Keyboard Builders' Digest / Editorial
Behind the scenes #165
Keyboard projects, quick news, in the mailbox, meetups, new vendors and discount codes!
Published May 14, 2024
Hey, what's up everyone!
Welcome back for another weekly recap and behind-the-scenes write-up.
PSA: I may be unavailable / out of office in the upcoming 2-3 weeks, checking my email only occasionally. Will continue collecting newsworthy posts but can't see when I'll be able to upload stuff and release new issues and especially send out newsletters.
If you are new to kbd.news, you can read how this started out and what this is all about nowadays. If you like what you see, subscribe to the newsletter (free) and donate some bucks to keep this otherwise free and ad-free project alive.
Some posts I thought were worth sharing
- Last week I tested and reviewed Akko's gorgeous MOD 007 V3 HE Year of the Dragon board, a "limited series" Hall-effect work of art. Check it out, discounts are now available in both the EU/DE and US stores (code: KBDNEWS).
- Nova is a Buran variant/mod by Protieusz: an orthoish monoblock split with trackball, on-board RP2040 and roller encoder. Plus the original Buran by ScatteredDrifter.
- Evgenii Vilkov shared a new 40-key variant of his Stront: Stront40 with more keys and more modules.
- A nice monoblock split by tschibo00: Tokeyo.
- Squalius-cephalus shared the split Silakka44 with reversible hotswap PCB.
- Kipra by focusaurus – kinda pragmatic.
- Sam and Adam Kemp, a father and son team, write about how they've designed replacement keycaps for the AlphaSmart Neo, bringing this old keyboard back to life.
- A WIP but neat keyboard sketcher by hadybaal.
- A handwired split ergo by joe_milkshake. Case files on Printables.
- Here is bananafishcake1's cursed keyboard with an arrow cluster below/left of the spacebar.
- Blob macropad by mmill/sparisti/protoplancton. 7 keys + encoder. Case file on onshape.
Commercial(ish)
Two cool "wings": Bad Wings v2 and ScottoWings.
- Bad Wings v2 kits by quirk.
Bad Wings v2 improves upon the original by ditching the XIAO and Shift Register for an onboard STM32 microprocessor, reducing the build time significantly. The only parts that need soldered are the hotswap sockets.
- ScottoWing (PCB Edition) is available too.
I’m happy to announce that my second ever PCB is available now! I learned a lot from my first PCB, the Scotto34 in order to make this new one a lot more beginner friendly – Joe.
(Through-hole diodes, optional snap-off column for 3x5 (34-keys), nice!nano/RP2040 Pro Micro compatibility.)
- And keytilt.xyz, an online app by T0X1K01 that generates key tilters (costs $20).
Easily create customizable 3D models of key tilters for your custom ergonomic keyboards. Dial in tilt angle, height, stem insert dimensions, and much more to create the perfect key tilters for YOUR hands – keytilt.
Keyboard art
MarcelMakes wrapped his encoder knob in leather.
In the mailbox
I'm working on a review of the K87 and K87SE, two very affordable TKLs sent to me by Kemove, along a bunch of P10 switch pullers (in all available colors). The SE variant of the K87 is available from $28!?! How on earth?! :D Wired only and not hotswap either, but it comes with decent double-shot Cherry profile caps. (Maybe it's a temporary glitch, but there's a default discount in effect plus the 30% KBDNEWS coupon is still accepted on top of that.)
And I'm really happy about these switch pullers, really great stuff and also cheap. Now I can match them to the particular keyboard/deskmat I'm working on. (As already mentioned many times: the P10 is an awesome switch puller but I wouldn't use it as a keycap puller.)
Other than that, another tasty board is on the way from Akko EU. ;) If you are into anime from Hello Kitty to Dragon Ball, from Sailor Moon to Cinnamoroll, Akko EU has sales with discounts up to 20% and dozens of boards/keycap sets – in the upcoming few days.
My favorite character must be Gudetama because I often lack energy too… and who wouldn't want such an awesome bacon blanket?!
Donations
- New donors after last week's call for support: kapee1 and koolkeys. In addition, Raphael Stanzani set up a recurring donation. Thank you guys!
- And many thanks to my awesome regular supporters and everyone who helped this project thus far.
For all the donation options check out the donation page!
Meetup database
Upcoming meetups
- MKKC Spring Meetup 2024, May 18, Kansas City, MO, US
- Northern Virginia/DC Meetup, May 18, Arlington, VA, US
Recently added
- Steel City Meetup, June 1, Pittsburgh, PA, US
- CannonKeys Pop-up Shop + Mini Keyboard Meet, June 1, Central Falls, RI, US
- MKE MKB meetup, June 8, Milwaukee, WI, US
- SFxMK NorCal Meetup, July 27, San Jose, CA, US
天下一キーボードわいわい会 Vol.6
I missed this, but as usual, Daihuku streamed the recent Tokyo event, and has another tour video as well. Lots of unique boards, I'm still trying to process what I've seen:
As always, this meetup database is both a calendar and an archive so feel free to send me upcoming events or even ones from the recent past to make this collection as comprehensive as possible.
Vendors & Discounts
Feel free to use the KBDNEWS discount code at 153 keyboard shops! And do not hesitate to report any issues.
New shops and updates to the database of keyboard vendors this week:
- AKKO US offered you a 5% discount (code: KBDNEWS), just in time after the MOD 007 review. (FYI, Akko EU and DE have been on board for some time, with 10%.)
- Gateron's store added. How could have I missed this? (Not too responsive though.)
AlphaSmart caps recreated
I'm so glad that the original post by E. F. Nordmed resulted in new, 3D modeled keycaps, practically resurrecting the AlphaSmart, this distraction-fee typing device loved by many writers. Many thanks to Sam and Adam Kemp.
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That's all for today. Thanks for checking by. As always: Keep learning and building!
Until next time,
Tamás
Published on Tue 14th May 2024. Featured in KBD #165.
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