Behind the Scenes of Issue 42

Scam attempt, giveaway winning streak – I must be in possession of the secret method, sustainable keyboard hobby, new tool in the making. Issue 41 follow-up and brutal monthly visitor record.

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Scam attempt

A chat message was awaiting me the other day and I had to share the good news with my family instantly: "Hey, I've just won a keyboard!" Actually, a prototype from a limited set of keyboards to be sent to some lucky reviewers. Wow! I was flattered.. for like 5 seconds. Then I checked the user and it turned out he has a negative karma and his post history is full of similar bad jokes…

Before I could get in a kind of lethargy though, I received another message: I won a keyboard. This time for real. ;)

Giveaway authority

Since I won three giveaways in a row worth about $400 in a couple of weeks, I'm humbly starting to consider myself a giveaway authority and decided to share my strategy and method even if that will shorten my own odds.

(No, I'm not talking about creating multiple users or other shady actions.)

However, I have to…

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DaNumPad

Source files of Tweetydabirdie's DaNumPad are available on GitHub.

And right in two versions: wireless and wired with per-key RGB.

A 'family' of mechanical numpad/macro pads that can be configured either as a classic 17-key numpad, or as a 20 key (5x4) macro pad. […] Designed as a companion to most 60% keyboards, being the same 5 row 'height' – Tweetydabirdie.

DaNumPad unWired: Fully wireless (BT, nRF85420 MCU), hot-swap with support for 17-20 keys and 1-2 encoders, ZMK compatible.

DaNumPad 17 Glow: Wired (USB-C), classic 17-key numpad layout, Atmega32u4 MCU, full per-key RGB, QMK compatible.

The top plate for sandwich case allows both a classic numpad and a 20-key macro pad layout.

For more details and the PCB/plate files visit the GitHub repo.

!!! These PCBs are still in development and being tested! !!!

Wireless solar board

A wireless keyboard that never has to be plugged in. Committed by SouthPawEngineer.

We've seen various solar keyboards before (ErgoBlue) even from SouthPawEngineer himself (Solortho, Solergo, Go for launch), but those weren't able to keep a keyboard charged and the tiny solar cells were added only to lengthen battery life.

But now…

I was able to build my latest semi-practical gizmo, a wireless keyboard that never needs to be plugged in. It's not Bluetooth - I wouldn't be able to get the power consumption low enough (I tried). By combining the ultra-low power abilities of a lower-level 2.4ghz wireless protocol and photovoltaic energy harvesting capabilities, this particular keyboard shouldn't ever need to be plugged in. Even in a cave the 500mAh battery should last 10-12 months – SouthPawEngineer.

It does require a USB receiver but it is QMK programmable.

The board features hot-swap Kailh sockets with Kailh Choc Brown switches and MBK keycaps. The 5 way switch in the center can be used with your thumb and it allows you to press it up, down, left, right, or in - and you can assign different functions to each direction as you normally would within QMK.

The Osprey keyboard

The Osprey is xapheau's open-source unibody ergonomic column-staggered keyboard.

An unibody split keyboard with an ergonomic wrist angle, columnar-stagger, 60%(ish) layout, thumb clusters for modifiers and chording, Kailh hotswap sockets and USB-C.

GitHub repo with KiCad and Gerber files, as well as plate DXFs: https://github.com/phloamy/osprey

Magnetic layout prototyping

Going low profile: adjustable keyboard with magnets by key-yack.

This small experiment by key-yack was put together to try out low profile switches with different layouts:

• Split keyboard using ProMicros
• Head PCB with ProMicro is reusable for other projects
• Up to 7x4 choc switches (hot swap) on each side, 18x17mm spacing
• All the columns can be moved around freely, attached to a steel base using magnets
• Using ribbon cables to connect everything

First results and takeaway:

• Choc brown switches are surprisingly heavy
• gChoc switches can be triggered by looking at them too hard
• 18 mm horizontal spacing is too narrow for comfort, but low vertical spacing is nice!

The PCBs used were probably the low profile versions of these Zebras by nezumee:

https://github.com/nezumee/zebra

Another similar modular adjustable PCB project is the P4 by saoto28:

https://github.com/saoto28/pineapple60/tree/main/p4

And the SU120 by e3w2q:

https://github.com/e3w2q/su120-keyboard

Custom Iris case

A custom open-source Iris case by COrthbandt with light diffuser layer.

Designed/coded in OpenSCAD. Files available at:

https://gitlab.com/corthbandt/iris_case/-/tree/v2

Case printed on Prusa Mini with the transparent layer sandwiched in white 1.5mm foam.

Feet are attached with magnets. Case is screwed with M2 from the bottom through all six layers.

Parametric keycap design

Showcasing the Riskeyboard 70's features, riskable introduces the GEM profile created with his Keycap Playground tool.

Of all the crazy features presented in this post I can't remember featuring the Keycap Playground, so here it is:

The Keycap Playground is a parametric OpenSCAD keycap generator made by riskable for creating keycaps of all shapes, profiles and sizes.

GitHub repo: https://github.com/riskable/keycap_playground

And here's a nice demo video introducing some options and parameters:

(More of riskable's cool stuff featured earlier: Riskeyboard70 PCB, IR receiver, Hall effect switches, etc.)

TTC Wild switch review

TTC Wild linear switches reviewed by ThereminGoat.

First founded as either ‘Huizhou Zhengrui Electronics Co.’, ‘Tranteck Electronics co.’, or some combination of these entities, TTC first made an appearance as a brand of switches, digital encoders, and connectors all the way back in 1998. While they didn’t necessarily produce keyboard switches for the large majority of their earlier history, much like with most other switch manufacturers, they are believed to have stepped into the MX-style switch design for keyboards shortly after Cherry’s MX patent expiration around 2014.

TTC Wild switches were released in two distinct waves of groupbuys – one for China and one as an ‘international’ sale released to the US, Canada, Asia, OCE, and EU regions.

Both GBs were purported to sell the 42g and 55g variants of the TTC Wild switches with the international sale running from March 12th to 26th of 2021 with switches shipping in late August of the same year.

The switches were priced around $0.65 per switch in various pack sizes depending on the vendor or $0.70 per switch in batches of 110 which included a special, thematic packaging to go with them.

The two different weights came in different color variations: the 42g switches featured creamy tops and green stems whereas the 55g switches featured similarly colored green tops with creamy stems.

The colors were chosen to match the GMK Wild keycap set, designed and ran by Matrix Lab (early May of 2020). This wilderness inspired keycap set by Matrix Lab designer TD Lemon 1900 was aimed to be a complementary of GMK Camping but with a much darker tone to it.

Read ThereminGoat's full article here.

Recycled aluminium keycaps

A video by flehrad drew my attention to Mountain Keyboards and their recycled aluminium keycaps, environmentally friendly packaging and socially responsible actions.

While a general "Environmentally conscious keyboard enthusiast's guide" is being compiled, here is a related news from Australia:

Don from TheBoard introduced a recycled aluminium keycap in his last video. The creator, Mountain Keyboards, gives us a lesson not just in material choice but also in sustainable packaging and social responsibility.

First about recycled aluminium:

A lot of industries won't use recycled aluminium if they need it for structural strength and integrity. Because recycled material, depending on how it's done, may have defects. It may have inclusions in it, particulate matter in it that might contaminate the recycled material and therefore it might lose some of its strength inside – Don.

Recycled aluminium may have voids and cavities which can cause not just structural issues but also cosmetic blemishes. Which means its use is quite limited.

Montain Keyboards manufactured a test batch made of such recycled aluminium and the keycaps turned out pretty well.

In addition, look at that packaging! The keycap gets shipped in 100% home compostable mailer and it's wrapped in home compostable cellophane (NatureFlex - nomoreplasticpackaging.com.au).

I spent too long trying to find things that were specifically home compostable – OldMate.

What's even more spectacular, Mountain Keyboards donates the FULL purchase amount of the "For Good" keycap (the blank and flat red/maroon version) to the NSW Food Bank.

We will cover the cost of making the keycap and all the other fees involved. Every keycap sold will provide an emergency hamper to an aussie in crisis. You get a cool keycap with a story and know that you helped out someone in need.

What do they get out of the "For Good" keycap?

"Fair question, not a lot honestly, each keycap costs us around $10 without additional fees to get made and shipped. I've always just believed that the best thing you can do when you're in a fortunate position is to give to those who need a hand. There's a lot of people in a rough spot at the moment and with your help we should be able to provide some hampers for them" – 0ldMate.

Logical layout design: repeater key

The T-34/0 keyboard layout by jonas_h features a repeater key.

The big change to the layout is the Repeat key. The concept is simple: when you press it you repeat the last pressed key – jonas_h.

I hadn't thought of that but this is an interesting concept.

Investigating the author's corpus, the Repeat could be useful, however, it does not qualify into the top 10 and so it does not outcompete Space or e as a thumb key or any frequent alphas of the home positions.

It's the 12th most frequent "letter" (without Space) so he would put it somewhere in the home box.

Check the full write-up here.

The effect of WD-40 on switches

This follow-up shot by gidders369 demonstrates the effect of WD-40 on some switches treated 1 year ago.

People often ask for advice on unusual lubricants or ones readily available at home: e.g. olive oil.

This particular image demonstrates the effect of WD-40.

Click here for the original photo.

The switch on the top is a stock Cherry MX Speed, and below it there are two identical switches lubed with WD-40 a year ago.

"It did undeniably make the switches smoother but their bottom out feel became sticky."

The switches work fine though.

When I first spray lubed these on I didn't have many problems apart from the e and the s key not registering for a minute or two which was fixed by repeatedly spamming the keys but other than that the keyboard worked fine even though it had covered my PCB – gidders369.

Electronic Control Systems display terminal T-03

A cool retro terminal spotted by TyrantFoxx in a Hugh Jeffreys video.

According to the label on the back this was manufactured in Australia by a company called Electronic Control Systems which was based out of Sydney. Another label on the keyboard says: EPS-71.

Hugh was unable to determine a manufacturing date but he would guess sometime in the 1980s.

A commenter on YT, jaceb, found something about the company:

"Michael Roberts had founded Sydney-based Time Office Computers, originally called Electronic Control Systems, in the 1970s, intending to develop and market small computer terminals."

Warning! I would definitely advise against watching this video if you are eating or going to eat.

Anyway, it's just a 17 minute long video about cleaning off animal feces from all the surfaces:

Dell AT101W NOS

TerraElaya found this gorgeous Dell AT101W at a thrift store for $3.

This new old stock Dell features black Alps. How do they feel?

Heavenly. Black Alps are far from the best Alps around but for my money still better than any MX-style tactile switch if you get them NOS, and with a simple modification they become 10/10 linears – TheGodmonster.

Yeah, linearized, they feel surprisingly nice… otherwise I find late black Alps to be dreadful, like when some people complain about MX Brown feeling as if there was sand inside, in my experience that actually describes the late black Alps' weird bump combined with the Alps' inherent bump at the bottom (so even linearized they're not entirely linear) – Schemik.