(https://i.imgur.com/VugEl2W.jpg)
Mesa TKL
https://mesakeyboards.com/pages/mesa-tkl (https://mesakeyboards.com/pages/mesa-tkl)
GB Thread: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=109253 (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=109253)
Updates
Discord: https://discord.gg/rX7BZhK (https://discord.gg/rX7BZhK)
- April 15, 2020: First prototype is on the way, should arrive first week of May.
- May 3, 2020: Updated renders while I wait for the prototype.
- June 8, 2020: IC Poll posted (https://forms.gle/11criXHgwQPS9qH17)! Prototype assembled and tested, build album (https://imgur.com/a/hUi62Vw), typing test (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6tMQifY3Es), water test (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDQThcIGav0).
- June 27, 2020: Preliminary pricing and options
- August 2, 2020: Second round of prototypes in production, update layout options
- October 11, 2020: R2 Prototypes complete, final GB details, web store is live (http://mesakeyboards.com), raffle opens Oct. 29!
- October 29, 2020: Raffle is open
- October 31, 2020: Raffle is closed, winners have been notified
Introducing Mesa TKL, a keyboard designed to minimize the height of the first row of switches. I find that switch height is a big determinant in how comfortable I find a keyboard, especially over long typing sessions. To this end, I've opened a slot in the bottom of the case to let the PCB hover just above the desktop. The slot is positioned so that the bottom-most components on the PCB are flush with the bottom face of the case which itself sits on silicone feet 0.5mm above the desktop. The result is that the first row of switches are 0.5mm higher than they would be if you simply laid the PCB/Plate assembly directly on your desktop. I've illustrated this in the image below:
(https://i.imgur.com/j99oqPl.png)
The front height measurement doesn't exactly capture what I'm trying to achieve with this keyboard (as it depends on bezel width, typing angle, sidewall height, &c.) but it can serve as a rough comparison with other keyboards being produced. 19mm-21mm seems to be about standard in the community, so you can expect Mesa to sit approximately 5mm lower than you're used to.
I'm pretty excited about this concept and am eager for feedback so if you're interested please respond with your questions or suggestions.
Specs
Case:
- Typing angle: 8.5deg
- Weight: 2.6kg
- Front height: 14.5mm (including silicone feet)
- Plate mount: PORON gasket
- Sound damping: EVA foam plate-PCB and PCB-case
- Case Material: aluminum with black or white e-coat
- Weight and plate Material: media-blasted stainless-steel
PCB:
- Soldered with ISO support
- QMK/Via firmware
- ESD protection
- No lighting
- USB-C daughter board
Layouts:
(https://i.imgur.com/7VoP0sE.png)
Other Design Considerations
- Plate vibration is dampened at three points to give this keyboard as tight a sound as possible: 20 PORON gaskets mechanically isolate the plate from the case; a foam fill layer sits between the plate and PCB; and two more PORON strips beneath the PCB dampen any residual vibration.
- I don't like heavily branded keyboards so I will not be putting any logos or lettering on the case itself. The exposed portion of the PCB will bear a trademark but that will be the extent of any branding.
- Despite having a low front height, the case is actually quite high-profile: the skirts of Cherry Profile keycaps sit 1.5mm below the surface of the case.
Group Buy Structure
Price: $450 + taxes + shipping
Colors: black or white e-coat
MOQ: 20 each for WK and WKL
Limit: 50 units total
Currently Working On
More (and better) rendersPrototypeInterest check formPrototype from new factoryFinalize options and priceSet GB dateGroup buy begins Oct. 29!
Second Prototypes
Full build album: https://imgur.com/a/z0eRyX9 (https://imgur.com/a/z0eRyX9)
(https://i.imgur.com/5XzuZS5.jpg) (https://imgur.com/a/z0eRyX9)
E-white + Stainless Steel Prototype
(https://i.imgur.com/baP6KJB.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/efsvioQ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/s576wnt.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/jgk3EUL.jpg)
Anodized Black + Brass Prototype
Note: This configuration will not be available in the GB!
It's just here to give you an idea of what the keyboard looks like in black.
The black colorway what will be available is e-black + stainless steel.
(https://i.imgur.com/wD4A3DR.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/YlPUCaG.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/eKb374u.jpg)
First Prototype
Typing Test
Water Test
More
Build Album: https://imgur.com/a/hUi62Vw (https://imgur.com/a/hUi62Vw)
(https://i.imgur.com/XUuZxTd.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/8rUsu15.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Pj2Bgs5.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/T1AAhxY.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Gw5Ib2n.jpg)
Renders
(https://i.imgur.com/pX795oo.png)
More
(https://i.imgur.com/FwHhTL2.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/9qdeb8P.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/oXGIHCT.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/4yh5OR6.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/KXMFhyI.png)
Old Renders
More
(https://i.imgur.com/4sv69P7.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/gjOkDpc.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/UpERX93.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/GslNPoE.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/ttHUDws.png)
Taking some inspiration from the J-* keyboards, I've sketched out an idea for covering the PCB using magnets and a thin brass plate. Because there aren't any external fasteners, it only adds ~1mm between the PCB and the desktop. I'm not crazy about it because it adds complexity to the design but I figured I'd float it here anyway. For now I'm going to move ahead with prototyping the case as originally designed with the exposed PCB and we can re-visit this down the line.
Here are some pictures:
(https://i.imgur.com/7xOJwYe.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/0Pf6YL3.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/wCcMAal.png)
Big update - prototype has arrived, IC Poll is up (https://forms.gle/11criXHgwQPS9qH17)!
First off, please fill out the poll! The responses will determine what configurations will be available and help me estimate the final cost.
The first prototype is assembled and tested!
The prototype case has finally arrived and despite a slew of manufacturing issues, it has served its purpose in validating the overall design. I will be making some minor adjustments but I believe the case design to be complete. Unless something else comes up, the final product will look exactly as it does in the most recent set of renders.
I’m pretty unhappy with the factory that made this first case so I will be switching manufacturers. Unfortunately this will mean a delay as I order a second prototype. The new manufacturer has a great reputation for making high quality keyboards, however it will be more expensive than I originally planned. As they say, you get what you pay for.
I’ve posted links to a build album (https://imgur.com/a/hUi62Vw), typing video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6tMQifY3Es), and the results of testing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDQThcIGav0) to address the concerns expressed over an exposed PCB. I have been using the keyboard as my daily driver for the past week and I am really pleased with the results. The low height makes it extremely comfortable to type on without a wrist rest. I’m also very happy with the sound profile. Between the foam under the plate and the isolation mount you can hardly tell that there’s an opening in the bottom of the case.
I have made a few changes as a result of testing the prototype:
- The raw brass parts look spectacular for about 24 hours and then they tarnish pretty badly. The new manufacturer assures me that the brass parts will be oiled so I’ll see how that goes before turning to other options. I tried finishing wax on this prototype and the results were okay. Polished stainless steel is also a possibility but that does increase the cost (and would require re-working the USB port to make it flush rather than recessed.)
- I’ve changed the plate damping layer to foam rather than silicone rubber. The silicone would require injection molding or casting which are well outside the scope of this project. The foam plate damper is a hair thicker than the silicone fill I designed so I may raise the case by half a millimeter or so to account for it.
- I’ve chosen to use poron rather than silicone rubber for the gaskets as it provides noticeably better isolation.
- I may remove the foam layer between the PCB and the bottom of the case because it has a pretty minimal effect on the overall acoustics. With the hot-swap sockets it servers a secondary purpose of keeping the PCB tight to plate but if I go the soldered route, it’s pretty necessary.
No covered option
After much consideration and testing a few different possibilities, I have decided not to offer a covered option for the bottom of the case. There are lot of technical reasons for this which I’m happy to discuss in a separate thread but ultimately it comes down to a conflict with the main design goal of lowering the plate as much as possible. Based on my stress testing I think fears about damage to the exposed PCB are overblown. There are very few scenarios that result in damage to Mesa but not a traditional, fully-enclosed keyboard. If you’re really planning to put your keyboard through the wringer, you should probably consider a different one. (This not meant to be exclusionary - design is all about trade-offs you and have to decide what’s important for your use case.)
Colors
Ultimately the available color-ways will decided by the poll. I really like the way the clear anodizing turned out, especially with the brass weight. This manufacturer offers e-white which would look also great with raw brass. I’ve added some renders below with some other color ideas. I really like the way the under-saturated colors keep the metallic texture of the aluminum so I’ll order some color chips to see if they can make that happen.
More
(https://i.imgur.com/S0fhWNs.png)
Black anodizing + brass weight
(https://i.imgur.com/67GmDJG.png)
E-white + brass weight
(https://i.imgur.com/cHixTje.png)
Peach anodizing + stainless steel weight
(https://i.imgur.com/UdNtklE.png)
Teal anodizing + stainless steel weight
(https://i.imgur.com/7M2B97J.png)
Lilac anodizing + stainless steel weight
Group buy
My current plan is to ship 20 keyboards. There is some flexibility in this number but it seems to be the sweet spot between cost, risk, and what I can manage by myself. If after the IC poll it seems like there is significantly more interest than this, I will explore other options such as working with a vendor.
Prototype Commissions
I’ve accepted a couple of prototype commissions (i.e., I add a unit for you to my prototype order) from family/close friends and am considering opening this up as theoretically I have capacity for two more. Let me be absolutely clear: this is a high-risk, high-cost proposition! You would be paying more than the GB price for a board whose quality I cannot guarantee (since I have not worked with this manufacturer before!) The upshot is you would get your board much sooner and in whatever color/material combination you’d want since they’re one-offs anyway. If you’re interested, send me a private message.
Next Steps
1. Collect the results of the IC poll
2. Make adjustments as necessary
3. Put in an order for the second prototype, color chips
4. Pricing
5. Set a GB date.
Until next time
The COVID lockdown is easing here in California and childcare resumes this week (thank goodness) so I’ll be more active again going forward.