http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-A-Backlit-Keyboard/

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How To Make A Backlit Keyboardby gigafide on August 9, 2010

Table of Contents

How To Make A Backlit Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Intro:   How To Make A Backlit Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 1:   Needed Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 2:   Disassemble the keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 3:   Make An Entry Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 4:   Making room for the transformer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 5:   Running the El Wire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Step 6:   Finished Product . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-A-Backlit-Keyboard/

Intro:  How To Make A Backlit Keyboard

In this instructible, we will be making a backlit keyboard using a usb-enabled keyboard and some el-wire.

Step 1: Needed PartsTo do this project you’re gonna need a couple of things:

- USB powered Electro Luminescent wire or EL wire.- A keyboard- Hot glue Gun- Screwdriver

Technically, you can use any keyboard, but the one I will be using has these built in USB ports to conveniently plug my el-wire into. If you’re really technically savvy, youcan also put this in the keyboard of a laptop, but it will require a bit more modding because, by itself, the el-wire is too thick to fit behind the laptop keyboard.

Step 2: Disassemble the keyboardBegin by flipping the keyboard over and removing all of the screws that hold it together. This will allow you to remove the keyboard backing. Then remove the insidescrews and the screws holding together the circuit board. This will allow you to remove the internal circuitry of the keyboard.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-A-Backlit-Keyboard/

Step 3: Make An Entry PointWe will need the El wire to pass from the back of the keyboard to the front, so we will need to make a hole and thread the El wire through it. Find the upper right corner ofthe keyboard. When flipped over, it should be the corner above the tilda key (show tilda graphic). You want to use a knife or a drill to cut a hole into this corner and threadthe el wire through the hole. You may need to remove the tilda key in order to thread it completely through.

Step 4: Making room for the transformerNow comes the tricky part. We need to find a way to fit the transformer into the keyboard. For some of you, your keyboard may already have enough extra room for it. Forme, I was able to remove one of the “extra” shortcut keys from the keyboard using a dremel, but you’ll just have to see what extra room your keyboard has for this to fit.After hot gluing it into place, I reassembled the keyboard and flipped it back over.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-A-Backlit-Keyboard/

Step 5: Running the El WireUsing a flat-head screw driver, start removing the keyboard keys. When taking them out, remember to place them in order somewhere else so that you don’t forgetwhere they go. Either that are snap a picture of the keyboard before continuing. Once you have all the keys removed, start zig-zagging the El wire around the keys. Youcan hold the El wire in place by putting down dabs of hot glue every couple keys.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-A-Backlit-Keyboard/

Step 6: Finished ProductAfter you’ve got it the way you want it, you can replace the keys and plug in the keyboard to see how it looks.

Related Instructables

In-KeyboardDesk Backlightby Damios

Change theBacklightingColor on aSideWinder X4Keyboard byelectron_plumber

El-wirekeyboardbacklight(Photos) byTkdwn

TV Glow byenque LEVEL HEADED

- EL WIREHEADPHONESby yardleydobon

Unicyclepimpin' :) byOnyx Ibex

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Comments

37 comments Add Comment

 JustModIt says:  Aug 14, 2010. 7:23 PM  REPLYcan this be done with a laptop?

 JesusG33k says:  Feb 27, 2015. 6:22 PM  REPLYI've taken apart many keyboards in my time, and a laptop is far to fragile and compact to be modified unless you are a PROFESSIONAL, which alsorequires access to special tools to safely open it. If you open a laptop, it's pretty much done for, which is why I take advantage of broken laptops and startsmashing them since they are inevitably doomed.Don't take it apart unless you want to doom your laptop.

 Nuru says:  Aug 15, 2010. 12:44 AM  REPLYHe does state in his video it can be done, but it requires more effort and time to make it fit....

 Tkdwn says:  May 26, 2013. 5:20 AM  REPLYTnx for the instructions!http://www.instructables.com/id/El-wire-keyboard-backlight/

 mertem says:  Jan 22, 2014. 12:46 PM  REPLYCool Keyboard :)

 nerd7473 says:  Feb 9, 2013. 2:01 PM  REPLYthat is so cool

 Ricardo Furioso says:  Aug 12, 2010. 7:38 AM  REPLYOr get a Macintosh. My MacBook Pro has a backlit keyboard from the factory. It's 42 months old and going strong.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-A-Backlit-Keyboard/

 Kasm279 says:  Aug 12, 2010. 3:26 PM  REPLYThe MacBooks are nice, but the PowerBook G4s started it! :P Oh, Dell has a few laptops with backlit keys, I think Acer does too..

 Kalibar07 says:  Jun 12, 2011. 12:55 AM  REPLYactually it was Alien Ware who started the back lit keyboards NOT a MAC....though a nice try at promoting a obsolete system in my opinion .. lol andbefore you throw out that MAC's very seldom if ever get Viruses.. that is due to the simple fact that they arent worth the time to try and damage orhack into lol

 Kasm279 says:  Jun 12, 2011. 2:48 AM  REPLYI was talking about stating it in the Apple line. Also, why the hell are you talking about media access control? I didn't even know those hadkeyboards.

 Ricardo Furioso says:  Jun 12, 2011. 10:28 PM  REPLYLOL.

 jongscx says:  Aug 12, 2010. 8:06 AM  REPLYTo be off topic, is that a cultural/regional thing of the length of time before one switches from months to years in describing lengths of time? I've heardsomeone refer to a four yr old as their 52 month old child and was curious.

 LittleMonkeyMojo says:  Aug 12, 2010. 9:26 AM  REPLYWith children it is very common, especially when talking about developmental issues, at least to the age of 4, maybe 5. For something like akeyboard it seems strange to say 42 months rather than 3-1/2 years.

 NickGriffin says:  Aug 15, 2010. 8:39 AM  REPLYGee---thanks for the diversion...I just realised I am going to be 648 months old next month! :-)

 Ricardo Furioso says:  Aug 12, 2010. 10:05 AM  REPLYSorry. I have an app called Coconut Battery that reports Current Amt of charge, Current Battery Capacity, and Age of Mac in Months. So I just relatedthat. Wait a minute I'll get out the calculator. That comes to 3.5 years. Thanks for the clarifying question.

 timweaver17 says:  Sep 10, 2010. 7:23 AM  REPLYhow did you get it into the parts not the main keyboard like the home and end and then the number pad...

 uk_060 says:  Aug 15, 2010. 6:47 AM  REPLYit's worthless coz you still can't see the alphabets,etc on keyboard in dark , YEAH but good if you want make your keyboard little fancy .

 gigafide says:  Aug 20, 2010. 5:44 AM  REPLYYep. It's simply for aesthetics. I mean, that's the whole point of el-wire, right? to pimp stuff out? :-)

 HughGRection says:  Sep 7, 2010. 7:01 PM  REPLYWhy yes, yes it is.

 EnigmaMax says:  Aug 13, 2010. 8:45 PM  REPLYwhat a great opportunity to finally destroy my windows key!

 merijnvw says:  Aug 13, 2010. 4:34 PM  REPLYwow great project and cool movie! I'm definately going to make this

 osgeld says:  Aug 12, 2010. 5:13 PM  REPLYneeds a night pic

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Make-A-Backlit-Keyboard/

 mikeyx says:  Aug 12, 2010. 12:54 PM  REPLYI have Laptop computer can do.

 zack247 says:  Aug 9, 2010. 11:45 PM  REPLYi thought that maybe using acrylic sheet cut to fit around the button pegs, and having it edge lit, with a sanded surface, you could get the same effect. wouldthat work too? cool ible by the way. too bad the el wire contest just closed

 jongscx says:  Aug 12, 2010. 8:03 AM  REPLYall the effort of cutting the button holes would make it difficult; plus you'd have to make sure that the acrylic doesn't interfere with the keystrokes as itwould take up space in the cavity under the keys... Same with the LEDs, etc. You may be able to get away with just a diffuser sheet, like a thin frostedpiece of plastic. They have flexible cutting boards that might work; but still this seems easier.

 zack247 says:  Aug 12, 2010. 10:40 AM  REPLYi'll figure it out. i know it can be done, its just how its done. if i can find some thin enough stuff, i will try. ive got some spare keyboards laying around

 jamwaffles says:  Aug 12, 2010. 9:13 AM  REPLYThese ideas sound good - I might try this some time. A CNC machine would be idea, but it's understandable most people can't get hold of one. I'mgoing to make one, and a good project would be to make a tasty backlit keyboard.

 garavin says:  Aug 12, 2010. 7:39 AM  REPLYNifty 'ible. The only problem I could envision is that the individual characters on the keys are not lit, so if you're not a touch typist you may still have troubleseeing the key you want to type. But I'll bet it looks cool in the dark.

 PhantomOfHeat says:  Aug 12, 2010. 9:56 AM  REPLYYou could take the time with a hot knife and cut the letters out so they will light up.

 garavin says:  Aug 12, 2010. 10:10 AM  REPLYYep, & if you're really ambitious you could fill the cut-out letters with clear silicone to diffuse the light...

 normalicy says:  Aug 12, 2010. 9:07 AM  REPLYI did this to my keyboard a year ago (red) & it's still going strong. A warning though, some keyboards are easier than others. My Microsoft Natural 4000keyboard has separate compartments for each set of keys, so you have to drill holes from one compartment to another (about 16 for me). Definitely makesure that you keep the wire flat, because if it sticks up the tiniest bit, the keys will either not engage or bind. Also, most inverters let off a very high pitchwhine. Be prepared for that since it's fairly close to your head. I can't imagine doing it properly to a laptop keyboard since they have incredibly minimal space& because it would be hard to hide the inverter & get power.

 Foaly7 says:  Aug 10, 2010. 8:20 PM  REPLYCan you do this with a laptop, like one that you're diy building it, and maybe add a switch?

 sephiroth67 says:  Aug 10, 2010. 6:02 AM  REPLYWhat thickness EL wire did you use? The place near me has 5MM and smaller. Very cool idea!

 sephiroth67 says:  Aug 10, 2010. 6:01 PM  REPLYThanks a lot. I may try this. The laptop I got today is already backlit, so I'll try it on my old desktop keyboards in the closet. Great 'ible!

 gigafide says:  Aug 10, 2010. 8:26 AM  REPLYI believe this is 2.3mm. I wasn't aware of this, but apparently, they go down to 0.9mm, which would be ideal for laptop keyboards.

 Robot Lover says:  Aug 10, 2010. 8:36 AM  REPLYYou have seen the double rain bow? It's a double rainbow! OH my gosh o ...o DOUble rainbow! He was so high!

 Kryptonite says:  Aug 10, 2010. 2:38 AM  REPLYThe EL Wire competition is still open if you so wish to enter this.