Keyboard Builders' Digest
Save 5% at Typeractive! Code: KBDNEWS
Keyboard Builders' Digest / Projects

Custom tented Sofle

A custom Sofle by onebigdoor with hotswap, foam gasket and modular tenting system.

KBD.news
Published May 14, 2021
Would you like to contribute to this year's MK Advent Calendar? Here are the guidelines for authors, along with last year's edition for reference.

This keyboard was a commission and hotswap was important, so onebigdoor went with a Sofle hotswap PCB.

The client wanted to experiment with tenting angles. Playing cards were used to experiment with different heights to see what he liked.

The final version uses printed tenting wedges fixed with silicone bands (removable). With the silicone bands the same effect could be achieved by creating custom tenting blocks that perfectly matched the case and style of the keyboard.

Without the wedges, the board is only 12 mm thick.

The case uses no fasteners, only the silicone bands, which also serve as non-skid feet.

Since the board does not use fasteners, swapping the blocks in is as easy as removing the bands. As a start two sets of blocks were printed at different angles, but printing more blocks is trivial, so it will be easy to iterate. Even compound angles can be done using this method.

The PCB sits on foam, and the copper plate sits on a foam gasket. You could type a baby to sleep with this thing.

Plates are 1.6 mm copper, laser cut by SendCutSend. Gaskets are 2 mm foam cut with Cricut. Cases are 3D printed PLA. Switches are stock silent Boba U4. Caps are RAMA grid. Knobs are from a bass.

More pics at https://imgur.com/gallery/uMbTmjX.

Do you like this post? Share, donate, subscribe, tip me off!

Published on Fri 14th May 2021. Featured in KBD #26 (source).


Related

Musashi60

The Musashi60 by 2ten1 is a split with number row, trackpoints and open source PCB (git).

Pinsl's

Johannes Neyer made a 36-key ergo split with 4P4C connectors between the halves.

Klein keyboard

A feature-rich split design by noSNK supporting Pro Micro and XIAO footprints: Klein.

Alias

A new unibody split designed by dohn-joh: Alias – with lever keycaps.

Brain

Carl Westman's take on the Urchin with some more keys: the Brain.

Rollow: with thumb encoders

The Rollow is a split keyboard by ArtofZenKeys with dedicated thumb encoders.

×
top