DIY Keyboard Using $5 Worth of Concrete (and 100 hrs)
Summary
TLDRIn this creative and humorous video, Evan and Katelyn embark on a unique project to construct a concrete keyboard. They experiment with various methods to ensure the concrete's strength and durability, including PVA glue, fiberglass, and sand. The process is filled with challenges, from mixing the concrete to casting and demolding the keycaps. Despite setbacks like cracked keycaps and technical difficulties with their tools, they persevere, ultimately creating a one-of-a-kind keyboard with an industrial aesthetic. The video captures the couple's playful banter and their passion for reimagining everyday objects through a DIY lens.
Takeaways
- ποΈ The video is about creating a unique concrete keyboard, highlighting the challenges and creative solutions involved in the process.
- ποΈ The concrete keyboard introduces challenges such as ensuring the concrete's ability to withstand force and not crack, especially for the key stems.
- π§ͺ Various strengthening methods are used, including PVA glue, fiberglass, and additional sand, to improve the concrete's strength and workability.
- π¨ The use of a vibrator is essential for getting the concrete into small crevices and removing air bubbles, a tool that has seen use in previous projects.
- πΉοΈ The concrete mix used is a vinyl concrete patcher, which is designed for thin applications but not specifically for keycaps.
- π The process involves experimenting with different ratios of concrete and additives, such as PVA glue, which is added to increase strength.
- π¦ The addition of sand is considered to improve the concrete's flow and texture, potentially leading to an industrial look for the keycaps.
- π The use of a pressure pot is a new attempt to reduce bubbles and increase the concrete's strength, a technique not previously used by the creators.
- π οΈ The process includes multiple tests, adjustments, and iterations to find the best mix and method for creating the concrete keycaps.
- π₯οΈ The final product is a keyboard with concrete keycaps, showcasing a blend of functionality and aesthetic appeal, despite the imperfections and challenges faced during creation.
Q & A
What is the main product idea discussed in the script?
-The main product idea discussed in the script is a concrete keyboard, which is a unique and unconventional take on a traditional keyboard.
Why is creating a concrete keyboard considered challenging?
-Creating a concrete keyboard is challenging because concrete is not typically used for making thin-walled objects that need to withstand pressure and impacts, such as typing or hitting the keyboard in frustration.
What materials are used to strengthen the concrete in the keyboard?
-To strengthen the concrete, the creators use PVA glue, fiberglass, and additional sand. These materials are intended to improve the concrete's durability and resistance to cracking.
What is the purpose of using a vibrator in the concrete mixing process?
-The vibrator is used to help get the concrete into the small crevices of the molds and to remove air bubbles, which can weaken the concrete structure.
Why is the pressure pot used in the concrete curing process?
-The pressure pot is used to cure the concrete in order to reduce bubbles and increase the concrete's strength, which is crucial for the keyboard's durability.
What role does the vinyl concrete patcher play in the keyboard's construction?
-The vinyl concrete patcher is used as the base concrete mix for the keyboard. It is designed for thin use cases, making it suitable for creating the thin walls of the keycaps.
What is the issue with the concrete keycap stems?
-The issue with the concrete keycap stems is that they need to be strong enough to be pushed onto the keycap without cracking or breaking, which is a challenge due to concrete's tendency to crack under strain.
What is the solution for the keycap stems to overcome the cracking issue?
-The solution is to add a plastic 3D printed stem before adding the concrete to the keycap molds, which provides additional strength and prevents the concrete from cracking.
How do the creators address the molds having different thicknesses?
-The creators address the issue of different mold thicknesses by adding resin to the thinner molds to make them thicker, and then recasting them in silicone to create new molds that will produce stronger keys.
What is the final outcome of the concrete keyboard project?
-The final outcome of the project is a unique and aesthetically pleasing concrete keyboard, with each key having an organic and imperfect look, giving it a stone-like appearance. Despite some challenges and cracks in the space bar keys, the keyboard is functional and admired by the creators.
Outlines
π Introducing the Concrete Keyboard Concept
The video starts with a humorous introduction to a fictional productβa concrete keyboard. The hosts joke about the impracticality of such a heavy keyboard and humorously discuss the sales of a product that hasn't been made yet. They then dive into the actual project of creating a concrete keyboard, discussing the challenges of using concrete for thin-walled keycaps that must withstand forceful typing. To address these challenges, they plan to use PVA glue, fiberglass, and additional sand to strengthen the concrete. They begin by mixing a vinyl concrete patcher, which is designed for thin applications, and discuss their unconventional approach of repurposing materials for unexpected uses.
π¨ Crafting and Testing Concrete Keycaps
The hosts proceed with the concrete keyboard project by experimenting with different methods to create durable keycaps. They add a plastic 3D printed stem to the concrete mix to reinforce the keycap stem. Using a vibrator to settle the concrete into molds and remove air bubbles, they engage in playful banter. They also discuss the challenges of getting the concrete into the molds and the importance of removing bubbles for strength. They test various techniques, including adding PVA glue to the concrete mix to increase its strength, and applying fiberglass for reinforcement. After several trials, they find that the control concrete without additives is the easiest to work with, although they note that it may not be as strong as other versions.
ποΈ Building a Concrete Keyboard Case and Addressing Mold Issues
The video continues with the construction of a concrete keyboard case using a mold from a previous resin keyboard project. To prevent cracking, they modify the mold by adding 3D printed plugs for screwing. The process involves carefully handling the concrete to avoid bubbles and ensure a good cast. After demolding, they discover issues with some of the molds, which have thinner tops than expected, leading to concerns about the concrete breaking during demolding. To resolve this, they decide to reinforce the molds with resin to create stronger keycaps. They also create new molds using silicone and Legos for a fun and effective mold-making technique.
πΆ Advertorial Break and Mold Making Mishaps
The video includes a lighthearted advertorial segment promoting Mint Mobile, highlighting its affordability and ease of switching. After the advertisement, the hosts return to their concrete keyboard project, facing a mishap where they forget to add plastic components during mold making, leading to a humorous moment where they must clean out the molds. Despite the setback, they remain positive and continue with the project, demonstrating their perseverance and good humor.
π΅ Harmonica Fun and Custom Mold Success
In a playful interlude, the hosts engage in a brief harmonica performance, adding a touch of whimsy to the video. They then return to the task of checking the success of their custom concrete molds. After a messy process, they are delighted to find that their molds have worked well, despite some concerns about potential breakage. The hosts express relief and satisfaction with their custom mold technique and the resulting concrete keycaps.
π οΈ Final Assembly and the Challenge of the Space Bar
The hosts reach the final stages of assembling their concrete keyboard, expressing emotional investment in the project and admiration for the smooth, organic finish of the concrete keycaps. However, they encounter a significant challenge when the space bar key breaks. Despite attempts to repair it with super glue and adjust the assembly, the space bar remains nonfunctional. They humorously consider a 99% concrete keyboard, with the remaining 1% being resin for the non-concrete components. After much effort and some stress, they manage to assemble the keyboard, embracing its unique aesthetic, including the imperfections and cracks that give it character.
π Triumphant Completion and Reflection
In the final paragraph, the hosts celebrate the completion of their concrete keyboard, admiring its beauty and unique qualities. They reflect on the unexpected difficulty of the project and express their love for the final product, even with its imperfections. The video concludes with the hosts typing on the keyboard and appreciating the cooling effect of the concrete wrist rest, highlighting the functional and aesthetic success of their creation.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘concrete keyboard
π‘vibration
π‘PVA glue
π‘fiberglass
π‘sand
π‘pressure pot
π‘3D printed stem
π‘sanding
π‘mold
π‘resin
π‘assembling
Highlights
Introduction of the concept for a concrete keyboard, a unique and unconventional product.
Challenges of using concrete for thin-walled keycaps that must withstand forceful impacts.
Use of a vinyl concrete patcher designed for thin use cases, despite not being intended for keycaps.
Innovative strengthening methods for concrete, including PVA glue, fiberglass, and additional sand.
The use of a plastic 3D printed stem to reinforce the concrete keycap stem.
Employing a vibrator to settle concrete into molds and remove air bubbles.
Humorously addressing the use of a vibrator in the project and its effectiveness.
Testing the concrete keyboard in a pressure pot to reduce bubbles and increase strength.
Incorporating PVA glue into the concrete mix to enhance its strength.
The unsuccessful attempt at creating concrete keycaps with fiberglass due to sandability issues.
Experimenting with sand addition to the concrete mix for improved flow and an industrial look.
Successful demolding of concrete keycaps and the excitement of seeing the initial results.
The discovery that the concrete control keycaps were the easiest to sand, indicating a balance of strength and workability.
The idea of creating a concrete keyboard case with modifications to accommodate concrete's properties.
Addressing issues with molds and the decision to use resin to reinforce them.
Creative use of Legos for mold making, demonstrating a fun and effective technique.
The moment of truth when assembling the concrete keyboard and the emotional investment in the project.
Unexpected difficulty and multiple attempts to fix broken space bar keycaps.
Final assembly and appreciation of the concrete keyboard's aesthetic, including its imperfections.
Theζ··εε wrist rest provides a cooling sensation, differing from typical squishy wrist rests.
Theζ··εε keyboard is completed with a 99%ζ··εε and 1% resin composition, embracing the cracks as part of its organic beauty.
Transcripts
Are you tired of keyboards being so lightweight?
(keyboard bangs)
Or do you want to feel like
you're tapping your fingers on the sidewalk?
Well, do we have a product for you.
The concrete keyboard!
(phone rings)
Wait, what do you mean
they haven't even started making them yet?
Again?
I've already sold five thousand.
Tell them to get started.
(dramatic music)
(hands clapping)
(Katelyn laughs)
Oh, oh, oh, you're here. Oh, hi.
Um, Today we're making a concrete keyboard
and we've made several weird keyboards in the past.
We've made it all resin one, we've made an all wood one,
but an all concrete keyboard
introduces some interesting challenges.
Yeah, concrete usually isn't made to make things
with such thin walls that are gonna hold up
to vigorous smashing when you're angry
(computer smashes)
and you're losing your video game.
So we have a few different ways to strengthen it.
We have PVA glue, fiberglass and we have additional sand.
Let's go ahead and start with just a basic concrete mix.
So the concrete mix we're using is a vinyl concrete patcher.
It's already designed for thin use case scenarios.
But is it designed for key caps?
No, not at all.
Like, what we do a lot on this channel is
use existing things for things they were never meant for.
(screams)
Alright, that looks good.
But one thing about concrete, while it is pretty strong,
it's not great at not cracking.
Yes.
Under strain.
And we really worry about
making the stem of the key cap out of concrete
because you really have to shove it onto that key cap.
So what we're gonna do is we're gonna add
a plastic 3D printed stem before we add the concrete.
(light music)
Now how are we gonna get this concrete into here?
With our vibrator, of course.
(Katelyn laughs)
It's seen some use
(both laugh)
with the other concrete in the past.
Yeah.
Do you wanna explain Katelyn?
Yeah, yeah.
Vibration is used to get concrete into the little crevices
and it also helps with removing bubbles.
We're gonna use it for these little tiny molds.
EVAN: Yeah, now watch this. It's not moving.
Oh yeah. Look at that.
(buzzing)
Oh, it's moving.
EVAN: Look at that, simple application of a vibrator.
How do we get it down? With good vibes.
Whoa
KATELYN: Whoa.
EVAN: Whoa, whoa.
KATELYN: It's turning it into soup.
EVAN: Yes.
KATELYN: Oh, see the bubble pop?
And see it like lowering into the mold?
I love how we're minutes into the video
already busting out the vibrator.
I mean.
KATELYN: Oh my gosh, it went down so much.
EVAN: Look at that. That's magic.
I'm realizing that I should probably put down some paper.
KATELYN: Yeah, this is gonna be a messy project.
It was a little bit too juicy.
(beep)
So I just sat down to make more of these
and I have this spare vibrator in my back pocket
and it started vibrating.
I was very surprised.
EVAN: Oh my gosh.
KATELYN: It's one reason
we're working a little bit quickly.
You know, concrete has a cure time
and we wanna get all of our tests into the pressure pot.
Aside from a little control, we're gonna leave out.
We've never put concrete in the pressure pot before,
but that should reduce bubbles.
So we're hoping that the reduction of bubbles
will also make it stronger.
And we need every bit of strength we can get.
Hey, how do you turn it off?
Long hold.
Oh, that was- I put in the pulse mode.
So the guides I read online say
that you should replace
about 10 to 25% of your water
with PVA glue instead
and that adds strength to concrete.
Just like you'd imagine glue would add strength to concrete.
Interesting.
It just makes it stick more.
KATELYN: So we're not measuring.
EVAN: That might have been too much. Who knows?
KATELYN: I thought what you were saying, like,
you should replace 10% of the water.
That meant we were gonna measure.
I did like 50% of the water.
KATELYN: Yeah that seems like a lot of glue.
Okay, okay.
Maybe I'll.
(Katelyn laughs)
You can't talk about percentages
and then not measure.
EVAN: Okay. I'll, I'll add more
concrete so that we can add more water.
KATELYN: Yeah.
It's like we laugh, Teehee, it's vibrators
but like it works so well.
EVAN: This, it works so well.
There's nothing else that would work as well as this.
KATELYN: Like a vibrating table is way too
big for these little guys.
EVAN: Yeah.
Mask up because it's fiberglass time.
I'll actually be precise with this one.
KATELYN: Mkay.
3% by weight.
So this is 20,
3% of that would be 0.6.
I don't know.
You're such a precise boy.
EVAN: We can probably de-mask now.
KATELYN: Okay.
EVAN: Oh yeah. You can already see a difference.
Wow!
KATELYN: Oh yeah, It's um, fibery.
EVAN: Yeah. Look at that.
KATELYN: Okay, I see little hairs.
Whoa. It's so hairy looking.
EVAN: Get in there.
This is not flowing as well.
No.
So maybe fiberglass is better for bigger molds.
Yeah.
Get in there.
KATELYN: I'm not very hopeful about this one.
EVAN: I am not hopeful. It's not flowing.
KATELYN: No.
This is why we experiment.
What if we added more sand though?
(upbeat music)
KATELYN: Is there a ratio?
I'm sure there is.
There you go. What about that?
KATELYN: Sure.
(ding)
EVAN: I think also this might lead
to like a more industrial look for the key caps.
Especially because we might end up having to sand
it some and it might reveal sand.
KATELYN: Sand the sand?
We're gonna sand the concrete. Alrighty.
Let's do it.
KATELYN: Let's do it.
EVAN: Alright, This is flowing nicely.
KATELYN: Yeah, much better.
Yeah, the sand doesn't seem to be prohibiting it.
EVAN: No.
KATELYN: Okay, baby.
Go, go, go.
Pressure pot time.
(countdown dings)
(air compressor revs)
(hands clapping)
Demolding time.
So let's start with the controls.
KATELYN: Yeah.
Now I think that demolding these,
we need to kind of peel them out.
I want to push these in the center
and I want four of my fingers to be on the sides.
KATELYN: Mm.
EVAN: This is my like fifth finger that I don't have.
You have five fingers?
Yeah, but it doesn't work that way.
Okay, ready?
KATELYN: Yeah.
(snap)
Oh. Oof.
Oh no, that was excess anyways.
KATELYN: Okay.
EVAN: Whoa, Okay?
KATELYN: Okay.
EVAN: Okay, Okay. Did I hear a crack in there?
KATELYN: I heard a little crackle.
EVAN: Oh, yep. Oh yeah.
KATELYN: Oh.
EVAN: Yeah. We lost.
It was, it was because that big air bubble right there
that caused a weak point.
KATELYN: Yep. That's what happens
when you don't put it in a pressure pot, I guess.
Close your eyes.
Okay.
Are we doing something different
for the next ones we're gonna demold?
Yeah.
Well we need to, we need to release the
pressure from this pressure pot.
Okay.
Do I need to cover my ears?
No.
(air blows)
(both laughing)
Is there not enough flow? Or is that too too much flow?
I think it's not enough anymore.
Aw. You know, honestly,
that does reduce the volume a lot.
It does.
(air blows LOUDLY)
Ah
Oh my god.
(air squeaks)
Oh, my god.
Oh my god.
What happened?
Right after I said that?
Oh my god. That was terrible.
That was so bad.
I threaded it in here.
That's awesome.
How's your heart?
It's better than ear drums.
EVAN: Woo, wow wee.
Look at the sand.
KATELYN: Whoa. It's very grainy.
I wonder if its.
EVAN: This is the sand.
This is the control in there.
Oh, that glass fiber's looking not good.
KATELYN: Oh yeah. What about the PVA glue,
the PVA glue looks pretty good.
Honestly, the PVA glue is
the one I was most hopeful of.
Hopeful of.
Yeah.
KATELYN: Because it wasn't adding anything with texture
that could prevent it from getting down into the crevices.
(metal clanks)
EVAN: Yeah.
KATELYN: Let's start with the plain concrete.
EVAN: Alright, let's do it.
(instrument strumming)
Yes.
KATELYN: There's a tiny little void.
EVAN: Overall success.
Did that fricking work?
KATELYN: Yeah.
EVAN: Wow, fiberglass surprising.
KATELYN: Now the sand does add
kind of a fun industrial texture to it.
EVAN: It does.
Really good.
KATELYN: Oh yeah.
EVAN: It feels strong. Okay.
Okay. Let's do the sanding test.
Trimming and sanding.
(pliers clipping)
KATELYN: I don't think we necessarily have
to sand down two of each of these.
EVAN: We'll just choose the best one.
KATELYN: Yeah.
(sandpaper scratching)
(rotary tool buzzing)
KATELYN: What is that?
EVAN: It's a rock.
KATELYN: Oh.
EVAN: It's a big rock.
(rotary tool buzzing)
KATELYN: Ah!
It just exposed like a fluff.
(rotary tool buzzing)
I think we can eliminate one right off the bat.
Fiberglass.
KATELYN: Fiberglass. It just wasn't sandable.
EVAN: No, it did like the, the little
Fluff
EVAN: Fibers puffed out.
Sand is interesting because
it has it the most industrial look.
How was it to actually sand it?
It wasn't bad to sand it.
Okay.
Once you got going,
I was able to make my way through it.
KATELYN: What about the control?
EVAN: Control was the easiest to sand,
which in some ways is good, but also concerning.
It also means it's less strong.
EVAN: Yes.
KATELYN: Okay.
EVAN: So I think,
And it looks beautiful.
KATELYN: It is the prettiest PVA glue.
This thing is incredibly hard and dense.
Sanding this, I could like feel the motor straining
be like heated up and stuff.
Oh my god. I think the bigger question is,
what's the perfect balance between strong enough to hold up
for what we want yet not so strong
that it's terrible to sand.
Do we need to do a strength test?
Let's put them on a keyboard and type on them.
Vigorously.
(hands smack)
Alright. First up is the control.
(intense music)
Next up is sand.
(intense music)
(keys clicking)
And now PVA glue.
(intense music)
(keys clicking)
Honestly, I feel like the act of removing them
and putting them on is more wearing on them.
Ooh. Okay. Yeah.
Than typing.
EVAN: Alright. PVA glue.
(key dings)
KATELYN: Throwing it also.
EVAN: Sanded and control.
I mean honestly they all held up pretty well.
To me it seems like the easiest would be do just the
control concrete for the majority of the keys.
Because that's the easiest mix to get consistent.
It looks nice. It's strong enough.
We could always try all of them with the control.
And if one breaks, we make it again with PVA.
Yeah. Yeah.
Yay.
Yeah.
(lips smack)
It ended up not needing any of the research.
I'm glad we did it too so we could learn.
I am too, I am too.
Now can we make a case out of concrete?
So to make the concrete case,
we are gonna use this mold from our all resin keyboard,
but we had to make some modifications to it.
While resin can be screwed into
concrete will crack
if you screw into it.
So instead we added these little 3D printed plugs
that we can screw into instead.
Commence the jigglin'.
I'm gonna start by putting some
of the concrete into these like crevices.
It's so hard to look at.
My eyes don't know what to do.
I almost need to like stare into space.
Ah!
(vibrator shakes)
It jiggled the whole clamp off.
It did
(light music)
(gasps)
EVAN: So much vibrations.
KATELYN: I'm being vibrated.
I'm being vibrated against my will.
I think we have the volume pretty good.
EVAN: I think that's good.
Say hello to my big friend.
His name is Max. Into the chamber!
Open wide mMax, Oh.
(metal clinks)
(air hisses)
Let it all out Max.
(machine squeals)
That's worse than the chicken.
I hate it.
(air noises)
(Music plays )
EVAN: It looks-
KATELYN: There's still some bubbles.
I, which surprises me.
EVAN: Yeah.
KATELYN: I thought all the bubbles would be compressed.
EVAN: Right? That's interesting.
KATELYN: That's weird.
EVAN: Alright, I'm gonna slowly
and carefully work this out.
Release in kind of one edge at a time.
It's worth the time if it's a good cast.
KATELYN: Ooh. Feels like it's releasing pretty well.
EVAN: Yeah.
(tinfoil shakes)
Oh nice.
KATELYN: Oh, still looks a bit wet in there,
but it'll continue curing.
EVAN: Yes. Oh yes
Yes, yes. Look at that.