Keyboard Builders' Digest / Editorial
Behind the scenes #172
Keyboard projects, quick news, in the mailbox, meetups, new vendors and discount codes!
Published August 16, 2024
Hey, what's up everyone!
Welcome back for another weekly recap and behind-the-scenes write-up.
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
- No review this time even though I wrote two this week. Waiting for the products to be announced/released.
- Protieusz's unibody Flower, a Noraneko42W variant, comes with Willow layout and interchangeable trackball.
- Cassio Zen's Fat Bee is a row-staggered monoblock split with fixed tenting angle.
- Alex Miller shared his Goober, a Hummingbird-like hotswap monoblock keyboard driven by a RP2040 Zero.
- Gehennakid's Doro62 is a wireless hotswap keyboard with a unique 60%-ish layout.
- Sadek Baroudi's bykeeb is a 36-key wireless-only split keyboard with MX/Choc/GLP support.
- Tien Pham's Form Uno is a monoblock split with number row and dedicated arrow keys.
- The Mechabasilisk is another Dactyl-like ergo split designed by Radliński Ignacy in Fusion360.
- Solder Party is expanding their Stamp line with new controllers: the RP2350 Stamp and Stamp XL are devboards with up to 48 GPIO pins.
- Based on his trackpoint builds, heyisjambo shares his experiences on how to integrate a trackpoint into your keyboard (ZMK).
- I wasn't aware of Charachorder's Master Forge keyboard.
- A nice low-pro handwired ortho with 3u thumb keys by brown_engineer.
- An offset ortho by RiltonF. Repo WIP.
- KBD2600 prototype. A 2.5kg milled alu keyboard inspired by the Atari 2600.
- A custom handwired board for a CNC mill. Posted by theslimestshady.
Original keyboard was a membrane that started to fail. Designed and machined the entire thing. Layout is weird because I'm too used to the OEM fadal layout to want to change it. […]The top rows of 2u's were custom printed using a galvo laser.
Keyboard art
- 武林秘笈 (Secret Bable of Martial Arts) is a case by AffectionateWin, made for a V4N4G0N replacement PCB. See also: Memoria.
The stitching at the bottom is crucial. I designed a stitching groove and holes for the board – yes, you need to pick up a needle, take some thread, and actually thread it – AffectionateWin.
- Cthulhu themed Klor. Posted by CaptLynx, original case by Chewiedies.
- I just love this palette. HIBI June R2 with Tyrixxi Rainbow Candy caps posted by dress-code.
In the mailbox
I've lost track of time so not sure about packages since my last newsletter. Probably two vintage ones. Waiting for another three and will post about them all at once.
Btw, one of them is the big brother of this Videoton. It was the same color so I hoped for another thick cast aluminum case, but it's not.
Top switch compilation
Belated lists added: Kailh and Gateron!
Donations
- No new donors this time.
- 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!
Meetup database
Upcoming events:
- MKDK 2024, August 17, Copenhagen, Denmark
Recently added:
- Ghent Keeb Meet - Summer 2024, August 24, Gent, Sint-Amandsberg, Belgium
- MKIT 2024, October 12, Turin, Italy
As always, this meetup database serves as 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 157 keyboard shops! And do not hesitate to report any issues.
New shops and updates to the database of keyboard vendors this weeks:
- There are some new coupons but for keyboard models not available yet. So no point in announcing these before the launch.
Developments
- Some admin scripts in the background related to the switch article: automated price check with currency exchange. I realized that I messed up the soft launching link last time, but now I'll just wait until I finish a few new features.
---
That's all for today. Thanks for checking by. As always: Keep learning and building!
Until next time,
Tamás
Published on Fri 16th Aug 2024. Featured in KBD #172.
Related
Behind the scenes #159
Keyboard projects, quick news, in the mailbox, meetups, new vendors and discount codes!Behind the Scenes of Issue 45
Vendor database update, 5 new discount codes. Issue 44 follow-up.
Behind the Scenes of Issue 82
Lots of new discounts, ceramic caps first impressions, giveaway results, and win a KBD.NEWS metal artisan! :D
Behind the scenes #166
Keyboard projects, quick news, in the mailbox, meetups, new vendors and discount codes!
Behind the Scenes of Issue 113
Sending out the newsletter is no longer free. Quick news. Lots of new shops and discounts.