Redox Keyboard Build

This is my keyboard build based on the Redox rev1.0 design, which can be found here.

Electronics

The electronics are as per the Redox design. I chose Akko CS Lavender Purple switches with blank PBT DSA keycaps.

Case

I had the top plate laser cut from 1.5mm steel to add some weight to the case. The top plates were then sanded (sadly this happened before I got access to a sandblasting cabinet…), undercoated and painted.

The top plates were made based on the DXF from the repository and I assumed that there would be suitable files to handle the base of the case too, but of course when I got to that point there were none to be found… I wanted a case that was relatively simple, with minimal height and a little bit of slope to it. I considered timber, but as it was going to be a complex shape 3D printing seemed more reasonable.

I experimented with non-planar slicing briefly in order to have a smooth bottom face, but at the time I didn’t have a lot of luck with any of the software. Another option considered was to do planar slicing then warp all the layers to get the required slope in a similar manner to this. For this method the CAD model would need to have curved holes for the screws though in order to end up with straight holes after the warping (or I guess curved screws are also technically an option, although perhaps no easier…). In the end I went with normal slicing in the interests of finishing the project.

The hex design on the back has different heights in the various hexes to cover the microcontroller. The case is printed in two sections to avoid support material; ideally the sections would be glued together, but for now it works fine using only the bolts to secure them.

The feet are perhaps my favourite part of the case design. They are made by including a channel in the 3D print, approximately 2mm deep and 1.5mm wide (matching the rubber thickness). I then cut a slice of rubber and pressed it in edgewise, leaving approximately 1mm sticking out. Combined with the weight of the steel top plate, the keyboard feels very solid to type on and it doesn’t slide around at all.

Palm Rests

The palm rests were made from some leftover hardwood. They were cut to size on the bandsaw and sanded to final size, then the top corners were rounded over using a router. After sanding the surface, they were coated with a gloss clear coat and stick-on rubber feet were added. In retrospect a matte finish would probably have been a bit more comfortable to use, however the gloss does look pretty.

Conclusion

I’m very happy with how the build turned out. My only major regret is not choosing a layout with an extra column of keys on either side - there are few things in the layout that don’t sit as nice as I’d like.