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PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 29 Apr 2019, 04:08
by Drclick
Hello guys. Some people are very interested in my new PingJunior build, so I decided to start a new topic here.

I have a Pingmaster keyboard that I get from eBay, this keyboard is really awesome, smooth switches and thick doubleshot caps. But it's too big for me so I made a custom pcb to turn it into a 60% case.
I used FR-4 plate so it's pingless, not sure what will happen if you use other metal plates.

My final HHKB layout build:
Image

tuPAjCT.jpg
tuPAjCT.jpg (924.59 KiB) Viewed 17886 times
Image


ALPS_SKCC.kicad_mod:

Code: Select all

(module ALPS_SKCC (layer F.Cu) (tedit 5CEFFCBE)
  (fp_text reference K** (at 0 0.5) (layer F.SilkS)
    (effects (font (size 1 1) (thickness 0.15)))
  )
  (fp_text value ALPS_SKCC (at 0 -0.5) (layer F.Fab)
    (effects (font (size 1 1) (thickness 0.15)))
  )
  (fp_line (start -7 -7) (end -7 7) (layer F.SilkS) (width 0.15))
  (fp_line (start 7 -7) (end 7 7) (layer F.SilkS) (width 0.15))
  (fp_line (start -7 7) (end 7 7) (layer F.SilkS) (width 0.15))
  (fp_line (start -7 -7) (end 7 -7) (layer F.SilkS) (width 0.15))
  (pad 1 thru_hole circle (at -2.5 -2.5) (size 2.5 2.5) (drill 1.5) (layers *.Cu *.Mask F.SilkS))
  (pad 2 thru_hole circle (at 2.5 -3) (size 2.5 2.5) (drill 1.5) (layers *.Cu *.Mask F.SilkS))
)
Plate file:
pingjunior_plate.zip
(73.11 KiB) Downloaded 350 times

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 29 Apr 2019, 04:08
by Drclick
And answer some questions here:
scottc wrote:
27 Apr 2019, 18:50
Do you plan to run a GB or open-source the schematics or something? :)
I don't want to run a GB because price of pcb+plate is about $20, but shipping fee will be more than $30 from China. That's really weird.
So I will put them on TaoBao, maybe find a proxy can save your money.
And this PCB not only support SKCC, but also SKCM/L and Omron B3G-S. Too many holes there and I designed the PCB in a rough way, schematics looks like shit. I will share some footprints and plate files.
Spoiler:
Image
zrrion wrote:
27 Apr 2019, 21:19
Support 1.5, 1, 1.5 on the right of the spacebar would be cool too.
1.5, 1, 1.5 and 1.5, 2.5 can use the same plate.
the_ambyguous wrote:
28 Apr 2019, 06:39
also, do you notice much of a difference between NOS from tao vs the NOS switches in the pingmaster?
They are pretty much the same. But 1/10 of NOS switches are a little bit sandy, might need lube.
Another thing is I rotate the switches by 90 degrees (like Apple m0110), they could be a bit smoother.

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 29 Apr 2019, 04:12
by Drclick
Image

Image

Image

The omron prototype, JIS layout :D

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 29 Apr 2019, 18:19
by abrahamstechnology
Wow, great work!
Do the Alps stabilizers have enough clearance from the B3G-S switches?

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 29 Apr 2019, 18:59
by Sup
Man that looks so sick!

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 30 Apr 2019, 00:17
by clickityClackity
Hell yes, very cool! Would def pick a PCB/plate up if you link them. Standard 60% case compatible?

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 02 May 2019, 21:50
by Drclick
abrahamstechnology wrote:
29 Apr 2019, 18:19
Wow, great work!
Do the Alps stabilizers have enough clearance from the B3G-S switches?
They are running smoothly, my few keys are overly thick for B3G-S (F, J, Spacebars). Most of alps caps should be fine.

Image
clickityClackity wrote:
30 Apr 2019, 00:17
Hell yes, very cool! Would def pick a PCB/plate up if you link them. Standard 60% case compatible?

Cases are compatible but SKCC is taller than MX

Image

Image

Image

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 02 May 2019, 23:09
by Excelso
That's simply awesome. That last picture is keyboard porn in it's maximum expresion.

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 03 May 2019, 00:07
by abrahamstechnology
Drclick wrote:
02 May 2019, 21:50
abrahamstechnology wrote:
29 Apr 2019, 18:19
Wow, great work!
Do the Alps stabilizers have enough clearance from the B3G-S switches?
They are running smoothly, my few keys are overly thick for B3G-S (F, J, Spacebars). Most of alps caps should be fine.
Good, Tai-Hao caps would fit (except for the spacebar which could use a Cherry plate mount stab)

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 04 May 2019, 04:20
by autoload -Uz
This is an amazing project! I will be eagerly refreshing for that Taobao link and plate file.

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 05 May 2019, 05:08
by depletedvespene
Amazing project, indeed... and it could go quite some way into solving a pet peeve of mine. Allow me to explain before you all think I've gone (again) off the rails.

I really like the pingmaster. But what impedes me from having it as a daily driver is its lack of an F row. I've tried a few workarounds, but none are as comfortable as having the actual F row in its place according to the enhanced layout's design (YMMV). I remember having seen somewhere a dedicated keypad with 15 keys in a single row... I could get one of those and put it on top of the keyboard, but recent experiences with a numpad separate from the main keyboard convinced me that using different switches in one and the other is quite less than ideal (YMMV).

I think the best would be to make a similar keypad/case/PCB as what was described in the above paragraph, but supporting Alps SKCC switches, put on it the switches and caps taken from another pingmaster on it, and then glue/velcro/whatever it on the topside bezel in the desired position. A bit like this (totally sophisticated) illustration:

Pingmaster Sr. - illustration of concept.
Pingmaster Sr. - illustration of concept.
pingmaster-with-add-on-hhhhhhhideous-draft.png (902.18 KiB) Viewed 17930 times

What do you think? Could something like this be workable?

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 05 May 2019, 13:52
by ysyson
depletedvespene wrote:
05 May 2019, 05:08
What do you think? Could something like this be workable?
Maybe something with 10 F keys to the side like a 4704? It will make the keyboard much bigger but it looks very good on the model F. Only problem is that you'll have to use a different set of caps because there is not enough.

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 07 May 2019, 13:40
by Drclick
depletedvespene wrote:
05 May 2019, 05:08
What do you think? Could something like this be workable?
If you use SKCC switches to do it, the top row keys will be really tall. How about Cherry low-profile switches?

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 07 May 2019, 13:44
by depletedvespene
The idea is to use the same kind of switches... or at least other switches that feel close enough for them not to strike the user out of place (YMMV).

If nothing else, I should try to score one of those 1-row keypads, even if they have some cheap-ass Cherry MX clone, to test out the concept and see how it goes.

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 07 May 2019, 14:02
by Drclick
Image

I tested the solenoid using a Xwhatsit solenoid driver and it works great. There is enough space for them in the plastic case.
The new version of PCB will be done very soon.

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 07 May 2019, 14:40
by Sup
Drclick wrote:
29 Apr 2019, 04:12
Image

Image

Image

The omron prototype, JIS layout :D
Those key caps looks super nice. From what board did you harvest those?

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 07 May 2019, 14:46
by Drclick
Sup wrote:
07 May 2019, 14:40
Those key caps looks super nice. From what board did you harvest those?
IBM 5556 Multistation Keyboards :D

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 07 May 2019, 14:59
by depletedvespene
Drclick wrote:
07 May 2019, 14:02
The new version of PCB will be done very soon.
You DO realize that once you've gotten a fully working version of the SKCC PCB, you'll be swamped with requests for versions in other (larger and smaller) layouts, right?

Write me up for a TKL and a 75%, please. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 07 May 2019, 16:01
by Sup
Drclick wrote:
07 May 2019, 14:46
Sup wrote:
07 May 2019, 14:40
Those key caps looks super nice. From what board did you harvest those?
IBM 5556 Multistation Keyboards :D
Oof that's a rare board to find. Let alone the model with the key caps you got.

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 08 May 2019, 13:13
by ramnes
This is so good!

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 10 May 2019, 12:20
by Applet
Wow, such a fun build! Makes me want to do something similar. If you run a GB, count me in!

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 17 May 2019, 15:38
by Wingklip
This looks absolutely insane

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 30 May 2019, 20:24
by Drclick
Updated and they are now available here

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 31 May 2019, 03:08
by vivisepulture
Massively jealous of those multistation caps... Gorgeous. I have an extra Pingmaster so I am monitoring this thread

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 09 Jun 2019, 00:33
by SantiGo
nice thank you ....

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 10 Jun 2019, 20:18
by abrahamstechnology
Do the Omrons work int the SKCC plate? Or do they need a different one?

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 10 Jun 2019, 20:45
by Drclick
abrahamstechnology wrote:
10 Jun 2019, 20:18
Do the Omrons work int the SKCC plate? Or do they need a different one?
They are different, SKCC plate hole size is 14mm but Omron is 13.5mm.

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 11 Jun 2019, 10:27
by scottc
DrClick, I'm about to buy one of these on TaoBao but am curious about one thing. Do I need to buy some microcontroller or is it included on the PCB? The PCB seems too cheap to have all the parts needed but maybe my expectations are wrong.

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 13 Jun 2019, 17:56
by Drclick
All components are soldered, including Atmega32u4 controller. :D

Re: PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

Posted: 13 Jun 2019, 18:01
by scottc
Wow, so cheap! Thanks for the info :D