Customiing Keyboards and Monitor

I live in a shipping container home that I fitted out myself. It has a rustic wood interior. I wanted to add a computer but did not want the black plastic and glass look in my home. I'd seen some interesting steampunk themed keyboards that looked better so decided to see what I could create using my CO2 laser cutter / etcher and woodworking skills.

Supplies

Since the aim was a retro look I wanted a keyboard with round keys reminiscent of a typewriter. I chose a Logitech K380 for my home computer. For my next version which was for a keyboard surround as a present. I tried a jell comb keyboard

Step 1:

I fabricated a frame from Kwila (a dark hardwood) to surround the keyboard. I added a surround to the keyboard so that it would fit in the frame but can be lifted out. I etched designs into the frame with my laser and deep etched the outline of the shell inlays that I was going to add. I use photoshop to outline the images I want to etch for inlay and make them black. When I load these images into the Lightburn software program I trace the image and set it to "fill" with appropriate speed and power to etch to the depth of the shell inlay. I can manipulate the image in Lightburn to correspond with the image that I have etched if only parts are to be inlaid. This process can also be used for timber veneer inlays.

To cut the corresponding shell inlay pieces I use the same traced image in Lightburn but set it to "line" which will then cut out the outline. I then glue the shell inlay pieces into the etched recess. For my home keyboard I used black mother of pearl and copper red abalone from Lumea NZ. They have an extensive range of colours and species, you can see more variety in my step two project. I custom cut keys to add to the keyboard. I used 3mm black acrylic on which I stuck brushed titanium vinyl.

I etched the letters and numbers with the laser and cut the keys out with a more powerful setting. Making these and sticking them onto the existing keys was time consuming. For my own purposes I'm happy with the result but my next project was tackled with the aim of finding a keyboard reminiscent of a typewriter keyboard without modification.

Having achieved the effect I was after with the keyboard I looked for a monitor that I could also use. I chose a Sony monitor and the result using similar construction and techniques works well.

The resulting set up on my slab / fossil table fits in well with decor in my home.

Step 2:

I wanted to try a customized keyboard but using a unit that was reminiscent of a typewriter keyboard without modification. I chose a jelly comb unit.

I had decided to make a unit for a friend's mother who is a raving anglophile. Thus I chose English Oak as the surround and used various flowers as the designs. This gave me the opportunity to use a variety of different shell inlays.

The result worked well but only because she doesn't have a computer and used a tablet.

The jelly comb keyboard although looking the part is a small, lightweight unit designed to use with tablets and is too small to suit a full sized computer.

I've ordered another jelly comb unit and will use a New Zealand hardwood and designs on it.

I feel that there is a niche for personalized keyboards and monitors, though they would need to be built around preferred keyboards and monitors.

There are be some interesting design possibilities using etched acrylic images lit with concealed coloured leds for gamers.