Keyboard Builders' Digest / Editorial
Behind the scenes #167
Keyboard projects, quick news, in the mailbox, meetups, new vendors and discount codes!
Published June 20, 2024
Hey, what's up everyone!
Welcome back for another weekly recap and behind-the-scenes write-up. Speaking of "weekly"… With the UEFA EURO 2024, then the Paris Olympics in about a month – two major productivity killers – the slow news season is officially here. I'll probably come out with the next issues when I can gather 8-10 noteworthy projects.
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 worth sharing
- I reviewed another Akko masterpiece: the MU01 Mountain Seclusion, a 65% wireless keyboard, comes in a gorgeous walnut case.
- In this case study I type out the Harry Potter books to demonstrate the power of alternative layouts and keymap customization.
- Mod Mmm ortho PCB by Ming-Gih Lam – turn your IBM Model M into a hotswap MX ortho keyboard.
- Ally Parker's Corneroll is another Corne variant, this time: wireless, choc, hotswap – with roller encoders.
- Penk Chen's unibody ergo WeirdFlexButOk PCB has kerf bending cuts for tenting.
- Sneftel shared the SOWGull, a split version of his original Gull keyboard.
- Cosimini designed and shared the Cambkb, a split keyboard with RJ-9 connectors and exposed diode array.
- Zac Morhous' Allium58CAD has a custom magnetic case snapping to a SpaceMouse.
- Chris Lo is hosting a pocket keyboard design contest, supported by PCBWay. Submission deadline: Sept 10, so you have plenty of time. I'll help out as a member of the jury and would like to report on many interesting keyboards.
- A nice case for the Keychron V1 Max with gaskets, designed by Jake Reeves aka Jeevester5. Files shared on printables. There's also a youtube video.
- Sharktastica writes about the IBM Model G – the original designation for Model M.
- FinnKrass shared an open-source break-in machine for MX switches (source).
- Closed source prototypes: Moon60 by N00dle. (Repo in the works.) And a reversible PCB with standard mods by Gehennakid. Also this Voyager-like one by Calm_Yogurt and the single-MCU split Mirror 42 by Mangokitty.
- Cornia 0.5 – a Corne derivative by Vaarai. Proof of concept, v1 coming later.
- Some handheld devices: Typeware One by Typeware is a wearable keyboard & mouse with a "standard QWERTY layout" and mechanical keys. Don't ask me how Kailh Choc Pinks fit the elegant and delicate main structure. Still in an early phase, but there are some videos available with a 3D printed prototype.
- And a DIY one: Palm 1.0 by ConsciousnessV0yager.
- WIP: Outragious-Half's Iyada keeps evolving. It no longer really resembles the previous version.
- A Giant M0110 by thinkpad4by3. Everything is 3D printed, more photos of the switches on imgur.
Keyboard art
The Doggo keyboard stand by ibidibbidoo is cute:
- Osidian TKL – made out of Carrara marble, coming soon (source).
- "Vintage" Chocofi with Gatsby vibes. Case by inbreakable.
- Oxidized copper and dark steel artisan keycaps with bodies – by Greg_RnG.
- Golf Ball metal artisan – for the golfer with a keyboard. Committed by TerraKeycaps.
Donations
- One recurring donor left, Ergohaven is back, and a brand new supporter: Duncan B.! Thank you everyone!
- As always, 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!
In the mailbox
Joe Scotto was kind enough to send me a ScottoWing kit. Haven't built anything in ages, send me some positive thoughts while I dig out my soldering station from under a large pile of boxes. :D Btw, I'm going to document this build so we can learn from the process and mistakes I make.
Meetup database
Upcoming meetups
- Mechanicon 2024, June 22, Frankfurt, Germany
- MKUK 2024 Meetup, June 22, Leeds, UK
Recently added
- YugoMK Meetup 2024, June 29, Belgrade, Serbia
- Northern Virginia Meetup, July 27, Arlington, VA, US
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 154 keyboard shops! And do not hesitate to report any issues.
New shops and updates to the database of keyboard vendors this past two weeks:
- GimsunCustom is a relatively new shop offering custom dye-subbed keycaps. As a start they offered you a 35% discount with the KBDNEWS coupon code. As with every new store: be careful, and also keep me updated about your shopping experience if you decide to order something.
- I noticed that 3dkeycaps has gained some traction lately. FYI, they have some new products and features like keycap tilters both for Choc and MX switches, fully customizable UV printed legends, a keycap profile wiki with 3D viewer, etc. Check them out!
- Sleepy Craft Studios added. Cody is building and selling his handwired ortho and split keyboards.
- Thockfactory is back – after a two-month pause because of the main machine breaking down two days after the initial announcement. You can now design and order your keycaps again, however, the manufacturing is outsourced instead of in-house production.
- Osidian added. They are the guys from Canada working on the marble keyboard.
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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 Thu 20th Jun 2024. Featured in KBD #167.
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