.5mm its too wobbly... if I use acrylic again I'll either make a second plate under it with slightly extended switch holes to still have them click in and/or will use M2 holes and have M2 spacers throughout the board...

[27.9.2016]

Nice build man 

Next week I will go cut my aluminium plate. Is 20€ for 60% plate cheap?
And can you teel me your settings?

Show Image

* Number of holes: 8
* Diameter: 2.98
* edge width, top, left, right, bottom I think the one that worked for me great (because they didn't mark them) is 6mm in all of them

Little hint, if you laser cut it doing variations of the outer part isn't so expensive - I'm waiting on my laser cut aluminum and steel atm and one set of back and front would've been 30 euro but 5 sets with different paddings all five in alu and steel are together 90 euro... so... 20 euro for one set is definitely cheap ;)

Thank you and what about KERF did you leave it off?

[tobsn]

did 0.15 - that works with most laser places - when you click the lasergist button it adds it too but you can put it manually
oh and the radius I set to 3mm works great with M3 screws

[jackie321304]

Nice work. How high is your standoff?

[tobsn]

I'm using two plates now, one aluminum and acrylic under it which adds another 1.5mm under the switches, means I could go with 10-11mm spacers but without and tone save probably 12mm - I downloaded a teensy mount from thingiverse and altered it to have a thinner profile, to make it fit in between switches i need at least 11mm.