MK14 Issue VI Keycaps - 3d Printer - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

ScottishColin · 7th Mar 2023, 8:39 pm

Attached is a photo and a zipped file which is the keycaps I have designed and printed for my MK14.

It is also on Thingiverse here with a Creative Commons non-commercial licence:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5897173

I used Slothie's keyboard cover which he shared in post #57 here:

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...t=cover&page=3

They keycaps are designed to fit switches which have a 7mm circular button (although I suspect they will work with smaller buttons too) - I bought mine from eBay and they were known as "12x12mm Momentary Tactile Push Button Switch PCB Mounted SPST". Those switches handily have four small protrusions to allow location of the switches (I popped four small holes in the bottom of each keycap).

Print whatever colours you like - I designed them so that you stop printing at 8.20mm and print the remainder of the numbers/letters with a different colour.

Hope they're of use to someone.

Colin.

SiriusHardware · 7th Mar 2023, 10:03 pm

Very nice! I admit I'm still quite baffled as to exactly how these fit because the round 'button' on the switch doesn't seem to stick up much so I'm guessing the bottom of your keycap is just a wide, flat area which presses down on the button?

Seeing as you managed to do three letters for 'Abt' I think you should be consistent and have 'Mem' on the 'Mem' key and 'Trm' on the TERM key as well.

Overall the legends look well positioned but the '0' seems slightly down and left of centre of the key and the '9' looks a little bit above centre, I don't know (not having a 3D printer or the software which drives it) whether this is something which is easily tweaked.

What I love about this method is that the legends, being one layer of plastic embedded in another, will never wear off. They remind me of the two-tone injection moulded keys which used to be used on Commodore calculators.

ScottishColin · 7th Mar 2023, 11:16 pm

There's a 0.20mm circle cut out of the bottom of each keycap just to make sure it stays in place on the switch but that leaves enough to press the switch.

'Mem' is quite wide with three 'long' letters. I'll try one tomorrow but it may be too detailed for this nozzle on this printer. I do have finer nozzles - I will experiment.

I can move the letters around easy enough - I'll get my micrometer out tomorrow.

And these have raised characters which are the different colour - they're not embedded. Again I'll experiment but I quite like the tactile nature of the raised characters.

Colin.

SiriusHardware · 8th Mar 2023, 12:40 am

Ah, I thought you had somehow put the 'legend' colour inside a 'trench' in the main colour. No matter, it looks very good. Having looked at the link on Thingiverse now I see that the caps have a flange around the lower edge - I had been wondering what stopped them from falling out if they weren't somehow attached to the switch actuators.

What size (length) are the machine screws you've attached the frame with? I'm assuming they are M3.

ScottishColin · 8th Mar 2023, 9:30 am

M3 14mm, although I have ordered some black nylon screws as I don't want to damage the underside of the board.

Colin.

SiriusHardware · 8th Mar 2023, 10:56 am

Good idea, they would also have the advantage that you can easily crop cut them to flush length on the underside of the PCB as well.

Phil__G · 3rd Jul 2023, 10:08 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottishColin

[buttons] - I bought mine from eBay and they were known as "12x12mm Momentary Tactile Push Button Switch PCB Mounted SPST".

Which height should I order Colin, the shortest, 4.3mm?
Ta - Phil

ScottishColin · 3rd Jul 2023, 3:37 pm

I've just checked my order - you're right; 4.3mm is what I bought.

Colin.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil__G

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottishColin

[buttons] - I bought mine from eBay and they were known as "12x12mm Momentary Tactile Push Button Switch PCB Mounted SPST".

Which height should I order Colin, the shortest, 4.3mm?
Ta - Phil

ScottishColin · 5th Jul 2023, 1:54 pm

OK - how's this looking. Just the command keycaps changed to a new design with a flat surface (ie the text embedded in the keycap). I guess that original is black text, white background for all keycaps so I'll make a start on them soon.

Colin.

SiriusHardware · 5th Jul 2023, 2:26 pm

Wow, that's quite remarkable. I used to fantasise about being able to get custom keytops like that made, and now it's reality. What is the official name of that font, do you know, or did you just lift the image of the keytop from the scan of the original?

ScottishColin · 5th Jul 2023, 3:17 pm

Thanks. The change that has made the text legible is the move on my printer to a 0.25mm nozzle from a 0.40mm nozzle which allows a lot more detail.

The font I used (in Fusion 360) is Arial.

Colin.

SiriusHardware · 5th Jul 2023, 3:28 pm

I get the impression that you might be about to try to reproduce all the other keys as flush keys as well - if you did, I think it would be OK to make those single characters proportionately larger than they originally were on the MK14 keypad (much as they are on the present version of your keytops) filling up more of the white space on the keytop. It will allow you to make the characters slightly thicker.

Realtime · 8th Jul 2023, 2:01 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottishColin

I guess that original is black text, white background for all keycaps so I'll make a start on them soon.

They look great Colin. Personally I like the white on blue. I'd be more than happy to have those on my Rev VI

ScottishColin · 15th Aug 2023, 11:36 am

I've designed and printed a flat set of keycaps - photo attached.

.STL files here if you're wanting to try this at home:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6170713

I know I'm behind printing a set for Realtime - I'm on it with the colours you suggested.

If anyone else wants a set, please let me know.

Colin.

SiriusHardware · 15th Aug 2023, 12:15 pm

Excellent job - I will pass for the moment as I made an unusually nice (for me) job of legending under the snap-on clear covers which I have on my keytops but I am sure you'll get interest from anyone who hasn't already done that.

My original MK14 has poorly aligned 'letraset' legends on its replacement keypad, unfortunately the keys have a very different shaped actuator in the form of a raised cross, so these wouldn't fit that keypad.

Realtime · 25th Aug 2023, 12:00 pm

Just got back from holidays and found the keycaps waiting for me. Thanks Colin, they look excellent. I''m printing Slothie's key-surround plate now so should be fitting them later this afternoon.

ScottishColin · 28th Aug 2023, 11:47 am

Glad you like them - I hope they work ok.

Colin.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Realtime

Just got back from holidays and found the keycaps waiting for me. Thanks Colin, they look excellent. I''m printing Slothie's key-surround plate now so should be fitting them later this afternoon.

SiriusHardware · 28th Aug 2023, 12:09 pm

The red, black and silver are very 'Sinclair' colours.

7th Mar 2023, 10:03 pm	#2
SiriusHardware Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 11,086	Re: MK14 Issue VI Keycaps - 3d Printer Very nice! I admit I'm still quite baffled as to exactly how these fit because the round 'button' on the switch doesn't seem to stick up much so I'm guessing the bottom of your keycap is just a wide, flat area which presses down on the button? Seeing as you managed to do three letters for 'Abt' I think you should be consistent and have 'Mem' on the 'Mem' key and 'Trm' on the TERM key as well. Overall the legends look well positioned but the '0' seems slightly down and left of centre of the key and the '9' looks a little bit above centre, I don't know (not having a 3D printer or the software which drives it) whether this is something which is easily tweaked. What I love about this method is that the legends, being one layer of plastic embedded in another, will never wear off. They remind me of the two-tone injection moulded keys which used to be used on Commodore calculators. Last edited by SiriusHardware; 7th Mar 2023 at 10:09 pm.

7th Mar 2023, 11:16 pm	#3
ScottishColin Octode Join Date: May 2012 Location: Perth, Scotland Posts: 1,603	Re: MK14 Issue VI Keycaps - 3d Printer There's a 0.20mm circle cut out of the bottom of each keycap just to make sure it stays in place on the switch but that leaves enough to press the switch. 'Mem' is quite wide with three 'long' letters. I'll try one tomorrow but it may be too detailed for this nozzle on this printer. I do have finer nozzles - I will experiment. I can move the letters around easy enough - I'll get my micrometer out tomorrow. And these have raised characters which are the different colour - they're not embedded. Again I'll experiment but I quite like the tactile nature of the raised characters. Colin.

8th Mar 2023, 12:40 am	#4
SiriusHardware Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 11,086	Re: MK14 Issue VI Keycaps - 3d Printer Ah, I thought you had somehow put the 'legend' colour inside a 'trench' in the main colour. No matter, it looks very good. Having looked at the link on Thingiverse now I see that the caps have a flange around the lower edge - I had been wondering what stopped them from falling out if they weren't somehow attached to the switch actuators. What size (length) are the machine screws you've attached the frame with? I'm assuming they are M3. Last edited by SiriusHardware; 8th Mar 2023 at 12:45 am.

8th Mar 2023, 10:56 am	#6
SiriusHardware Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 11,086	Re: MK14 Issue VI Keycaps - 3d Printer Good idea, they would also have the advantage that you can easily crop cut them to flush length on the underside of the PCB as well.

5th Jul 2023, 1:54 pm	#9
ScottishColin Octode Join Date: May 2012 Location: Perth, Scotland Posts: 1,603	Re: MK14 Issue VI Keycaps - 3d Printer OK - how's this looking. Just the command keycaps changed to a new design with a flat surface (ie the text embedded in the keycap). I guess that original is black text, white background for all keycaps so I'll make a start on them soon. Colin. Attached Thumbnails

8th Mar 2023, 9:30 am	#5
ScottishColin Octode Join Date: May 2012 Location: Perth, Scotland Posts: 1,603	Re: MK14 Issue VI Keycaps - 3d Printer M3 14mm, although I have ordered some black nylon screws as I don't want to damage the underside of the board. Colin.

5th Jul 2023, 2:26 pm	#10
SiriusHardware Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 11,086	Re: MK14 Issue VI Keycaps - 3d Printer Wow, that's quite remarkable. I used to fantasise about being able to get custom keytops like that made, and now it's reality. What is the official name of that font, do you know, or did you just lift the image of the keytop from the scan of the original?

5th Jul 2023, 3:17 pm	#11
ScottishColin Octode Join Date: May 2012 Location: Perth, Scotland Posts: 1,603	Re: MK14 Issue VI Keycaps - 3d Printer Thanks. The change that has made the text legible is the move on my printer to a 0.25mm nozzle from a 0.40mm nozzle which allows a lot more detail. The font I used (in Fusion 360) is Arial. Colin.

5th Jul 2023, 3:28 pm	#12
SiriusHardware Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 11,086	Re: MK14 Issue VI Keycaps - 3d Printer I get the impression that you might be about to try to reproduce all the other keys as flush keys as well - if you did, I think it would be OK to make those single characters proportionately larger than they originally were on the MK14 keypad (much as they are on the present version of your keytops) filling up more of the white space on the keytop. It will allow you to make the characters slightly thicker.

15th Aug 2023, 11:36 am	#14
ScottishColin Octode Join Date: May 2012 Location: Perth, Scotland Posts: 1,603	Re: MK14 Issue VI Keycaps - 3d Printer I've designed and printed a flat set of keycaps - photo attached. .STL files here if you're wanting to try this at home: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6170713 I know I'm behind printing a set for Realtime - I'm on it with the colours you suggested. If anyone else wants a set, please let me know. Colin. Attached Thumbnails

15th Aug 2023, 12:15 pm	#15
SiriusHardware Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 11,086	Re: MK14 Issue VI Keycaps - 3d Printer Excellent job - I will pass for the moment as I made an unusually nice (for me) job of legending under the snap-on clear covers which I have on my keytops but I am sure you'll get interest from anyone who hasn't already done that. My original MK14 has poorly aligned 'letraset' legends on its replacement keypad, unfortunately the keys have a very different shaped actuator in the form of a raised cross, so these wouldn't fit that keypad.

25th Aug 2023, 12:00 pm	#16
Realtime Pentode Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Ashford, Kent, UK Posts: 249	Re: MK14 Issue VI Keycaps - 3d Printer Just got back from holidays and found the keycaps waiting for me. Thanks Colin, they look excellent. I''m printing Slothie's key-surround plate now so should be fitting them later this afternoon. Attached Thumbnails

28th Aug 2023, 12:09 pm	#18
SiriusHardware Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 11,086	Re: MK14 Issue VI Keycaps - 3d Printer The red, black and silver are very 'Sinclair' colours.