PingJunior: 60% PingMaster build

User avatar
Drclick

29 Apr 2019, 04:08

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 17882 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
Last edited by Drclick on 30 May 2019, 20:16, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Drclick

29 Apr 2019, 04:08

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.

User avatar
Drclick

29 Apr 2019, 04:12

Image

Image

Image

The omron prototype, JIS layout :D

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abrahamstechnology

29 Apr 2019, 18:19

Wow, great work!
Do the Alps stabilizers have enough clearance from the B3G-S switches?

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Sup

29 Apr 2019, 18:59

Man that looks so sick!

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clickityClackity

30 Apr 2019, 00:17

Hell yes, very cool! Would def pick a PCB/plate up if you link them. Standard 60% case compatible?

User avatar
Drclick

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.

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

Excelso

02 May 2019, 23:09

That's simply awesome. That last picture is keyboard porn in it's maximum expresion.

User avatar
abrahamstechnology

03 May 2019, 00:07

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)

autoload -Uz

04 May 2019, 04:20

This is an amazing project! I will be eagerly refreshing for that Taobao link and plate file.

User avatar
depletedvespene

05 May 2019, 05:08

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 17926 times

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

ysyson

05 May 2019, 13:52

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.

User avatar
Drclick

07 May 2019, 13:40

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?

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depletedvespene

07 May 2019, 13:44

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.

User avatar
Drclick

07 May 2019, 14:02

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.

User avatar
Sup

07 May 2019, 14:40

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?

User avatar
Drclick

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

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depletedvespene

07 May 2019, 14:59

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:

User avatar
Sup

07 May 2019, 16:01

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.

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ramnes
ПБТ НАВСЕГДА

08 May 2019, 13:13

This is so good!

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Applet

10 May 2019, 12:20

Wow, such a fun build! Makes me want to do something similar. If you run a GB, count me in!

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Wingklip

17 May 2019, 15:38

This looks absolutely insane

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Drclick

30 May 2019, 20:24

Updated and they are now available here

vivisepulture

31 May 2019, 03:08

Massively jealous of those multistation caps... Gorgeous. I have an extra Pingmaster so I am monitoring this thread

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SantiGo

09 Jun 2019, 00:33

nice thank you ....

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abrahamstechnology

10 Jun 2019, 20:18

Do the Omrons work int the SKCC plate? Or do they need a different one?

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Drclick

10 Jun 2019, 20:45

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.

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scottc

11 Jun 2019, 10:27

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.

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Drclick

13 Jun 2019, 17:56

All components are soldered, including Atmega32u4 controller. :D

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scottc

13 Jun 2019, 18:01

Wow, so cheap! Thanks for the info :D

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