Keyboard Builders' Digest / Projects
Rasti Computer
Penk Chen's Rasti is a retro-futuristic laptop inspired by the iconic GRiD Compass – with his custom mechanical keyboard and keycap set.
Published February 2, 2024
If you've seen last week's Rasti post about a custom keyboard and keycap set by Penk Chen, now you know what those were designed for.
Penk's Rasti Computer is a retro-futuristic laptop inspired by the iconic GRiD Compass and powered by Framework components.
It features a 10.4-inch (1600x720) touchscreen, 3D printed enclosure, with the already mentioned custom mechanical keyboard and keycap set tailor-made for this project.
Blending 80s nostalgia with today's technology, Rasti is not just a statement piece that looks good — it's practical too – Penk.
The enclosure, designed for easy printing on a 30x30 cm FDM print bed, captures the essence of the GRiD Compass, originally made of magnesium. After sanding and priming, the surface was finished with Tamiya metallic black paint (TS-40), and a touch of silver dry brushing added the beat-up metal look.
The Choc-spacing (18mm x 17mm) keycap set addresses the limited options for Choc v1 switch modifiers. Designed for SLA resin printing, this set includes sizes ranging from 1U to 2.25U, and a 4.75U spacebar that is compatible with the 6.25U stabilizer. The keyboard has its own Github repo.
Resources
Editable STEP file and 3D printable STL files for the case are available in the case directory:
Published on Fri 2nd Feb 2024. Featured in KBD #153 (source).
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