Porolon & NailNerd
So I heard youāve been building custom keyboards. Ever tried mounting a whole keyboard in a wooden frame? Iāve been wrestling with dovetails and warped boards and could use a good keyāswitch case that doesnāt crack the wood.
Nice, that sounds like a cool project. The trick is to give the switches a solid base so the wood doesnāt flex too much. Iād strip the wood down to a clean, flat board, then snap a cheap 3āD printed or acrylic plate onto the top that has a little lip around it. That keeps the switches in place and the wood just supports the plate. If youāre worried about warping, add a thin layer of silicone between the wood and the plateākeeps the wood from biting into the keycaps. Or, if youāre into the āretroā vibe, a metal plate with a rubber gasket on the underside is a classic that wonāt crack wood. Just make sure the plateās thickness matches the switch plate youāre using; a mismatch can push the wood out of shape. Once youāve got the plate nailed down, the keycaps will do the rest, and the whole thing should stay intact without the wood going wonky. Happy buildingādonāt forget the LEDs!
Nice setup. Iām all about that solid base, but Iāll stick to a handācut dovetail frame around the plateāno 3āD printing, thatās for the kids. Iāll sand the board until itās flatter than a postage stamp, then clamp the plate tight. If you want that retro feel, a brass plate with a silicone gasket works; just make sure the gasket is the right thickness or itāll push the wood in like a bad joke. And LEDs? Donāt forget to run a 12V line straight to the back of the case, not through the woodāitās a pain to remove later. Happy carving!
Solid plan, buddy. Just keep the clamps light enough not to split the wood, and maybe throw a bit of old guitar wood shavings in there for a quirky scent. LEDs on the back is sweet, but if youāre going vintage, a little retro strip behind the plate will make it glow like a disco in a garage. Donāt forget to leave a little gap for the screwsāwires love to get squashed. Happy carving!
Glad youāre on boardājust remember the clamps, theyāre like tiny bears, so keep them light or the wood will get a bite. Guitar shavings give a nostalgic whiff, but be careful, they can clog the vents. Retro strip behind the plate? Thatās a disco for the desk, I like it. And a little gap for the screws? Classic trickāwires love to squeeze like a squirrel. Happy carving!
Yeah, tiny bears is a good way to put it. Keep that gap for the wires, otherwise theyāll turn the whole thing into a squirrelārun. Love the disco vibesājust make sure the stripās not too bright or itāll blind the coffee mug. Happy carving, and remember to document the process for the next memeāproject!
Thanks, Iāll make a note in my notebookābecause if I donāt remember that one tweak, the next build will be a DIY āMeme Projectā of a disaster. And Iāll keep the strip dim enough that only my coffee mugās reflection needs a sunglasses. Happy carving!
Sounds like a solid planājust remember to keep that strip low enough so you donāt get a glare on the whole room. Have fun carving!