BMEK - An EM7-like Ergonomic Keyboard [on GitHub!]

[jouz]

EDIT: I'm considering to produce a low number of cases, and I would appreciate your feedback - see this post

BMEK is an ergonomic keyboard in the spirit of Lyn's EM7 and TGR Alice. Notable differences are the HHKB-like layout and the and the more symmetric looks due to the space bars and left key cluster arrangement.



This is a hobby project for me, mostly to toy around and learn about PCB manufacturing, CNC machining etc.
That's also why decided to put everything on GitHub:

https://github.com/Bemeier/bmek

Right now it's mostly the Gerber files + BOM. Later, I'll add the entire Eagle project files for the PCB as well as the 3D Models and Fusion360 project for the case.

I've already made a first batch of PCBs with some minor issues (got the atmega orientation wrong), but one PCB is actually working fine now
Within the next 2 weeks I hope to make a first case from Polycarbonate or POM on the CNC. After that I'll make a final revision of the PCB.



The case is a two piece design with the switches sitting in the top half (i.e. like the Clueboard). It's high profile and has a 3 degree angle.
In the next version of the PCB, switches can be optionally mounted with hot-swap sockets (by rotating them 180 degrees).
Some more screenshot of the case:

[jouz]

Did a test run machining the top half of the case from model foam:

Bottom side of top half...


Top side of top half...


Final chamfer will cause work piece to come loose, so I screw it down in the middle






PCB Fit




Next week I'll try finish the bottom half and hopefully make it from Polycarbonate.

[audiosl4ve]

This looks awesome! Love the looks. Keep us posted 

[zqs1qiwan]

Very impressive OP
I’d like to have one if there can be a GB or something, I think the PCB will be expensive if only print few.
Keep us posted!

[jouz]

First full polycarbonate case machined.




Still gotta work out some small things in the design.
I'm getting my second version of the PCB this week, with LEDs and hot-swap sockets.

I’d like to have one if there can be a GB or something, I think the PCB will be expensive if only print few

PCB cost about 20 euros per piece (MOQ=5), thats including components, assembly, shipping and import taxes (europe) - so not that expensive. The gerber/assembly files are on my github (although I would recommend waiting a bit for me to check if this version works).

Besides the 3D/CNC files, I'm definitely planning to release files for a laser-cut version, which is much cheaper and faster to make in fablabs/order online.

If someone else is interested in running a GB for this case/PCB I'm happy to give some support!

[audiosl4ve]

so that means you have some spare pcb's left? 

[jouz]

so that means you have some spare pcb's left? 

  The current batch of PCBs is all accounted for among friends. There are some of the first version left but they have issues.
Again, if someone else wants to run & distribute a small batch, I'm happy to give some support with ordering it at jlcpcb.

[jouz]

Quick update:

I've put the - now tested - PCB files as well as the 3D models on GitHub (https://github.com/Bemeier).

I've made a second case now ((Full album)):

[gorbachev]

Stunning work! I will definitely build one.

[jouz]

thanks! let me know if you need anything!

also, just noticed that I gave the wrong album link - here are actually more pictures:

https://imgur.com/a/tHlaMWA

[t3b4n]

Your work is awesome! Thanks for sharing

[ycanales]

Looks very nice, thanks for sharing!
I’d love a split Alice-like keyboard, but haven’t found anything like that. Will have to read up on electronics (and 3D printing!)

[gorbachev]

I'm planning on putting in a PCB fab order with some custom designs of my own and other open source keyboard PCBs in the next week or two. Might take me a few months to get to putting it together though...

Anyway, any update on publishing the CAD files for the lasercut case on Github? I would love to get a proper case manufactured for it as well!

[BareSphereMass]

What software did you use to make the PCB and Case?  I started Learning to make PCB's with KiCad and I am a little baffled how people line up everything so perfectly and make the PCB line up with the case.

[jouz]

Small update with another case I made late last year:


https://imgur.com/a/MdbbHqe

What software did you use to make the PCB and Case?  I started Learning to make PCB's with KiCad and I am a little baffled how people line up everything so perfectly and make the PCB line up with the case.

I've used EAGLE for making the PCB. I've actually transferred the alignment holes for the switches to the PCB profile in Fusion360 (using the
 linked PCB option). The switch positions in fusion actually came from a CorelDraw layout - CorrelDraw has very good snapping functions, I basically snapped together 19.05mm squares to create the layout, exported those squares to fusion, and copied the switch cutouts to be made from the PCB and case to each of the positions.
This was a bit tedious but manageable. A better solution could be to write a script in Fusion that imports keyboard layout editor data...

Anyway, any update on publishing the CAD files for the lasercut case on Github? I would love to get a proper case manufactured for it as well!

Are you still interested in this? I don't have much time right now to design an entire case for a Lasercut version, but I could definitely provide you with the profile for the plate to start with!

[gorbachev]

Anyway, any update on publishing the CAD files for the lasercut case on Github? I would love to get a proper case manufactured for it as well!

Are you still interested in this? I don't have much time right now to design an entire case for a Lasercut version, but I could definitely provide you with the profile for the plate to start with!

Sure thing! I just received the PCB from JLCPCB yesterday, so this is great timing.

Thanks for responding!

[XxShadows420xX]

Are you still interested in this? I don't have much time right now to design an entire case for a Lasercut version, but I could definitely provide you with the profile for the plate to start with!

A profile of the plate would be more than enough! This is a great keyboard design and it would be much appreciated by me and I assume many others.

[jouz]

A profile of the plate would be more than enough! This is a great keyboard design and it would be much appreciated by me and I assume many others.

Sure thing! I just received the PCB from JLCPCB yesterday, so this is great timing.

I've attached the plate design and uploaded it here! It is from my work in progress version of a BMEK with a separate plate instead of the plate integrated to the top case (the plate design is final!).

The plate has all the mounting holes lined up that you might need for mounting it to the PCB:


Some of these holes are big in diameter because in my design they stems from the top case pass through to mount the PCB to it:


Your design might differ, i.e. you might mount the PCB to the bottom case, or directly to the plate somehow - change the hole sizes accordingly .

[XxShadows420xX]

I've attached the plate design and uploaded it here! It is from my work in progress version of a BMEK with a separate plate instead of the plate integrated to the top case (the plate design is final!).

The plate has all the mounting holes lined up that you might need for mounting it to the PCB:

Show Image

Some of these holes are big in diameter because in my design they stems from the top case pass through to mount the PCB to it:

Show Image

Your design might differ, i.e. you might mount the PCB to the bottom case, or directly to the plate somehow - change the hole sizes accordingly .

You are a beautiful human. TY. I wish I knew how to type smileys to express more emotion lol. TY!

[mchanneh]

I'm really interested in making this too.

Did you hand solder the USB-C receptacle?

[Hadi]

Small update with another case I made late last year:

Show Image

https://imgur.com/a/MdbbHqe

That looks great! The plastic stock is from Smile Plastics, right? Any recommendations on actually ordering from the States? Their site seems a little sparse at the moment.

[jouz]

That looks great! The plastic stock is from Smile Plastics, right? Any recommendations on actually ordering from the States? Their site seems a little sparse at the moment.

Yes! I'm in europe and ordered it from a reseller in the Netherlands (https://www.pyrasied.nl/en/product/smile-plastics/). No idea about US resellers.

Did you hand solder the USB-C receptacle?

Yes I did, with the help from a friend. It was a bit tricky, as it is part through-hole, part SMD. I'd say it's a bit more tricky than just soldering an SMD atmega for example.
To be honest, we had to give it a few attempts of re-soldering the connectors on the first couple of PCBs before it worked. I wish JLCPCB would offer assembly for any USB-C port!

For the next version of case & PCB, I'm really really tempted to change the design to support Ai03's universal daughterboards (as an option). Gives some more flexibility for usb-port placement and allows you to get a pre-soldered (and replaceable!) usb connector.

[mchanneh]

That looks great! The plastic stock is from Smile Plastics, right? Any recommendations on actually ordering from the States? Their site seems a little sparse at the moment.

Yes! I'm in europe and ordered it from a reseller in the Netherlands (https://www.pyrasied.nl/en/product/smile-plastics/). No idea about US resellers.

Did you hand solder the USB-C receptacle?

Yes I did, with the help from a friend. It was a bit tricky, as it is part through-hole, part SMD. I'd say it's a bit more tricky than just soldering an SMD s next week for example.
To be honest, we had to give it a few attempts of re-soldering the connectors on the first couple of PCBs before it worked. I wish JLCPCB would offer assembly for any USB-C port!

For the next version of case & PCB, I'm really really tempted to change the design to support Ai03's universal daughterboards (as an option). Gives some more flexibility for usb-port placement and allows you to get a pre-soldered (and replaceable!) usb connector.

That’s promising (!)... I must admit that I am a soldering novice and on course to receive the pcb’s next week! I’ll have a couple of chances to get it right and have bought myself a ‘helping hand’ to journey through.

I’ll keep this thread updated on my progress.

[jouz]

That’s promising (!)... I must admit that I am a soldering novice and on course to receive the pcb’s next week! I’ll have a couple of chances to get it right and have bought myself a ‘helping hand’ to journey through.

I’ll keep this thread updated on my progress.

Exciting! Let me give you some tips to increase your chances of getting it right the first time:

- You absolutely must have some solder wick ready for removing solder when you used too much, or remove it completely if you want to entirely loosen the components (i.e. https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9327 )
- Use Flux (you apply it to and around the pads before soldering, i.e. https://www.sparkfun.com/products/14579)
- Take the time, look at some smd solder tutorials (i.e.

- specifically look tips for packages with many pins that have fine pin pitch)

As I mentioned, the wurth usb-c connector has both through hole and smd pins, we've always started with the smd pins first.
We would put down some flux, drop in the USB connector, solder one pin (to make sure the placement is right).
Then we did a bit of a funky technique that my friend was very partial to (but I'm not sure if I would recommend it):
We would gob up all the pins/pads with solder pretty carelessly, which would result in a lot of pins just shorting.
Afterwards, we would apply the solder wick flat on all the pins, heat it up with the iron, and it will draw all the extra solder from between the pins into the wick, leaving a pretty clean result (in theory, see below). We've used the same approach for the through hole pins on the other side of the pcb by the way, as they also have a fine pitch and can easily be shortened with the solder.

I think I'd recommend a more conventional technique (such as what you will find in the videos). One of the issues with our technique was that, if you use too much solder, the space between the wires that go from the pads into the connectors (what I marked out on the first 3 pins in red in the picture below) act like capillaries, sucking up solder in between them into/under the connector, where it will be hard to remove:



But the good thing is that, if you have wick ready and don't use too excessive amounts of solder, you get a lot of chances to fix shortened joints easily.
Don't hesitate to ask. I wish I could do a quick demonstration video, but I don't have any tools around due to the quarantine situation .

[gorbachev]

Flux is the key, and don't use too much solder, just enough to coat the pins. If you use too much, you'll spend the next hour getting rid of solder bridges.

Also use the sticky kind of flux, not the kind that vaporizes when heated. That won't work. You can not use too much flux. You can clean it up after you're done.

Lastly make sure you have a magnifying glass of some kind to make sure you can inspect your soldering. I personally prefer the headset kind with LED lights. The solder bridges can be very hard to spot, if they're not the "blob of solder" kind.

Soldering the USB connectors is, by far, the hardest thing on these kinds of boards. The microcontroller is easy by comparison, but it does take practice. Expect to not get either one of them right the first few times. The other component I usually have a bit of trouble is the crystal. They usually only have bottom pads, which is a little bit of a pain to solder without heatguns or solder ovens.

There're a lot of videos on YouTube that can teach you the basic technique. Definitely watch a few, and practice.

The good thing about these open source boards like bmek is that they're cheap to manufacture, so even if you screw up, it's not gonna set you back that much. Even cheaper is to practice on a macropad like Yampad. You can get 5 PCBs from JLCPCB for $2 (plus shipping) and the components are probably gonna be $20 or so. You won't waste as many diodes, capacitors, etc., and more importantly time, if you screw that up.

[ErgoMacros]

There are quite a few SMD practice boards available from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HPSRXJ0/), eBay, or China. 
China's cheaper, but takes longer.

[mchanneh]

That’s promising (!)... I must admit that I am a soldering novice and on course to receive the pcb’s next week! I’ll have a couple of chances to get it right and have bought myself a ‘helping hand’ to journey through.

I’ll keep this thread updated on my progress.

Exciting! Let me give you some tips to increase your chances of getting it right the first time:

- You absolutely must have some solder wick ready for removing solder when you used too much, or remove it completely if you want to entirely loosen the components (i.e. https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9327 )
- Use Flux (you apply it to and around the pads before soldering, i.e. https://www.sparkfun.com/products/14579)
- Take the time, look at some smd solder tutorials (i.e.

- specifically look tips for packages with many pins that have fine pin pitch)

As I mentioned, the wurth usb-c connector has both through hole and smd pins, we've always started with the smd pins first.
We would put down some flux, drop in the USB connector, solder one pin (to make sure the placement is right).
Then we did a bit of a funky technique that my friend was very partial to (but I'm not sure if I would recommend it):
We would gob up all the pins/pads with solder pretty carelessly, which would result in a lot of pins just shorting.
Afterwards, we would apply the solder wick flat on all the pins, heat it up with the iron, and it will draw all the extra solder from between the pins into the wick, leaving a pretty clean result (in theory, see below). We've used the same approach for the through hole pins on the other side of the pcb by the way, as they also have a fine pitch and can easily be shortened with the solder.

I think I'd recommend a more conventional technique (such as what you will find in the videos). One of the issues with our technique was that, if you use too much solder, the space between the wires that go from the pads into the connectors (what I marked out on the first 3 pins in red in the picture below) act like capillaries, sucking up solder in between them into/under the connector, where it will be hard to remove:

Show Image

But the good thing is that, if you have wick ready and don't use too excessive amounts of solder, you get a lot of chances to fix shortened joints easily.
Don't hesitate to ask. I wish I could do a quick demonstration video, but I don't have any tools around due to the quarantine situation :( .

Flux is the key, and don't use too much solder, just enough to coat the pins. If you use too much, you'll spend the next hour getting rid of solder bridges.

Also use the sticky kind of flux, not the kind that vaporizes when heated. That won't work. You can not use too much flux. You can clean it up after you're done.

Lastly make sure you have a magnifying glass of some kind to make sure you can inspect your soldering. I personally prefer the headset kind with LED lights. The solder bridges can be very hard to spot, if they're not the "blob of solder" kind.

Soldering the USB connectors is, by far, the hardest thing on these kinds of boards. The microcontroller is easy by comparison, but it does take practice. Expect to not get either one of them right the first few times. The other component I usually have a bit of trouble is the crystal. They usually only have bottom pads, which is a little bit of a pain to solder without heatguns or solder ovens.

There're a lot of videos on YouTube that can teach you the basic technique. Definitely watch a few, and practice.

The good thing about these open source boards like bmek is that they're cheap to manufacture, so even if you screw up, it's not gonna set you back that much. Even cheaper is to practice on a macropad like Yampad. You can get 5 PCBs from JLCPCB for $2 (plus shipping) and the components are probably gonna be $20 or so. You won't waste as many diodes, capacitors, etc., and more importantly time, if you screw that up.

There are quite a few SMD practice boards available from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HPSRXJ0/), eBay, or China. 
China's cheaper, but takes longer.

These all look to be fantastic advice. You are all examples why this community is just great.

On the back of the review - I have just ordered 0.3mm solder wire alongside some solder wick before I begin. Luckily I have some historical motherboards I can test/hone my craft on before I attempt to solder the USB connections.

I am excited!   

[mchanneh]

I think I've had some success in my first usb keyboard today...without the solder wick.... it's recognised by my PC but I can't seem to flash the bmek software via QMK. The run code doesn't work and its not showing up on QMK below, do I need to compile my own?

[jouz]

I think I've had some success in my first usb keyboard today...without the solder wick.... it's recognised by my PC but I can't seem to flash the bmek software via QMK. The run code doesn't work and its not showing up on QMK below, do I need to compile my own?

Wow, super exciting! So it it does show up as a dfu device? Nice!

Based on your screenshot, it looks you didn't try to compile the BMEK firmware yourself yet, right?
I haven't yet merged the BMEK firmware into the QMK master branch, so you won't find BMEK it in the dropdown.

But you can download the firmware from here:

https://github.com/Bemeier/bmek/releases/tag/1

All you need is the bemeier_bmek_default.hex file. That's the one you want to put under "Local File" in the QMK Toolbox, then you can flash it! Here is what it looks for me:



you can check out the default layout here:
http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/a86f8f85d044fc4734a2eea969d33de5

After you flash it on a brand new keyboard, you might want to initialise the board once (write some default values such as the rgb led colors etc. to the eeprom) by pressing both space keys and the backspace key at the same time (with backspace I mean the hhkb backspace, i.e. the key above the enter ).

To switch between mac and windows modifiers (cmd / ctrl under the "caps lock" key), hold both spacebars and press the escape key (second key in the top row).
Instead of using the button on the PCB to get the keyboard into "flash mode", you can also press hold both spacebars and press the first key in the top row.

You'll eventually want to clone my branch of the qmk_firmware repository ( https://github.com/bemeier/qmk_firmware ) and set up a build environment ( https://beta.docs.qmk.fm/tutorial/newbs_getting_started ) so you can change the layout to your needs.

PS: But now that there is a second bmek user I might try to push it to the official repositories as well

[jjoejimmy]

Just dropping by to say that if there was a groupbuy for this I would definitely be interested! Awesome project. Does the board only require base kit for most keysets (other than spacebars)? Looks like it, but I didn't see anywhere on your post that you intentionally designed it for keyset compatibility so I'm not too sure.

[jouz]

Yes, most base kits come with everything, except for the second 2.75u key. If you're on a budget, you can easily salvage another 2.75u shift from somewhere. If you prefer to get convex 2.75u keys (but don't mind if the colors & profile don't match perfectly), you can look on aliexpress for single spacekeys from npkc, xda, maybe even enjoypbt (which has the most similar profile).

If you're talking about GMK kits, I assume you're not really on a budget . These days, there comes a spacebar kit along for each GMK kit, and those include at least one convex 2.75u key (some kits even come with two 2.75u keys!). Another thing to look out for could be the OG Spacekeys kit (if someone sells it or there is a R2).

By the way, there is absolutely no shame in just slamming a 2.25u (convex or concave) key on one of the spacebars, I've done it, it doesn't look bad to me.

[mchanneh]

Hi jouz and all!

Following on the advice from above, I managed to compile the firmware and flash onto 3 soldered PCBs!

I have never soldered before the start of the week and only have got to this stage because of the great guides, help and assistance that jouz and the below have offered. Thanks so much! I used a cheap soldering kit from Amazon, some extra soldering wick, a helping hand magnifying glass and a brass wire sponge. On the to-do list now is - sourcing the led components, buy some switches and keycaps, look for a case manufacturer and try to solve the two problem PCB's which are not working.

One of them I think I need to resolder again but I'd like some advice on the below... do you think these through hole components are completely damaged here? I am thinking of adding more solder to the through hole component and then use a solder wick to soak it all up and retry again....



Some other progress pics for you all!

[gorbachev]

The pins are definitely bridged, from what I can see. Get some good flux, and smother it on top of the pins and heat it up. It'll work better than with a solder wick. The flux will help you reflow the solder. Looks like you may also have a solder bridge between the two pins on top left.

I'm using the following flux myself: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008ZIV85A/

You didn't mention it on your post, so you might've already done this, but also test the PCB after you flash the firmware on it. Short the pins on all your switches one at a time and see if a key press gets registered. It'll help you eliminate issues before you start soldering all kinds of other components on the board.

[mchanneh]

The pins are definitely bridged, from what I can see. Get some good flux, and smother it on top of the pins and heat it up. It'll work better than with a solder wick. The flux will help you reflow the solder. Looks like you may also have a solder bridge between the two pins on top left.

I'm using the following flux myself: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008ZIV85A/

You didn't mention it on your post, so you might've already done this, but also test the PCB after you flash the firmware on it. Short the pins on all your switches one at a time and see if a key press gets registered. It'll help you eliminate issues before you start soldering all kinds of other components on the board.

Thanks a lot gorbachev, I will try that tomorrow!

I did the tweezer test on each of the switches and they were registering all the keys per jouz KLE and that was SUPER exciting!

[gorbachev]

I did the tweezer test on each of the switches and they were registering all the keys per jouz KLE and that was SUPER exciting!

That would seem to indicate you don't have solder bridges, though.

[mchanneh]

I did the tweezer test on each of the switches and they were registering all the keys per jouz KLE and that was SUPER exciting!

That would seem to indicate you don't have solder bridges, though.

Ah, sorry I wasn't clear, the tweezer test was working for the 3 successful PCB's.

The PCB above isn't even registered in DFU mode...

[godzillq25]

wow this is amazing

[jouz]

Following on the advice from above, I managed to compile the firmware and flash onto 3 soldered PCBs!

Great job, glad it worked out!

One of them I think I need to resolder again but I'd like some advice on the below... do you think these through hole components are completely damaged here? I am thinking of adding more solder to the through hole component and then use a solder wick to soak it all up and retry again....

gorbachef is correct in suggesting to add some flux to try and "reflow" the solder!
In addition to the flux, in my experience, the wick can really help if you find that there is just too much solder on there already.

If you look closely at the schematic on the board around the USB-C connector, you'll see that the outermost pin pairs in the top row actually all go to ground together (so it's no drama if they are shortened!).
See this picture:



However, that third pin from the left in the top row really shouldn't bridge with any other pin, like it is the case for you! To me that looks like the only issue, and you should have good chances of fixing it just with some flux.

On the to-do list now is - sourcing the led components, buy some switches and keycaps, look for a case manufacturer and try to solve the two problem PCB's which are not working.

We should chat about the case manufacturing some time. What materials are you thinking about?
Do you want to make the original case with integrated plate (i.e. the switch cutouts are in the top case), or the new version where the plate is separate from the case:




(I would recommend the new version with the separate plate - it should be easier and cheaper to manufacture, with less risk of stuff going wrong)

EDIT:
Uploaded the new designs to github

https://github.com/Bemeier/bmek/tree/master/cases/highprofile_plate

wow this is amazing, i really like my arrows i might get ur kicad files and try add arrows somehow in the bottom right somehow. and if i manage to achieve ill just attach the files on to this. key is tho if i get to it hehe

Sure, godzillq25, I encourage you to try and play around with this! But However, let me also point you to num's beautiful case for the Arisu PCB (I know it's a little different from the BMEK, but it does have arrows ).

[jouz]

Hey everyone! I'm getting soft. I'm starting to consider producing a small number of cases from aluminium (mostly because I'm so inspired by num's work on his CNC'd Arisu case).

I want to start asking manufacturers for prices next week, assuming a quantity of ~10+ pieces. I'm not yet 100% committed to doing this at all, but I'm curious to hear if more people would be interested. I'm also open to some suggestions regarding the design & materials before I start asking around for quotes.

Things that I'm open to discuss:

• I'll happily add provisions for dampening. Similar to num's Arisu case (silicone gasket between top case & switch plate, foam between plate & pcb & pcb & bottom case). I can produce that relatively cheap since I have access to a laser cutter, would probably just add ~15 euros to the total cost per piece.
• Small changes to existing features, i.e. changes to corner radius, chamfer size, etc.
• Case angle. It's currently 3 degrees. Personally I don't mind up to ~6-7 degrees, but no more than that.
• What do you guys think of the LEDs? The location will stay the same, but the cutout/diffuse could be a different style:
  
  • 3 tiny dots instead of 1 bar? (I'm really tempted by this more minimal option, as it doesn't affect the look much if you would prefer to not have any LEDs at all)
  • Some other design?
• Curious about what people think about material treatment / anodization colors etc.?
• Switch plate material - I'm thinking to just do brass if most people would prefer that?

Things that won't change:

• I won't change the PCB design at this point - so also no changes to the layout. It's proven to function, so why add risk & work ?
• No fundamental changes to case design (i.e not converting to full gasket mount).
• No other materials than aluminium - i.e. no PC or POM case (I want alu )

[gorbachev]

BOOMSHAKALAKA! This is awesome news jouz!

I don't really care about the features that much, what you have done already is awesome enough to me. Personally I'd be more interested in keeping the costs reasonable. I don't know how anyone else feels, but I'd rather have colors that are unusual than something everyone else has. Same for the design...I would prefer unique over standard (as far as it's functional).

Goes without saying I'm in on this 100%!

[JohnWest]

Looks awesome! I'm interested for sure.

I like the idea of toning down the lights a little bit. Dots would be nice. How about two or three narrow vertical slits, 5-10mm in length and on the same angle as the sides of the case.

Dampening options sound good. I'm rather partial to PC plates myself

[nathanchere]

Fantastic news 😁 This would be the first split keyboard I can see myself actually wanting to use since the  VE.A

[hiking325]

This looks great! I would also be interested in one.

[mchanneh]

Awesome - great news jouz! We have caught up already but I am definitely interested in at least 3 cases. On your points below:

• Dampening - I'm all for this though not sure if we needed all three dampening options, foam between the PCB and bottom case seems most beneficial. Full disclosure - I have ordered silent switches for my working batch 
• I will take your disgression on any changes you need to make to the design, 3 degrees is fine in my opinion
• Let's go with minimal approach with dots or slits
• I would prefer a more textured finished, with a matte effect than anything shiny.
• Brass or Aluminium works, I'd prefer keeping the cost in control too 

I am very supportive of the below and very glad to be part of your project!

Thank you!

[1 for warm windows]

Super interested in a case for this, thanks for sharing!

Could I use this with some Kailh Choc switches? Or the gboards.ca gchocs?

[jouz]

Big Update:

First, note I had posted this IC on reddit as well, also asking for some input. Also gotten quuite some positive responses, I'm getting the feeling it shouldn't be too hard to find 25+ people joining. I'll address some of the suggestions made there and here all in one, as well as the things I've learned since then:

Materials

Case:

• Some people asked for a POM/PC case. I don't think that's an option right now, as the number of orders we'll be hitting wont allow for multiple materials (and I'm set on doing aluminum).
• But I guess there is nothing holding back anyone else to just run a GB for POM or PC cases.

Plate:

• I suggested brass earlier, but I think the cost is too prohibitive as a default option. I'm inclined to go for an Aluminium default to keep the price low
• Another plus for aluminum is that we can anodize it, too (for almost no extra cost, at least on 3DHubs). So the plate color, which peeks through here and there on alice-like layouts, can still be used to enhance the looks (like brass would have)
• Plus, the plate files are open source. If someone really wants a Brass/CF/etc plate, they can use LaserBoost or a similar service to make their own.

Case Colors:

• This what I'm struggling the most with, still...
• Quite a few people asked for "e-white" finishes. I've been looking around but couldn't find anybody offering this. I guess powder-coating (which is offered by 3DHubs) could be an alternative, but it doesn't seem very popular on keyboards for some reason. Does anybody know why? Looks like it should be great, and much easier to match colors with than when anodizing.
• But I'm all for a funky color like @gorbachev has suggested, too! I'm just a bit doubtful that it will be easy to get the anodization to match a given keyset-color (without going through a long review process). Any thoughts? Are people fine with taking a risk here?

Anyway, most renders you're seeing below are an attempt at picking a dark, desaturated purple that I think would go well with GMK Dracula. The case is PANTONE 276 C on bead blasted aluminium, the Plate (so far as it peeks through) is rendered as brushed aluminum, anodized black.



Case design

Typing Angle:

• According to the feedback, most preferred a higher typing angle. I decided to change it to 6 degrees.

Features at the Back:

• Since I've changed the case angle, I didn't like the look of the back part of the keyboard anymore.
• After some playing around, I've came up with the shape you can see in above and below images. I think it looks cool.
• Plus, adding this angle (instead of keeping the back straight) will reduce the cost of the bottom half, as the maximum y-dimension of the part will get reduced quite a bit this way.

LEDs:

• I really liked some of the suggestions (especially the angled slots one by @JohnWest).
  
• However, I feel 3-dots will be the best of all worlds:
  • It's unobtrusive for those that want to keep the LEDs off.
  • It saves us from adding another component (LED diffusers) and thus keeps the cost down slightly.
  • It just looks good!

(Brass) weight:

• I've added a cutout for an optional brass weight of ~700g (see pics below)
• In case you're interested, the current weight should be around 485g for the bottom case (without brass weight) and 252g for the top case if made from aluminum (sans keys, pcb, screws, plate)
• Adding the brass weight just about doubles the weight to a total of ~1.5kg, which seems like a good place to be at for a nice and hefty feel (if you want it )?
• Note that I'm not sure if I want to offer the brass plate in the GB, as it will also significantly increase the weight for shipping. The shape is so simple that one could machine it themselves easily (i.e. get it sawn at the hardware store?). Thouhts?

Here is a render from the top, showing just top and bottom case and featuring the brass weight and 3-dot LED design:



Screws & Mounts:

• I've revisited the number of screws, and it was total overkill. We went from 38 total to 21, and I'm confident we're not making any compromises in rigidity.
  
• Here a little break-down for the screws that will be used now:
  • 5x ISO 4762 (hex head) M2.5x8mm for the case (one in the center, one in each corner)
  • 8x ISO 4762 (hex head) M2x3mm for mounting plate to the top case (covering all areas, some are optional if people want more flex)
  • 5x ISO 4762 (hex head) M2x3mm for mounting the PCB to the top case (Optional, but recommended for hotswap use)
  • 3x ISO 10642 M3x6mm (sunken head) for the optional brass weight

Feet:

• For the feet I'm thinking to just use 4 generic 10mm circular pads. You can get these everywhere for next to nothing, and they should do the job great.
• I just ordered a couple to test, if I like them I can order more and ship some along.

PCB:

• I've made a single change to the PCB, which is adding an extra little hole for an extra mount (see picture below).
• There was a screw hole further inside the PCB before, but that one couldn't be used anymore since switching from integrated to separate plate design.
• Note that those of you that already made a PCB (@mchanneh ) can easily add this mounting hole by cutting a little slot in the side (it's pretty easy with the PCB material).

TODOs:

• I just noticed that the plate screws are not easily accessible behind the PCB. This is not an issue for hotswap people, but if you soldered your switches and for some reason want to switch out the plate+pcb assembly, you'd have to desolder the switches first. No biggie, I'll add some holes to the PCB for the screws & hex key to fit through!
• Verify case & PCB once more and update on github.
• Technical drawings (helps when asking for quotes).
• Need to propose some colors & finishes to vote on. This is the biggest blocker right now (and arguably the socond most important part of the keyboard looks )...
• Once we're further along with color selection: Get some quotes (I'm asking some local CNC shops in Germany, and I'll try get a better quote from 3DHubs, as with their instant pricing you can't configure different colors without loosing the bulk prices).

Super interested in a case for this, thanks for sharing!

Could I use this with some Kailh Choc switches? Or the gboards.ca gchocs?

Thanks! I am interested in doing something for low profile switches in the future, however I don't think it's feasible for this run, as it would require way too many changes to PCB and case design.

• Dampening - I'm all for this though not sure if we needed all three dampening options, foam between the PCB and bottom case seems most beneficial. Full disclosure - I have ordered silent switches for my working batch 

Yeah the whole dampening thing is a bit voodoo. I ordered a small batch of the EVA foam & silicone sheets to play around this with.

[gorbachev]

What an update! Someone's been busy

Awesome looking stuff. I'm a little concerned about the PCB change, as I also already have PCBs, but it doesn't look like a big problem. Even if it is, ordering a new set of PCBs is pretty affordable.

[jouz]

Awesome looking stuff. I'm a little concerned about the PCB change, as I also already have PCBs, but it doesn't look like a big problem. Even if it is, ordering a new set of PCBs is pretty affordable

Yeah I'm sorry for that. So just to recap for those that have PCBs already ordered, there will be two changes in total:

• The extra/moved screw hole for mounting PCB to top case
  
  • Using a screw here is optional anyway (but again, recommended if you use hot-swap).
  • It is VERY easy to add manually, you could probably file a slot out from the border with a nail file (there is a trace nearby, so you don't want to cut too much into the board, but I can make some instructions for that).
• The cutouts in the PCB to access the screws that fasten the plate to the top case
  
  • This is an "artifact" from the original design (with integrated plate), where these screws didn't exist.
  • This is totally optional to have IMO. I probably wouldn't care about these cutouts when using hotswap...
  • But for those who plan to solder, there is a little win as it allows a bit more flexibility.
  • I'll check if these holes will go through any traces - if not you could just use the plate as a stencil for the PCB to mark out these holes and drill them in yourself

So all in all, you're not loosing anything, but it adds a little convenience for those that get the new version of the PCB. And you're right, ordering new PCBs is not expensive (and I'll run another batch to ship along with the cases, which will make them even cheaper - happy to ship a new one to you then, if you prefer).

[mchanneh]

What a great update to see in the morning! A lot of ground work done here and I respect that a lot.

First things first, the renders and case re-design look sensational! I am surprised just how well the 3 dot LED redesign has changed the case aesthetic - it looks sleek, unobtrusive and very thoughtful. I'm so glad to be part of this journey!

You raised a number of good points below too:

• But I guess there is nothing holding back anyone else to just run a GB for POM or PC cases.
• Another plus for aluminum is that we can anodize it, too (for almost no extra cost, at least on 3DHubs). So the plate color, which peeks through here and there on alice-like layouts, can still be used to enhance the looks (like brass would have)
• But I'm all for a funky color like @gorbachev has suggested, too! I'm just a bit doubtful that it will be easy to get the anodization to match a given keyset-color (without going through a long review process). Any thoughts? Are people fine with taking a risk here?
• Note that I'm not sure if I want to offer the brass plate in the GB, as it will also significantly increase the weight for shipping. The shape is so simple that one could machine it themselves easily (i.e. get it sawn at the hardware store?). Thouhts?
• Note that those of you that already made a PCB (@mchanneh ) can easily add this mounting hole by cutting a little slot in the side (it's pretty easy with the PCB material).

Yeah the whole dampening thing is a bit voodoo. I ordered a small batch of the EVA foam & silicone sheets to play around this with.

• Let's catch up on discord on your first point!
• I am fully onboard with the alu plate + plate colouring option, as you've made this project so open source already I imagine there should be no qualms with having to have a brass plate cut if people want it so!
• Would it be possible to offer 4 colourways, with 2 being mute (i.e. black, grey, white (if possible)) and then the other 2 riskier/colourful/bold options? I am bias to a more extravagant colour-way but realise this is because I'm still early in the MK hobby and haven't invested a lot into particulary keyset themes
• I'm OK to source my own brass plate and don't need it part of the initial run 
• I am sure nothing can be as difficult as soldering the USB-C receptable so I am happy to take on this challenge! It does look very simple.

Awesome looking stuff. I'm a little concerned about the PCB change, as I also already have PCBs, but it doesn't look like a big problem. Even if it is, ordering a new set of PCBs is pretty affordable

So all in all, you're not loosing anything, but it adds a little convenience for those that get the new version of the PCB. And you're right, ordering new PCBs is not expensive (and I'll run another batch to ship along with the cases, which will make them even cheaper - happy to ship a new one to you then, if you prefer).

I'm happy to order more too if need be!

[jouz]

Finished the design and added technical drawings specifying the holes (github) as well as updated the PCB (github) (there is also a render where you can see the added slots around the circumference for access to plate screws, I had to move some traces for one or two holes).

Obviously use at your own risk - I'll definitely run through one more sanity check before I would put actually order these as is, but all issues I've encountered so far are addressed.

I've sent out quote requests to 3DHubs (hopefully they'll give some positive feedback also on machinability etc.).

Big question is still in regards to the colors...

• Would it be possible to offer 4 colourways, with 2 being mute (i.e. black, grey, white (if possible)) and then the other 2 riskier/colourful/bold options? I am bias to a more extravagant colour-way but realise this is because I'm still early in the MK hobby and haven't invested a lot into particulary keyset themes

I think 3 or 4 colourways could be possible, I've added a comment to my quote to 3DHubs asking about the costs adding color options.

[jouz]

Made some moodboards for some proposed color options (might formally put them up for vote in an interest check form later):

"Tactical" (Anodized Type III, Hardcoat)
This is an option I found on some Norbauer keyboards, and the one I'm considering for the "black option". It's bead-blasted and ultra-hard black anodized ("Type III").  Ryan Norbauer is waxing his for that ultra smooth finish.


Silver Gray (Anodized Type II, Matte)
The silver gray option. Goes well with the grey-ish keycaps (Dracula, Nord, Dolch, Oblivion) but can also be an interesting combination with warmer colors.


"Midnight Burgundry" (Anodized Type II, Matte)
This color is in some place between maroon and purple. This should go great with the upcomming sets like GMK Rouge, Bingsu, Taro...? Likely also nice with grey/cold keycaps like Nord, Oblivion?



"Blue" (Anodized Type II, Matte)
For those blue sets like Nautilus or Striker. I'm just going to add this perfect picture of reddit user /u/ARSLOCK. Not sure yet what the correct pantone color would be, but I have it at home and could try and figure it out. This could also work well/better as Powder Coat?


White 1: "Singal White" (Powder Coat)
This is a pretty cold, pure white, would probably go great with gmk minimal / WoB / BoW keysets, but may not go so great with vintage / off white keycaps.


White 2: Off-white / Beige (Powder Coat)
This white would go a bit better with other off-white colors like gmk 9009 or other vintage keycaps,. It's still white, not sand.


"9009 Green" (Powder Coat)
Trying to match the green accents on GMK 9009. Generally a nice combination with beige/vintage-style keycaps. This could also be nice as anodized color instead of powder coat.
.

"ERR" (Powder Coat)
Trying to match the ERR color on GMK Dracula. It would be a strong, maybe a slightly de-saturated red (i.e. not so much tomato, but closer to coral). Nice contrast with cold keycap sets in general. It might bite with other red-primary sets (like Jamon or Red Samurai).


"Traffic Yellow" (Powder Coat)
Currently also offered by Heavy Metal Keyboards (which is where I stole the screenshot from). Their motivation for this color makes sense: "Many current and upcoming keycap sets fit this. Sets like GMK Taro, GMK Nautilus, GMK Lux and many more"

[1 for warm windows]

Midnight burgundy and traffic yellow look fantastic!

[mchanneh]

Great! My colour preferences would be:

Muted - Burgundy, Black
Colour - Green, Yellow

 

[Thaemes]

Exiting stuff!

I'd go for signal white

[ycanales]

Traffic yellow!

[terrad]

Very nice looking board! My preference is burgundy followed by gray and 'tactical'. Also consider offering plastic plates/half-plates for those of us who like flex.

[shirako]

Love this board! I've been wanting an Alice keyboard with a mac/hhkb layout, burgundy is definitely my favorite!

[Gamelon]

I suppose adding multiple bottom-row layouts support isn't feasable at this point ? I love this, however the double 2.75 spacebar situation seem somewhat impractical, since the only way to make it look nice with a lot of GMK sets is to get 2 spacebar kits. Having the option for a 2.25 spacebar and 1.5 mod on one side would make a world of difference in my opinion.

Still a very cool project and the best alice style layout out there imo, so good luck

[jouz]

I suppose adding multiple bottom-row layouts support isn't feasable at this point ? I love this, however the double 2.75 spacebar situation seem somewhat impractical, since the only way to make it look nice with a lot of GMK sets is to get 2 spacebar kits. Having the option for a 2.25 spacebar and 1.5 mod on one side would make a world of difference in my opinion.

This is a totally valid comment, and I seriously see where you're coming from. I'm actually surprised you're the first to bring this up in this thread (I think) (some people brought it up on reddit though)... I guess I did say that I didn't want to change the layout/add options...

I might consider it if 1.5 + 2.25u would sum up to 4 (like 1.25 + 2.75 does). I.e. even with your proposed alternative layout, there will be a gap...

• I'd say then you can always just drop in a 2.25u in place of one of the 2.75u (if you're okay with 1 gap, you might be okay with 2?)
• In some way, it's actually 1 spacebar kit + 1x 2.75u rshift (the one you're not using anyway, as bmek has 1.75u rshift). Although I totally get the desire for 2 convex caps.
• There are some spacebar kits that come with 2x 2.75u keys (i.e. one in alpha color, one in accent/modifier color)
• It's a unique keyboard, you might want to put in the effort and chase down that extra 2.75u?

Another alternative that one could entertain is changing the case layout along with it, to make it fixed 2.25 / 2.75, no gaps (but removing the 2.75 / 2.75 option). You're trading off the symmetric look for (much) better keyset compatibility. I would actually suggest this solution over your proposed alternative layout.

Some people here also already made their PCBs. I guess that's not a great reason to rule out a change like this (classic fallacy of sunk cost - I will happily provide them with free v2.1 PCBs anyway, them being OG BMEK supporters ).

@mchanneh, @gorbachev, @everybody how would you feel about this? Are you all joining/interested despite this little "oddity" (i.e. are you concerned about the difficulty of finding decent keycap support?), or specifically because of it (i.e. do you really like the look/symmetry)?

EDIT:
Here is another alternative. Keep the case as it is now, but change the PCB and plate to allow both 2.75 and 2.25u spacebar on one half. For the 0.5u gap that will remain, we could design a little brass(?) blocker - if we can manufacture it cheaply:




(btw, this is the midnight burgundy color in the render )

[gorbachev]

I wouldn't mind an incompatible change myself. I order an enormous amount of open source kbd PCBs from JLCPCB. Trust me I have boxes of extra PCBs at this point already. What's a few more. I'd still prefer keeping the design as is.

That blocker design looks pretty bad with that colorway, IMHO.

[mchanneh]

Hey! the symmetrical design is great and separates this board from the others imho.

Though I do understand the point on sourcing the additional 2.75u keys and the woes that may bring (especially for those with keysets already). I think the alternative blocker design looks great! And I presume its a relatively straight solve to update the plate and PCB?

Contrary to gorbachev, I think the purple works well with the gold  

I suggest adding branding to the blocker too, either Jouz/BMEK !

[ycanales]

They're all great alternatives. I think the blocker looks nice too. Would it be possible to either put it at the right or left of the key, or it has to be fixed at one side only?

[nathanchere]

The brass blocker is an elegant solution without reducing versatility. I really like how this is shaping up

[jouz]

Thanks guys for your feedback!

Alright, I'm going with the blocker solution. So nothing changes for those who prefer the 2x2.75 layout (and the previous PCB remains supported as). I'll add the 2.25 layout option to the new PCB.

I've already implemented the changes to the PCB and plate:



There is a little diagonal slot in the plate to which you can screw the blocker from the bottom. It's slot shaped instead of a circle to make sure that you can push it tightly into the corner.
As you can see from that picture, while I was at it, I've also added 2u backspace support
 
One thing that is finicky with this is to support the multiple layouts together with hotswap sockets.
I forgot where I've seen this hack before, but the solution I came up with was to create a new footprint for these switches where the cutouts for the hotswap sockets are also pads, so if you want to solder, you just gunk in a little more solder for these ones to fill the hole:



The situation around the backspace is a little more funky, but should work fine:

They're all great alternatives. I think the blocker looks nice too. Would it be possible to either put it at the right or left of the key, or it has to be fixed at one side only?

I'll add the support for the other side as well!

I've iterated once more over the blocker design. This one is a little more subtle (EDIT: I realise now these don't just rotate and fit on the opposite side, which is a shame...)

This also shows what it looks like if it has the same material as the rest of the case, which I also like:



An aluminium one in the same finish as the case would be significantly cheaper than a polished brass one, so I could see just shipping the alu one and making the brass one a premium option later on?

[mchanneh]

One of them I think I need to resolder again but I'd like some advice on the below... do you think these through hole components are completely damaged here? I am thinking of adding more solder to the through hole component and then use a solder wick to soak it all up and retry again....

Show Image

To close the loop here, I managed to fix the fault above by putting another (generous) layer of solder onto the pins, and then used a wick to soak up the excess and remove the shorts. It's worked and I just flashed it.

Succesfully resolved!

Thanks guys for your feedback!

Alright, I'm going with the blocker solution.

There is a little diagonal slot in the plate to which you can screw the blocker from the bottom. It's slot shaped instead of a circle to make sure that you can push it tightly into the corner.
As you can see from that picture, while I was at it, I've also added 2u backspace support :)
 
One thing that is finicky with this is to support the multiple layouts together with hotswap sockets.
I forgot where I've seen this hack before, but the solution I came up with was to create a new footprint for these switches where the cutouts for the hotswap sockets are also pads, so if you want to solder, you just gunk in a little more solder for these ones to fill the hole:

An aluminium one in the same finish as the case would be significantly cheaper than a polished brass one, so I could see just shipping the alu one and making the brass one a premium option later on?

All for the blocker solution - I don't use hotswap so I'll just fill with more solder. Aluminium blocker as the initial run option is great.

[1 for warm windows]

I'm really looking forward to my PCB arriving!

[jouz]

Quick update:

Design
I've made some tiny final tweaks to the design. Nothing major: I've added a tiny bit more space between keycaps and the case. This is to make sure that there is no binding on the case - Even if the thickness of the case increases (i.e.when powder coating), and also taking into account the max "offset" we could get due to machining tolerances. I've also changed the design of the blocker to fit in on both halves.

Prototypes
I will order two prototypes of this final design (Top Case, Bottom Case, Blocker, Case & Bottom Weight) early this week. This will set me back quite a bit of money now, but I will feel more comfortable advertising the group buy once I have a nice working prototype. Once this prototype arrives (and if everything works as expected), I think we can move forward quite fast with the group buy.

Colors
After being more in contact with 3DHubs for the manufacturing, it doesn't seem feasible to offer both Powder Coating AND Anodization finishes (without adding significant cost). But if we stick to one of the two, ordering multiple colors shouldn't be an issue (I will still have to limit it to ~3 colors though).

I've been going back and forth on this a lot, but I've ended up deciding to offer anodized colors. It will likely be black, that purple, plus another one that is TBD.

However, for those that wanted the powder coated colors (Yellow and White), there is still hope! I can get un-anodized cases and have it powder-coated locally. I will try this with one of the two prototypes that I'm ordering. If I'm happy with the result and it's at reasonable cost, this is still on the table.

PCB
I was about to finalize the new PCB version. One more thing I wanted to add is ESD protection. It won't add any costs, so I might as well add it in.

I am also looking into switching out the USB connector for a cheaper one that is also easier to solder (this would directly reduce the PCB price as I would also have to spend less time soldering that crazy Wurth connector).

Hotswap/option
Someone on discord pointed out an issue with my PCB design. Having the option for both solder and hotswap (by flipping the switch 180 degrees) means that for one of the two, the switches will be mounted facing south (currently the case when using hotswap). However, GMK/Cherry profile keycaps have such a tight design on profile row 2, that they might clack against the switch housing when the switches are facing south. See this video for an explanation:

So it depends on the combination of switch and keycap. I hadn't noticed it before on my BMEK prototype (I'm using GMK with Zilents), but now that it got pointed out to me, I do notice it sometimes . This is of course not an issue for many types of keycaps (i.e. DSA, XDA, SA, KAT), but still it kinda annoys me, and I don't really want to ship it like this. So for the final PCB I'm debating between:

• Keep as-is (hotswap will be the "inferior" option, which I guess it is anyway )
• Dropping hotswap support completely (will make some people unhappy)
• Design two versions of the PCB (it's not much work for me, I would just need swap out the footprints)

As far as I'm concerned, I'll offer two versions of the new PCB - and likely at the same price (as long as people are okay with soldering their own hotswap sockets). And again, for those that already have their PCB, it will remain fully compatible with the case (although beware that you might be facing the issue above if you're using hotswap).
 

[1 for warm windows]

Would you consider sharing the Discord invite?

[jouz]

Would you consider sharing the Discord invite?

Oh that discussion was on the ai03 discord ( https://kb.ai03.me/ ).

But since you've asked, I've created a bemeier/bmek discord in case people prefer to chat over discord https://discord.gg/8puGr6c

[mchanneh]

Perfect, thanks for the update jouz. Anodised options seem sensible and I'm happy with the colour options. Is the purple you're referring to the renders in page 1 (i.e. pantone 276 C) or in the recent post, (i.e. pantone 8543 C), marginally I prefer the, initial, darker option compared to the burgundy...

Re PCB - would switching out the connector cause a case redesign? Though I totally understand the devil that is the Wurth connector!

Re hotswap - I am planning to solder my switches so it's not a dealbreaker for me if you plan to keep an option without.

[jouz]

Is the purple you're referring to the renders in page 1 (i.e. pantone 276 C) or in the recent post, (i.e. pantone 8543 C), marginally I prefer the, initial, darker option compared to the burgundy...

I was planning to get the second one (at least to try it out for the prototype). In fact, it would be the very close Pantone 5115 C, as 8543 C is not in available at 3DHubs. I do also like the looks of 276 C, but I kinda felt like 5115 C fit better with some of the keycap sets I've "held it against" when I did the research for the colors.

Re PCB - would switching out the connector cause a case redesign? Though I totally understand the devil that is the Wurth connector!

No, I would only switch out the connector if I can keep the case design as-is!

[mchanneh]

Hi all! I am very excited to share my BMEK Polycarbonate Build, the support from jouz has been immeasurable!

BMEK v2.1
HighProfileCase Polycarbonate
Aluminium Plate
Outemu Silent Switches,
DSA keycaps
Venomized RathCap

[1 for warm windows]

It looks amazing! Well done!

[jouz]

Really nice work, congrats again mchanneh for having the first new-version BMEK .

Quick update:
Prototypes
I've ordered two prototypes of the aluminum case (top case, bottom case, blocker, plate and bottom weight). I chose the slowest lead time to save money, but everything should start shipping within the next 2-3 weeks.
One case is anodized in Pantone 5115, and one I've ordered without anodization (to potentially test out at a local powdercoating shop).

Dampening Kit
I just got a chance to get access to a Lasercutter (it's been difficult due to the corona), so I've made the prototypes for a possible dampening kit:




It's three parts:

• 0.5mm silicone gasket for in between plate and top case
• 3mm eva foam for in between plate and PCB
• 2mm eva foam for in between bottom case and PCB (visible in the top left of the picture)

Looking forward to build the two prototypes to do a side-by-side comparison to see if it's worth it!


PCB
I've finished the hotswap-only version of v3 of the PCB, which will be the one I'd ship along with the group buy of the case.
I've ordered a small batch from JLCPCB so I'll have some ready before the case prototypes arrive.
If the hotswap-only version works, I'll likely also order a batch of the solder-only version to verify.




Key changes from v2/2.1:

• Separate design for hotswap and solder versions (to avoid the potential interference issue with the previously south facing option when using hotswap sockets)
• Layout option backspace: 2u Backspace and 2x 1u hhkb-like
• Layout options bottom row: Each of the 2.75u spacebarss can be replaced with a 2.25u spacebar for better keyset compatibility.
• ESD protection circuity
• Switched to the popular, cheaper and easier to hand-solder HRO-TYPE-C-31-M-12 USB-C receptacle
• Made completely from scratch in KiCad (project will be released as soon as design is verified)

Just to reiterate, v2 (original version) and v2.1 (original version with convenience cutouts for the plate screws) of the PCB remain fully compatible with the case.

Also note that v2.1 has been verified to work now, as a user on reddit has it made for his 3d-printed copy of the BMEK - I hope he'll share some pics soon . If you really want a PCB that both supports hotswap and solder on the same PCB and/or want a PCB with the WÜRTH USB-C receptacle, then v2.1 will remain a great option.

EDIT: Also, everybory, feel free to join the discord: https://discord.gg/BFZNmtM

[jouz]

Posted an official thread in the IC forum:

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=107203.msg2926447

Bottom weights and plate arrived, and the new v3 PCBs are also in, will post more updates on the IC thread this week

[LoLoDDD]

I like your keyboard so much. I copy your layout and remake pcb (by friend) and make a acrylic keyboard like that . Thank you so much. But today i get some more idea, I am wondering if it is ok for you sharing the layout raw data (for changing in keyboard-layout-editor). Not dxf file.I have already get the dxf file from github by your kindness. My email address is 2439670176@qq.com   Thank you again.

[gorbachev]

I finally made some time to take photos of my BMEK. It's an absolutely gorgeous board. The purple color is perfect.

I paired it with Infinikey Port keycaps, which are a perfect match. I was originally planning on using that set on another keyboard, but they fit with the purple BMEK so well, I am keeping the keycaps on the BMEK.