Phantom Custom Keyboard Group Buy (CLOSED)

litster · 01 Apr 2012, 18:18

It is a tool that hobbyists use to make landing gears for remote control airplanes.

off · 01 Apr 2012, 19:35

that I would not have guessed

litster · 02 Apr 2012, 06:46

Just so you guys know, since these are made by hand, by me, they are not all exactly the same. The good thing is I found out the Costar stabilizers are actually pretty forgiving. I have tried a few stabilizers I made that are slightly different in length maybe by 1 to 1.5mm. They all work well. It will work better if you have some lube that you can apply to all the contact points to make it smoother.

litster · 02 Apr 2012, 07:35

This picture needs more stabilizer bars. Someone is getting that last one.

: 7x Costar stabilizer bars.JPG (365.3 KiB) Viewed 4615 times

Maarten · 02 Apr 2012, 10:06

litster wrote:The good thing is I found out the Costar stabilizers are actually pretty forgiving.

Indeed, thats what i found when making my own stabi's. The most important thing is that everything is right angled, parallel and straight, half a mm too long doesnt really matter. I do really love your tool tho, and that you use proper steel straights. Beats my paperclip+pliers method by a long way

The_Ed · 02 Apr 2012, 10:42

Why do people like costar stabilizers more than cherry stabilizers? I just don't understand it... And yes, I have tried both. Somebody enlighten me with your opinion on this.

litster · 14 Apr 2012, 06:10

WhiskerBox made me this cable based on my suggestion. It works on Filco case perfectly. On my acrylic case I need to make a small modification. This is a prototype. WhiskerBox will be making changes to it to make it even better. But as it is now, the cable is held in place very well.

: Custom USB with Cable Gland-1.jpg (146.21 KiB) Viewed 4545 times

: Custom USB with Cable Gland-2.jpg (144.35 KiB) Viewed 4545 times

: Custom USB with Cable Gland-3.jpg (167.37 KiB) Viewed 4545 times

: Custom USB with Cable Gland-4.jpg (140.88 KiB) Viewed 4545 times

Minskleip · 14 Apr 2012, 09:58

Geekhack is down again; is Prince's firmware hosted here as well?

dirge · 14 Apr 2012, 10:01

Great idea on the cable! Is it possible to do small usb to din? Want to use a cherry number pad between my phantom and the pc

harrison · 14 Apr 2012, 19:50

o-rings under heatshrink? i like the idea!

off · 14 Apr 2012, 20:23

harrison wrote:o-rings under heatshrink? i like the idea!

If that is all there is to this version, I don't see how it could hold a cable VERY well at all..
The kinks in the path of any internal cable pull nullification system are there to catch the pulls, but this I can only see sliding off the cable; could be me.
Nevertheless, this is something that needs solving, so big up for going for it

litster · 14 Apr 2012, 20:42

Holding it like a dead mouse.

mintberryminuscrunch · 14 Apr 2012, 21:27

dirge wrote:Great idea on the cable! Is it possible to do small usb to din? Want to use a cherry number pad between my phantom and the pc

Phantom hasn't got PS/2 functionality (yet) but should be possible

off · 14 Apr 2012, 21:54

litster wrote:Holding it like a dead mouse.

Then what's the trick; it's lying on the floor instead of hanging from your hand? Or did you/whisk use very heavily shrinking heatshrink (like 6:1), or are the o-rings very tight-fitting like ty-rips?
Wicked pic anyhow! those rainbow colours on that sleeve

litster · 14 Apr 2012, 23:10

tsangan · 14 Apr 2012, 23:13

off wrote:
litster wrote:Holding it like a dead mouse.
Then what's the trick; it's lying on the floor instead of hanging from your hand? Or did you/whisk use very heavily shrinking heatshrink (like 6:1), or are the o-rings very tight-fitting like ty-rips?
Wicked pic anyhow! those rainbow colours on that sleeve

Anything else to say?

gimpster · 14 Apr 2012, 23:25

Heh. Non-believers.

Litster will never mislead you.

whiskerBox · 15 Apr 2012, 04:15

off · 15 Apr 2012, 14:41

Seems sturdy enough!!
And yes, just one: HOW DOES IT WORK!?!!?
"did you/whisk use very heavily shrinking heatshrink (like 6:1), or are the o-rings very tight-fitting like ty-rips?'
edit: spelling, twice

richie · 15 Apr 2012, 16:33

Litster, will there ever be another phantom group buy?

dirge · 15 Apr 2012, 17:00

I think the next planned group buy is called "the light" a similar project with LED's placed around the keyboard.

There is the custom ergo board that looks like its getting close to a prototype too.

tsangan · 15 Apr 2012, 17:12

dirge wrote:I think the next planned group buy is called "the light" a similar project with LED's placed around the keyboard.

There is the custom ergo board that looks like its getting close to a prototype too.

Yeah that one seems to have like 5 people interested so far

guilleguillaume · 15 Apr 2012, 17:30

I would love to be part of any new GB organised like that organised by Litster. I couldn't get in and now I regret it!

dirge · 15 Apr 2012, 17:58

tsangan wrote:Yeah that one seems to have like 5 people interested so far

well 4 and me then!

When the phantoms are out and built people will want to be on board with the next project, at least I hope so!

But there will be a phantom sale when everything is out so people could still have a chance. Hope nobody sells phantom kits at high prices to make a buck.

Gilgam · 15 Apr 2012, 21:14

tsangan wrote:
dirge wrote:I think the next planned group buy is called "the light" a similar project with LED's placed around the keyboard.

There is the custom ergo board that looks like its getting close to a prototype too.
Yeah that one seems to have like 5 people interested so far

Are you talking about the dox ?
I'm sure there are more people.

gimpster · 16 Apr 2012, 00:10

dirge wrote:I think the next planned group buy is called "the light" a similar project with LED's placed around the keyboard.

There is the custom ergo board that looks like its getting close to a prototype too.

I haven't heard of "the light" but I would love to see us take a stab at our own 60% or 75% board.

Tarkoon · 16 Apr 2012, 13:28

guilleguillaume wrote:I would love to be part of any new GB organised like that organised by Litster. I couldn't get in and now I regret it!

I ordered three versions of the phantom - three plates, three PCBs and many different switches etc., because I couldn't decide what I prefer. But I will keep only the one combination I like best, so there will be two phantoms available from me afterwards...

harrison · 16 Apr 2012, 15:38

off wrote:
harrison wrote:o-rings under heatshrink? i like the idea!
If that is all there is to this version, I don't see how it could hold a cable VERY well at all..
The kinks in the path of any internal cable pull nullification system are there to catch the pulls, but this I can only see sliding off the cable; could be me.
Nevertheless, this is something that needs solving, so big up for going for it

i don't see why it wouldn't. the o-rings are held in place by the heatshrink, and many heatshrink tubes are treated on the inside with a heat-activated glue. ultimately, this is a far better solution, since a cable-pull can result in excess strain points on the cable, but this does not.

off · 16 Apr 2012, 16:36

harrison wrote: many heatshrink tubes are treated on the inside with a heat-activated glue. ultimately, this is a far better solution, since a cable-pull can result in excess strain points on the cable, but this does not.

Well the first part is what I know and yet am worried for, half the heatshrink I've seen was very prone to just let the cable underneath slip when there was stress applied; over time or immediately.
And indeed this could prove to fare better than the ones that damage your cable through pressure.

all in all, looking good!

The Demongolator · 17 Apr 2012, 04:33

The Demongolator has received.