Keyboard Builders' Digest / Editorial

Behind the scenes #210

Behind the scenes with the IQUNIX EV63 review, open-source and commercial projects, keyboard art, meetups, new shops and discounts, etc.

dovenyi
Published April 29, 2026

Hey, what's up everyone!

Welcome back for another recap and behind-the-scenes write-up – with some cool projects from the DIY keyboard scene, but also promising closed-source commercial 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

• Review: IQUNIX's flagship magnetic EV63 HE is a high-end gamer keyboard full of aluminum and some forged carbon.

• A 45%-ish v4n4g0n-inspired open-source keyboard: Laika by kapee1.

• SKZBadHabit's MMOrtho is a handwired unibody split build with a custom configurator.

• A 38-key split keyboard with trackpoint: Alatus by DoomishGuy.

• An open-source ortholinear keyboard featuring Gateron low-pro switches: Krteq by Jan Bláha.

• Stephan Møller's Leonardo KeycapRio is a single-PCB tented unibody keyboard.

• A wireless split keyboard with per-key RGB and nice!view displays: Lemonshark by lu.

• The PISIC is a 42-44 key split keyboard by Youngmin Lee, with GRIN-inspired layout.

Closed-source, WIP, commercial, etc.

• Mini Choc 42 by sshenron.

• An 40% wireless ortho by RaffOwO.

• 0.5.1. An update by ikakus.

• Zonkey v2 by Optimal_Zone. With ANO rotary encoder.

• A quick mount update to dingohot's joystick keycap.

• TAIKO-01 update by David aka dailytadpole – with some personal details to the story.

• A one-off(?) 40% Alice by No-Series. Gasket/O-ring mounting, hotswap, QMK/VIA.

• Solar Corne by Yoddel_Hickory.

• Bat'leth. A WIP 36-key cutie by dashkeebs.

• YEETmaster's Pling is a custom 54-key split.

• The unibody Boss Up by dashkeebs was a small run of only 10 units. Case by Obabo.

Handwired

• The ortho Poco39 by RunRunAndyRun. With some internal photos of the handwiring (copper rods).

• A handwired unibody by dpprpl.

• Fockewulf44's DuymeFlex was inspired by the Glove80.

• The semi-handwired (SU-120) Calidris by scytile/juhakaup. The 3D model has been published. (Via r/emk.)

• The modular split by ntc490 updated.

Commercial

• Tomak 65 is a 65% ergo split in a chonky case with integrated palm rest and tenting. Kickstarter coming in June.

• Christian Lau's CLKB is a 40% with split spacebar, hotswappable switches, and QMK/VIA/Vial support. The PCB will be published after the initial sale.

Tips, Typing, Keymap, 3D

• ZMK Battery Bar – a MacOS menu bar app by Masafumi Ito (post).

• New Gateron Oil King series? Yellow (heavy tactile), pink (silent linear), and purple (silent tactile).

• The Listening Museum. Interactive keyboard sound collection by Mastbubbles. Nice interface. (Via r/emk.)

• A parametric keycap generator by Ergohaven.

• ergo-keyboard-on-laptop – printable plates shared by Félix Pignard (aka f-g-p) (r/emk post.

• Reversible Pro Micro KiCad footprint by yuburoll.

• Everydayergo's way of adding encoders to the matrix.

• Framework's new wireless touchpad keyboard with a keyboard devboard have been teased. Shared by timbelmon.

3D models

• Just-In-Case is a travel case for a tented Temper with palm rest. Shared by FoxJust/screaming-service.

• Cantor Pro MX case by cxredvmp.

History/Discovery

• Joe Scotto's 3.5 years.

• Nec N8337-203 (Topre) posted by idk5692, and another shot by NtahPaPe14.

• Casio model AS-C calculator from 1972. Posted by AppendixN.

• The legendary Fentek BigKeys Plus posted by iamaloof. Simplified keyboard the size of a 100% but with larger keys.

• Quadruple-shot keycap of a 1983 Yamaha QX3 sequencer. Photo by MSFoxhound.

Keyboard art

• Forazsignature.co Reign. Ouch. I'm kinda in love with this design.

• Asymplex artisan set. Shared by zamufn.

• GMK Centinela Extension Kit by Drixled. Nice color combos.

• Interesting carving. Marigold60 [IC] posted by After-Fuel.

• A LEGO keyboard by lusatent. KBDcraft internals, own design inspired by IBM Model F keyboars.

• Cinnamoroll LeChiffre.

• Lemonshark case by PyntieHet.

• SparAkashaAnanta by Outside-Bluejay.

Diderot effect (aka accessories)

• Whalebone keycap display stand. By calumwri.

• Hertao mouse. I need this one.

In the mailbox

Hey, wait a minute. Nothing?! :D Some boards are on the way, but it seems that I haven't received anything in the past two weeks. Strange. I didn't even notice until compiling this BTS, because there's already so much going on around me lately.

Donations

• I said goodbye to a long-time donor. Since I've just renewed my yearly Buttondown subscription (I love Justin's app for sending the newsletters), now is a great time to chip in if you've ever considered supporting kbd.news.
• As always, many thanks to my awesome regular donors and everyone who helped this project thus far.

For all the donation options check out the donation page!

Meetup database

The 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.

Upcoming meetups

• Iowa Keyboard Meetup 2026, May 2, Des Moines, IA, US

Recently added

• Pittsburgh Mech Keys Meetup, May 9, Washington, PA, US
• DC Keyboard Meetup, May 16, Washington, DC, US
• Hello Keebs and Friends, May 24, La Jolla, CA, US
• Bristol Mechanical Keyboard Meetup 2026, June 6, Bristol, UK
• MECHANICON 2026, October 17, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Vendor news & Discounts

First and foremost, feel free to use the KBDNEWS discount code at 196 keyboard shops worldwide! And do not hesitate to report any issues! :)

No new shops or updates to the database of keyboard vendors, but here are some related news:

• Keychron open-sourcing (sort of) a plethora of their designs, 100+ keyboards and mice. CAD files for personal use.
• Akko discontinuing ASA profile keycaps?
• In a shocking move, Diatec (who owns the FILCO brand and made the Majestouch keyboards) went out of business on April 22nd, without any warning. No reason provided as to why they closed up shop. Reported by P1zzaman. Rain2 designed a board to commemorate the event.

Developments

• As you may have noticed, I've added a list of upcoming meetups to the right column (on mobile, it appears at the bottom of the pages). Hopefully, this will make it more visible to organizers, and over time more events will be added.

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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 Wed 29th Apr 2026. Featured in KBD #210.

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