deskthority

If this is going to be a one-and-done then don't tie yourself into that layout unless you can't imagine a better layout. Replacing the membrane with custom capacitive PCB is cheap relative to the cost of a custom case. My first custom case was done with layered acrylic sheets and cost about $50. I d...

Progress on the aluminum case.

The stabilizer tops were cut a couple of days ago on a brand new Tormach 1100.

The last couple of weeks, I have been working on the 3D model for the case and messaging with CNC vendors. I checked out eMachineShop, Xometry, and Fictiv. All were well outside my budget. The Chinese CNC shops were in budget, but communication, quality, and import tariffs could be a problem. Then i...

Could the kitprog be used for a smaller capacitive keyboard? Something like 4x5 plus maybe one LED?

I call my keyboard layout the Compact Space Saving Keyboard or CSSK because it uses the same key cap set as the original SSK (plus a 1u caps between both Ctrl and Alt set) and does it in a package just 12” x 7” (304 mm x 178 mm). The caps are placed logically near where you expect them to be (except...

green-squid wrote: ↑Hey, great keyboard! I'm impressed with how good it turned out.
Also.. you said 'an idea floated a while back by my friend Lot Lizard'. Is he still OK? Does he plan to return? :)

I have not heard from LL in quite a while. I wish him well and hope he comes back soon.

How much of a difference does the "flat" profile make? Is it weird to type on? Did you try with M2 caps? The first two questions are pretty subjective, so I can only answer as it applies to me. If you have typed on a laptop recently, you have typed on a flat keyboard. I don't have an issue with tha...

Two and a half years ago, I replied to the “post your ideal keyboard layout” thread with this : https://deskthority.net/resources/image/23843 A couple of months ago, I decided to make a CSSK and document how I did it for anyone interested in making a custom Model F. This is that. CSSK4.jpg I decided...

The 60% dark gray samples also arrived and are shown below. I think it's the best we can do to have a legible legend but please let me know what you think. It might be the picture, but the 60% reminds me of the Unicomp Gray and doesn't impress me as much as the 80% did. Any chance we can get a comp...

Mini xwhatsit thread: workshop-f7/a-smaller-xwhatsit-t13479-60.html

I like my Fn key easy to reach, so i put mine at the "Caps Lock" spot (Fn + Shift = Caps Lock).

Only one way to tell. Try it out and let us know.
What thickness and what hardness are you trying?
You want something that will fill 3 mm, but compress to 1 mm.

Nice. Smaller than 1U. It could fit in that space between Esc and F1.
I will see if I can draft a matrix up.
What layout would you like to see? 104, SSK, or something else?

The record for 100 meter sprint has been broken 18 times in the last 50 years. That does not mean that the 100 meter sprint has only been run 18 times. Lots of people run the 100, just maybe not as fast as Usain Bolt. "Because you can't" is no reason not to try. Also, anyone that tells you that the ...

Molds are only good for so many uses and then they wear out. The data for making the molds is what is valuable here. That said, anyone could send some of the original parts to a capable manufacturer and get reproductions. It just requires time and money. There will be more new capacitive buckling sp...

Model M flippers are structurally very different from model F flippers. M flippers are designed to squeeze membranes together so they have a little nub on the bottom. This reduces the contact surface area so that all of the spring force is concentrated into a one or two square mm. F flippers are des...

The connector works very much like pogo pins; soldered on one side and "compression contacts" on the other. Think of the contacts to the sim in a cell phone. You just need something holding the two PCB together (like a top and bottom plate). Alignment is assisted by locator studs on both PCBs. And b...

I have been playing around with a one-piece board-to-board connector from Samtec. The low profile version is just 3mm tall so I am hoping it will work sandwiched between the sense card and top plate. I plan on using the 15x2 version solder side to the controller (compression side on the sense card)....

Zinc costs about $1.50 per pound in bulk. I think that most of the cost of these are in development, labor, and transportation. There is economy of scale with development and labor - not so much with transportation. Another way to put this is "the plastic is cheap, the mold is expensive." Developmen...

This post will help ...
workshop-f7/commonsense-controller-bett ... ml#p392189

Another idea that doesn't require soldering ... add a shim. The original PCB is 0.8 mm and the connector wants 1.6 mm, so just add another 0.8 mm shim and stack it. something like this: Shim.png You can get 3 of these from OshPark for $7.25 delivered. Select the option for "2 oz copper, 0.8mm thickn...

That proto board has a fuse. I thought that was supposed to prevent permanent damage in an over-current situation.

I think a tutorial would be very useful. Cover things like ...

• choosing what pins for sense, signal, ground, and lock LEDs
  where to change the code for your pin choices
  assigning key values

A video tutorial might be easiest to make. Just record it as you do it. OBS Studio.

DMA wrote: ↑Anyone knows how to make a spacebar to be more solid? Those washer retention clips are not ideal.

Maybe a "retaining washer" that would actually grab hold of the barrel. Something like this:

FletchINKy wrote: ↑Whoops, yes, they are not interchangeable, I mean that both controllers could run off the same PCB design. Is that accurate?

if you are asking if both controllers could run the same "key switch PCB", the answer is yes.

Yep, this is a nice group of folks here. If you need anything, i would be happy to help (though i might loose power or internet service starting about Saturday). I too would say go with capacitive sensing as the cost for small run is a LOT cheaper. You can even use Model M barrel frame with model F ...

A very nice job on that font Zed. I have just 3 questions.

• What do you call it?
  Where can i get a copy?
  What license?

Try heat shrink tubing over the spring maybe (not heated-shrunk). If on an F, maybe add something like the rubber sheet used in the M ... Thera-Band (6" wide latex rubber) can be found on ebay sold by the foot. Tan - 4 mil Yellow - 6 mil Red - 8 mil Green - 10 mil Blue - 12 mil Black - 15 mil Silver...

I've done some work with custom membranes. I used InkjetFlex in August 2013. The print quality was awesome (copper on PET substrate) and good 4 mil thickness - close enough to Model M thickness (5 mil bottom, 3 mil top), but they stopped doing "prototype" service in early 2015. Cost was about $50 fo...

.... As for ordering PCBs.. I would really want to see final configuration assembled before ordering the production batch. Tolerances can kill. I'm reasonably sure CS PCB will fit - but Ellipse was also reasonably sure he'll make it quickly either and look at him reinventing the whole process :) I ...

Were tests done with test switches sandwiched between steel back and barrel plates? I would have thought that the effect of the ground trace (25 mil away from the column) would be negligible compared to the effect of the grounded back plate (maybe 5 mil away). Electronics design has change a lot in ...