What's on your workbench today?

[HungerMechanic]

Thanks!

That’s helpful, clarifying information.

It was evident that the storefronts were having trouble describing [in English] and differentiating between the two “whites.”

Looks like I got the ‘bright’ cool-white, instead of the slightly-beige “warm white.” Maybe you can pin it down.

The ‘bright white’ might have ended up being best for this project, overall.

Your Atari-like build is perfect, for the ‘beige’ variant.

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And thanks for letting me know about the PCB compatibility. If there hadn’t been an additional 1.2mm PCB available, I might have had to get creative.

[djmantis]

Nice to know you can get the Transition TKL of AliExpress!

[HungerMechanic]

We’re at the tail end of it.

Before, there was a fairly wide selection. Around the time the SwagKeys and secondary vendors were selling those TKLs with lots of option-button selection choices on the websites.

I think that some of the AliExpress keyboards may even have shipped with carrying cases. But that was more of a feature of the $50 USD or higher + shipping keyboard kits from the more primary vendors. There were complaints on some of the AliExpress store pages that they didn’t ship with cases.

So back when several vendors were shipping kitted-out Transition Lite TKLs, AliExpress tended to offer a more limited subset: 1.2 or 1.6mm 6.25u or 7u PCBs, with the stock PC plate, and a selection of colours.

That was a pretty decent selection. But some of the more primary vendors offered more granular choices, concerning PCBs, plate-material, dampening, special case options, and the like. This overall situation may have persisted until last winter, or so. Then, stock started to run low.

Now that the primary vendors are low on stock, AliExpress today reflects that also. One store is all 7u, another is all 6.25u, some colours sold-out.

The advantage for people outside the U.S., with fast shipping from AliExpress, is that it could be cheaper. A Transition Lite into Canada might have been $50 USD minimum, plus shipping, probably around $75 USD total. Or around $106 CAD. From a primary vendor. But during AliExpress sales, you could get one for as low as $86-87 CAD.

A Transition Lite being as cheap / affordable as a non-discounted MK870 was a welcome development. Going with primary vendors, which I did at least once, is good for a bespoke TKL. You could specify exactly what you wanted, and pick up an aluminium top-case, if you wanted. They also came with a carrying case.

The AliExpress route had its own dangers: the conflicting case-colour descriptions, no carrying-case, and I had a PCB failure with one of them. Maybe that’s a consequence of the ultra-budget route there. I’m typing on the one with the PCB issue right now: all LEDs had to be removed, because it was not possible to control them. And it has trace issues, as well. So I have to keep it as it is. Changing the switches risks problems.

[wjrii]

I’ve been noodling with the idea of a hand-wired Forty. I haven’t played in that area since my earliest days of building my junkboards, and I have a much better idea now of (1) what I like, importantly to include what I’m unlikely to adjust to, as well as (2) how to make a board that’s structurally sound and occasionally, accidentally, sort of looks okay. I also have a better idea of how keycap kitting works. I think I’ve got something that will accommodate my main use case, composing prose, and will not have an extreme learning curve for my typing style.

Layout-wise, I haven’t decided how to handle the bottom row. 2.25u/2.75u will work for switch-stabilized, makes sourcing proper space bars easy, and I have a bunch of light springs I’ve pulled from other switches. However, I kind of like the idea of having an Enter right between my two spacebars and of maintaining my usual “pure” stabless approach; it’s also a little more symmetrical, LOL. I have a few other related concepts percolating through my brain, but this is the one that feels interesting enough to build. Once I settle on the final layout, then I have to think about materials and design. A smaller board might not be a bad idea to start learning something new about fabrication, but first things first: I need to pick a bottom row.

[huhsh]

Alphastagger is sweet! Another option for stabless spacebars would be 2x 1.75u.

[wjrii]

One, funny story: I’d seen alphastagger before, so I knew I didn’t invent it or anything, but I hadn’t recalled the term itself so I was having trouble finding other boards to steal ideas from. It was only when I went to the 40s Discord that I realized you’d already told me what I needed to know, LOL.

Two, after discussing with some folks there, I’ve tweaked some things, to make it less like the Wolfjaw or Alphable, to fit some habits I’ve developed with other multipart spacebars, to reduce thumb movement, and also to take some suggestions they had.

I’m pretty pleased with this as a go-forward physical layout. The last thing I’m debating is whether to tuck the two “shift” keys in as 1u (like the older pic) instead of 1.5. It makes kitting a bit easier but there’s something classic and satisfying about a shorter bottom row beneath an otherwise rectangular main block. Maybe I’ll cheat and sneak in some indicator LEDs in a pair of blockers; goodness knows I’ll have the GPIO pins.

[Rico]

I really like this symmetrical layout!

[schizobovine]

I have been trying to build a replacement PCB for the Evo80, trying to reuse it’s OEM magnetic connector, and have learned the hard way now about magnets and their Curie temperature. By using a hot plate or hot air to remove the original connectors, the magnets lost a significant amount of strength – they still attracted, but not with enough force to overcome the springs in the pins, usually on one side only. Not a recipe for a stable mag connector.

So yeah, going to table that one for a bit. The board is still working b/c I put a JST backup on there, but I have yet to figure out a satisfactory way to anchor a UDB in place. I’ve tried hot glue and double-sided tape work but they fail over time. There’s not enough depth to tap screw holes. I’m currently using silicone glue but expect it to fail over time as well.

Maybe a 3D printer project for when I get one.

[huhsh]

Thats awesome! I designed a board like the Alpha but with 1.5u on the bottom corners to make a tidy rectangle. But I could see 1u on the corners of yours making a nice taper down to the narrow bottom row. And of course, theres always Yuzu to get things legend accurate kitting.

[wjrii]

@schizobovine

I have yet to figure out a satisfactory way to anchor a UDB in place.

If this is the existing mount, then I would think some caliper gymnastics and 3D printing could get you a very reasonable bracket for a C5 UDB, and wouldn’t take long to print at all. If you decided to design it before you buy a printer or join a makerspace, I’d be happy to print a few for you for the cost of shipping.

[wjrii]

The “Prose Mini” is underway. I went with the 1u and LEDs, both because it makes kitting the Z row trivially easy (up arrow for left shift, and the slash where it goes), and because a bunch of blinkenlights for power, caps lock, and layers will be a cool learning experience on the firmware, and one I’ve put off in the past. Can’t ignore them once they’re on the plate. I’m using a big RP2040 dev board, so GPIO are not a problem even with a “boring” matrix that uses a lot more pins than is strictly necessary.

Epomaker Budgerigar switches, because I kinda like how they feel on my other build that uses them (they feel heavier than their specs, the tactility is at least there, and the bottom out isn’t too harsh), and – this is critical – because I had exactly 40. Winning! Plate came off my laser, and Mister Sharpie made sure it’s at least more black than brown.

ZMK firmware, except for the aforementioned LEDs, is ready. Case to come.

[picturamundi]

All roads lead to cleaning yet another batch of Alps switches.

Whenever I think I won’t have to do this again for a good while, I seem to find a way to put myself through the tedium all over again (in this case: because I found a keyboard at the dump).

I’m stuck in an Alps restoration groundhog day loop.

[picturamundi]

TIL that you can paper mod clicky Alps to make them tactile. Being able to transform my blues into oranges with a simple, easily reversible mod is a massive win for me, I’m quite excited.

[Deadeye]

Speaking of Alps… this isn’t quite a keyboard thing, but literally adjacent.

I managed to repair my aging Ducky Secret M mouse a third time:

This tiny Alps rotary encoder was on the fritz, causing the mousewheel response to bounce around and eventually cease.

At first I considered replacing it, but wasn’t sure what size I needed. I then read a tutorial about cleaning it.

Just gently pry-open these little tabs and it will come apart, allowing access to the contacts. I cleaned the flat side with a cotton swab and the wheel side with a toothpick, using rubbing alcohol on both.

I also gently bent the wheel contacts outward a little, and carefully re-assembled the encoder, bending the tabs back into place while making sure the stepping tab was seated correctly - all while the component was still soldered in. The flexible main pins made this pretty easy despite the tiny size.

It works perfectly again, and is still my favorite mouse.

Aside: it has a PBT shell, and as you can see here it still shines a little after enough hours (years) of use.

[pixelpusher]

The best feeling when you keep an old friend alive and better than ever

[pixelpusher]

I finally reached out to claim my free HMKB the other day. I won a photography contest a few years back on his discord. This will be the seventh one I own.

Green Arrow linears are so fantastic on a heavy steel plate. Now my third keyboard with these switches.

Paired with good old Sky Dolch.

[Wooden-Toilet]

Wowie 7TH HMKB, is there a particular reason you like them so much or do you just dig the aesthetic/build simplicity of them.

[pixelpusher]

I like the industrial aesthetic and the colors but as a bonus they feel and sound great. Typing feels fantastic but the actual powder coating feel is my favorite finish. And they’re cheap and hefty

I still wish I could pick up an 1800 board but he’s all out. I do believe a v2 will be coming next year. Maybe then.

[Wooden-Toilet]

Ohh wait he’s making a V2 for all his HMKB layouts? I was unaware of this, thought he would stop making new ones and just sell through all of his current stock.

[pixelpusher]

He’s said that V2 won’t be all that different but will use a different method of closure, a few less 90 degree angles and less screws overall. Most all of the V1 boards are out of stock at this point. I hope he doesn’t move to a DB for the PCB. I love the simplicity of the original design.