Epiphany

[Laser]

... the moment one realizes that a wooden folding chess table would make a perfect case for a small format keyboard.

[Muirium]

Good point. Got some internal dimensions? I wonder how many of those can fit an HHKB and appropriate padding.

[Laser]

I don't, but they come in all sizes

It just needs to be slightly larger - and you can decide to mount a plate either _inside_ the chess table (fixing it on the bottom with threaded support), or _above_ the chess table, cutting the top wood board at the right dimensions (if your plate has lateral holes). Also if it's much larger - you have a wooden palm rest for free, and even space to the right for a joystick or trackball.

[chzel]

You crazy!
You mean to build the keyboard inside the chess board...
Muirium and I imagined a case, as in "put my keyboard inside"!
It's a really nice idea!

[Muirium]

Aha! Chzel's quite right. Very smart!

[Laser]

It is some idea, isn't it? (today i'm being modest)

[gogusrl]

and in the cover you stick a tablet and you got a diy notebook.

[Laser]

quite right! - or a raspberry pi board with a small touch screen

[gogusrl]

Since we're talking crazy ideas, I've been looking at this article for the past few days and I can't stop thinking "I need to build a keyboard like that".

http://runawaybrainz.blogspot.ca/2012/0 ... phone.html

[DanielT]

Blasphemy, that case it for backgammon only ! Romanians know why

Now serious, ine could build a portable computer with such a case, a raspberry PI and a small screen, Adafruit has some really good ones. You could fit also a battery pack inside. But again it goes better with backgammon and beer and some sunflower seeds

[Laser]

Chess table, def.: the thing to turn face down when starting a backgammon match

The irony is, i quite like myself a good game of chess.

Since we're talking crazy ideas, I've been looking at this article for the past few days and I can't stop thinking "I need to build a keyboard like that".

http://runawaybrainz.blogspot.ca/2012/0 ... phone.html

Oh, that's nice!
You could start by filling the switches with resin - i hear it's great for click dampening
(also, water inside a case-shaped glass container would be ... cheaper and faster)
Kidding aside, it's quite cool

[gogusrl]

There's no water in there or I'm missing your point. It's all hardened resin that doesn't conduct electricity.

[Laser]

There's no water in there or I'm missing your point. It's all hardened resin that doesn't conduct electricity.

Sure, but it looks the same

[scottc]

Just picked up a little chess board like in the OP. Width-wise, it's roughly TKL in size. Height-wise it's similar to a 60% or slightly longer. Muirium, your FnKeyless project might have a home!

[Muirium]

Phew! If there's one thing my custom projects are surely short of it's cases*. Those always come last. But perhaps not this one…

Phase 2: A secondary, rectangular straight matrix board in the roof for Kbfdr mode!

Or I guess it could always be a display and wind up being the world's smallest mechanical laptop.


*Honestly, I've got quite a lot of switches now to spare. Including a fullsize board full of Mitsumi Miniatures, which could be quite a project to build into something custom. But if they're in good shape, they are so worth it, for feel alone. And MX compatibility really helps.

[scottc]

There's not much clearance for a screen in the top of this case. I'd be happy to keep it as an uber-portable, closing keyboard. Can't wait to get home from work and check the measurements vs. other keyboards...

[Mal-2]

There's not much clearance for a screen in the top of this case. I'd be happy to keep it as an uber-portable, closing keyboard. Can't wait to get home from work and check the measurements vs. other keyboards...

The 8.9 inch screen from an Acer Aspire One might fit, but I'm not so sure about the video hardware required to drive it.

[scottc]

I'm more concerned about the depth. I'm imagining the keycaps would be quite tall if I mount a plate on top of the case.

[scottc]

Wow, turns out I'm quite wrong. It's as wide as a 60% or so (so left ctrl over to right ctrl), but about as tall as a TKL (so ctrl up to Esc/F1). Hmm...

[beltet]

I have started to look at all chess/backgammon cases I see on flea markets after this thread... Would be awesome to make a custom laptop with cherry switches.