TKL AEKII ALPs plate + case
Description
This keyboard is my own design to use Apple Extended Keyboard II key caps and ALPS switches from a destroyed keyboard. Because Apple decided to make even their own key caps from different regions and layouts not interchangeable with each other I had to 3D print my own plate to use my key caps. This whole thing started because I found a ruined AEKII keyboard. I am very proud with results and even added backlight to this. You can 3D print the whole thing but it is also possible to laser cut the front and bottom pieces if you desire. Especially front plate looks awesome with semi transparent black acrylic. This is intended to be used with Raspberry Pi Pico. You will have about 5 free pins after using it. Use 3 for status LEDs if you desire. Adding a backlight and wiring its switch to one of the pins is also possible. KMK works great for the software setup. Notes: You need to print a small part of the main body of the keyboard to test if switches clip securely in to the plate. It took 2 tries for me and I noticed that my printer was printing thing smaller in real life so -0.2 Horizontal expansion was needed. You need to determine this value yourself according to your printers behavior. I do not have the STL. for the test piece but you can cut around a single switch from the main part. Even if you nail the horizontal expansion note that switches will be likely come out when you try to remove a key cap. You may want to use hot glue from back side to hold them. The front plate had some problems with clearance with some key caps. I increased the gaps a little but I can not guarantee that it will work in the first try. LED holes are covered with thin plastic so that case itself acts as a diffuser for LEDs. This also gives you the chance of not use these LEDs and not having holes on your case you you decide to do so. Just be careful when hot gluing these LEDs since the plastic melted from hot glue in my case. Screws should be M3. It is designed so that you should be able to screw the screws in the plastic without brass inserts. I noticed that some of the middle screw holes did lose functionality after taking it apart and together few times. You can use 1cm screws or longer if you want to do so. You may want to use M2 brass inserts to fix this issue or get the screw holes smaller like 0.1mm or so for better fit. Use epoxy to fix the halves together. I sanded down the seam and used putty to cover the gaps but it takes a lot of effort. This keyboard is extra thicc. I wanted to be sure that there was enough place to fit everything in but I over estimated the required thickness. With laser cut parts It is 3.5cm thick. You need to use a wrist rest if you don't want to hurt yourself. I am adding all Solidworks files so you can easily make it thinner if you desire.
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