Issue 179 / Week 47 / 2024
This is a hand-picked selection of last week's content from a keyboard enthusiast's perspective. Posts that may teach you something, make you think and contribute to the common knowledge of the DIY builder community.
There are 10+19 entries in this issue:
Editorial
Behind the scenes #179
Keyboard projects, MK Advent Calendar call for submissions, quick news, in the mailbox, meetups, vendors, discounts, deals stuff.
Review
KBDcraft Israfel review
I tested KBDcraft's brilliant Israfel, a 50% unibody split with an adjustable angle, made of LEGO. It's impressive and offers a huge bang for your buck. Flock to the store, folks!
Projects
Qimera
Designed by Abeer Vaishnav, the Qimera is a 54-key low-profile split keyboard.
2Pocket
JCam shared the wireless split 2Pocket, his submission for the pocket keyboard design contest.
Boost58
A 58-key split keyboard with Choc V2s and encoders: Boost58 by Vacant0mens.
NeoBoomerang
Mikey Sklar is back with another chording keyboard: the NeoBoomerang uses off-the-shelf Adafruit hardware.
Floppy keyboard
Lexy Plateau shared her low-profile split Floppy keyboard.
ToadsTempest
The ToadsTempest by tikinson is a pocket monoblock, another runner-up in sporewoh's keyboard contest.
Fract keyboard
A 34-key Bluetooth keyboard with self-encasing PCB: Fract by skarrmann.
ZM Keyboard Cube
A 16-key meme macropad by ziddy: ZM Keyboard Cube.
Quick news
TIPS
ZMK Studio has a stable release. Official announcement.
A keycap profile comparator by 3dkeycap.
"8 buttons per foot" would sound odd if it were not crazymittens' ArcPedals project.
HACKY is a pretty unique typing game by Napas Torteeka/Outrageous_Affect_69. Demo available on Stream.
- typersguild.com is another app to practice typing while typing out books. Made by Mean_Establishment82.
Closed-source, WIP, etc.
A handwired split by DannyInTheCockpit. Update with palm rests.
Beekeeb designed a case for the open-source thorium.
Compad V2 is a tablet-like cyberdeck build with a chorded keyboard (on the back).
A handwired FRL NRL(?) ortho by salavatme.
Crosses by timbetimbe.
PikaVoid9 by Tenochticlack.
Wings by lad1337. Another ultra-low split using Kailh PG1316s switches.
Keyboard art
Keyboard Membrane Converse by Cory Infinite. Probably old but just came across it on Twitter.
A custom layered acrylic keyboard by Qlavier, made for MeatCanyon.
A Halloween themed Svalboard in the wild. Posted by CaptLynx.
Al6ed0 with machined alu horns. Posted by Sterlingandcophoto.
gwydd65: Thermally modified wooden keyboard, whatever it means. A GB by the way.
Weekly Diderot effect
Soft and plush handcrafted punch needle Studio Ghibli (and Pokemon) keyboard rugs by ZestiZena. These are wrist rests, not keebmats I guess. (Pro tip: Wait for the Black Friday coupon if you consider purchasing one. Details below.)
Simple but great keyboard stands with cork padding, by mar_mech. Or some 3D printed ones here.
splitkb.com, ZSA Technology Labs, MoErgo Glove80, Aiksplace, Upgrade Keyboards, @keebio, Cyboard, Jason Hazel, Sean Grady, Jacob Mikesell, kiyejoco, Ergohaven, KEEBD, @kaleid1990, littlemer-the-second, ghsear.ch, u/motfalcon, Timo, FFKeebs, Bob Cotton, @therick0996, Christian Mladenov, TALPKEYBOARD, Schnoor Typography, Daniel Nikolov, u/eighty58five, Caleb Rand, Skyler Thuss, Brendan P., James McCleese, Benjamin Bell, Yuan Liu, Ben M, zzeneg, Spencer Dabell, Anatolii Smolianinov, Penk Chen, Clacky, Matthias Goffette, Stefan S., Alex Miller, Hating TheFruit, Trey Causey, Mario S., Dylan Ingham, Gordon Diggs, Cloyce, Davidjohn Gerena, Shnobble, Raphael Stanzani, Duncan B., HubertTheMad, Jesse L., Andres Sakk, s_p_l_o_d_e
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