Keyboard Builders' Digest / Projects

FOREVER-1

FOREVER-1 by Protieusz is a monoblock split with an encoder and trackpad in the center à la GRIN Quern.

KBD.news
Published September 5, 2023

This latest project by Protieusz is called FOREVER-1, and the unibody split design with the hefty encoder and trackpad in the center was inspired by policium's GRIN Quern.

I modified it to become a 38-key keyboard with Bourns' PER60mm encoder, Cirque trackpad and RGB. Knob and Cirque support structure was provided by policium himself – Protieusz.

This design will be closed source for the moment. It may be released in the near future, but there are a couple of things that would need fixing: lots of wire soldering, RGB wire hack, etc. Everything works though, and Protieusz is using it as a daily driver: "Typing is pretty smooth and comfortable."

Update on 2023-11-19: Gerbers are now available.

By the way, the name FOREVER-1 comes from the song Forever-1 by SNSD (Girls' Generation), a K-pop band.

Resources

Github with Gerber files, QMK source code and photos:

• https://github.com/protieusz/Forever-1-Keyboard-PICO-Version
• Bourns PER60 encoder at mouser.

Published on Tue 5th Sep 2023. Featured in KBD #134.

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