Group Build prototyping phase

[matt3o]

yes, ISO is an option.

I don't know yet about pricing.

[hong.aaron.c]

almost there!

Looking great! Will there be any options for getting something to fill the gap between the top and bottom plates? Maybe an acrylic or wood middle piece?

[matt3o]

ok let's try one more time: the gap is optional! there will be a version of the plate without it.

[hong.aaron.c]

ok let's try one more time: the gap is optional! there will be a version of the plate without it.

Oh, I meant the gap between the top and bottom plates themselves, not the gap in the bottom row between the right CTRL key and the left arrow key. Or is that what you were talking about?

[matt3o]

ok let's try one more time: the gap is optional! there will be a version of the plate without it.

Oh, I meant the gap between the top and bottom plates themselves, not the gap in the bottom row between the right CTRL key and the left arrow key. Or is that what you were talking about?

oh sorry when I read gap I assumed the arrow cluster, but I was just hasty reading

there's no gap between the plates. I mean there's a layer of polycarbonate between them.

[pyrelink]

Just curious, now that this seems to have turned into quite the complete package, with the Kiibohd firmware, keycaps, pcb, plate, etc. Is this going to be run and fulfilled by you, or is this going to be turned into a Massdrop package?

[matt3o]

more sneak previews. now with LEDs

[SL89]

let there be light

[rsbseb]

Nice!

[matt3o]

sorry guys, this is taking forever. But we are almost there. I promise

[M1K3L08]

Any ETA on when we can purchase the kit?

[scottc]

I love the little fox logo, matt3o. Cute!

There's no rush. Take your time.

One thing: I can never find the post with the actual layouts when looking through this thread. Would you mind editing the OP to link to that post?

Edit: this one!

[matt3o]

Finally! I should be receiving a couple of prototypes next week!

Just as a reminder the GB will include:
- PCB (white!)
- Alu Plates (with countersunk screws)
- Case (polycarb)
- Feet
- Stabs (costar)
- PBT/dyesub kycaps (if you want them)
- blue LED (if you want them)

[scottc]

Oh man oh man oh man... I'm so excited!

[matt3o]

Another sneak peak. These are still the protos, the final PCB will be white (at least... I'll try)

[SL89]

Dat case.

[M1K3L08]

Wow :O

[gianni]

Costar stabilizers???
What?
Is there hope for version with cherry stabilizers?

[matt3o]

cherry stabs are noob

We could make the plate compatible with cherry stab too, that wouldn't be a big issue... but there needs to be a huge demand for that.

[lolpes]

The case may look great now that I look a bit more but at first all I could think off was a food tray xD

[gianni]

OMG I've read many pages without even thinking of the stabs. Are all the keycaps compatible with costars? It seems that ticker keycaps have so many issues with costars. On geekhack nobody seems to like them. Even less on Reddit.

This should be really added to the OP.

I think that adding compatibility with pcb mounted stabilizers could boost your sales.

[matt3o]

On geekhack nobody seems to like them.

This is simply untrue. (can't link to GH lengthy discussion about it right now because the site is down)

Even less on Reddit.

this simply doesn't matter.

I think that adding compatibility with pcb mounted stabilizers could boost your sales.

if you look closer the PCB is cherry stabs compatible. For custom keyboards costar are in my experience superior, that's why I pick them. I wouldn't choose anything that is not the highest quality.

[Findecanor]

We could make the plate compatible with cherry stab too, that wouldn't be a big issue... but there needs to be a huge demand for that.

Now you confuse me...

The plate design above looks like it has universal support for both Costar and Cherry plate-mounted stabilisers.
The PCB looks like it has support for Cherry PCB-mounted stabilisers, that need to be either without plate or have pretty large holes in the plate - thus making it incompatible with either kind of plate-mounted stabilisers.
If you want such large holes, it is not that difficult to enlarge the holes with a set of files. (BTW, I hand-filed a couple of Cherry plate-stabilisers into an alu plate today).

BTW, have you double-checked that all Cherry stabs do work with the PCB? One easy error is to place a component in the way for the stabiliser bar. It is easy to think that the "the stabilisers are plate-mounted so they are not in the way", but it is not so.
BTW 2. I think that Costar stabilisers are inferior to ... *drumroll* Monterey stabilisers. Uses tiny Alps clips in the plate that cover it so that no dust can fall through. Costar stabiliser inserts. Custom size of stabiliser bars though, but which are not kinked.

[pasph]

Pcb mounted stabs are needed only to feed some korean friend of the friends

[gianni]

Pcb mounted stabs are needed only to feed some korean friend of the friends

Isn't it easier to replace pcb mounted stabs? Also the feeling should be very similar.

[Findecanor]

Those Korean keyboards use PCB-mounted stabilisers and a plate. With a plate and either type of Cherry stabiliser, the stabilised switch is in the way for moving the wire.
The advantage of doing it the Korean way is that the keyboard design could have one universal plate that would support lots of layout options.

[matt3o]

Sorry guys I was just vomiting information, the thread is 51 pages long now and it's hard to keep up with all the updates. I promise I will post a sum up as soon as I get the prototypes (that should be in few days).

The PCB has holes for multiple PCB mounted Cherry stabs. With the prototypes at hand I will know if everything works as expected (ie: the stab wire doesn't hit SMD components). That being said, the provided plate will (should) have holes for costar stabs only.

The case and keyboard design require a plate. You can't use my case without a plate. The plate is part of the case design. So PCB mounted switches and PCB mounted stabs are something we added just because it was easy to do and if you really want you could just pick the PCB and build your own case.

We could add universal stab holes to the plate but that is something that I don't like much and it is actually uneeded since we have some perfectly working wonderful stabs (costar) that need just two tiny holes (I like alps stabs, but that's really not an option).

The plate is not universal, each plate supports just 1 layout. I don't know yet how many layouts we will support. Probably in the range of 4 but I will provide DXF files you could use to laser cut any possible layout the PCB supports.

Hope things are a little clearer now.

[flipjsio]

Hi Matt3o, do you think this is possible with your pcb?

http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/# ... 4bb9781b8a

[Muirium]

Not bad that. 65% layouts are tough, and that one gets it mostly right to my eye.

The Up arrow where my fingers know Fn should be… well that would drive me nuts in half a second or so. But I'm a 60% man so this is not for me!

[pyrelink]

I like that one a good bit as well. I would probably make that backslash, a backspace. Even more so then a short right shift and FN, its the HHKB backspace that I miss the most on other keyboards. Besides a symmetry with the Tab key, I have never understood the size of that stupid key.