New Ultra Compact F62 (modelfkeyboards)

Stu42

20 Sep 2022, 03:12

As my first post on DT, just wanted to share a photo of my new Ultra Compact F62 with the SCUMNC layout.

I'm pretty new to this site but I haven't found any photos of the Ultra Compact Model F keyboards on this site nor on YouTube so I figured this might be of use to others who are looking for some more photos of this case style beyond what you see on the modelfkeyboards website.
Model_F_Stu_2.jpg
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Also, for anyone considering buying one of these and wondering about the experience...here is my perspective....

TL:DR....had some predictable problems but after following the manual and YouTube videos everything is working great.

Before receiving the kb I'd read the online manual and watched Ellipse's YouTube videos showing how to adjust springs and install keycaps etc so I was prepared to have a few malfunctioning keys. I followed his instructions to re-seat the springs and, with a bit of practice, the process worked fine. Even so, I was surprised at how precisely the springs have to be aligned - with the end located exactly between the 12:00 - 1:00 position - for the keys to register properly.

The other issue I experienced was the error message "AtLibUsbDfu.dll not found” when trying to flash the firmware using the Atmel Flip software but that too was already documented in the online manual. So, that was great to see.

Despite the kb having the SCUMNC switch layout, it came with the standard firmware which doesn't match the intended layout which has the FN key to the left of the shorter spacebar and the arrow keys on the bottom right so I definitely needed to flash the firmware with a new key layout. My other two keyboards are the Ultimate Hacking Keyboard and the Dygma Raise, both 60% boards, and they both have a FN or Mod key where the left thumb sits to provide easy access to the 2nd layer where I have the arrow keys on the home row and Delete as the 2nd function of the Backspace key (among other things). So, having the FN key to the left of the spacebar was an important option for me.

After figuring out the Atmel Flip error, setting up the key layout using QMK and flashing the firmware was pretty straightforward and following Ellipse's YouTube video instructions was very helpful.

Beyond that, I did the Floss Mod to eliminate spring ping and, in an effort to reduce sandpapery friction, I also lubed the top of the spring and the keycap stems, where there is contact with the barrels & spring, using Glorious G-Lube...which is a bit less viscous (and way less expensive) than Krytox 205-g0. The effect of the lube is subtle but noticeable and, I think, worth the effort. I also installed the stabilizers on the 2U and wider keys and lubed the spacebar stabilizer wire where it contacts the clips and I tightened the clips a bit to reduce wobble on the spacebar.

In any case...the effort required for doing all the above is still a lot less than the effort required just to lube a regular set of MX-style switches so...can't complain.

The sound and feel of this keyboard is very unique but satisfying. It's definitely my loudest board and the switches are a bit heavier than I'm used to (I like 45gf springs) but it's very crisp. Also, the spacebar itself feels and sounds great which I wasn't expecting from the videos I watched.

Aside from that, I bought 2 complete sets of keycaps (Korean modern, and Dark Grey) and a set of Blue modifiers so I could mix and match them to provide a bit of variety over the long number of years I expect to have this kb.

Overall...I'm very happy with this board and I salute Ellipse for all of his hard work and dedication to this project and also for his amazing speed in responding to my email inquiries.

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thefarside

20 Sep 2022, 03:36

Welcome to the site! That’s a nice looking and unique layout. Glad you were able to resolve your issues.

Stu42

20 Sep 2022, 18:28

Thanks! Yes...it's a relief everything is working well....particularly given how much everything cost with the extra keycaps, first-aid kit and such.

In relation to the comments I recently read here about product reliability and QC etc....my take on it, from my limited experience, is.....For people who are looking for a traditional shrink-wrap retail experience where you take the product out of the box and plug it in and expect it to work perfectly....this probably isn't the right product for you. But for those who are moderately tech-savvy and like getting hands-on to tweak and, to some extent, personalize the kb, then....based on my experience....it seems like a good quality product.

I've only had it for about a week now so I'm far from being able to comment on the long-term reliability of it. Also, I only ordered it 3 months ago so, presumably, I've avoided some of the teething problems from the earlier revisions and what not.

That said, it seems there are some ongoing teething problems and I may have avoided a big problem by not flashing the Via firmware on the board if the provided Via firmware files are not actually compatible with the current controller board....which would definitely be a significant concern. I'm not a huge fan of Via in any case as I found the "searching for devices" process a bit finicky and unreliable when using it with my daughter's Keychron Q2 whereas using QMK online was very easy and super reliable.

Like most things related to this hobby....buying this board is a complete luxury borne out of obsession and god knows many people will spend hours/days/years researching, buying, waiting, lubing, foaming and generally tweaking their keyboards. In my opinion, having to spend a bit of time re-orienting the springs on the Model F so the switches function properly, for instance, is along the same lines as, and is actually an easier experience than, fully taking apart, lubing and re-assembling a bunch of Cherry MX-style switches.

The Model F certainly has its unique problems to solve compared to your standard MX style keyboards so there is a learning curve. For instance, I was initially experiencing some extreme chatter on a few keys and my immediate thought was "Oh no....is this keyboard going to be a nightmare?" But I suspect that was just another example of the springs not being oriented properly as the chattering problem seems to have completely gone away since I finished my initial tweaking. There may be other reasons for it. Someone mentioned a case of too much flux on the logic board as a culprit...which is certainly an esoteric and more concerning kind of problem.

Also, I'd say that, before buying this kb, it would be important to read through the manual to some extent so you understand the requirements and have the proper expectations. If you buy the board and then ask why you have to stand the keyboard on its end, spacebar up, in order to install the keycaps....and this requirement offends or upsets you....then I'd say that you're not really the target buyer for this kb. That would be like buying a manual transmission car and then being upset about having to hold in the clutch to put the car in gear. There are certain things that just come with the territory and doing a bit of research before purchase is fairly important here.

For a one-man show....I give a lot of props to Ellipse for all of the work he's done to bring this project to life. I can't imagine how much time and effort it has required.

Stu42

21 Sep 2022, 00:56

I noticed in another thread that some other new Model F buyers were sharing their switch layouts so I figured I'd do the same in case it's of interest. My primary interest was to make the layout on this kb to be similar to my other 60% boards so I don't have to struggle too much when switching between them.

Inspired by some of the layouts you guys have posted, I'll probably update this in the near future. I could see a use for having mouse keys, for instance. That might be pretty handy.

Layer 0 - this is slightly modified from the SCUMNC layout as originally designed.
- In particular, I moved the FN key to be directly to the left of the Spacebar to be similar to my other keyboards
- I reversed the CTRL and Caps Lock keys so they're in their standard locations
- I also reversed the arrow up and down location to be similar to the Vi editor layout which makes more sense to me
- The arrow keys on this layer generally only get used when I'm sitting back and reading or cycling through photos or something like that

Layer 0.png
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Layer 1 -
- The main thing I use here is the arrow keys which I've mapped to be similar to the Vi editor
- Delete, Home and End are also handy

Layer 1.png
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