Phantom Custom Keyboard Group Buy (CLOSED)

dirge · 30 Jun 2012, 21:45

I think another PCB only round would be a good idea.

If only to prevent phantom kit reselling at a higher price when they arrive

damorgue · 30 Jun 2012, 21:52

I think I have managed to collect enough extra leftover parts from different ppl to actually make a board, at least the important parts. Keep your offers coming, they are greatly appreciated.

bpiphany · 30 Jun 2012, 22:43

If we reach at least 20 PCBs for another order it makes sense to do it looking at the cost. I'm not involved in getting any plates or switches though. PCBs I could probably administer to ship off myself.

dirge · 01 Jul 2012, 00:13

You know what I mean, avoiding a phantom price gouge after the first batch would be a good thing.

Also you're design is great bud, can't wait to get it on the desk.

scope2k · 01 Jul 2012, 01:30

Great idea - I would be in with at least 2 7Bit PCBs! Wouldn't mind getting plates for them too ^^

bpiphany · 01 Jul 2012, 06:36

The PCBs are all the same. That is part of why it is so simple doing more of them =) Diodes are cheap, Teensys available, and switches are at least possible to get for each and everyone as well. Plates are perhaps the trickiest part.

mkawa · 01 Jul 2012, 08:03

Spoiler:

i have an idea. pm incoming prins

litster · 01 Jul 2012, 08:14

mkawa wrote:i have an idea. pm incoming prins

uhoh...

dirge · 01 Jul 2012, 08:16

litster wrote: uhoh...

You worried there may be more metal bending on the horizon? ;p

litster · 01 Jul 2012, 08:39

hehe, I will be happy when the phantom group buy is done.

dirge · 01 Jul 2012, 08:58

Ill bet, you put together the biggest and best project across these communities. I'm sure there'll be some pride felt when the happy posts and pictures of builds come in.

dorkvader · 01 Jul 2012, 21:33

PrinsValium wrote:The PCBs are all the same. That is part of why it is so simple doing more of them =) Diodes are cheap, Teensys available, and switches are at least possible to get for each and everyone as well. Plates are perhaps the trickiest part.

That's why I got two.

Also, I figured if I really wanted to populate both, there'd be either another PCB GB, or I'd do it like LowPoly's apple mod. Now I just need some paper and epoxy for a sweet and durable case.

mkawa · 01 Jul 2012, 23:23

litster wrote:
mkawa wrote:i have an idea. pm incoming prins
uhoh...

no no, nothing crazy. was just thinking that we might be able to have frontpanelexpress produce some batches in smaller but still reasonably price quantities. i'm not sure what their pricing is on stamped shapes though.

agor · 05 Jul 2012, 17:44

I'm worried of getting no case

Would have loved that Swede alu case.. damn

dirge · 05 Jul 2012, 17:48

I do hope swede shows his face, but there'll be plenty of DIY cases when the kits arrive bud

You just need to copy litsters cardboard case and swap that for acrylic and some screws. A bit hard work will have something pretty good.

sad_destroyer · 05 Jul 2012, 22:49

This is really cool, but is it closed for sure? I want to make a keyboard pretty badly.

bpiphany · 06 Jul 2012, 13:20

I need to have my Phantoms...

Prototyping firmware, I added a timer interrupt to handle de-bouncing. That made the scan rate increase by a factor 10. After that I did some more cleaning up and increased it by a factor 2 more. It is currently at 2kHz =) I also learned, again, that I really know very little of c-programming... So there should be plenty of room for improvements =D This is when no keys are being pressed of course. Pressing keys calls other parts of the code and takes some extra work. Measuring the scan rate in use is a lot harder. To start with you'd have to define what use and scan rate means. Now I am simply checking the frequency of the scanning with an oscilloscope connected to one of the columns.

: Prototyping firmware; phantomproto.JPG (313.12 KiB) Viewed 4596 times

New soldering tips that want to see some use...

: Weller soldering tips; tips.jpg (291.21 KiB) Viewed 4596 times

: Weller soldering tips close-up, 0.8x0.4mm, 1.2x0.4mm, 2.0x0.4mm, and a "gull wing" tip for drag soldering.; closeup.jpg (272.33 KiB) Viewed 4596 times

7bit · 06 Jul 2012, 13:29

The first one would make a great header image:

bpiphany · 06 Jul 2012, 13:44

I could probably have improved on image disposition, if I had known it would need to be that wide...

protowide.JPG

7bit · 06 Jul 2012, 13:56

Where do you see distortion?

bpiphany · 06 Jul 2012, 14:03

7bit wrote:Where do you see distortion?

I may have translated a Swedish term to literally, but I refer to no.1.

Edit: Actually I think composition is the term that should be used in Swedish as well.. =)

off · 06 Jul 2012, 14:22

PrinsValium wrote:New soldering tips that want to see some use...
tips.jpg

How awesome, 'mini-jack' plugs for quick-swap soldering tips!

bpiphany · 06 Jul 2012, 14:27

off wrote:How awesome, 'mini-jack' plugs for quick-swap soldering tips!

I dug deep into my wallet and got one of these. Better to be sorry once... Hot swappable tips, literally. But yes, I wonder if it would tell me something interesting if I tapped into it with a set of earphones...

: WD1000M.jpg (22.16 KiB) Viewed 4591 times

off · 06 Jul 2012, 14:35

PrinsValium wrote:I wonder if it would tell me something interesting if I tapped into it with a set of earphones...

I'd bet it'd tell you exactly how hot molten plastic feels when swooshed around in your ear canals...

bpiphany · 06 Jul 2012, 21:17