Keyboard Builders' Digest / Projects
Rasti64
Penk Chen's Rasti64 is a 64-key, low-profile board sporting the author's custom keycap set.
Published January 25, 2024
Penk Chen, author of the Penkesu deck, creator of the Mobop keycap profile and kbd.news donor (thanks!) is back with Rasti64. This board is a 64-key, low-profile, staggered mechanical keyboard with a custom keycap set, that ticks a few niche boxes of the author.
Finally got time to make the PCB and release the keyboard – Penk.
Specs
- 65% staggered layout with arrow keys
- Low-profile Choc v1 switches are used
- New custom keycap set
- Works with standard Choc stabilizers and Choc spacing keycaps
- Powered by RP2040-Zero (other compatible boards)
- QMK/VIA firmware support
The layout is essentially a MacBook keyboard sans the Function row.
The case can be 3D printed (FDM/SLA) or CNC machined using the provided files. E.g. the showcased model in the top photo features a case CNC machined from Aluminum 6061 with a bead-blasted finish, and SLA-printed black resin keycaps.
Thanks to the low-pro switches, the whole build is under 15 mm (without the case).
Individual caps of the custom Mobop keycap set range from 1U to 2.25U, completed by a 4.75U spacebar that utilizes a 6.25U stabilizer.
TIL
Daily language lesson with kbd.news:
The name "Rasti" is derived from the German compound word "Rasterrahmen" (grid + framework).
Resources
https://github.com/penk/rasti64
Published on Thu 25th Jan 2024. Featured in KBD #152.
Related
Raised thumb keys
A split keyboard by ak66666 with thumb keys raised above the rest.
Aurora40
A low-profile, minimalistic 40-key split keyboard designed for simplicity by Lucas Merritt: Aurora40.
Nomad keyboard
Andreas Tacke shared his Nomad, a 7x5 keys low-profile split with per-key RGB.
Buzzard keyboard
Christoph Rehmann's Buzzard is a well-documented 40-key split keyboard with splay and trackpoint.