BrownFox step by step

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matt3o
-[°_°]-

12 Jul 2013, 14:46

Findecanor wrote:Wait a minute... White stabiliser clips? I have only seen black before. Where did you get hold of white Costar stabiliser clips?
I found them on some keyboard I dismantled. They are not common (not sure if you can actually buy them)
Findecanor wrote:For my own DIY keyboards, I think I would like Micro USB B because it is supposedly more durable than Mini USB, but I have not found any socket that would be easy to use. All sockets except one I have seen are SMT, and that single non-SMT socket is a panel-mounted socket that is quite large. I would like one where all pins are through-hole or large enough to easily solder by hand to a wire, but no such luck yet.
your best bet is to lurk the mouser/farnell/etc catalog.

Findecanor

13 Jul 2013, 11:10

Since I am going to connect to Teensy's anyway, I opted for ready-made converter cables instead. I just bought a bunch
very cheap on eBay. In the picture it looks like a SMT socket on a tiny PCB. I suppose that I will have to cut away a bit of casing and PCB, though.

User avatar
bueller

13 Jul 2013, 13:56

Figured I'd check in here and post my final design before I get it cut this week, thanks again for all your help Matt!

Went with 1.5mm alu for the plate and base and 3mm alu layers for the case so hopefully the extra clearance inside will make wiring a bit easier. Only have a small opening for the cable as I'm going to be using an old coiled cable that has stress relief connectors on it, will probably do a USB port in future builds though.

Image
Image
Last edited by bueller on 13 Jul 2013, 16:59, edited 1 time in total.

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matt3o
-[°_°]-

13 Jul 2013, 14:05

looks good to me. Remember that you need one more side layer!

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bueller

13 Jul 2013, 14:07

matt3o wrote:looks good to me. Remember that you need one more side layer!
Yep I'm actually doing 4 layers for the sides so I'll have a 12mm spacing inside :D

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matt3o
-[°_°]-

13 Jul 2013, 14:09

oh okay, lots of space then :D

If you want to place feet on the back I suggest to add a couple of holes to hold them since you have 3mm more of clearance.

User avatar
ماء

13 Jul 2013, 17:11

Finally you make a thread
About Make Custom keyboard with wiring:geek:
look fun 8-)

Materials may be required:
Switch(ok) :D
Plate(will be made) :)
diodes wires(where to buy?in electrical stores?) :?
Cable(ok) :D
Teensy(maybe buy in pjrc) :?

before
Thanks sir :mrgreen:
Last edited by ماء on 13 Jul 2013, 17:15, edited 1 time in total.

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Muirium
µ

13 Jul 2013, 17:15

What's your plate going to look like: have you designed your layout yet?

Matt's got a little group buy for aluminium ones if you get on with it!

http://deskthority.net/marketplace-f11/ ... t6102.html

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ماء

13 Jul 2013, 17:24

Oh yes,layout design i almost forgot,will be made

maybe sufficient with stainless,I want to try first

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Muirium
µ

13 Jul 2013, 17:30

Matteo sent me his first plate: it is stainless steel. He found it too stiff, and his following experiments are all aluminium. I quite like it, though. I'm trying stainless too. With a mirror reflective finish!

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ماء

13 Jul 2013, 17:44

what difference feel in stainless with alumnium?

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Muirium
µ

13 Jul 2013, 17:56

Aluminium flexes more. It gives you a softer landing as you bottom out. Steel is stiffer. You really feel it pushing back if you pound your keys.

I'm going MX green (stiff and clicky) to help stop me from bottoming out. The plate currently has blues, and they are very easy to hit down to the plate. Matteo didn't like the feel. I find it okay, but want stronger springs. That's why I'm going MX green.

What switches are you going to use?

User avatar
ماء

13 Jul 2013, 18:25

Muirium wrote:Aluminium flexes more. It gives you a softer landing as you bottom out. Steel is stiffer. You really feel it pushing back if you pound your keys.

I'm going MX green (stiff and clicky) to help stop me from bottoming out. The plate currently has blues, and they are very easy to hit down to the plate. Matteo didn't like the feel. I find it okay, but want stronger springs. That's why I'm going MX green.

What switches are you going to use?
I'm waiting switches from 7-bit :lol:

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Muirium
µ

13 Jul 2013, 18:28

Same here. Mine are green. What are yours?

If you're going for light switches like blues, browns or reds, steel is probably a bad idea. Stronger springs are a better match.

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ماء

13 Jul 2013, 18:56

Muirium wrote:Same here. Mine are green. What are yours?

If you're going for light switches like blues, browns or reds, steel is probably a bad idea. Stronger springs are a better match.
greys :? Stronger springs 8-)

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bueller

13 Jul 2013, 18:59

I'm going browns for everything but the space, enter and backspace. They're all getting the clear treatment :)

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Muirium
µ

13 Jul 2013, 19:03

ماء wrote:greys :? Stronger springs 8-)
Ah, you did go for greys! Well, you're all set. You can choose aluminium or steel. Greys are strong enough to absorb a bit of a pounding. Ever used them before?
Last edited by Muirium on 13 Jul 2013, 19:07, edited 1 time in total.

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Muirium
µ

13 Jul 2013, 19:06

bueller wrote:I'm going browns for everything but the space, enter and backspace. They're all getting the clear treatment :)
Good choice. I can mix some blues into my all-green layout if I need to. Might try blues on the pinkie finger keys! With Matt's design, it's very easy to pop switches out by unclipping them beneath the plate, and try something else.

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ماء

13 Jul 2013, 19:15

Muirium wrote:
ماء wrote:greys :? Stronger springs 8-)
Ah, you did go for greys! Well, you're all set. You can choose aluminium or steel. Greys are strong enough to absorb a bit of a pounding. Ever used them before?
not yet :?
stainless seems, more easily obtain them ;)

User avatar
bueller

13 Jul 2013, 19:19

Muirium wrote:
bueller wrote:I'm going browns for everything but the space, enter and backspace. They're all getting the clear treatment :)
Good choice. I can mix some blues into my all-green layout if I need to. Might try blues on the pinkie finger keys! With Matt's design, it's very easy to pop switches out by unclipping them beneath the plate, and try something else.
Yeah I figured I could put a few clears into this board as a trial and if I like them I might go all clears for the next board I make. Love browns but I do wish the bump was more pronounced some times so hopefully the clears should do the trick!

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Muirium
µ

13 Jul 2013, 19:25

That they should. Clears have got some real tactility. A bit heavier and a lot more tactile.

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Jmneuv

13 Jul 2013, 19:34

The panda police must intervene at this point: clears are a fair bit heavier than browns, to the point they could even bounce at you. So i'd like to suggest panda clears in this case, that's a clear with a black (or green) spring, imo the best combination for the clear slider.

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Muirium
µ

13 Jul 2013, 19:42

Clears: the most modded switch of all! Jmneuv is quite right: they're quite a lot heavier than browns. I much prefer it, but each to their own.

Absolutely worth a try, that's for sure. Some flavour of clear could well be your perfect switch. And a plain one should make a great space bar; as they were designed.

User avatar
matt3o
-[°_°]-

13 Jul 2013, 19:52

ooookay. working on the whitefox is taking a hell lot of time. I have no clue about stabs positions and I need a lot of time figuring out how they work. If I learned something about custom keyboard building is that you can't f"!*k with stabilizers. They need to be perfectly aligned or they won't work.

I hope to be able to post the new case design tomorrow.

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bueller

13 Jul 2013, 20:02

I have an Alps 7U spacebar that you can have which might make your life easier, bit yellowed but some time in retrobright and it'll be good as new and should fit with your color scheme. Has cherry mounts on the each side 55mm from the alps mount in the center, at least that way you can use normal stabs on the space key.

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matt3o
-[°_°]-

13 Jul 2013, 20:04

I already have all the switches and stabs, thanks, the problem is to figure out where the stabs goes on the plate

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bueller

13 Jul 2013, 20:06

matt3o wrote:I already have all the switches and stabs, thanks, the problem is to figure out where the stabs goes on the plate
Get out that measuring stick :lol:

Findecanor

14 Jul 2013, 04:19

Fractions of a mm can be important for stabilisers.

Maybe put a clean plate into a scanner. When I want to measure real dimensions from a photo in GIMP, I measure a known dimension in pixels and compute the pixels per mm, select Scale Image and enter that value. Then I change the dimension for Measure Tool to mm and measure away.

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matt3o
-[°_°]-

14 Jul 2013, 08:54

Unfortunately... I don't have the original plate...

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ماء

23 Jul 2013, 18:19

i want make split keyboard
but i'm confused how to connect 2 halves with wiring? any idea? :)

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