Hand-wired portable keyboard for phone from cherry ML switch

[weniwe]

I had a cherry g84 board (cherry ml switch) but I’ve rarely used. And I had a free weekend so I decided to turn it into a portable keyboard for my phone.
Desoldered the switches and glued 38 switches together:

And soldered the diodes (10 columns and 4 rows):

Then connected to an Arduino pro micro and flashed the firmware (I used qmk firmware):


Cut the kecaps (still need some work with the polishing):

I put some polyester resin on the top to make it more comfortable to type on (later I would use colors for the resin).
Here is the picture comparing to my Noppoo mini choc and my DIY bluetooth 33-keys board:

and of course with the phone:

I am quite happy with the result and thinking of making a case for it (maybe use the Bluefruit EZ for Bluetooth if I still could manage to put everything together in an acceptably small form).

PS: Many thanks to matt3o for the instruction

[Stabilized]

BTW all your picture links are broken, you need to use the direct link to the image (the one that ends in .jpg).

Even though I can't see it, it sounds really good!

[weniwe]

I've fixed the links, thanks.

[scottc]

Ooh, very cool! I like this a lot. I might try something like this at some point.

[MrBishop]

This might give me ideas for my ml switch board I don't use. Nice project

sent from my chess board

[weniwe]

I used polymer clay to make a prototype for the case and keycaps. It is surprisingly durable. I've been using it for a week now.





After getting used to the keyboard, I find it quite comfortable to type on . Actually, in my opinion, ML switch feels much better with small keycaps, because it is always pushed at the center.

I will refine the case and kecaps soon.

[MrBishop]

thats really cool. are you typing with your thumbs or using all your fingers like traditional typing? action video would be awesome. sweet project. i want to do something with ML switches or clones soon but i'm being lazy. and i have a million other projects going on but this gives me inspiration!.

[CeeSA]

I like it! Very good work. What Layout do you use?

[weniwe]

Thank you all for your interest.

@MrBishop: Thank for your comment, I made a short video (I can't type fast in English , normaly it is a little faster in my native language). Hope to your project soon .
(btw, something like the Textblade keyboard would be cool )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN00qMz ... e=youtu.be


@CeeSA:
Here is the layout I'm using (still testing, I mainly use it for chatting):

Code: Select all

    [0] = { /* Base */
        {KC_Q,          KC_W,           KC_E,    KC_R,    KC_T,           KC_Y,    KC_U,    KC_I,    KC_O,                  KC_P},
        {KC_A,          KC_S,           KC_D,    KC_F,    KC_G,           KC_H,    KC_J,    KC_K,    KC_L,                  KC_BSPC },
        {OSM(MOD_LSFT), KC_Z,           KC_X,    KC_C,    KC_V,           KC_B,    KC_N,    KC_M,    KC_COMM,               KC_RSFT},
        {KC_NO,         OSM(MOD_LCTL),  TG(1),   OSL(1),  KC_LALT,        OSL(2),  KC_SPC,  TG(3),   MT(MOD_LGUI, KC_TAB),  KC_NO}  
},
                

    [1] = { /* Base */
        {KC_VOLU,    KC_1,     KC_2,     KC_3,      KC_SCLN,          KC_QUOT,    KC_MINS,    KC_EQL,     KC_UP,      KC_DELT},
        {KC_VOLD,    KC_4,     KC_5,     KC_6,      KC_ESC,           KC_LBRC,    KC_RBRC,    KC_LEFT,    KC_DOWN,    KC_RIGHT },
        {KC_MUTE,    KC_7,     KC_8,     KC_9,      KC_0,             KC_GRV,     KC_BSLS,    KC_SLSH,    KC_DOT,     KC_CAPS},
        {KC_NO,      KC_TRNS,  KC_TRNS,  KC_TRNS,   LALT(KC_TAB),     KC_TRNS,     KC_ENT,    KC_TRNS,    KC_LGUI,    KC_NO}
},
    [2] = { /* Base */
        {KC_MNXT,    KC_EXLM,  KC_AT,      KC_HASH,    KC_COLN,    KC_DQUO,    KC_UNDS,    KC_PLUS,    KC_PGUP,    KC_ESC},
        {KC_MPRV,    KC_DLR,   KC_PERC,    KC_CIRC,    KC_TRNS,    KC_LCBR,    KC_RCBR,    KC_HOME,    KC_PGDN,    KC_END},
        {KC_MPLY,    KC_AMPR,  KC_ASTR,    KC_LPRN,    KC_RPRN,    KC_TILD,    KC_PIPE,    KC_QUES,    KC_DOT,     KC_ENT},
        {KC_NO,      KC_TRNS,  KC_TRNS,    KC_TRNS,    KC_TRNS,    KC_TRNS,    KC_TRNS,    KC_TRNS,    KC_TRNS,    KC_NO}
},[/size]