Tilt your Aluminum Apple Keyboard

From the first, I fell in love with the new Apple Aluminum keyboard. It's sleek, has a great laptop-ey feel to the key action, and has enough function keys to land a space shuttle. I had to have one! Upon arrival, I wasn't disappointed with a single thing mentioned above, but there was one thing wrong with the keyboard. It simply sat too flat for my liking. Following is a description of how I gave some tilt to mine, and discovered the true meaning of love and fellowship along the way. I used stuff I had lying around, but even if you had to buy everything, this mod should cost well under $15. This is my first posting on this August site, so please feel free with the constructive criticism, and let's restrain ourselves from Mac/PC hating, or a discussion of typing ergonomics. Bob bless.

Step 1 Collect Your Materials

To tilt your own keyboard, you'll need the following:

(1) Apple Aluminum Keyboard

(2) Leviton Blank QuickPort Inserts

(2) Self-Adhesive Rubber feet

Super Glue Gel

If you're reading this, you've probably got the keyboard, and the rest can be bought easily at a computer retailer or at your local Home Depot. The blank inserts come in a ten-pack, so you'll have some to mess up with. Look for them in the section that sells networking supplies. They're actually designed to fill an unused hole in a wall plate that holds networking jacks. The exact specifications for the rubber feet aren't really all that important, as long as they fit onto the "Face" of the blank insert well. The Super Glue doesn't really HAVE to be gel, but I like how the gel sticks and gives you a bit of working time. For the sake of all that's good and holy, buy the WHITE blank inserts. Don't mar the appearance of your Apple KB with ivory. Just don't.

Comments

[autokymatic]

I laughed out loud when I read that caption...

[billb]

Its funny how few are talking about your TILT JOB but about other OS's. GREAT TILT JOB!!! Oh, I use Mac, Windows, and Linux. COMPUTERS rule!

[albylovesscience]

finaly a person that sets aside his differences and at the end of the day says "i like all computers" instead of "MAC RULES ROFLE LMAO LULZ BOOGIE BAA BA " and i say i like macs pc's linux

[LinuxH4x0r]

I personally use linux, but still use a mac keyboaard. they are far superior to any winblows cheap keyboard, and thats with one meant for an imac! Good instructable Keep up the good work

[killerjackalope]

The older imac boards are nice to type with, I did huge amounts of movie editing on them in school and they were a joy to tap away at in comparison to any supplied keyboard, granted I'm going to go find myself a nice DVORAK hard wired one to make learning easier, querty just doesn't agree with my tendons as well.

[Yerboogieman]

how do you install a file without the one thing in ubuntu gutsy gibbon?

[LinuxH4x0r]

ummm..What?

[REA]

quick questions. does this keyboard work on Windows Vista? and, if so, how good is its performance on Vista.

[munchman]

Does the mac keyboard work on other operating systems? I use windows but love the apple keyboards and mice.

[Einsteins Circuitry]

Of course they do! Keyboards are rarely ever OS dependent. The only things that might not work are the volume and the brightness buttons. (And of course the keys that use Expose in OS X)

[gmjhowe]

i like that u dint wreck or alter the keyboard, it is nice, i bort one myself, its like typing on silk. The aluminium keyboard also looks incredable hot next to my razer mouse and keyboard - lookie lookie at the picture! both aluminium, they were meant to be

[bleachworthy]

I love the look of the keyboard, and you took it to the next level! I look forward to seeing more of your instructables.

[jessyratfink]

The last picture is hilarious. But a very good way to tilt the keyboard without sacrificing how nice it looks!