<>Updates on the Stoneage keyboard – with photos to follow tomorrow.
Today I finished cutting the keys. It was so simple, using the cutoff wheels and the Dremel. Thing is, though, you’re not so much cutting the plastic as you are cutting and melting it. Safety glasses were a must, and I had them handy since I use power tools a lot with my hobbies. And I admit, I should have used one of those paper masks, which would have prevented the odd splatter of small, molten plastic that would hit my lips. Then again, a mask could have caught on fire.
I’ve heard the phrase “write like your face is on fire” but I didn’t really want to experience that first-hand.
Now and then, a piece of molten plastic would hit my fingers, or the back of my hand, but by the time you draw the breath to scream, it doesn’t hurt any longer. In two hours, I had every key for one keyboard cut, and sanded. Then I sat down to mock up a few keys, test out the shapes and sizes of my scrap rock supply, and I’ve decided I have to go back to the cutter.
See, I was keeping some skirting, for stability and more surface for the rocks to adhere to. But, thing is, that’s making it harder to find rock that’s the perfect size – in that, I need the rocks to cover all the plastic. It won’t do to have some plastic key bits sticking out around the rock. So tomorrow, I’m going to cut more of the skirting off. I’ll probably take most of them right down to the pegs, since the rock I need to use has to be relatively small so you can type and not have the rocks smacking each other.
Oh, and another thing – turns out beach pebbles are an amazing fit and look. I mentioned this to Pete and Lori the other day, and they thought using beach pebbles just might make for another amazing look. So that might turn out to be my first one – we’ll see tomorrow. I’ll call it the Pebbles and Bam Bam 😀
Anyway, I’m documenting my progess, taking photos, and I’ll post some tomorrow. I’ll be painting the keyboard case tomorrow, as well, since I found this amazing spray paint that gives a faux stone finish. Meanwhile, Rock On ! 😀
The Velvet Zebra 
I burned myself on my soldering gun. I was fixing my headphones, one of the wires had broken off the speaker connection. So when I finished, I set it down and walked away. I came back a little later to put everything away and checked the tip of the gun to see if it had cooled. In other words, I tested it by wrapping my finger around the tip.
It wasn’t cool. I also realized just how hot soldering guns must get to still cause excruciating pain several minutes later.
Well, at least I didn’t have to buy a new set of headphones.