(Build log) Badwrench builds a "Chinese Custom"

[Badwrench]

I have recently been given the opportunity to build/work on a couple "Korean Kustom" boards for other members and really got the itch to build my own.  I scoured the internet looking for a kit I could afford when I came across a tiny hidden kit on Aliexpress.  It was hidden away under a Satan GH60 pcb as a drop down option in the order form Link to kit here.  I went for it.  That kit was $67 shipped and included a case, powdercoated steel plate, pcb (with led support), plate mount stabilizers, a braided cable, and a set of tweezers.  Not too shabby.  Total delivery time was under 2 weeks and the board showed up today in perfect condition.  It basically looks like a QFR clone with the fixed cable of a Filco.  The weight is nice with the steel plate and the quality of the top and bottom plastic is much better than expected.  One interesting note on the pcb is that the leds don't use individual resistors, they are all traced directly to a controller.  I am not sure what the wattage range is, but will give the white leds I have a go.  The pcb that I received is a rev.1, and looks completely different than the one in the photos. 








The build will be using Cherry mx clears: lubed, 60g gold spring, with abostudio clear tops and red stickers.  I will be using 1.8mm white leds.  Even though the plate is powdercoated, I plan on sanding it down and refinishing it a high gloss blood red. 


Update:  3/23/16
Making quick work of the plate 

All sanded down to 500g and rubbed down with IPA:


Primed and ready for paint:


Update 3/24/16
Testors "Boyd Red"

[SpAmRaY]

That's a nice looking kit.

[StormyMonday]

Can't beat the price!

Please do keep us in the loop.

[Kalp1]

Really interested.

Dumb question, does the PCB support underside SMD RGB or 1206 LED?

[xtrafrood]

Whoa powdered coated plate, and a USB with a ferrite bead? nice

[Badwrench]

Really interested.

Dumb question, does the PCB support underside SMD RGB or 1206 LED?

Nope, only through hole with standard with 2.28mm leg spacing (this is standard for most common 1.8mm, 2x3x4mm, and 3mm leds).  I am still unsure what wattage it supports as I don't get to put my own resistors on it.  Also, I have absolutely no idea about controls for the leds as there is no manual or any thing I can find. 

Should be fun 

[merlin64]

Could we get more pics on how that USB cable connects?

[Kalp1]

Really interested.

Dumb question, does the PCB support underside SMD RGB or 1206 LED?

Nope, only through hole with standard with 2.28mm leg spacing (this is standard for most common 1.8mm, 2x3x4mm, and 3mm leds).  I am still unsure what wattage it supports as I don't get to put my own resistors on it.  Also, I have absolutely no idea about controls for the leds as there is no manual or any thing I can find. 

Should be fun 

Thanks for info

[Shaussman]

What kind of stabs did the kit come with?

[1swt2gs]

I'm living vicariously through you!

I want to do this but don't have enough skills soldering and afraid I might eff up. 

[Badwrench]

What kind of stabs did the kit come with?

Plate mounted cherry stabs.

I'm living vicariously through you!

I want to do this but don't have enough skills soldering and afraid I might eff up.

This kit is about as basic as it gets.  You could do the whole build with a $15 hakko off ebay and a couple feet of kester (which I can send you).  All you need is switches of your choice.

[MOZ]

That price!

[StormyMonday]

What kind of stabs did the kit come with?

Plate mounted cherry stabs.

I'm living vicariously through you!

I want to do this but don't have enough skills soldering and afraid I might eff up.

This kit is about as basic as it gets.  You could do the whole build with a $15 hakko off ebay and a couple feet of kester (which I can send you).  All you need is switches of your choice.

+1

This is a perfect first project on which to learn. The price of entry is very low and there are a bunch of good instructional vids on YouTube.

[Badwrench]

The last of the parts came in:  Clear switch tops, red switch stickers, and light Krytox.  I also got some transparent red "asdf" keys since this will be my Diablo playing board and I have my spells set there.   



Plate done in Boyd Red:


The living hell that is applying switch stickers.  I am surprised many of you have done this more than once, this sucks!  But, since I am doing all of the things on this board, I have to at least suffer though this once.  Huge shout out to Heroinbob on the plate he sent me to use as a lubing station, works great!

[ika]

Neat lubing station! But how do you pull the switches out of the plate? Do you have a puller for that?

[Badwrench]

Neat lubing station! But how do you pull the switches out of the plate? Do you have a puller for that?

They are just sitting in loosely above the clips.  If I modify the plate so that I can put the tops on without removing the base first, I could clip them all the way in.  I still may do that for further uses. 

[Badwrench]

An hour and a half later, I am halfway done.     I am probably a bit ocd with my sticker application since I want them all to be perfect.  I still need to trim the pcb mounts since my plate doesn't have holes for them, but overall I am quite happy with the feel of them. 

[Badwrench]

Well, I thought I was done, but ummmmmm, I guess I should have checked the actual spacing on the stabilizers. 


Houston, we have a problem:  spacing on the stabilizers is 85mm, but the standard is 81mm.  The picture makes it look like it is  a pretty close, fit, it isn't.



Guess I will start taking it apart and try to find a plate mounted 6.25x stabilizer so that I can mod the plate.  Serious bummer as I will have to mod, the plate, strip it, and refinish it.  Not to mention, I have to desolder the entire thing and start over. 

[MOZ]

Wow, that's a bummer. Why would they choose that spacing? It's used on like one/two keyboard only.

[Badwrench]

Wow, that's a bummer. Why would they choose that spacing? It's used on like one/two keyboard only.

I have no idea.  I eyeballed it before I assembled everything, but didn't actually mount a spacebar.  I am a bit bummed out that they did it, but oh well. such is life when building something new of an unknown quantity.  I will just have to track down the correct stabilizer, and mod the plate for it.   

[osi]

Great write up. Thanks for sharing!

[xtrafrood]

Wow, that's a bummer. Why would they choose that spacing? It's used on like one/two keyboard only.

I have no idea.  I eyeballed it before I assembled everything, but didn't actually mount a spacebar.  I am a bit bummed out that they did it, but oh well. such is life when building something new of an unknown quantity.  I will just have to track down the correct stabilizer, and mod the plate for it.   

That's rough Hope you figure this out

[Darkshado]

Noob question: wouldn't it be possible to replace the Cherry stabs with Costars and a custom wire? Avoiding the whole teardown?

[Badwrench]

Noob question: wouldn't it be possible to replace the Cherry stabs with Costars and a custom wire? Avoiding the whole teardown?

I was thinking this exact same thing.  I even pulled the costar setup out of my qfr to do the measurements.  Even so, I still have to mod the plate for the costar setup.  Its not a big deal, I alredy have the board taken apart and have started filing the plate to move the mounts where they need to be.  I am going to try to re-bend the cherry wire for the narrower monting points and see if that will work. 

[Badwrench]

Ok, I was able to dremel out the majority of the mounting area and then file it down to where I wanted it   

I also took the stock wire, bent one side staight, then re-bent it where I needed to make it work.  Those clear spacebars finally came into use.  It was great for seeing where I needed to make adjustments and see if things were lined up correctly.  All is good now.  The next step is to get some new paint for the plate (going to get a little brighter red this time), and then reasseble everthing.

[aznairjordan]

Ok, I was able to dremel out the majority of the mounting area and then file it down to where I wanted it   

I also took the stock wire, bent one side staight, then re-bent it where I needed to make it work.  Those clear spacebars finally came into use.  It was great for seeing where I needed to make adjustments and see if things were lined up correctly.  All is good now.  The next step is to get some new paint for the plate (going to get a little brighter red this time), and then reasseble everthing.

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amazed at the work you do! I did get a new kit in if you wanted me to bring it over so you can check it out  :thumb:

[Badwrench]

Ok, I was able to dremel out the majority of the mounting area and then file it down to where I wanted it   

I also took the stock wire, bent one side staight, then re-bent it where I needed to make it work.  Those clear spacebars finally came into use.  It was great for seeing where I needed to make adjustments and see if things were lined up correctly.  All is good now.  The next step is to get some new paint for the plate (going to get a little brighter red this time), and then reasseble everthing.

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amazed at the work you do! I did get a new kit in if you wanted me to bring it over so you can check it out  :thumb:

Thanks. 

I would love to see the new board.  Let me know when you have time.

[StormyMonday]

Clear spacebar to the rescue!

I really need some of those in my tool box!!!

[MOZ]

Nice work fixing this mess up!

[Badwrench]

Nice work fixing this mess up!

Thank you.

Since I had to strip the plate, I decided to go with a gloss white instead of red.  I was looking at the pictures I had taken and felt that the red stickers blended in too much. 

[kawasaki161]

Is this PCB fully programmable? I consider ordering one, but not having ä,ö,ü and ß would be very problematic for me.

[Badwrench]

Is this PCB fully programmable? I consider ordering one, but not having ä,ö,ü and ß would be very problematic for me.

I have no idea.  I have not found any documentation on it even for just basic control of lighting. 

[MOZ]

What MCU does it use?

[Badwrench]

What MCU does it use?

Here is the controller for the board:



This is the one for the leds:

[MOZ]

Hmm,
MCU - VISION VS11K06A
LED Driver - VISION VS12L02A

Only other board I see using similar electronics is MAXTILL TRON:
https://m.coolenjoy.net/bbs/boardc.php?id=review&no=30886&board=review
http://www.comway.co.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=maxtill&wr_id=33&sca=%ED%82%A4%EB%B3%B4%EB%93%9C

[Badwrench]

Hmm,
MCU - VISION VS11K06A
LED Driver - VISION VS12L02A

Only other board I see using similar electronics is MAXTILL TRON:
https://m.coolenjoy.net/bbs/boardc.php?id=review&no=30886&board=review
http://www.comway.co.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=maxtill&wr_id=33&sca=%ED%82%A4%EB%B3%B4%EB%93%9C

Perfect.  That Maxtill shows the keys needed to change the led functions.  When I first assembled it, the right windows key didn't show up in the keyboard tester which is consistent with a Fn key.  Once I get my last remaining parts in the mail (I accidentally clipped the guides on the stabilizers to get a little more clearance, and that is not recommended), I will reassemble and see if those functions work.  Also, looking at the pictures, they have the same stupid wide stabilizer spacing on the space bar, so I am hopeful mine is the same. 

[MOZ]

Yeah, at first glance, it doesn't look like it is programmable, but you can play around with the LEDs.

[Badwrench]

Yeah, at first glance, it doesn't look like it is programmable, but you can play around with the LEDs.

That is not an issue for me, I prefer a standard layout. 

[kawasaki161]

it doesn't look like it is programmable, but you can play around with the LEDs.

Sadly that's a dealbreaker for me -.- But thanks for your input. Seems like I'm ready for my first 60% then.

[WOMBO]

super cool board, bummer it isn't programmable.

[Badwrench]

Build is done (for now).  I am very happy with how it turned out and really like the 60g ergo clears.  I used a stock clear spring in the spacebar because it felt way too soft with the 60g.  It still feels a little off, so I may swap it out for a 67g in the future, but for now, I am happy.  There is only a single flaw and it came from my modding of the plate to relocate the stabilizer for the space bar.  I took out just a tiny bit too much material with the file and the stabilizer is loose.  It required a touch of hot glue on the side to make it stable (also, I didn't want to accidentally pull it out when pulling the space bar off).  Still looks clean, but I know it's there.  The only thing missing is a matching artisan cap for the esc key as all of the red keys I have been collecting lately are the wrong shade and just look too far off.  I have a trade incoming for a trans red reaper V2 and it should be perfect to go with the asdf keys. 

I am really happy with the white plate as well.  The red did look pretty cool, but it would have made it so that this board looked odd with anything other than black/white/red/grey keycaps.  The current setup should still look sharp if I ever do decided to change the caps out. 

[MOZ]

Looking sharp, do the function keys work as on the Maxtill?

[Badwrench]

Looking sharp, do the function keys work as on the Maxtill?

I am not sure.  I haven't added any leds yet.  The right windows key is still acting like a fn key in that it is not recognized in the keyboard tester.  It does register on the multimeter at the controller though, so I am pretty sure that as soon as I add the leds, it will work.  I have not added the leds yet since I want to use the board a little while and make sure I am 100% happy with the spring rates.  So much harder to pull it apart once the leds are in. 

[CPTBadAss]

Damn that clear spacebar trick is great. I gotta get me one of those.

And I love the whole theme you got going.

[madhias]

I really enjoyed looking through that log right now, that incident with the space bar could have happened to me - the white plate in the end is nice!

[iLLucionist]

Nice build! How is that Chinese quality?

[Badwrench]

Nice build! How is that Chinese quality?

Thanks.  Other than the spacebar issue, the overall quality of the kit is pretty good.  The pcb feels solid.  Plate is steel and very solid.  The case feels similar to a qfr, but locks together much tighter.  The cable feels very good, a bit on the firm side, but is nicely sleeved.  If the caps you have include a spacebar with the right spacing, the kit is a pretty good deal.  You may be better off getting the sister board that Moz posted above and taking it apart.  I wanted something to completely mod and make my own so this board was perfect for me.  I am really happy with the final product. 

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk

[stoic-lemon]

This is what makes GH such a cool place. It turned out great.

[Xelus22]

Hey OP, any updates? I bought one of these and came across your post here about this PCB and the board not being the 'normal' spacing of the spacebar. I was thinking of just 3d-printing a piece of plastic to try and change the holes.

Anyway, have you installed the LED's yet?

[Badwrench]

Hey OP, any updates? I bought one of these and came across your post here about this PCB and the board not being the 'normal' spacing of the spacebar. I was thinking of just 3d-printing a piece of plastic to try and change the holes.

Anyway, have you installed the LED's yet?

Sorry for the lack of an update.  I have been extremely busy and have had no real time to tinker. 

I am still quite enjoying the board and really like the 60g ergo clears.  The spacebar is not perfect on mine since I used the stock clear spring - I really think a 67g spring would be perfect.  The rest of the board has a nice tactile feel with the fairly soft spings and lube, while the spacebar feels a bit stiff.  Overall quite nice though. 

As far as leds, I haven't touched them.  I was planning on adding them to the esc and asdf keys, but just haven't had the time.  I will update when I get around to it.                                                                                                   

[kohi]

Sorry for the lack of an update.  I have been extremely busy and have had no real time to tinker. 

I am still quite enjoying the board and really like the 60g ergo clears.  The spacebar is not perfect on mine since I used the stock clear spring - I really think a 67g spring would be perfect.  The rest of the board has a nice tactile feel with the fairly soft spings and lube, while the spacebar feels a bit stiff.  Overall quite nice though. 

As far as leds, I haven't touched them.  I was planning on adding them to the esc and asdf keys, but just haven't had the time.  I will update when I get around to it.                                                                                                   

hmm, thinking about going with light spring weight clears for my next build
do your clears have any problems with the stem popping back up with that spring weight?

[Badwrench]

Sorry for the lack of an update.  I have been extremely busy and have had no real time to tinker. 

I am still quite enjoying the board and really like the 60g ergo clears.  The spacebar is not perfect on mine since I used the stock clear spring - I really think a 67g spring would be perfect.  The rest of the board has a nice tactile feel with the fairly soft spings and lube, while the spacebar feels a bit stiff.  Overall quite nice though. 

As far as leds, I haven't touched them.  I was planning on adding them to the esc and asdf keys, but just haven't had the time.  I will update when I get around to it.                                                                                                   

hmm, thinking about going with light spring weight clears for my next build
do your clears have any problems with the stem popping back up with that spring weight?

I haven't had a single problem other than the spacebar.  When I had the 60g in there, it was just a little too much weight between the lubed stabilizers and large keycap, it had a very laggy feeling.  With the stock spring it pops right back.   Been using it quite a bit since I built it and still really enjoy it.  Note that I lubed both the sliders on the sides and the ramp with krytox heavy.  I applied it with a fine brush so that it was just enough to get a shine, but not enough to visibly see a thick coating. 

[SBJ]

Looks really good man!
How are those ergo clears?

[Badwrench]

Looks really good man!
How are those ergo clears?

They are a really nice change from all my clicky switches.  I have heard that they are even better in the 62g to 67g varieties, but I still really enjoy mine. 

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk

[tacnificent]

Looks good, haven't seen many TKL kits around and encouraging to see it doesn't take the usual month or so for something to arrive from China.

[Xelus22]

Any more updates yet OP?