KBD newsletter #76
Keyboard Builders’ Digest #76
Check out the new issue with awesome projects, tips and ideas!
Hey y'all,
Here are all the cool posts on DIY custom keyboards I thought were worth sharing this week:
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SolidusHal's btrfld is a quite unique foldable, low profile, tenting keyboard.
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The Melodicade MX is a portable 6+ octave MIDI keyboard designed by Michael from KOOP Instruments showcasing the Wicki-Hayden layout.
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Atsushi Morimoto's Sparrow62 is a split keyboard sporting a single Pi Pico (with IO expander) running KMK.
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Toast keyboard is an open-source split design by u/vpz for those with index fingers shorter than ring (most males?).
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Frederik's keyboard dubbed the Reviung_ish extends the distinctive Reviung layout with a number row and some thumb keys.
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Exotic matrices: Let me introduce the square or round-robin matrix (aka Charlieplexing for keyboards) – a very tricky one promising 380 keys with a single Pro Micro. Thanks to Ikejima for his work and assistance.
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Random Truchet tiles on your PCB's silk screen. Will have to come up with an online generator for you but here is the theory for now.
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Spotting: A gorgeous Cortron keyboard with ITW magnetic valve switches made for Sperry Univac systems. Posted by u/catsontuesday.
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Sharktastica posted an IBM CANPOS (Compact Alphanumeric Point Of Sale) keyboard with a pointing stick.
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15mm spacing? After buying a Datadesk LittleFingers LF-2100 keyboard, u/FansForFlorida shared his measurements and an informative gallery.
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PD_DECK is a hot macropad by Monksoffunk primarily to control Lightroom through MIDI.
This issue’s supporters
PCBWay is my newest donor. Don’t forget to redeem $5 by using the discount code KBDNEWS when ordering from them.
PCBWay, splitkb.com, MoErgo Glove80, u/chad3814, Aiksplace, @kaleid1990, @keebio, Clickety Split, ghsear.ch, cdc, Sean Grady, Bob Cotton, kiyejoco, FFKeebs, Richard Sutherland, @therick0996, Joel Simpson, Nuno Leitano, KEEBD, Spencer Blackwood, Yuan Liu, Davidjohn Gerena, Lev Popov, Christian Mladenov, Paul Kischlat, Alexey Alekhin & Fabian Suceveanu.
(You are awesome! Thanks everyone!)
Behind the Scenes
This week’s topics of my behind the scenes series:
Duplex matrix feedback, round-robin matrix research. New donors, April stats, upcoming KBD.NEWS scholarship(?), etc.
Weekly keyboard art
If you want to touch, taste, lick it — it’s definitely art. Nekoka's YKN keycaps printed in MJF PA12 Natural with stone-like texture posted by @tsnd (source).