[IC] 1.2mm AEK 60% Layout Brass Plates

#1

The laser cutter I’m working with on Modern M0110 can do fairly low MOQ cuts at reasonable prices, so curious if people are interested in a 1.2mm (i.e., Alps plate spec) thick brass plate for the AEK 60% layout (based on Hasu’s open source design). Can probably get the group buy done at any quantity at or above 10. Thickness wouldn’t be exactly 1.2mm but really close to it (0.05 inches or 16 gauge is the spec since I’m in the US–works out to ~1.27mm).

Price would likely be in the $40 range before shipping.

What do you all think?

8 Likes
#2

what stab layout would you be using? All alps, Alps-Costar Hybrid, Cherry? Alps are a pain with stabs as vintage caps have different specs, Tai-Hao is different, SP is all cherry mount etc.

#3

All Alps stabs, specifically for harvested AEK keycaps. This exact layout:

alps64_aek_plate.png3002×1316 27.9 KB

#4

Excellent. I’d be in for at least 1.

#5

Cool idea, good luck

#6

I would buy it for sure at that price point. Do you think there’d be enough interest for a 40% version of this?

#7

40% version would be interesting. But If your taking requests for future buys. I’d rather have a plate for 14.5u sets like the m0116, apple iic etc. There’s lots of excellent Alps caps just sitting in bags because they look like crap on a standard 15u board.

#8

This isn´t related to the interrest check, but are 1.5 mm plates fine to use with alps switches? I am currently working on a custom project and my local company can only offer 1.5mm.

#9

Very interested in this.

#10

Yeah they are. To give more detail though, you may experience improper clipping of the switch clips with alps on custom plates. I’ve found the builder.swilkb alps cutouts are just slightly too loose for this to happen properly and needs some light downscaling to get the fit right.

If you look at most of the customs nowadays for alps they actually use an inset cut on the bottom of the plate as well, and this is to make sure they clip properly. The clipping happens at 1.2mm. So using a 1.5mm plate is fine, but they won’t clip and will just be held in place by the tightness of the cutouts.

If you’re using alps in any plate with loose fit you can always hot glue and have them stay though. It works much better than you’d think (lots of handwired boards do this too).

1 Like
#11

Thanks a lot for your explanation

#12

I would be very interested in this, especially since you’re planning on the plate having cutouts for just proper ALPS stabilizers! My current AEK64 build is using a genuine AEKII plate cut down to fit in a 60% cases & I would love to replace it with a brass one. Also I will be ordering a XD60 V3.0 PCB from DeskCandy for it’s ALPS support & would prefer not to have to cannibalize another AEKII for the plate for it.

#13

Just a heads up, the XD60 v3.0 doesn’t have support for a 1.5 key in the lower right corner and 6.5u spacebar so you can’t build an AEK layout with it, if you want to go with an AEK layout, I’d suggest nabbing an Alps64 instead.

1 Like
#14

The Clueboard 60% PCB also supports AEK layout.

1 Like
#15

Oh crap, didn’t know that thanks for the heads up! I’m still gonna grab one but that definitely changes my plans for these plates if they make GB. Either way I am still very interested in them as I have become very accustom to the AEK layout from my current AEK64. Have to hit up Hasu & see if there are any extra of those PCBs floating around. :metal:

#16

Thanks for the heads up, that might be a little easier to get my hands on than another AEK64 PCB. Will definitely look into them! :metal:

#17

Yep.
Very interested in this.

#18

Another “interested” piping in …

#19

I’m down for one for sure. Anyone know good sources for AEK keycaps and stabilizers?

#20

AEK and AEKII keyboards :grin:

Also eBay and possibly your grandma’s basement.