I put the entire keyboard on a copier and made an image that I then used as a template for punching holes in the felt with a sharpened piece of steel tubing. I also cut a piece of felt to cover the exposed plastic of the keyboard bed. Heres a movie that shows my method for flush cutting the backs of typewriter keys.Īfter they were all flush cut I laid out the keys to see what I had. The cheaper typewriters keys on eBay are usually removed quickly with a bolt cutter or angle grinder with a cutting disk, I needed to cut these flush before I could use them. Depending on shipping cost it is sometimes cheaper to by a whole typewriter and cut the keys off yourself. There are plenty of people offering these since they are popular among crafters. I have an old Royal typewriter that I had planned to cut the keys off of but I made the mistake of showing it to my daughter who instantly fell in love with it. The next step was the preparation of the old typewriter keys I planned to attach to the key bottoms. Two lengths of brass “C” channel were cut on the table saw and threaded rod was used to fixture the cradle for soldering. Holes were drilled and tapped to attach the legs. The pieces were then cleaned up with several grades of sandpaper, steel wool ,and a rotating fiberglass brush in the drill press. I think the steps add a visual appeal so I did not drill from the other side to remove them. The step drill left a shoulder about half way through the hole because it’s step are 1/8″ and the piece is 1/4″ thick. I drilled 3/16″ pilot holes on the drill press and then enlarged them with this step drill. A series of files were used to smooth the contours. Brass cuts very easily, the entire project could probably be done with just a coping saw. The interior cut outs on the feet were drilled and cut with a coping saw. The shapes were then cut out on a band saw. I’m sure that Norm puts them right back on after filming. Note: the blade guard has been removed for the same reason that Norm removes the blade guard of his saw in the New Yankee Workshop, that is to allow the camera a good angle. Be very careful cutting brass on a table saw, if the work piece binds it can be thrown back at you with a great deal of force. Next came the process of cutting and shaping the brass. I wanted a simple and clean design, the finished keyboard actually takes up less desktop real estate then the original Model M. At this point I started to design the Steampunk cradle that I planned to make from 1/4″ thick brass plate. Each key is wrapped in a metal housing and includes lettering that doesn’t fade with use.After I removed all of the key cap skirts and cleaned the excess plastic off of the key bottoms, I reassembled them into the keyboard. The keycaps replicate the feeling of using an old-fashioned typewriter. Lastly, function (FN) media controls come standard. Dip switches allow hardware-level support for QWERTY, Dvorak, and Colemak keyboard layouts that work on Windows, Linux, and Mac operating systems. These key switches feature a tactile click reminiscent of a vintage typewriter and are rated for 50 million keystrokes. German engineered Cherry MX blue mechanical switches are used on each keyboard. The keyboard lock indicator LEDs are covered with refractive red jewel lenses wrapped in brass with a silver coating (Fender Amp Jewels).Īt the heart of every Datamancer keyboard are electronics, chosen for their superior quality and adaptability. Adjustable polished brass knobs act as risers underneath the keyboard that, when combined with the rubber pads at the bottom, ensure it is secure on any desk surface. The four corners and center point are adorned with acanthus victorian engraved designs that frame the typewriter keycaps and accent the edges of the Diviner. Finally, it is coated again with a heavy layer of lacquer to provide a lasting and beautiful finish. Two coats of ultra-clear semi-gloss lacquer are applied to the work after it has been prepared, and then it is wet sanded with ultra-fine sandpaper to flatten out any uneven material. It is a handmade steampunk keyboard with a high-quality carved walnut wood chassis which makes it both lightweight and durable.Īfter carving, the wood is carefully routed along the edges with a Roman Ogee pattern and then finely hand sanded until the wood has a remarkably smooth texture. Drawing inspiration from Victorian-era design, The Diviner Keyboard is a modern USB keyboard with a natural wooden frame and vintage typewriter keycaps.
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