Issue 55 / Week 48 / 2021

This is a hand-picked selection of last week's content from a keyboard builder's perspective. Posts that may teach you something, make you think and contribute to the common knowledge of the DIY builder community.
Contents
Editorial
Behind the Scenes of Issue 55
Testing the Adafruit KB2040, CircuitPython and KMK. New guides. I won again. Giveaway & Issue #54 follow-up. BMC chaos.
KB2040, CircuitPython & KMK
As I mentioned last week, Adafruit sent me a free sample of their new KB2040 controller.
The Keeboar was published on Thursday I guess and by the next Monday (2-3 working days) it has crossed the Atlantic, took a short trip in Germany and landed in my mailbox. Or I should say the courier put it in the hands of my wife because the tiny board was put in such a huge envelope that it didn't fit in my mailbox. :D
All in all, I spent the next few days playing with the KB2040, CircuitPython and KMK, figuring out things, troubleshooting and writing memos and guides to make this process easier for you and myself the next time I'll do this.
[…]
The first one is a very minimalist and straightforward approach, listing the necessary steps in bullet points:
https://golem.hu/guide/kmk-in-2-minutes/
For those who like a slower pace, prefer more explanation, or simply ran into an error and need some help with debugging, here is the more comprehensive guide:
https://golem.hu/guide/kmk-firmware/
[…]
If you can't afford supporting this project, don't worry, I might publish parts of these write-ups later.
Btw, the full story is 4,600+ characters long and you can read it at: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dovenyi/behind-scenes-issue-55
Review
Outemu clicky optoelectric switches
A quick teardown of the Outemu clicky optoelectric switches by Chyrosran22.
This time we're looking at Outemu's clicky optoelectric switch, or as I call it, the handclap switch – Chyrosran22.
Projects
PicoSplit
PicoSplit is a 3D printed split keyboard by Andreas Känner featuring a custom firmware written in CircuitPython.
Hotswap, no diodes, firmware written in CircuitPython.
I found split keyboards to be the best, because I can always arrange them so that my wrists are in a relaxed position. I like it even more when the keyboard halves are slightly raised, so that my hands are not completely flat on the keyboard. For me, this is the optimal hand position and the PicoSplit keyboard has such an inclination already built in – Andreas Känner.
While the case is not open-source, the project itself is very well documented:
https://www.kaenner.de/picosplit
The firmware is available here:
https://github.com/akaenner/picosplit
Features
- 3D-printable with common FDM printers (closed source, licensable).
- Shape inspired by the Dactyl keyboard.
- Magnetically attached wrist rests with adjustable distance.
- Keyboard and wrist rests can be magnetically attached to a surface.
- Keyboard halves snap together for transport.
- The Raspberry Pi Pico can be replaced by something else thanks to slide-in modules.
Ladispad
Ladispad is an open-source 11 key macropad by ajmandourah with rotary encoders and an OLED screen.
Ladispad is a custom-made 11 key macropad with 2 rotary encoders designed for the simplicity and the ease of assembly to non technical users.
Ladispad uses a direct pin approach, no no need to solder diodes.
In addition, the 2 rotary encoders and the OLED screen are optional.
What I like about this PCB is that it allows you to use non-standard size Pro Micros too:
Ladispad uses a Pro Micro as its main controller. Its very affordable and have many variants with different USB ports and sizes. I designed the PCB so it will be compatible which whatever you choose – ajmandourah.
Github repo: https://github.com/ajmandourah/Ladispad
Making the Keeb68
A great photolog by SandwichRising on making a custom PCB and wooden case.
Saint Gaben, the Patron Saint of PC Gamers. I made a run of 10 custom designed PCBs and cases, and they're glorious – SandwichRising.
Photolog: https://imgur.com/a/pz6K0NF
Nuclear keyboard
A cool keyboard salvaged from a nuclear missile silo converted by Pointless Tinkering.
In this video I show/explain the missile silo keyboard I have, and do a small trackball repair – Pointless Tinkering.
Great backstory and video:
Check this great NuclearCompanion article too. It's about the REACT console, the natural habitat of this keyboard.
On some of the pictures you can clearly see a thick cover over the top row of the keyboard, what made those keys actually recessed. Probably makes sense if you have assigned some impactful functions to those keys.
Repository with KiCad files, pictures, Arduino code: https://tildegit.org/jns/nukeKeyboard/
Pangaea project
Pangaea, a split keyboard with mind-boggling adjustability, co-designed by @otahinosame, @k2 and @e3w2q, has advanced to rev.3.
Moving parts are easier to adjust now, and the stability has also increased.
Here is a blog post on the Pangaea project.
And a video of the adjustment ranges:
オタヒーのサメさん @otahinosame 、e3w2qさん @e3w2q と進めている Pangaea は rev.3 まで進み可動部の変更で調整しやすく安定度も増しました。もうちょっとこのキーがこっちにずれてくれたらいいのに…などしっくりこない方にはよいかもしれません。拡張性もありますが、まずは調整範囲の動画です。 pic.twitter.com/x6jwgsiEA3
— k2 (@k2___________) December 5, 2021
UPDATE
The Flea
A new member of Jim Merricks White's 30% bugs family: the Flea.
Inspired by David Barr's Hypergolic, Jim published the latest design in his series of 30% split keyboards with various levels of splay.
The splay is a little different from the Midge and the Mosquito, with none between the index and middle finger and an extra 5 degrees between the ring and pinkie. This pushes the pinkie out a little bit while also pulling the thumb in. The thumb cluster has a slightly inverted splay to match – jamesmnw.
Source files for the Flea are available on GitHub: https://github.com/jimmerricks/bugs/tree/master/pcbs/flea.
In addition, you can find a few words about the keymap in this thread.
Community
Japanese Keyboard Advent Calendar
The Keyboard Advent Calendar features blog posts by revered authors of the Japanese keyboard community. Curated by Yoichirou.
If you are like me, you are blown away or even intimidated by what goes on in the Japanese keyboard community – but are unable to figure out what's a new, original design and what's something that have been around for a while and simply built and shown off by a recent buyer.
Google Translate can produce ridiculous translations, quite unusable in many cases, so it can't help in some situations either.
However, I started noticing valuable blog posts recently – with a reference to the Advent Calendar – and Google Translate seems to perform acceptable to understand most parts.
For those who are interested, these blog posts can help navigating the Japanese scene by providing a summary of various projects or the whole year from the vantage point of the original authors.
Here is this year's schedule along with the already published write-ups:
https://adventar.org/calendars/6246
From artisan keycap making through prototyping to PCB making and distributing, all of these posts are awesome resources.
(As far as I can tell, this kind of advent calendars have been around in the Japanese keyboard community for some time, e.g. this is from 2019 and this one from 2020. Even better, it seems there are more than one of these per year.)
Tools
Keycap set configurator
An interactive configurator for a keycap set GB by catecholate.
In general, I try to not incite hoarding so there are no GBs on kbd.news.
However, this interactive configurator tool made by catecholate for the KAM Sewing Tin set, dubbed the Tailor, deserves some praise.
You can try it out here: https://www.kamsewingtin.com/#tailor
A dedicated configurator comes in handy if a set like the KAM Sewing Tin offers a LOT of different kits for different layouts and visual options, and the Tailor makes it easier to play with the possible mix of colors and kits.
The set is inspired by cookie tins filled with sewing supplies, and has both novelty and cursive text mods as well as a subtle blue gradient for the tin and a butter-cookie-yellow numrow.
Tips & Tricks
Switch sound tester
Don tries to standardize sound tests with his testing rig.
In a previous video, Don introduced a 3D printed testing rig to standardize switch sound tests.
The first video is about the actual setup:
And the next video presents the first result, this time the sound profiles of various MX blacks. So these graphs are not force curves but sound levels in relation to a frequency range:
If you want to replicate the sound of a vintage [Cherry] MX Black you could get the kind of sound by using a standard Gateron MX Black. […] If you want to replicate the sound of a lubed Gateron MX Black you could use a Kailh Box Black – Don.
Doubleshots from 1988
Doubleshots do wear out over time. Photo taken by jsheradin.
I don't think this photo requires much comment.
Doubleshots do wear out when used intensively for a long time. :D
Keyboard Spotting
IBM SCAMP
The classy IBM SCAMP was a prototype to showcase the APL programming language (1973).
In 1972, Paul Friedl and his colleagues at IBM Scientific Center in Palo Alto, California developed this classy luggable computer known as the SCAMP (Special Computer, APL Machine Portable) in six months.
The prototype used existing components - a cathode ray tube from Bell Brothers, Inc., for the display; a Norelco audiotape cassette recorder for secondary storage; a keyboard from IBM in Raleigh, North Carolina; memory cards from IBM Germany; and a PALM microprocessor board from IBM in Boca Raton, Florida. The APL language processor emulated one for the existing, much larger, IBM 1130 computer. (source)
According to the IBM SCAMP page at Smithsonian, this one served as a prototype for the IBM 5100 and was considered by some as the grandfather of the IBM PC 5150 (?!).
Well, I have an IBM 5155 but this one with its "chocolate brown frame and almond white cover" is much more mouthwatering than its contemporaries. Of course such an upper part, folding into the suitcase-like frame and popping up when in use, was no more possible with larger screens.
Old sci-fi or futuristic office
Is this ergonomic workplace from an old Soviet sci-fi or an exhibition back in 1969?
The original post by Bernard_Hunor_Deak on r/cassettefuturism claims this is from an old Soviet sci-fi in the 1970s.
However, looking for a better quality version of the photo, I came across a blog entry referring to this one as a photo taken in 1969 in Hanover, Germany, where this futuristic desk was presented at an exhibition.
Either way, I like that the designer didn't stop at splitting the keyboard but also cut the desk in half. I like this even better than the Luigi Colani chair.
Built-in forearm support is cool but looking at that wrist extension due to the unnecessary slope hurts me.
(All in all, one more thing to add to the list of what made 1969 special: Woodstock, Moon landing, and now this desk too!)
That was Issue #55. Thanks for stopping by.
splitkb.com, Jeremy Kitchen, AikenJG, @keebio, Timo, ghsear.ch, @kaleid1990, u/chad3814, Eugenie, sebastian siggerud, cdc, Jim, Keycapsss.com, kiyejoco, faso, _qdw_, Bob Cotton, Aleks, Mark, Brickbots & an anonymous donor.
Your support is crucial to help this project survive.