Keyboard Builders' Digest / Projects
Smol keyboard
Evgenii Vilkov's Smol is a split prototype with a cool sandwich case.
Published March 15, 2023
Evgenii Vilkov aka zzeneg published his Smol, a small and cheap low profile split keyboard with 36 keys using RP2040 Zero microcontrollers.
Initially I made this prototype just to test new things and ideas for my next keyboard but I think it looks pretty good in the end so I added it as a separate keyboard – zzeneg.
As a prototype, the Smol was supposed to be super cheap so it has reversible PCB (under 100x100mm) and uses the cheapest controller with the RP2040 MCU Evgenii could get: Waveshare Zero.
It supports choc switches with hotswap and choc spacing, per-key RGB, EC11 or EVQWGD001 encoders.
Specs
- 36 keys
- low profile Choc switches, hotswap, Choc spacing
- per-key RGB matrix
- Waveshare RP2040 Zero controller
- QMK firmware
- TRRS connection between the halves
- Panasonic EVQWGD001 roller encoder (left side only) or EC11 rotary encoder (both sides)
As of writing this, the ECC11 encoder can be used on the left half only because the author forgot to make that footprint reversible.
According to Evgenii, you can use USB-C instead of TRRS connection, but it's not recommended (too low for many cables).
The 3D printed case is also made from cheap resin and is hand painted – the top part with spray and the bottom with airbrush (as another experiment):
Resources
Published on Wed 15th Mar 2023. Featured in KBD #116 (source).
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