Hey all,

Here's the layout that I will be purchasing a WASD custom keyboard with, designed with Adobe Illustrator. It's a very close replica of Apple's USB and Macbook keyboards, using the font VAG Rounded (which is incidentally also used by Volkswagon). The letters have all been converted to vector shapes, so they won't need the font over at WASD in order to print the keyboard.

I plan to get black keys with etching as opposed to engraving.

Does anybody have any creative or clever suggestions for the board? Criticism is welcome too.



On a sidenote, I considered mirroring the old Apple Extended Keyboards with the font Univers 57 Oblique instead, but I couldn't get it to look right. Also, if anybody is interested in the illustrator file for this layout, I will be making it available soon (complete with a standard Windows layout variation).

[ Attachment Invalid Or Does Not Exist ] 29448[/ATTACH]

Really? Which Apple keyboards had legends carved out by a laser?

Really? Which Apple keyboards had legends carved out by a laser?

Lasering gives the color style of an old Apple keyboard. My return question would be which Apple Keyboards had engraved, with no ink, lettering on their keys?

Ahh you see, you have your terminology backwards (at least going by WASD's site). Etching produces a brownish-white legend on black keys (what you call lasering) while engraving just makes a depression in the key with no coloration changes.

I'm getting the former, not the latter.

I believe we both have our terminology wrong. I read engraving in your first post. You read my lasering wrong. The reality is that the keys you are going for will be Laser Etched. A situation of misconception that I apologize for.

I now have this keyboard. Photos are up here: http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?23309-Macalike-WASD-V1-Custom-w-Blues&p=443489&viewfull=1#post443489

Hi, thanks for this post.

Saw a picture of your layout and think it was excellent.

Do you still have a copy of the AI to re-upload since old attachments were lost?

Hey all,

Here's the layout that I will be purchasing a WASD custom keyboard with, designed with Adobe Illustrator. It's a very close replica of Apple's USB and Macbook keyboards, using the font VAG Rounded (which is incidentally also used by Volkswagon). The letters have all been converted to vector shapes, so they won't need the font over at WASD in order to print the keyboard.

…

(Attachment Link) 29448[/ATTACH]

You can buy it here:
http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/wasd-v1-illustrator-cs5-mechanical-keyboard.html

Thanks for trying to help - I was actually after the AI file for the Mac keyboard layout, not a keyboard for AI.

I did find an AI file based on iindigo's design here, with some googling:

http://www.clingmarks.com/custom-mac-mechanical-keyboard-lets-have-some-fun/893

(this is the design that cosm2000 has pictured here: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=24121.0 )

[...] using the font VAG Rounded (which is incidentally also used by Volkswagon). [...]

As an aside: "VAG" in VAG Rounded stands for "Volkswagen AG" ("Volkswagen Corporation" in German), as it was Volkswagen that commissioned the font, though they stopped using it about 20 years ago. So it's not exactly a coincidence. 

Impressive thread necromancy. Anyhow, looks great. Welcome to Geekhack!