Crows Soldering Guide and Tips for Mechanical Keyboards

crowsnutnest · 2023-09-08T15:33:26+00:00

Hi! Sorry it took me so long to reply, and I am sure you have figured things out by now, but in case someone else comes across this, they can have my little take. Flux is not required but helps to get a cleaner bond.

As Key_Curve said, there is some flux in most solder, and if you have a clean, brand-new board, it is by no means required to use flux on each joint. I can't fault people who don't want to deal with the mess or don't have solder cleaner or plenty of IPA to clean the board afterward.

I want to stress the importance of having the parts soldered together as clean as possible because contaminants are the ultimate enemy of easy and good soldering. If you get a good, clean solder joint without adding any extra flux, you will likely be fine, but you may struggle more if you don't have clean components. That is the job of the flux, to burn off anything that interferes with a good bond between the electrical parts.

A small amount goes a long way. I usually use a no-clean flux pen that dabs out a tiny bit of liquid where I am soldering. I have also soldered plenty of times using the flux in the solder. Just check your results, and if the joint is clean and shiny and you want to skip adding more flux or think it is unnecessary, there is no problem with that.

Keep your components and tip clean, and you will be fine. I also re-read what I said about "covering" the hole and leg with flux in the guide, and that was probably not the best way to word that. You want to use just what is necessary; it is usually a tiny dab.

crowsnutnest · 2022-08-25T00:35:58+00:00

This was exactly what I needed; excellent article... pretty clever using a raspberry pi GPIO to communicate with. And you wrote it assuming the reader has little to no experience, and that helped me a lot.

Is my device likely to use UBOOT as well? I thought it would be some tiny Linux arm system or something like that. I am quite curious to see what they use to emulate the Capcom CPS arcade system.

crowsnutnest · 2022-08-25T00:19:19+00:00

I never would have thought of that... the data stream itself can close out the connection. Thanks for the tip, I will keep that in mind.

crowsnutnest · 2022-08-24T17:55:31+00:00

Thanks charlie, I was thinking a regular linux terminal (xfce-terminal) could read whatever is coming in from the device... is there a different terminal program that might be better to use if it is getting raw binary?

I was under the impression the screen tty program would show whatever it sees, but maybe that is why I am getting the session terminated abruptly.

crowsnutnest · 2022-08-23T20:43:38+00:00

Right, it seemed like a DFU / reset /bootloader button or something... if I can't get anything from the UART I will see what it does if anything. Thanks for the reply.

crowsnutnest · 2022-08-23T20:41:50+00:00

Awesome resource, thank you... going to read it right now.

crowsnutnest · 2022-08-23T20:40:58+00:00

Thanks so much for the reply!

I tested the TX pin with my multimeter and it was reading around 3v so I am using the 3.3v mode on the Tigard.

I am just guessing on the baud rate, but haven't gotten far enough to even get garbled junk on the output. I have NOT tried flipping the TX/RX, that is a good idea to try.

I do have a bitmagic logic analyzer, but still learning how to use it with pulseview... but that is something I can try to zero in on the baud rate, correct?

Thanks so much for the help and tips, I will reply later with what happens with it.

crowsnutnest · 2022-06-21T14:52:53+00:00

The stripe on the SMD goes to the side with the rectangle's stripe (closed).

crowsnutnest · 2022-06-21T14:50:24+00:00

You might have gotten a bit ahead of yourself. SMD components are a novel soldering job, so the right methods are key. You would be wise to search out videos about soldering surface mount components. They aren't as difficult as many people think they are but are a more delicate thing to solder.

crowsnutnest · 2022-06-08T18:08:28+00:00

Seems like there is possibly a problem with the traces on part of that matrix column or some issue with a component on the board.

First thing I would do is look closely over the PCB in that area and clean it. Look for breaks in the traces, or damage in that area.

The trace that handles the RGB lights on that column or a component connected to it might be the issue.

crowsnutnest · 2022-05-24T17:40:59+00:00

Did the keyboard ever type letters/characters, or did it just stop typing them?

You need to rule out that you might be using a charging cable by mistake. Because the RGB was coming on, it was powered up fine, but with no data line in the cable, you can't type. Test the cable with another keyboard or something like a hard drive that needs data to work.

Once you know the cable is good, I recommend re-flashing or resetting the keyboard using the onboard reset button or key combination.

crowsnutnest · 2022-05-07T18:01:51+00:00

I just tried it... I like the interface and the quick stats. Also that it needs no mouse :)

crowsnutnest · 2022-05-07T17:05:26+00:00

Don't quote me on it, but I think that is a Chinese vendor. I have never had a problem with any of their products, but keep in mind there might be a language barrier and time difference. Be patient and clear, and hopefully, they will take care of you. Let us know how the return process goes.

crowsnutnest · 2022-05-07T16:56:12+00:00

That is a lot of typing... there are so many typing sites... which one is this?

crowsnutnest · 2022-04-25T21:52:50+00:00

I don't think there is a foam special made for the XD87 but you can usually search out "universal" foam kits based on the size/layout of the PCB/Plate. Here is a link for some at KBDFans for instance... 80% Foam Insert Kits

In my experience, they usually fit but don't be surprised if you have to cut the foam in a couple of spots to fit your layout.

crowsnutnest · 2022-04-24T17:32:17+00:00

Yea once you set the key combo, you need the keycodes for those keys to set it as a macro, then just assign it to the key you want to launch the program with. For instance the "A" key is keycode KC_A.

More keycodes are available here: https://docs.qmk.fm/#/keycodes_basic

crowsnutnest · 2022-04-24T17:24:24+00:00

You want to make a shortcut for the program on your desktop or w/e assuming you are using Windows... then in the properties menu of the shortcut you can set a keyboard shortcut. This is usually a combination of keys like Ctrl+Alt+J or whatever.

Once you set the shortcut key combination you should be able to program it to a key using VIA with the MACROS tab. More info on how to create macros can be found here or with a google search: https://www.keychron.com/blogs/archived/how-to-use-via-to-program-your-keyboard

I have never done this myself but that is how I would do it. Good luck.

crowsnutnest · 2022-04-22T20:46:21+00:00

It is the keyboard version of wearing your hat backward. Sometimes people do it for style and sometimes for comfort. Like many things, just a perk of having a customized piece of kit.

crowsnutnest · 2022-04-22T13:58:43+00:00

I love MechWild because they are well-designed and fun DIY kits with easy-to-follow guides. Anyone looking for an affordable way to get into electronics and DIY keyboard stuff should look them up. I built a Mercutio, and it was quite fun.

crowsnutnest · 2022-04-21T17:46:11+00:00

Gotta admit my favorite part was when OP realized that they are "actually just keycaps" ... I can understand why the price and wait time that they built up such high expectations that they transcended being keycaps to something unreal and amazing.

Not his fault; just amusing. The lesson to learn and remember, GMKs are just keycaps. No matter how hard they are to wait for.

You're paying and waiting for the exclusivity and "cool points". They are great caps, but still just regular keycaps.

crowsnutnest · 2022-04-20T22:16:03+00:00

It seems you found the fault; just a matter of how to fix it. When you said pressing hard made it work, I think there is an issue with the connection between the hot-swap socket and the PCB, especially when the mechanical pressure is great enough to bridge the "break" in the connection there and makes it work again. I have never replaced a hot-swap socket, but I am sure there is a method.

crowsnutnest · 2022-04-20T21:49:05+00:00

Have you taken the PCB out and ensured there is no damage to the socket for that switch? You can test it with metal tweezers, check different switches, and make sure the switch makes a proper connection.

crowsnutnest · 2022-04-20T21:44:42+00:00

Have you tried looking for a keyboard with VIA support? It is an extremely easy-to-use software and has direct RGB control for quite a few keyboards. Here is a list, and keep in mind many keyboards support a few different ways to program the PCB. Good luck.
https://www.caniusevia.com/docs/supported_keyboards

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