Instructions for making a 60% keyboard with an abbreviated navigation cluster.
- A keycap is the part of the key that the user touches. It is non-mechanical, it is just a piece of plastic. It sits on top of a switch.
- A switch is the electro-mechanical component that, when compressed, makes an electronic connection.
- Switches are wired to a controller, which aggregates keypress info and tells the target device (e.g. Macbook Pro) what to do over USB.
- Switches sit on either a PCB or a piece of metal.
- The PCB or piece of metal sits inside a case.
- Female USB connector
- 1n4148 diodes, one per switch
- 22 AWG solid core wire for connecting things
- Wire cutters
- Soldering iron and solder
Cherry MX Black switches and spec sheet
Stabilizer clips, two for each stabilized key.
Stabilizer springs, one for each stabilized key. For 2x keys and for the spacebar).
Stabilizer inserts, two for each stabilized key.
1n4148 diodes, one for each switch.
Soldering vaccuum for mistakes.
Keycaps physically interface with its underlying switch at the keycap mount. Only keycaps and switches with compatible keycap mounts can be used together.
13x1 (` to =) + 2 (backspace) = 15
1.5x1 (tab) + 12x1 (q to ]) + 1.5x1 ()
1.75x1 (caps lock) + 11x1 (a to ') + 2.25 (enter)
2.25x1 (shift) + 10x1 (z to /) + 2.75x1 (shift)
1.25x3 (fn to alt) + 6.25 (space) + 1.25x4 (alt to ctrl)
The Teensy 2.0 is a USB-based microcontroller commonly used in the mechanical keyboard community. Pin layout for various Teensy models.
The Signal Charts section here hints at the controller's interpretation of a wired keyboard matrix to deduce which key is being pressed.
tmk_keyboard - keyboard controller firmware for Atmel AVR USB family.
How to build your very own keyboard firmware lays out how to use TMK with Teensy.
Laser Cutting Acrylic in NYC
The cutout area should be .551" squared for each key with 0.19678572" space in between
matt3o posted verbosely about his process making a keyboard. He writes high-level about the component parts, shared his finalized layout (in DWG format), placing switches and wiring the matrix, wiring the controller.
Build your very own PC keyboard, Matteo Spinelli - high-level introduction to components.
Reddit So... I want to make my own keyboard - Reddit article with link drops
r/MechanicalKeyboards' overwhelming link drop
Find a workspace. Need newspaper for a surface.
Design the top plate. What tool should we design with? Illustrator, AutoCAD.
We need to get the schematic for the Cherry MX switches to figure out what shape of hole to cut into the plates. We also need to take into account the size of the keycaps.
Lars has a laser cutter at his work that accepts SVGs.
Get the top plate cut. What material should we use? Acrylic?
Where should we print it? http://nyclasercut.com/ ?
Design the case
Where should we get the case made?
We need to make sure to cover the inner bottom of the case with non-conductive material.
Get the case cut
How do we attach the switches to the top plate?
Follow this step by step re: diodes and wires http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/brownfox-step-by-step-t6050.html
How a matrix works and why were using diodes
Bend the diodes en masse
Solder the diodes to the switches in a matrix fashion
Firmware
Read this: http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/how-to-build-your-very-own-keyboard-firmware-t7177.html
What do we need to do to hasu's code?
Building a custom Phantom keyboard
Attaching a keycap with stabilizer inserts to the stabilizer spring at 11:10
Edit DWG files with Draftsight
Custom Waterjet vendor - seems too inaccurate of a process though.
Maybe a company like this I can design stuff and make them make it http://www.protolabs.com/
I should just draw a keyboad in Sketch Up and then send it to proto labs https://uploads.protolabs.com/PartUpload-MultiPart.aspx?LinkFrom=FC
I'll wait to hear back about others experiences because I have no idea where to start with getting a plastic mold made http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/making-a-custom-keyboard-case-out-of-plastic-t11278.html
Maybe these dudes - http://www.toollessplasticenclosures.com/
Manufacturers that might be able to help:
Papp Plastics
Order a piece of plastic Mcmaster-carr pastics car and go to a waterjet shop machine shop
There are lots of manufacturers you can use. For example, RpProto, you just need to upload your 3D (CAD) file and they will make it and send it to you. It looks like they use the process of Urethane Casting.