deskthority

One of the more unique builds on Alps SKCM Amber:

Any updates on potentially selling the keycaps on their own? They're stunning I am working on it. First, I would like to release a new manufacturing video to give you folks an idea what I am capable of. :lol: I will probably open a new thread about the keycaps. By the way, big thanks to everybody w...

Spot the difference: https://keymacs.com/img/dt/stepped-keycaps-comparison-1024px.jpg Detail of the classic bottom-right corner: https://keymacs.com/img/dt/stepped-keycaps-original-detail-720px.jpg Stepped cursor keys: https://keymacs.com/img/dt/stepped-keycaps-stepped-detail-720px.jpg … and how the...

Recently, I have made some beefy stepped keys to replace two 1U keys. This idea came to me when I was asked if I can make the layout more ‘normal’. I did not want to tamper with the mount plate nor the PCB, so making a twin-stem 2U key that occupies the place of two adjacent 1U keys seemed to be the...

New manufacturing video:

I got some interesting comments for my keycap manufacturing video. A lot of people suggested to use a 3d printer for the keycaps. Actually, I did some experiments with 3d printing in the early prototyping phase. My first idea was to use resin casting in conjunction with 3d printing and I made severa...

This must work! I have just purchased a 25kg pack of industrial-grade super-pure wax.

Wonder if I can purchas some of your awsome keycaps :D , cause I can made the whole keyboard except for the keycaps. I initially did not want to sell just keycaps for several reasons but I got a lot of requests and I am now seriously considering it. I would like to use a slightly different approach...

Given this is DT: the non-MX mounts you're going to be asked about are Topre (doable), Alps (same) and IBM buckling spring (whole other story). Some cheeky buggers like me will even mention IBM beamspring, which is technically more feasible, but the cost of entry to those boards is $1k+. They're ra...

Then I'll wish for it at a price I can afford instead! :P With the kind of manufacturing I run, I am afraid that I cannot get to the price tag of the classic injection-molded sets, however, I would like to offer more value for the price—more customization options including the support of various no...

Just out of sheer lack of shame, I'll say "lispnick, I hope you brought enough for everybody!" :mrgreen: Also, might keycaps for SKCC switches be beyond the factibility of your process? Asking for a... uhhhh... friend? :lol: With the present technology, it means reworking at least half of all the m...

Awesome project. Any plans to do non blank modifier keys with the same legends as the Symbolics keycaps? Yes, I am working on it. I hope to do more than that but I would like to use a slightly different process. Takes more tests to be sure it can be done. Anyway, for those who have my blank modifie...

God damn dude. What you're doing is so damn cool. Just out of sheer lack of shame, I'll say "lispnick, I hope you brought enough for everybody!" :mrgreen: Also, might keycaps for SKCC switches be beyond the factibility of your process? Asking for a... uhhhh... friend? :lol: With the present technol...

A complicated Alps clone? That would be a dream come true. I am a bit afraid of the complexity of the contact plate. I am not sure if it can be reproduced on a semi-industrial scale. On the other hand, it would probably be easy to reproduce the skcm top/bottom housings and the slider. Maybe it is w...

If you feel the need to serve a wider market to help your business then I'd reevaluate that market thoroughly. What does that market want? What is it about your current offering that keeps that market from buying? Price, layout/design, switch type? Marketing? Can you create a competitive product fo...

Another incentive to suggest capturing also the MX-switch market for me is that - I have (perhaps / almost) the whole set of Signature Plastics SA key caps that might fit the keymacs, designed by 7bit. What impresses me a lot is the attention to details of the Lisp machine keyboard, such as the pro...

I think making an MX-compatible, dare I say, hot-swap, board opens up a much greater market. However, if you look at all those Instagram-type keyboard enthusiasts that have never even heard of Alps switches - would they be interested in a Symbolics board? They all seem to like 65-75 % form factors....

How could I missed this thread for so many months...! I'm glad the soul of the Lisp Symbolic keyboard may find a new home. Thank you! How could I missed this thread for so many months...! Not only the design of this keyboard structure, hand casting of these new key caps is also an epic endeavor. I ...

Thanks! This was my first larger web after more than 20 years. It took a while to make it, the technologies have somewhat changed during the past two decades, my art of making CGI scripts in Perl was useless. :lol: Haha, yeah, I remember as a teenager trying to decide whether to learn Perl or Pytho...

Hi lispnick, I've been keeping an eye on your project (that sounded more ominous than it should) - heck, I made the first commend on this thread. I just wanted to applaud what you've done with the website. It's very professional and informative while clearly staying true to the geeky nature of the ...

I thought the process had to be ridiculously complex, but the reality is beyond my imagination. How in the hell do you manage to get rid of air bubbles? Are you using extra equipment not shown in the video like pressure pump/vacuum chambers? Yes. The silicone is degassed in a vacuum chamber before ...

Finally, I got the time to make video on making a keycap! I have been asked to make a custom ESC key based on an SVG graphics. I took this as an opportunity to make video of the whole process. Here it is: VIRkCXVwoXk Also, I have made a new mix featuring all different types of switches used so far: ...

I took one of the keycaps and split it on my band saw to give you an idea how it looks inside: https://keymacs.com/img/dt/keycap-anatomy-split-720px.jpg Two parts separated … https://keymacs.com/img/dt/keycap-anatomy-2parts-720px.jpg … and a detail: https://keymacs.com/img/dt/keycap-anatomy-closeup-...

My observation: I have one bag of Matias Quiet switches that is 3 years old, all the switches there are heavily lubed and they feel really smooth. I do not like the double tactile bump and the dampeners either but their travel is definitely smooth. On the other hand, I opened a newer bag of the same...

Can you identify the source of scratchiness?

That curved plate is genius (and gloriously overengineered). How did you model the plate step + curve in Fusion360? I tried something similar and I really just eyeballed it after a point. I started with making this model: https://keymacs.com/img/dt/proto-34-mk2-steps-720px.jpg I put the angle betwe...

runninghack wrote: ↑

15 Apr 2021, 20:26

also want to share this pic here about the custom legends.
The caps in the pic were laser engraved and filled with resin-like materials.

Interesting! Do you know the exact depth of the engraving?

I would love to put this under a 3d scanner but the price is too high already. When the time comes I probably reproduce it just from pictures, this time with switches and everything. It should not be that hard—the keycap profile is the same as on the 364000 model (correct me if I am wrong), of cours...

I have found some of my early prototypes in my attic. Originally I wanted to post these on the first of April but actually these were not meant as a joke. :lol: My very first board, I called it Keymacs Mk. I: https://keymacs.com/img/dt/proto-01-mk1-top-720px.jpg This was my first attempt to create a...

Got it out of customs. Here it is with a senior relation. A620N-364000.jpg It's interesting; there is a bit of scuffing on the L key. Probably not visible in the photo. I'm not bothered by it, but now I'm curious what happens after the key caps get used for a while. What have you found? The materia...