Corne SpaceCase

Last crawled date: 5 years, 2 months ago

This is a fun modification of the Corne (CRKBD or Helidox) keyboard that relocates the OLED and the creates a new LED feature. This case is inspired by Star Wars spaceships, industrial machinery, and brutalist architecture.
The plate is 5mm and compatible with MX and ALPs switches; Choc switches will not work. It requires you to break off the last column on the outside of the Corne pcb. Alternatively, this could be handwired.
The case is made of 4 major components and two adjustable sleds per side. These should be printed right side up with the exception of the OLED covers (which are printed upside down to save on support material) and the LED sled (which is printed on it's side so that there are no supports). The LED "sled" is the only part printed in translucent or natural PLA. The LED "sled" acts as a light diffuser so you could use a white PLA as well. The rest of the prints are grey PLA but, you could use whatever color you like. The small "sled" prints are meant to be adjustable because there are differences in the OLED placement depending on manufacturer and orientation and differences in the LED specs as well. The LED sled is screwed in with one screw that's shared with the Acrylic piece that's above it and the OLED sled should be glued in place (I used hot glue so that I could move it if it wasn't just right). There is a picture of how I did the wiring for the relocated OLED and LEDs using jumper wires.
I've included a Fusion 360 file if you want to play around with it.
The parts (besides the 3D prints) needed are:
1x Corne kit (1 half per side, or this cold be handwired. You should purchase diodes, TRRS jacks, TRRS cable, and M2 screws. I used 10 screws) Link to kit below
4x Acrylic OLED covers (2 for each side, specifically the ones for the normal Corne. I sanded the clear acrylic to frost the ones covering the LEDs) Link below
36x MX or Alps type mechanical keyboard switches
2x Pro Micro or Elite C
2x OLED Link below
4x LED Strips (2 per side) Link below
2x Aviator Connectors Link below (you could use 4 pin, I used 5)
22x M3 screws with Allen / Hex head (I used 10mm or 8mm length bolts) Link below
1x USB micro cable (will be cut in half to patch pro micro to Aviator connector, this protects the Pro Micro USB micro connector. Could use separate connectors and solder custom cables from scratch)
Misc Patch cables, connectors, and heat shrink tubing
Note: This is a very DIY hack-job. You'll need to know or be willing to learn how to connect the OLEDs, LEDs, and aviator connectors via jumper wires. You will also need to work with QMK. This is not meant as a tutorial, just a resource for components and 3D files if you want to hack this thing together. Have fun!
If you do make this or modify it, let me know! If you feel like this design is worth it, buy me a coffee! Thanks!
LINKS
Corne kit, OLED, Acrylics misc parts Links:Keyhive
Elite C Link:SpaceCat
4x LED Strips (2 per side) Link:AliExpress
2x Aviator Connectors Link:AliExpress
M3 screws with Allen / Hex head Link:AliExpress