Keyboard Builders' Digest / Projects
N3v4
A hybrid wired no-stabs 1800 keyboard: N3v4 by wjrii.
Published July 24, 2024
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The N3v4 (aka Nostabs Numpad Navigator 4), designed by wjrii, is a 3D printed DIY 1800-ish keyboard without any stabilizers. Side profile inspired by beamsprings and Apple M0110.
This is a "hybrid wired" keyboard. The matrix is a PCB which is then hand-wired to any MCU with 23 or more GPIO pins.
The layout avoids stabilizers and has an unstaggered numrow that could also be set up as an F row.
This was a learning project and personal prototype, so it's generally half-baked as a reproducible project, but repository contains CAD (Alibre Design) and 3D printing files for the retro-inspired case, KiCAD gerber files for the PCB, and DXF files for the top and bottom plates and the cutout that any case would need to accommodate the keycaps – wjrii.
According to the author, the side profile is loosely based on certain beamspring boards that had a big flip-open manual compartment, and the corner blockers are obviously lifted from the HHKB/M0110 – wjrii.
Specs
- 85 keys
- MX, soldered
- no stabs
- controller-agnostic design
- 3D-printed case
- KMK via POG
Shout out to POG. It really sped up firmware creation – wjrii.
Resources
Published on Wed 24th Jul 2024. Featured in KBD #170 (source).
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