02 June 2015: Progress report on casework base

With the discovery of OpenSCAD's "mirror" function and some corrections to the PyOpenSCAD render, the result can be seen below to be close to what the actual laptop will look like, with internal components highlighted in different colours. The keyboard is in light green, PCB1 in magenta, and the main casework remaining in light blue.

Down the left side of the laptop can be seen a dummy PCB (main PCB), with Audio Jack, EOMA68 CPU Card Holder, Micro-SD and then 2 single USB2 ports. A Second PCB will be added later with a small micro-controller that will handle keyboard and the touchpanel, presenting as USB HID Keyboard and Touchpanel. On the right side will be a third (Power) PCB, containing the Power Management IC, Battery IC, DC Jack and Power Button.

Still also on the TODO list is to provide an internal structural support into which the PCB can be screwed and held down. Also, the top left corner of the touchpanel holder is a key weak point, where the centre of the bamboo panel will flop about unless otherwise supported. Current plans under consideration are to make the PCB support strut span all the way over to the top left touchpanel corner, and to place a bolt or screw all the way through, from the top.

Housing the keyboard is basically the last major work that needs to be done: a bezelled surround on the left and right edge, and another bezel at the back. The back bezel will need "catches" into which the keyboard will latch, and the front bezel (and the touchpanel holder) will need cut-ins for the keyboard tabs to lock into.