Angular MK a 40% ortho with exposed components


My friend and I have been working on this keyboard for a few weeks and were thinking of bringing it to market. Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated.

1 Like

I know you may have provided more details elsewhere but can you elaborate on what this project is all about?

So, as I see, you’ve moved all the active components to the top of the PCB for having switches area free of them. Looks interesting. Are you planning to have diodes pre-soldered? Then, I have one concern, the single middle positioned space key. While I know that many people are using Planck with 2U spacebar, this is not my case, I always have 48 keys configuration because I assume that spending real estate under the thumbs for even 2U key is a waste. And you are having 48 diodes at the top by the way. That would be better to have the same configuration as Planck has for the middle thumb keys.
Then, I actually appreciate that the switch socket is for Cherry MX only and not universal MX/Alps. Overwhelming majority of people will still use MX, and round holes will greatly simplify installing holtites if somebody would like to do that.

2 Likes

Well it started with my friend and I wanting to try out a 40% board but we couldn’t find any around. So we thought instead of buying one second hand it would be more unique and cheaper to make our own.

it’s certainly a good idea, and I like it a lot. However, why not flip the switch footprints around? Otherwise cherry caps won’t work well with it.

1 Like

Have you seen the Plaid (another 40% ortho with exposed, through-hole components)?

This also looks really cool

that’s a good point, we will definitely consider that for the second revision

I know it would be more diodes to fit on, but if you wanted to differentiate yourself, you could make it 5x12 and add some rotary encoders (I believe that the Plaid can’t handle too many more due inputs due to the MCU choice?). I swear this has nothing to do with me loving the 5x12 too much.

That’s definitely something to think about in the future. I also think that the space would not permit an extra row.

i’m not much of an ortho lady myself but this looks like it’d lend itself super well to being a plateless board - perhaps make the pcb thicker/add something to reinforce it so it’s a solid and unique board?

1 Like

Yeah I am currently working on case and plate design but do not have anything finalized yet.