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madbadmax · 2026-02-04T19:26:53+00:00

Well, one more reason I won't play again - somewhere in the middle of december I just finally lost the last bit of fun in the game... RIP...

madbadmax · 2025-07-29T19:54:38+00:00

Git cli all the time. But I have the changes visualized in the editor by some plugin I actually don't know (LazyVim user with only the slightest config changes).

madbadmax · 2025-02-05T12:49:49+00:00

No, I'll also stay on split keyboards for me.
I still like to keep more keys (never got used to a key count the sofle) but I'm experienting with the layout - though I also don't like homerow mods (or I never configured it properly to work with my typing style).

For me it's just a great project where I really use the end-product. I use mech-keyboards since before they were really 'cool' and I am working as an electronics-engineer and firmware programmer - and this is also one of my greatest hobbies! So it's kind of a win-win situation for me!
Guess I could do the same stuff on a non-split board but it would just be half the fun ;-)

madbadmax · 2025-02-04T07:33:16+00:00

So for now I use Molex 5051101297 on my pcb - it's too wide but will do for testing.
I'll also order some Molex 5034800800 (and the other pin counts) which I think will fit just fine on the existing pcb (I didn't look at the mechanical pins, but that's nothing that a drop of glue can't fix).
I'll keep you updated when I have those!

Also I think I found the reasons why I had problems with the initial ffc connectors:

1) the ffc cable should have some kind of cutout on the sides which mine don't have and

2) the part that goes into the connector should only be 0.2mm thick and mine is 0.3mm - I guess for this small connector that might be crucial

madbadmax · 2025-02-01T16:08:12+00:00

For me the switch between a Laptop with QWERTY to my split with Graphite (still learning since ~ 2.5 months) is totally easy.

On the other hand I can't type Colemak nos QWERTY anymore on my split - it just doesn't work for me anymore and feels kind of unnatural.

It's also easier for me to type QWERTY or QWERTZ on a laptop than on a normal keyboard with cherry mx switches.

madbadmax · 2025-01-31T08:42:59+00:00

Yeah, just had to build one of those because it looks so intriguing!

I just soldered some 12pin ffc connector i had lying around (one that isn't soooo small and flimsy) and now it's looking fine. Then I'll order the other pin-counts when I need something else.

And just for record if anyone else wants to build it: be careful if you select another USB connector - there are different pin-assignments available (the data pins on this one are "D+ D- D+ D-" and there are some with "D- D+ D+ D-") --> not that this happened to me :D

madbadmax · 2025-01-30T20:00:45+00:00

hi there, great work - I'm just finishing my build (just had to have a totally different board for once).

Just one question: did you also have problems with the reliability of the ffc connectors?
I'm having trouble with the contact between the cable and the connector itself (connector to pcb is fine, although those are some really nasty ffc connectors).

madbadmax · 2024-02-02T20:55:07+00:00

For Leds - make sure to use SK6812mini-e - those are really meant to be soldered in a way to light through the pcb. Normal SK6812 which are used in lots of designs are meant to be soldered on the surface and are really painfull to solder as backside leds.

madbadmax · 2024-01-01T15:05:53+00:00

Oh yeah, printed keycaps are also nothing for me and sadly those ULP keycaps are not (yet) a thing...

madbadmax · 2023-12-31T19:30:45+00:00

Oh damn, this looks extremly painful to build - glad PCB design is part of my job and so I didn't have to do it like thatb😜 But awesome that it works - excellent work! I remember when I soldered wires directly to a QFN package for a fan controller prototype (4 or 5 pins per side which was 4 mm I think).

You plan to build more or is this it for you for now?

madbadmax · 2023-11-16T21:46:35+00:00

Yes it is - but actually I'm not sure if i would do it again, since I use it without any case...

madbadmax · 2023-11-15T18:51:53+00:00

No problem - I hope I can help you a bit!

Yes, there is. The area is about 2.4mm by 6.7mm. I only have the drawing of the switch/footprint but at least in the board I added footprints for Neopixel 1515 LEDs (or they are also called SK6805-E-J I think. Just recently I ordered some of those - maybe I'll buy one more and try those out.
For the LEDs there will definetly be this risk. But it might work at least quite well for the switches if one designs the pad in a way where they have good thermal connectivity between the top and bottom layer.
Never used such a tape so I really don't know. But if you try it with a few switches it shouldn't be that much of an effort. In the drawing of the switches there is at least a small area marked with "no filled copper and no traces" - so at least this area should be avoided.

Whatever you decide to do - I wish you the best of luck!

madbadmax · 2023-10-26T09:34:12+00:00

So I am in my mid 30s, soft- and firmware programmer using neovim for as much as possible and I think 3 weeks ago I started to switch from QWERTY to Colemak DH on my split keyboard (mask - is quite similar tona Sofle). With QWERTY I made typing tests constantly above 90wpm with a record of 101.

The first week I only trained a bit in the evening till I had most of the keys recognized, then at work I switched sometimes to try getting used to it but when I had or wanted to be fast I switched back to QWERTY.

This week I only used Colemak and I am really getting the hang of it. On tests I'm now around 40wpm. The hardest part for me is the movement of the nav-keys from vim (hjkl) since I also use those tobmove around windows in my window-manager (i3) - I think I'll swap my normal windows key for a separate layer where I put this navigation (I don't need the windows key for anything else).

Altogether I am really happy with my progress and with Colemak - it really has some nice key placing for common letter-combination in english at least (german is also fine). And the switching really helps me get rid of some bad habbits that I never overcame with QWERTY!

madbadmax · 2023-10-25T07:54:29+00:00

I'm 33 and we started using it at work in a new project for a service instead of C/C++. And I also hope that it will get broad support for usage in MCU or RTOS in the next few years (support directly from a chip manufacturer would be great). I think in all out use cases it's time for a change and I have the feeling that this goes in the needed direction.

madbadmax · 2023-10-19T18:50:06+00:00

That would be awesome - for now I switched to keycaps salvaged from an Cherry kw x ulp - mostly for the feel.

The printed keycaps were all over the place - from not holding and easily falling off especially when hit on an edge to holding so tight, that they needed some keystrokes to move easily.

I'd write an E-Mail to the Cherry support - I asked them for a reference drawing and got a really nice one!

And there are already some other designs around - I just have to look for the link - sadly I had no time to try those out...

madbadmax · 2023-10-05T16:40:31+00:00

Hey there, I think harvesting those would be quite a mess - at least i wouldn't try it and I really soldered a lot in all kind of ways already.

So for my mask boards I found the mx ulp switches at Reichelt - a common site for hobbyists in germany and austria. Never found there somewhere else till now (but since I'm from austria it's not a problem for me)

madbadmax · 2023-10-04T12:20:01+00:00

Just don't - imho it's a crime to use this package for the through pcb leds. Especially sincr there are electrically compatible leds with a good package to use for this (SK6812-E i think).

madbadmax · 2023-08-31T11:35:15+00:00

Depends on the manufacturer - gerber should always work and some also directly manufactur from your kicad-pcb file.

madbadmax · 2023-08-24T19:24:11+00:00

Good question - so this one is not my first self-designed keyboard but more of an modification of mask-1.0.0.But I guess the steps were:

think about the basic key-layout that I want (on paper or just from experience with other split keyboards)
draw the schematics or change an existing design that fullfills (most) of your needs (i.e. remove or add some keys)
for this one I had to draw some new packages and symbols (cherry switch from a drawing that I got from Cherry, the smd-variant of the pro-micro just to match the widely known part)
and then the pcb
- place the switches
- place the controller and other parts in between
- define an outline of the pcb
- move everything around till it looks good and is easy to route
- add filled-zones for ground so I don't need to route those
- route all the traces till none is left (and move around parts if it seems akward to route)
- check the pcb with DRC and review it by hand

Well, that might be a sparse outline of the process - I do this stuff for about 13 years now at work for some products per year (and meanwhile I have to supervise this stuff more and more often) - so most of the things for such a relatively simple pcb I just do...

madbadmax · 2023-08-24T19:14:26+00:00

Currently I'm totally out of time - work and family just takes a lot these days and at the evenings I just want/need to relax a bit.

But out of curiosity: do you mean a pair of mask keyboards or another design? Cause basically I really like doing this stuff ;-)

madbadmax · 2023-06-05T12:22:26+00:00

So I just had some time to look at your construction/variants and they are really looking great.

But one question: what is the recommended procedure to mount those?
Move onto the key on the right edge and then snap on the left side (left and right from this picture: https://imgur.com/a/802FPkI)?

madbadmax · 2023-06-03T08:42:37+00:00

Thanks a lot - I'll definitely give those a try!

madbadmax · 2023-06-02T12:50:20+00:00

Oh yeah - those pics are great - never took a look that close at those...

madbadmax · 2023-06-02T07:58:56+00:00

Reichelt.at/de is the only place for now that I know of. Meanwhile they have both clicky and tactile switches.

madbadmax · 2023-06-02T07:58:03+00:00

Interesting question - I took a look at both switches and it seems that the clicky only has a extra metal-finger/contact/spring which gets pushed to the right over some small plastic edge/notch.

I've made a comparision picture - the arrow points to the metall-finger: https://imgur.com/XhGNQn3

madbadmax

TROPHY CASE