My Fiber Optic Keyboard in the making

[SpeersSV]

They finally came out with illuminated keyboards, and #1, they've only got aqua/teal colored, and #2, they use friggin laptop keys which I can't stand. So I'm making my own.

Basically bought a fiber optics lamp for 10 bucks and used an old compaq keyboard.

Rigged up the light, power input, and on/off switch into a box that sits right behind the keyboard. Drilled 1/16"(smallest drill bit I could find) holes in every key. Put 2 or 3 holes into bigger keys like the spacebar and shift keys. I then ran about 6 fibers thru the hole in the frame of the keyboard, and then thru the TINY hole in the keys. Then I put some epoxy in the back of the keys, and dabbled some superglue in the hole on top to hold the fibers in place. These pictures show where I am right now.

http://www.smithvicter.com/FOkey1.jpg
http://www.smithvicter.com/FOkey2.jpg
http://www.smithvicter.com/FOkey3.jpg
http://www.smithvicter.com/FOkey4.jpg

You can see the unused fibers sticking out the bottom, should have more than enough to complete the whole board. The fibers are not long enough to reach every corner of the board however, so I'm limited to lighting just the main key area and the F keys.

I still have to finish threading the fibers thru the rest of the keys (very time consuming), cut off the excess fibers, and then sand down the glue so it is smooth with the surface of the keys.

I will post back when I get it all finished, probably sometime around the end of the month.

Hope y'all like it so far.

[GohanSSJ]

I like the idea, make sure to post it when it's finished.

And welcome to XPC :)

[Mntsnow]

Keep us updated...looks like your having fun so far :)

and Yes..Welcome to XtremePcCentral!

[MDS]

I'd like to see the finished product. Looks like it will be hard to have smooth key though.

[SpeersSV]

yes, the very point I was going to make...after a little trial and a lot of error. Don't put super glue on top of the keys, if anyone is thinking of trying this themself. The epoxy inside the key holds the fibers just fine, and the super glue just makes a mess of things. As you can see, I made MORE of a mess of things trying to fix it. Oh well...only two rows messed up. At least I didn't do the whole thing this way before I realized this. As you can see though, it's looking pretty good with the lights off so far. haha

http://www.smithvicter.com/FOkey5.jpg
http://www.smithvicter.com/FOkey7.jpg
http://www.smithvicter.com/FOkey6.jpg

P.S. I also proped the light box up in the second picture for y'all.

I also forgot to mention this is my first mod, so...expect the worst.

[gjimene2]

Sweet!!!! I like the idea :) Imagine tapping the +5 on the keyboard and setting up a couple of blue led's :D

[brandon]

I can't... for the life of me... figure out what exactly it is you're trying to do here! lol... :o ;)

[SpeersSV]

haha...I basically just want each individual key to have a light on it. It won't be perfect by any means, but it'll be interesting to see how it turns out. I just got back from the road...a quick nap, then back to the workbench.

[SpeersSV]

So far so good. I got all the lights done so we can see what it will look like when it's done. I still have to route the fibers on the inside so they don't get in the way of the keys, and make sure everything works fine and clean it up a bit, but here's how it's lookin.
http://www.smithvicter.com/FOkey8.jpg
http://www.smithvicter.com/FOkey9.jpg
http://www.smithvicter.com/FOkey10.jpg

Also. I made multiple holes on the bigger keys for multiple lights. This was before I realized the fibers were gonna have to come straight up thru the center of the key. So I also need to fill those in and paint'em or something....or leave'em..they're doing no harm.

[Buzioid]

I have seen a blue led thing for keyboards, a mod that you can do and have 2 leds on each side of your keyboard that can be used to light up your whole keyboard in the dark.
Nice job SpeersSV, I hanen't seen anything like this anywhere.

[SpeersSV]

Thanks man. Yeah, I've seen something like what you're talking about over at www.directron.com

I was gonna get a blue transparent piece of plastic and put it over the light to make the keys light up blue, and then get a few of those lights you're talkin about.

My second mod, given that I don't botch the hell out of it, will blow this one away though. I don't want to give it away quite yet, but eventually I'll spill the beans.

[SpeersSV]

Well. This project is officially cancelled for now. I ran into a LOAD of problems that, if I did this again, I could PROBABLY get around...but you live and learn I guess.

The fibers just took up way too much space. Not to mention there were close to 500 fibers all over the place...making routing them around the keys next to impossible.

If I did it again, I'd simple find a way of getting a hole smaller than 1/16"(my smallest drill bit).and disconnect the fibers from the base unit first, and then regroup them AFTER I got them all routed. Respect and admiration to anyone who can accomplish this.

I just tested it, and the keys just don't work. The board has power, but none of the keys work.

[Mntsnow]

Hey...You gave it a shot! Thats what counts in the end! Here's to looking forward to your next project

[GohanSSJ]

To bad it didn't work, but it was a great idea.

[Creatures]

pretty cool! nice try!
maybe try that with the mouse!

Creatures

[earthling]

Interesting idea though SpeersSV!

I'm intrigued with what you're going to try next. :)

[Dazbo666]

Well you got my respect for giving it a try....
I do all my own mods, and you can be assured that they very rarely, if ever go completely to plan.

Keep up the good work - you've obviously got some good ideas, and a lot of skill to even attempt that optical mod!!

[glen grefe]

Speers,
I am curious if you returned to your keyboard project.

Also curious to your location- where you live.

My partner and I are looking for a prototype builder for a new keyboard product/business.

You may be a prospect.

Thanks,

-Glen Grefe