Keyboard Builders' Digest / Editorial

Behind the scenes #214

Behind the scenes with June’s best-seller switches, MoeeTech Glitter65 L01 review, open-source and commercial projects, keyboard art, meetups, new shops and discounts, etc.

dovenyi
Published July 13, 2026

Hey, what's up everyone!

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

• Here are June’s top mechanical switches, the community’s favorites based on vendor sales data.

• Review: The Glitter65 L01 is the latest addition to Moeetech's 65% keyboard lineup. A mechanical kit with nice dual-tone aluminum case options.

• A cute wired split with a magnetic case: 34spliT by TMRZ-1.

• Dan Bowles released the Klorball35, a low-pro split with trackball and splay.

• Floookay's Olice is a 40% Alice-like ortho keyboard – with magnetic extension modules.

• Ayush Kumar created this open-source 75%-ish board, driven by a Pi Pico.

• An update of MajinEvelyn's thumbkeyless split keyboard: Aphelo30 v2 – low-pro, wireless.

• A 47-key row-staggered wireless split keyboard: Caeseura by theb0b.

• A Sofle-inspired unibody split keyboard: Dkuni by darkhandz.

Closed-source, WIP, etc.

• DokoDemoErgo in a translucent resin case.

• 36ribs update – "added led under controller to make it a bit flashy, case now can be with magnets instead of screws to see another ribs on pcb".

• A custom trackball mouse by tallest_chris to pair with a Keychron K11 Pro.

• Pando with integrated MCU in the works.

• WIP: Keeeyboard-Split by biomerda. Custom keyboard, custom firmware, custom configurator. (Via r/mk.)

• Androphage is a folding 44-key unibody split keyboard with trackball. Hmm.

• Jaffle by jthlim. With a ton of features (dual touchpad, dual screens, Piezo speakers, etc.)

• The Psyboard is a wireless 12x4 ortho keyboard by yellowtomata, featuring an encoder.

• CNC DeLast [GB] by WeiXin020.

Commercial

• Re-Acai by Ibabo/Obabo. A 3D-printed 4x10 ortho with some bezel.

• Scotto48 PCB Edition. A thin offset ortho by Joe Scotto.

• ErgoHaven K:04. A wireless split with modules.

Handwired

• Tupã – a low-profile wireless handwired split keyboard by cogukeys.

3D

• TakoNest is a case shared by GofranChang, made for the EC split Tako.

Tips, Typing, Keymap

• TypeAnywhere is a desktop app, a semi-transparent typing overlay to practice typing. Too much for me, but maybe some of you find it useful.

I wanted to make increasing your typing speed frictionless, so I built a typing overlay you can pull up on top of whatever you're doing. Watching something, waiting for a build, boring meeting, whatever – Sultan Alzoghaibi.

History/Discovery

• A Merrill Lynch trading keyboard found by loudbirthday at the Bloomberg Offices.

• µTRON – posted by Juckoh.

• Cherry G80-5000HAADE. Posted by ChickenAssassin9.

• Trackball for Nabu. Photo by Longjumping_Push2223.

• I love the F-row of this NEC PC-8801mkIIsr. Photo by GarththeGarth.

Keyboard art

• Voronoi keycaps by PeterJungX.

• Guitar pedal keycap/keychain by Hiimcancrew.

Diderot effect (aka accessories)

• Marbled ceramic keycaps posted by bucketbrah247. The caps are the XVX Year Of The Horse Glaze Ceramic set from XVX.

• The Understand by tazisacat. A keyboard holder mounted under your desk.

Donations

• No new donations.
• 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

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

• 2026 Madison Mechanical Keyboard Meetup, July 19, Madison, WI, US

Recently added

• Minnesota Meetup, August 29, Saint Paul, MN, US
• Keeb Life 2026, September 19, Pasadena, CA, US

Vendor news & Discounts

First and foremost, feel free to use the KBDNEWS discount code at 174 keyboard shops worldwide!

New shops and updates to the database of keyboard vendors:

• Attack Shark added. With Hong Kong as the main HQ, but with a bunch of localized sites.
• KeyGem issues. A post by CannonKeys.

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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 Mon 13th Jul 2026. Featured in KBD #214.

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