Keyboard Builders' Digest / Tools
Key-sweep
A keycap generator by Sam Hughes: key-sweep creates multi-axis contoured keycaps.
Published April 18, 2024
Key-sweep, this WIP project by Sam Hughes aka roosterHughes, is a keycap generator based on OpenSCAD. Multi-axis contoured keycaps generated with it create a keywell experience on a flat board.
A multi-axis, concave typing experience on your good ol' planar keyboard! I'm using keycaps generated with this tool on both my personal and work keyboards, so it's actually pretty dang decent! – Sam.
The OpenSCAD files in the github repository are designed around minimal-input, multi-axis typing surfaces. The library is intended to make concave "keywell" keyboard experiences more accessible. This is accomplished by implementing the various elements of a keycap as discrete primitives which can be composed as individual "novelty" keys, universal-profile (flat) keysets, single-axis contoured keysets, or multi-axis contoured keysets.
Warning:
The build is super inefficient and takes like 20 mins to compile. It's super flexible already, but I'm still having fun with it, so it's very likely to continue improving for the near future – Sam.
Resources
Published on Thu 18th Apr 2024. Featured in KBD #162.
Related
Switch stem holder
3D printed open source switch stem holder by ABlueSpork (gallery, STLs).
Handheld Sci. BT-500 review
A review of the Handheld Sci. BT-500 by desantisbr. This tool with a sick terminal interface makes any keyboard wireless and programmable.
RIP kbfirmware.com
A once popular tool has been shut down due to the lack of users. RIP, kbfirmware.com: 9 January 2017 - 13 March 2021 (git). Sent by -George- (source).
Arduino UNO Mini
The UNO is not your typical keyboard controller, but the anniversary edition is actually only 34.2mm x 26.7mm. Hmmm.