Behind the Scenes of Issue 85

Cherokee MBK Myth and MelGeek Mojo 84 in the mailbox, 50+ discounts with dedicated page, meetup database, still in holiday mode.

Hey y'all,

PSA: I'll be at home this week but not next Monday. I'll see if I can send out KBD#86 on Sunday.

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Welcome back for another edition of Keyboard Builders' Digest (this time Issue #85), a weekly roundup of this DIY keyboard focused newsletter and blog from Tamas Dovenyi – that's me. If you are new to this, you can read how this started out and what this is all about nowadays. If you like what you see, you can subscribe to the newsletter (free) and donate some bucks to keep this otherwise free and ad-free project alive.

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Quick news

Chosfox low-pro keycap (CFX). The controversial original post was removed (I still have the url) but here is the follow-up announcement.

The point is: there is a new low-pro keycap profile. At first sight, it's very similar to MBK, but on the second look, it's different in almost every aspect.

I don't want to dedicate a real post to this until I can test and compare them to MBKs, and a sample is already on the way. (However, it will take two weeks to arrive.)

All in all, after the initial controversy – namely putting "MBK" mistakenly in the title on the product page – this might be something interesting.

I guess this was the Drop MT2 moment for Chosfox, and I'm sure it was a mistake and they have learned a lot from it.

(In fact, I reached out to Robin for an explanation who told me the whole story in details but he doesn't want it to be published.)

In the mailbox

MBK Myth – at last. And MelGeek Mojo 84 – This has literally arrived in a few hours and all I can do before sending out the newsletter is posting a few shots.

So very quickly: this Mojo 84 was sent to me by MelGeek. I'm not sure I'm the best person to send such models to, but thanks anyway… :)

It seems this model isn't available yet. At least I couldn't find any product page, except this one.

As far as I can tell, this is basically the Mojo 68 with an extra F-row.

I'm not really into standard staggering either, but I love the MDA profile, and this one sports the white version of the This Is Plastic set.

I'll try to do a proper review later. Until then: I really dig the aesthetics of the transparent plastic, and the packaging is probably the most professional one I've ever seen.

The board feels and sounds absolutely awesome, and it's surprisingly heavy – which is good.

Click here for a few pics on imgur.

Vendor database

• Kat from Kat Koil updated the coupon code to KBDNEWS and its value to 10%. Thanks! In addition, she offered me affiliate partnership so from now on by ordering one of her cool cables you support kbd.news too.
• Unicorn Cables updated the code too and now offers you free shipping.
• Onyx Cables added, and Tristan offered you a 5% discount (code: KBDNEWS).

As the latest big push in an effort to standardize the discount codes, I emailed all the vendors with "non-standard" ones – other than "KBDNEWS".

Responded and updated: Heebie Keebies, Dream Cables, Switch Captain, Keebstuff Kabelmanufaktur, Shockport Keyboards, Kat Koil, Unicorn Cables.

Thanks guys & gals!

Coupons page

With almost 60 shops offering you various discounts via the KBDNEWS coupon code, I put a link to the dedicated page listing these shops – and these shops only:

coupon

Only 6 stores to go, and you can use the standard code without much thinking. ;)

(If I remember right, I've already mentioned this link in a previous editorial but now it's on the front page.)

Meetup database

I created a list of upcoming meetups. Only showing 7 meetups right now, but the engine is ready so I thought I publish this as well.

Feel free to send me missing meetups. I'm aware many such events are organized locally or on Discord and I'm unable to keep an eye on all those channels. So it may take some time for this to pick-up, but look at the vendor database… ;)

As you can see, this interface is based on the vendor database. In fact, the two are linked together by the sponsor field: e.g. check the Edmonton Meetup.

Also, it was the development of this meetup feature that lead me to Onyx Cables, so I hope there will be some synergies here.

Giveaway

As already told, I'll continue the raffle later, hopefully in two weeks. However, you can play this week too.

Thanks to all who gave their opinion about the collab with a shop who also offers clone sets.

You have a chance to win the metal artisans or something else from the raffle pool once the holiday season is over.

I don't really have good questions for this week so now you can play by commenting questions I could ask. :D Plus your country.

Or also by sending me missing meetups from the database (with links to the source).

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That's all for today folks. Thanks for reading.

Feel free to comment in this issue's r/mk thread, and as always: keep learning and building.

Cheers, Tamás

Ghoul keyboard

The Ghoul by tzarc is a Planck-like ortho but also a development board for QMK.

So tzarc, designer of the Djinn, made another dedicated development board to aid the work of developing QMK support for various hardware. Thus e.g. the hotswap MCU you don't see too often on keyboards.

Specs

• 2x4x5=40 layout
• Per-key RGB
• RGB 128x128 OLED
• encoder
• SparkFun MicroMod for hotswap MCU support — current QMK compatible with STM32F405 but "known-working with the in-flight RP2040 PR"
• hardware support for MicroSD, SPI EEPROM, SPI NOR Flash.
• uses 74HC589 SPI Shift Registers for key matrix.

The miscellaneous hardware are testbed features, in the author's words: "for me to develop support for QMK on, like external flash, SD card, custom diode-less matrix, etc."

Kinda hard to get some of the components right now, but hey, if you can get them, go for it! – tzarc.

Design files at: https://github.com/tzarc/ghoul

SatPad

The SatPad (formerly: Cupcake) is an open-source 30% ortholinear keyboard/macropad designed by quirk.

Jason Hazel aka quirk designed this neat 30% ortho using ergogen.

In the announcement on r/mk it was called Cupcake ("because the Pancake2 was an inspiration") but comments pointed out it looks like a satellite so it's now SatPad.

I've been playing around with Ergogen and decided on a 30% that could double as a macropad as my learning project. I messed up on the OLED (missing VCC trace, socket rotated 180) but overall happy with my first attempt – quirk.

GitHub repo: https://github.com/jasonhazel/satpad

Tipper-TF

Weteor's 34-key Tipper-TF is a split unibody BLE keyboard with splay and e-ink display.

This cute little monoblock split by weteor, the Tipper-TF, sports a uniquely positioned e-ink display.

(The design is not new but was brought to my attention only recently, by @daraku__neko's tweet.)

Specs

• 34 keys
• low profile
• Choc v1 with choc spacing
• angled hands
• splayed columns
• variable height on outer column: can be adjusted by a combination of pinheaders (1.27mm pitch, 1mm or 1.5mm height) + (at the moment) spacer PCBs.
• 1.54'' epaper display by GoodDisplay (EPD - GDEW0154M09)
• Bluetooth and USB connection
• case files are supplied (STL, as well as FreeCAD files)
• ZMK firmware support

According to weteor, MKB keycaps work great on the Tipper, but he prefers Pseudoku's Chicago Steno caps – shown in the photo above.

Apple M0110 case

SimonAchton designed, printed and shared a beautiful Apple M0110 case replica for 60% keyboard PCBs.

This is a replica of Apple's iconic M0110 keyboard case. According to designer SimonAchton, it works with a cheap 60% keyboard PCB from aliexpress, but should work with many other 60% PCBs as well.

I couldn’t afford the actual Apple M0110 so I designed and 3D printed this beauty. Jwick T1s on acrylic plate and made of finished PLA – SimonAchton.

Designed to use a cheap USB-C breakout board from aliexpress. The required bolts, heated inserts and other parts are listed in the thingiverse description with links (however, most links doesn't work for me as of writing this).

Plate is 1.5mm and I've provided both a DXF if you want to laser cut as well as STL if you want to print (I recommend laser cutting).

Case/plate STLs and plate DXF on Thingiverse:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5369636

Meet Danny Nguyen

There's an interview with Keebio's Danny on the freedom.to blog.

While Danny regularly (translate: biannually) posts his behind the scenes write-ups on medium.com, this time he was questioned by one of his colleagues at freedom.to – which is his former full-time workplace and where he still helps out once a week.

Read the full article here:

https://freedom.to/blog/danny/

By the way, this interview was brought to my attention by Don's latest podcast (TheBoard) which project – just like kbd.news – has been supported by keeb.io for a long time.

Visiting GMK

Oblotzky's write-up on visiting GMK's new production facility.

Some interesting reading material from Oblotzky who, among other well-regarded community members, took part in a workshop at the Uniqey/GMK HQ in Germany last week.

On June 23rd 2022, I traveled with t0mb3ry across Germany to visit GMK's Headquarters as they invited us to show us around their company and asked for our assistance in some new developments – Oblotzky.

Here are some highlights from the post:

• New production facility.
• Nine new injection molding machines – which is roughly 200% the capacity of the first factory (that also continues to produce keycaps).
• Six different sets were producing in parallel during the visit.
• GMK has created 895 custom plastic colors, of which 565 ended up being used for various designs
• GMK's library counts almost 7,000 different legends
• Production runs 24/6, except for holidays, in three shifts.
• Four full-time employees are solely responsible for maintaining the machines and also constantly creating fresh tooling using in-house CNC milling machines.
• GMK is committed to working through the current backlog. Reasonable lead times are expected by 2023.
• Custom keycaps has grown to be half of the company's yearly revenue.
• From 2019 to 2020 and from 2021 to 2022, the amount of keycaps produced has roughly doubled.
• In this year's first six months, they have already almost reached the production volume of last year.
• The target is 16 weeks for sets that don't require color matching – from the order being placed to the palettes leaving the warehouse.
• GMK has invested into a custom built sorting machine that will sort 1,000 base kits a day, running day and night.

Read the full article here:

https://oblotzky.industries/pages/visiting-gmk

(According to Zambumon, the photos were taken by Mario, who works at GMK.)

On a similar note, GMK_Andy also posted on r/mk about this event and the lead times, material shortage, etc. as well:

[…]last month saw the highest output in the history of the company! The new machines we ordered over a year ago are up and running in the new facility, further speeding up the output. We believe that the longer lead times have peaked, and we should start seeing these lead times start to progressively get shorter. Despite ongoing issues within the supply-chain, we managed to acquire a decent stockpile of raw material, which will cover many pending projects already ([https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/vp5o0z/july_gmk_update/|source]]).

Apex 7 in 1 switch

This rotary encoder is also a 5-way switch – posted by henrebotha.

If you thought rotary encoders were cool, get a load of what the sim racing community has done. Rotary encoder and 5-way switch in one – henrebotha.

7 in 1 Switch

• 4 way directional
• Rotary encoder
• Center push button
• Billet aluminum knurled knob (Updated: "easier to grip with gloves")
• Includes m2.5 mounting kit

As initialo points out in the comments, this is basically a $11 part from Mouser (RKJXT1F42001) put on a breakout board and offered with a nice knob.

If you insist on using the $50 Apex one, here is the product page:

https://www.apexsimracing.com/products/funky-switch

Tesla Consul 259.6

A Tesla Consul 259.6 keyboard from a Soviet mainframe computer terminal – restored and posted by chernobyl_dude

We restored and powered up a Consul (Tesla) 259.6 terminal keyboard, made in Czechoslovakia in the Soviet epoch. It is a sturdy (but beautiful) device that well, weighs more than 3 Kg – Chernobyl Family.

According to the creator of the video, the same keyboard had been used at Jupiter electronics factory in Pripyat and likely at Chernobyl Duga OTH radar as well as a part of their ES-7927 mainframe operators' workplaces.

By the way, I was told ES-7927 is a terminal for multiple types of ES mainframes (in original Cyrillic writing it is ЕС-7927), like the one in this old video.