Step 7: The Keyboard
The top of the keyboard needs to be level with the top of the wood panel or it will hit against the LCD, and the top won't close. You could just cut out a square hole, glue some wood strips on and call it a day, but I thought I'd show you a much better way.
1 | Measure the keyboard, and add an extra 5-10mm boarder around the edge. Measure the height of the keyboard; you will need to layer plywood so that the thickness is equal to the height of the keyboard. Remember to consider the wood panel while calculating dimensions.
2 | Glue the height corrected plywood block you have just made front & centre on the underside of the wood panel. Use Clamps!
3 | On the upper side of the wood panel draw out where the block is in relation to the top. Mark the keyboards shape inside this area, where you want the keyboard to sit.
4 | Drill the four corners using wood drills, place a sample of scrap wood underneath to help prevent splintering of the underside.
5 | Use a jigsaw to rough cut inside of the pencil lines.
6 | With a Dremel, or equivalent sand down the hole to match the pencil lines. You can of course use hand tools if you don't have anything electric,
7 | Using hand tools carefully adjust the sides, making room for buttons, so that the keyboard will sit comfortably inside the space.
8 | Cut a base-plate for the keyboard cut-out and glue it to the underside of the panel.
9 | Groove out a space to make it easy to get the keyboard out using a finger.
10 | Smooth any rough edges with fine sandpaper.
11 | Test fit.
1 | Measure the keyboard, and add an extra 5-10mm boarder around the edge. Measure the height of the keyboard; you will need to layer plywood so that the thickness is equal to the height of the keyboard. Remember to consider the wood panel while calculating dimensions.
2 | Glue the height corrected plywood block you have just made front & centre on the underside of the wood panel. Use Clamps!
3 | On the upper side of the wood panel draw out where the block is in relation to the top. Mark the keyboards shape inside this area, where you want the keyboard to sit.
4 | Drill the four corners using wood drills, place a sample of scrap wood underneath to help prevent splintering of the underside.
5 | Use a jigsaw to rough cut inside of the pencil lines.
6 | With a Dremel, or equivalent sand down the hole to match the pencil lines. You can of course use hand tools if you don't have anything electric,
7 | Using hand tools carefully adjust the sides, making room for buttons, so that the keyboard will sit comfortably inside the space.
8 | Cut a base-plate for the keyboard cut-out and glue it to the underside of the panel.
9 | Groove out a space to make it easy to get the keyboard out using a finger.
10 | Smooth any rough edges with fine sandpaper.
11 | Test fit.
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