Making my next customs

photekq · 07 Dec 2015, 01:52

Ever since finishing the TEK-80 project I've wanted to make another custom. I knew that I could produce a better keyboard with the knowledge I gained from making the TEK-80. However, due to the very prohibitive costs of getting prototypes made, I never did it.

Now that I'm doing mech eng at university I have access to some high end 3-axis CNC mills for free prototypes, so I decided I would start the design process for two customs : A TKL and a 65%.

Before I could start designing I needed to find PCBs to use. I'm fairly sure that I will be using Leeku's TKL and 65% PCBs but they're currently undergoing revisions, so for the time being I've decided to design the first prototype of the TKL for use with the B87 PCB.

I've spent the past few days coming up with a design. Here's what I have so far : The TEK-α (name not final). Not finished yet.. Still need to add a weight to the base and some details such as screw holes, etc. May change the design of the base piece.

The idea behind that odd shaped thing on the base piece in the last picture is that it will have a rubber/foam adhered to it, and it will apply force to the rim of the plate when assembled, dampening the plate. I'm not sure how feasible having rubber/foam on it is, so if it turns out that it will be very tricky it may end up being ditched. If anyone has any ideas for how I could attach foam/rubber to this ledge I'd love to hear it. I was thinking about having the strips laser cut from a rubber/foam sheet with adhesive backing.

65% will have a similar design and tentative name is TEK-Ω

romevi · 07 Dec 2015, 02:46

Following both on GH and here on DT. Can't miss a detail.

HzFaq · 07 Dec 2015, 12:05

Oh wow, following this for sure.

3m double sided tape is pretty good for sticking nearly anything, I'd consider that for starters.

vsev · 08 Dec 2015, 12:37

Nice project Pho ! Just please just render in perspective instead of ortho view, it breaks my eyes every time !

Stabilized · 08 Dec 2015, 12:41

If money is not such a consideration, then you might want to consider maybe laser cutting a rubber sheet to form some sort of gasket to eliminate the vibrations from the plate.
That's the thought that came to mind first, not sure how feasible it is as I don't really have any laser cutting experience

hoggy · 08 Dec 2015, 13:02

Count me in on this one!

CommonCurt · 12 Dec 2015, 21:29

Commenting so I don't forget about this

photekq · 27 Jan 2016, 10:14

Little update. I have decided to focus entirely on the 65%, as there are already far too many TKL customs out there.

Now that my exams have ended I will have the time to make a proper start on the design of the casing.

kbdfr · 27 Jan 2016, 11:31

photekq wrote: […] Now that my exams have ended I will have the time to […]

Times change, I guess.
When I was a student I had plenty of time - since I passed my exams I haven't stopped running

photekq · 27 Jan 2016, 11:47

kbdfr wrote: Times change, I guess.
When I was a student I had plenty of time - since I passed my exams I haven't stopped running

I do have plenty of time except during exam periods! These aren't my last exams by any means.. I've got more at the end of this year, and then 3 more years to go after that

bazh · 27 Jan 2016, 12:26

is it true there's too many TKL out there ? o.O

I always thought 60% was the one that flooded, didn't see much TKL come up lately. I'm actually making one but being kept busy with the group buy on GH so when the buy is done I'll post mine

romevi · 28 Jan 2016, 01:23

photekq wrote:Little update. I have decided to focus entirely on the 65%, as there are already far too many TKL customs out there.

Now that my exams have ended I will have the time to make a proper start on the design of the casing.

Sweet. Missed out on a couple of 65% boards. Would love to try one out.

Muirium · 28 Jan 2016, 06:14

If this was anyone else's work, I'd grumble about the fact that "MX" hasn't even come up until now, as it's just assumed from the start. But Photekq is the Cherry Picker after all…

There's definitely been a lot of fancy TKL customs (let alone 60%s!) but the thing they really share in common is switch family. With access to industrial grade CNC equipment, you could extend your horizons a bit and consider something revolutionary.

Say, how good is the department's gear at making things like, oh, replacement sliders? Think MX mount caps but on something quite besides Cherry and the recent rush of clones.

photekq · 28 Jan 2016, 15:47

Muirium wrote: If this was anyone else's work, I'd grumble about the fact that "MX" hasn't even come up until now, as it's just assumed from the start. But Photekq is the Cherry Picker after all…

There's definitely been a lot of fancy TKL customs (let alone 60%s!) but the thing they really share in common is switch family. With access to industrial grade CNC equipment, you could extend your horizons a bit and consider something revolutionary.

Say, how good is the department's gear at making things like, oh, replacement sliders? Think MX mount caps but on something quite besides Cherry and the recent rush of clones.

Alps support is something we have strongly in mind..

The problem with things like sliders is that it's getting in to completely different territory. Getting CNC prototypes of a case is one thing, but getting CNC prototypes of moulds (that I don't know how to design!) and then getting injection moulded prototypes is something very different.

I want to do an aluminium HHKB replacement case. A proper one, not like that horrible one Massdrop recently sold. I just need to get access to a 3D scanner.

hypkx · 28 Jan 2016, 17:17

photekq wrote:
I want to do an aluminium HHKB replacement case. A proper one, not like that horrible one Massdrop recently sold. I just need to get access to a 3D scanner.

Thats a really good idea.

Muirium · 28 Jan 2016, 20:28

Indeed. I could see that being highly sought after amongst HHKB users, and there's plenty of us at DT.

I get the limitations of CNC vs. injection plastic molding. My question was to probe what else you've got access to in that lab! If milling big blocks of metal is what you're limited to, then you're on the right track already.

photekq · 28 Jan 2016, 23:36

I can find out..

As far as injection moulding goes we seem to have a "BOY 15s" and a "Negri Bossi NB62". Looks like the latter is only available for polymer research, while the former might be something I could get access to.

The issue is designing the moulds. That's getting into a level of design and engineering that I haven't reached yet. I'm not sure I'd be able to find anyone here with the free time to do one for me.