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geekhack Marketplace => Interest Checks => Topic started by: wokechill on Sun, 02 June 2019, 17:54:08
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Group-Buy Now Open:https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=102681.msg2816365 (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=102681.msg2816365)
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Hey Geekhack,
I've been working on 40% keyboard, and wanted to share my progress and get feedback. I am an avid 40-50% keyboard user, and while there are quite a few well-designed staggered boards around that size, I wanted to make something with the features and layout that suited me best. I wanted to combine the features of my favorite sub-60% boards to create a clean, high-quality board with a great sound, unexpected heft, and HHKB blockers. Behold: the Neuron!
Prototype Pictures:
[attachimg=4]
[attachimg=2]
[attachimg=6]
[attachimg=5]
Chameleon cerakoted aluminum case prototype:https://streamable.com/up6tn (https://streamable.com/up6tn)
Supported Layouts:
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=7]
[attachimg=3]
Features:- 2.5 degree polycarbonate or anodized aluminum case. (No separate top and bottom piece: all one piece)
- Top-mount plate available in sandblasted brass or polycarbonate plate (and possibly acrylic with sufficient interest, holler at me).
- 5mm thick sandblasted brass weight with NEURON engraving.
- QMK-compatible black PCB designed by Worldspawn; on-board atmega with USB-C.
- Supports full-size 6.25u or 2.25u/2.75u split space layouts. No ortho.
- No LEDs. No in-switch or RGB. Something something compatibility, get a Razer if you want that.
- Aluminum case with brass plate version should weigh around 2.5 lbs.
- Estimated cost $230-245
The polycarbonate and aluminum cases have arrived and being evaluated; so far everything is going smoothly. There is a small run of 15 units being shipped now in a private run for testing, then an open GB will start in October. I am aiming for an October 1st GB start date, with definitely polycarbonate and probably aluminum being offered for case materials. There is a 2:1 preference currently for polycarbonate over aluminum case materials, but sound off if you want it made! The GB will run for a month. Thanks for reading!
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Nice! Definitely in for a pc case
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Nice! Definitely in for a pc case
+1 for a PC case.
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Wokeboi gimme keeb :zoomeyes:
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I feel like I’m going to have to get a second job with all these 40s this year :'(
Though I don’t know if I can get rid of at least one key to the right of L. Gotta have my quotes/semicolon.
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Handsome design. Would you consider (or consider supporting) swapping the spacebar keys so that the split is more centered under B?
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I always wanted a poly board, perhaps this is the one. Looks great!
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hotswap?
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Seems a very fine design
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
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would be very interested in a polycarbonate
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gimme gimme
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hotswap?
i will have to test it. i dont want to add pegs to the PCB to support it from the bottom because it would reduce flex, so it would be an unsupported PCB held in purely by stabs and switches. PCB rev1 has been ordered to test, but maybe in the GB i could offer it as an option. no promises ;D
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ne leds avail?
Jk good looking board man. Thumbs
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hotswap?
Please, no. The 40% keyboard world has been completely overtaken by hotswap.
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hotswap?
i will have to test it. i dont want to add pegs to the PCB to support it from the bottom because it would reduce flex, so it would be an unsupported PCB held in purely by stabs and switches. PCB rev1 has been ordered to test, but maybe in the GB i could offer it as an option. no promises ;D
On my laptreus test board I did northfacing hotswaps, and south facing mx/alps/choc solder holes. It felt like a nice compromise and it makes testing things so easy since you have those solder holes or socket pads wide open even with a switch inserted! At the very least, putting the pads and holes on the pcb so others can solder it would be a lovely nod.
Incidentally, who’s doing your pcb assembly? I’m trying to find a good pcba shop.
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Very interested
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Incidentally, who’s doing your pcb assembly? I’m trying to find a good pcba shop.
i decided against our original manu and am comparing a new round of PCBA quotes. we are comparing elecrow and PCBway for PCBA currently, as they were recommended to me from other vendors and designers in the community. sound tests on the acrylic, polycarbonate, brass, and aluminum plates as soon as the PCBs arrive!
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Prototype pics look awesome!
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Looks amazing! In for the PC. Just wishing price tag is sub $250.
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Very interested. Hope you can keep the price point on the lower end of that range.
What key set is that on the aluminum board? It looks quite nice.
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Totally interested if it's hotswap.
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no hotswap. learn to solder.
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Whatever happened, we miss you on the smolkeeb discord. Hope you come back soon ;)
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hey everyone, a quick update. first off, im switching names from wokechill to walletburner. second, i've just started a 15 unit miniature run to test logistics before the big run sometime this fall. i picked die hard 40s users and some friends i know for testing, and once i know everything has gone smoothly, i'll launch the full group-buy. the goal at this point is to do 50 units of the aluminum case in 5 colors and 50 units of the polycarbonate case, with options for brass, acrylic and polycarbonate plates available, all with a thicc brass weight. there will also likely be 4mm (or 2mm for the acrylic) EVA foam inserts available for dampening between the PCB and plate. once the protos arrive, i will update this thread with pics. it's happening!
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im switching names from wokechill to walletburner
just confirming from the other account right quick :thumb:
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Preferred Wokechill.
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Preferred Wokechill.
what about "the artist formerly known as wokechill", like Prince?
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Protos look great and definitely excited for this one!
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Excited for proto to come!!!
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Wow...another 40% keyboard. How do you guys type numbers?
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Wow...another 40% keyboard. How do you guys type numbers?
You basically implement new layers like with ctl alt and shift on every normal keyboard. See for example https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/6ov0lq/g_the_art_of_making_40_keymaps_that_arent_crap//
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Wow...another 40% keyboard. How do you guys type numbers?
You basically implement new layers like with ctl alt and shift on every normal keyboard. See for example https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/6ov0lq/g_the_art_of_making_40_keymaps_that_arent_crap//
Did you see the keyboard in my profile pic?
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Wow...another 40% keyboard. How do you guys type numbers?
easy: one, two, three, four, five, six, nine
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Lotta wooshing going on in here, lol. MikeTheTiger started the 40% Discord guys...
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How do you guys type numbers?
numbers r for nerds who even types a number in 2019 anyway \s, top troll, salute
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Lotta wooshing going on in here, lol. MikeTheTiger started the 40% Discord guys...
Wow who would've thought that maybe literally one person may not have known that x guy started y discord and actually tried to provide a helpful answer.
/r/woosh everybody! Haha!
Calm down.
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His avatar is a 40% board...
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Lotta wooshing going on in here, lol. MikeTheTiger started the 40% Discord guys...
Wow who would've thought that maybe literally one person may not have known that x guy started y discord and actually tried to provide a helpful answer.
/r/woosh everybody! Haha!
Calm down.
LOL all of these nerds that that didn't get a very inside joke
- Me in my wheeziest neckbeard voice
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Not having a key to the left of L means no (standard) Colemak support. Real bummer.
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Not having a key to the left of L means no (standard) Colemak support. Real bummer.
Oof, good catch :(
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Not having a key to the left of L means no (standard) Colemak support. Real bummer.
Oof, good catch :(
Adding a column and adjusting the bottom row is the only solution I can see at the moment, and I don't think the designer would do this considering that changes basically everything. Especially given that he already has proto cases and pcbs.
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would look hot with dsa mardi gra
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;D
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Not having a key to the left of L means no (standard) Colemak support. Real bummer.
Oof, good catch :(
Adding a column and adjusting the bottom row is the only solution I can see at the moment, and I don't think the designer would do this considering that changes basically everything. Especially given that he already has proto cases and pcbs.
when i designed the Neuron i wanted to make an upgraded version of the 12-column designs that had been made popular by the jd40 et al, but if you want colemak there are a few 45% boards like the jd45 and pearl that would suit your needs, but have their own tradeoffs. i'm definitely interested in exploring the layout permutations between 45 - 50% because i think there are some cool ideas in there that haven't been properly implemented, but it wouldn't be until way after Neuron. good luck finding a solid colemak 45%!