Backlit keyboard
The keyboard: A Ortek EKB-880.
I aquired it for $10 used. I forgot to take a "Before" Image.
The keyboard was a combo translucent green and white.
The keyboard was actually made for a Macintosh.
But since is is USB it also works just fine for windows, and has all the keys.
It also has a bonus of a built in 2-port USB HUB
Here you can see the clear bottom.
In order to backlight the keys I needed to mask them off from the rest of the keyboard.
(Didn't photo this step)
I actually vinyl dyed the inside layer, rather than the outside.
This will ensure that it doesn't rub off over time.
Once vinyl dyed, I had to touch up a few corners with acrylic model paint.
In order to get a even backlight I need to get the light through the key-membrane.
The membrane is translucent, but the PCB type supports on the back do let any light through.
The solution? Plexi!
This plexi was from some broken store shelves, so it was already scratched up, but it will serve it's purpose.
I stuck the original plates directly to the plexi using thin double sided tape.
I used five strips each, two or three would have been just fine.
(It took forever to take them apart)
Now with the first piece cut out.
A perfect match!
I then cut and installed all the plates.
The extra thickness didn't seem to hurt anything, and they installed perfectly.
Now for the backlighting.
I had a Dual RED cold cathode just lying around, so I put it to use.
These will probably not end up as the final lighting, as I would rather have the inverter run on 5 volts instead of 12.
I had to trim a little plastic, and apply some more sticky tape, but everything fit just fine.
Here you can see the cold cathodes.
The light up the whole area around the keyboard, giving a bonus UFO effect.
Here they are with the flash.
(Inverter is outside the box, as this photo was before I mounted them)
A close-up showing the cold cathodes lit, and un-lit
And another of the keys.
A night shot.
The effect is very cool, but of course only the edges of the keys are lit, not the keys themselves.
And the final shot.
Every button on the keyboard still works, perfectly.
Ok, now that we have the Cold Cathodes installed we need a new cable that can carry both data, and an extra +12volt line.
The first will be a USB plug
the second is the extra +12volt power plug
The keyboard has a built in power switch, that is useless for PCs (it is used for macs)
This is the perfect spot to put a power switch for the Cold Cathodes.
But the original switch is a momentary.
So a new switch was installed that is Push-ON/Push-Off
The original signal traces were then cut, and an area to solder to was scraped away.
The power wire to the cold cathode inverter was then wired to this switch.
Press the switch, the lights turn on
Press it again, they turn off
The whole keyboard is now wired with the new thicker cable.
The new plugs were then soldered and installed along the cable.
The cold cathode will plug into this jack
Green