Rich "Datamancer" Nagy writes:

Hello everyone, I thought I'd let you all know that I have added a page to the site for the keyboard frames that contains pics and more info.

http://www.datamancer.net/keyboards/keyboardkits.htm

I have also decided to offer the frames in raw, unfinished metal for those of you might want to save some money on them and try your hand at polish or sanding them yourself.

As far as the pre-polished/sanded keyboards go, I have 4 aluminum frames and 2 polished brass frames available for immediate purchase.

Thanks and have a great day,

-Richard "Doc" Nagy

Best hurry, I doubt these will last long!

Dan writes:

This whole thing started when I dropped my graphire3 wacom tablet.  Everything worked just fine, but the case cracked and would not stay together.  After some soul searching I decided that since I couldn't use the thing in its current condition I might as well try and improve it.

An already venerable IBM Model M is retro-fitted with glass and nickel keys and mounted in a polished brass frame.

Update: I thought I'd pop this story up the the front page because I've been fielding a lot of mail in reference to SyFy's Warehouse 13 and the keyboard seen on Artie's desk.  The keyboard in the show is Rich "Doc Datamancer" Nagy's work - a much improved version of my original design.

For more info click through or check out Doc's website!

Oh this one is extra awesome! It's got horns as well as brass feet!

The Antediluvian Keyboard is a representation of an interest in civilization and technology from a time that has been forgotten, twisted, or even denied. A time in which only biblical stories, crypto-histories, and ancient artifacts surrounded by controversy are the only clues to this culture’s achievements. I had this in mind when creating the aesthetics of this functional piece. And with this, the final product was a merging of organic materials and technology.

You'll find many more pictures here!

Bohema writes:

I've been followin' your site for quite long time. Always enjoyed it. Keyboard mods are awesome. Speaking about mods.
Don't know if your know about Filimon. That's a Russian modder producing steampunk various mods. They are insanely jaw dropping mods that leave me every time speachless . . .

His mod worklogs can be found at The Best Case Scenario forums. Lately he came up with insane idea for keyboard in "<<The fragment of Empire>> (a very simple mod)" thread. Do not be fooled by very simple mod. Attention to details is much bigger than in any other top-notch mods out there.

Follow the thread for the whole build and note about halfway through he moves on to a build log for an even more impressive keyboard!

Thanks Bohema!

Markus, who wrote in earlier with an alternative to typewriter keys, has finished his keyboard mod.  He writes:

. . . I decided to use a wooden frame – but not any wood molding from
the DIY shop would do. I found old furniture ‘spare parts’ – this wood
is over eighty years old. It is worn, is is scratched and it is full of
wormholes . . . ideal for my project.

Old wood would make for an old looking keyboard, fair enough, but I
needed gauges to complete the steampunk look. So I unsoldered the
status lights and put in three analog displays instead of them –
they’re fully functional.

Finally, the keyboard cord is covered in brown shoelace.

The whole project is here and I think it came out wonderfully well!

Some of the very best letters I get come from people who have built things to give as gifts, a case in point:

Dear jake,

I really have enjoyed your site, especially the bus conversion.  I really like how you talk about using found objects and have so many pictures showing your process as you work on your projects.  My husband showed me your site last year and proceeded to drool, so when he got dual monitors for his edit system and needed a monitor stand, I knew just what to do.

. . .

Yours in Mad Science!
Amy

You sure did Amy - Awesome work! Thanks!

Much more after the cut.

Marcus writes:

There are only so many broken typewriters in the world – so it’s going to be difficult to get my hands on a decent set of keys.  You can’t get them on ebay here in Europe, importing them from the US would’ve been hilariously expensive – so I had to think of something else.

What I’ve found is a certain kind of fastener (like brass fasteners for envelopes, only with a fancy little gemstone instead of the brass knob). You open it, discard the stone and what you get is a perfect ‘key frame’. Just print your labels, cut glasses out of polycarbonate sheet, cardboard backplates and you’re done.

 He's put together a nice write up that you can find here.  Great work Marcus!

Update: Jacqui dropped me a link to some interesting looking typewriter key tokens at Oriental Trading. - Thanks Jacqui!

Wow! somebody Simmified my Steampunk, monitor, keyboard and the Mae West lamp!

Have a look!

Here's another Steampunk keyboard, and one of the closest copies of the original I've seen to date!  I was alerted to it by the creator of this wonderful example - Peter Sztojanov jr. from the beautiful city of Budapest - who commented on my MySpace page.

There are quite a few more shots in his Flickrstream here!

Since the caption on the leading photo reads "Steampunk Alchemy's 1st keyboard"  I am wondering if my good friend Rich Nagy a.k.a. Datamancer hasn't got some new competition from his ancestral homeland!