3d scanning Model M SSK's case?

[ag36]

I've been thinking about scanning the case of my SSK(still in transit) and publish it on GH for free download, the process would cost me approx £100~£300 depends where I get it scanned and how accurate and detailed the cad file is.

I have a few questions for everyone.

Is it legal to publish the 3d cad file? I believe Unicomp or IBM still have the rights for SSK's design(I know BS's patent already expired). This can't be counted as fair use right?

Are people actually interested making it other then just admiring it and let the 3d cad sit in their hard disk forever? Actual printed case won't look very appealing using thicker filaments to print it cheap($100) but high resolution print would cost more($300~3000$) then a real SSK($220~$1500). Also mechanical strength will be questionable and the case might wrap. I think is much easier to chop a full sized model M.

How do you think?

[E TwentyNine]

I could've sworn someone already created a model of the case, at least for a fullsize which could be changed up to an SSK easily.

[fohat.digs]

I could've sworn someone already created a model of the case, at least for a fullsize which could be changed up to an SSK easily.

Yes, but it has probably been at least a couple of years ago.

[Leslieann]

Cad files don't go bad, the thing you need to know is if it's accurate or if it's just someone's 3d rendering.

Something I see a lot is people will find a 3d design and will convert it to CAD or for 3d printing, never knowing if the design was accurate, intended for manufacturing or if it was even meant to  function in any way. I have no idea why they do this, maybe they think they are doing us a favor (like we have not seen these render libraries) or it's earning them some imaginary e-points, but the files are more or less trash and can waste someones time and money trying to use something that will never function.

This brings up a problem with 3d scanning, unless you are willing to take it apart and scan each and every part, the scan is just a pretty 3d render. Even if you take it apart, it still needs converting into something useful for manufacturing. On something like a keyboard, it's often easier, faster and cheaper to just create it in cad than to try and adapt a 3d scan. If it's a statue, scanning makes sense because it's organic, but something engineering-wise it's often better to just recreate it.

[tp4tissue]

A keyboard case is really just a couple of screw holes and height offset for the pcb.

There's really nothing else to it...


If you just supply the measurements for those holes and offset, you can make a case that fits reasonably well..

[ag36]

It would be scanned as dissembled, upper and lower case only with legs removed.

There's a few places that scans parts and make accurate cads for reverse engineering however I need to find the cheapest place to do it(abandon project if too expensive)

But I think there no point of making one as is easy to chop a full sized M and some people would rather prefer an smaller case then SSK(very bulky by today's standard)? Just wondering how everyone else think.

And of course, just measuring dimensions of everything would let anyone make a accurate SSK case easily and I can do it myself, pretty everything is same as M except the membrane and firmware for numlock mode and that can be solved with teensy and TNK/QMK and keycaps can be laser engraved at home.

[tp4tissue]

It would be scanned as dissembled, upper and lower case only with legs removed.

There's a few places that scans parts and make accurate cads for reverse engineering however I need to find the cheapest place to do it(abandon project if too expensive)

But I think there no point of making one as is easy to chop a full sized M and some people would rather prefer an smaller case then SSK(very bulky by today's standard)? Just wondering how everyone else think.

And of course, just measuring dimensions of everything would let anyone make a accurate SSK case easily, pretty everything is same as M except the membrane and firmware for numlock mode and that can be solved with teensy and TNK/QMK.

Even if the project becomes (expensive), as long as you have a reasonably accurate digi-caliper and measure the screw hole position and the offset heights, someone with those numbers can easily cad a rectangle that will fit the board..

[ag36]

exactly, except the measurement don't have to be very accurate and extra long caliper are very expensive.

[fohat.digs]

Somebody has done this, and I think it was SSKs.

I remember several brightly-colored finished keyboards installed, one in red, and a few other ugly colors. At the time the lack of decent colors made me mostly ignore it.

[ag36]

You mean the keyboards with metallic colour vinyl wrapped plate and leds? They're on ebay some times.

I can't find any existing measurements or cads for the SSK at the moment, must be too old to be found or complete lost due to time passing.

[fohat.digs]

My google skills are poor. I know that this has been done and it certainly came after r00tw0rm, perhaps more likely on DT. Somebody else find it.

[E TwentyNine]

My google skills are poor. I know that this has been done and it certainly came after r00tw0rm, perhaps more likely on DT. Somebody else find it.

I remember it.  There were examples in some funky colors (seem to remember purples/pastels). 

I did find this thread, but I the one I'm thinking of actually looked like the original case:

https://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/model-m-3d-printed-frame-t14639.html