Commodoer 64 Mechanical Keyboard Direct Replacement.

riddleywalker · 28 Mar 2017, 21:27

Thank you @Cicada88 and @iceberg!

I received the acrylic prototype and I'm happy to say that all of the adjustments look and feel great. I've attached a few pictures of the plate with switches and switches+caps.

@iceberg, I'm def going to be choosing aluminum for my build. I'm waiting for my friend to get back from vacation so I can ask him to make me a few more. In the meantime, I'll search the net for a company like ponoko that can work with AL and possibly bend it for me as well.

Here are some pictures of the acrylic prototype with switches/key caps etc...

iceberg · 29 Mar 2017, 04:13

Yea, Acrylic isn't ideal because it doesn't bend well, and it flexes too much for typing.

I'm in for at least one if you can get some made, and when you know a price I can let you know how many more.

I may use some Enablers just to keep the wiring as clean as possible. I need to order some silicon wire too. All I have left around here is older plastic coated that I cant bring myself to just toss in the recycle bin for some reason.

iceberg · 26 Apr 2017, 18:03

@ riddleywalker, Any news? Were you able to get the bends in the Acrylic so it fits in the C64 case?

I've played with a few solutions for using the keycaps. The absolute best solution is SA Retro caps with Petscii, but those are all but impossible to get and when you can find them super expensive. It might be possible to get them redone from one of the new Chinese manufactures Massdrop is using but they would be PBT Dysub print if at all.

The next best thing is a semi-permenat or permeant mod the caps. This works better than the adapters and I haven't tried to model something and have it printed yet. What I did was take so ABS cherry caps can cut the sides off and glue them inside the C64 caps. Since I'm cutting them they are not all 100% straight but I'm using hot-glue so I can redo them till I get them close enough that you cannot tell. However with lots of typing the hot-glue tends to come undone. I may see what the price points with Signature Plastics would be for DSA Retro PBT Dysub with PETscii are and if it's worth doing an IC for a GB.

ajacocks · 31 May 2018, 19:55

This thread seems to have gone cold; did anyone make any further progress?

iceberg · 31 May 2018, 20:50

As far as a plate goes no, but I do have a resin printer now and will be able to print some new inserts for cherry mk switches that the c64 original keys will fit on. I hope to get a CNC router later this year. Riddleywalker disappeared but was making some progress. perhaps he will return.