[IC] ZERO S65 - A Stainless Steel 65%

[TaisT]

ZERO S65

by Copenhagen Keys

IC Form

Hi,

This is our first keyboard project and we set out to create a unique design that challenges some of the norms of the 65% form factor.

The ZERO S65 is a 65% keyboard with an industrial look and an underside window. Our keyboard consists of a sandwich mounted plate, held together with topside screws between two pieces of polished stainless steel and insulated with red steel paper. Our plate is leaf-spring’ed allowing for ~0.3 mm of plate travel while typing and a ~1 mm max travel.

The underside of the ZERO S65 features a clear acrylic window showcasing our custom PCB and your soldering job! (...if you choose the solder-PCB, instead of the hot-swap). We also have som neet silk PCB graphics in the works! The window is held in place by screws and spacers connected to the PCB. Our PCB is adhered to the plate via the soldering of the switches allowing the full stack of plate, PCB and window to move in unison.

This is our first post on Geekhack, so if we missed any formalities or tips and tricks, please let us know!

Layout

Our current layout supports ANSI and ISO enter, split backspace, stepped caps lock and a 6.25u or 7u spacebar.

Dimensions & Weight

Features

Name: ZERO S65
Typing Angle: 0 degrees
Material: Stainless steel
Finish/color: Mirror polish
Weight: 1515g (~ 1825g fully built)
Mounting method: Sandwich mount
Planned quantity: 50 or based on interest


Plate:

• Leaf spring’ed
• Aluminium (maybe FR4, brass and stainless steel based on interest)
• ISO and ANSI compatible

PCB:

• Hotswap and solder-only
• QMK/VIA compatible (hopefully)
• ISO and ANSI compatible
• Centered USB-C port
• PCB art on the bottom
• Centred USB-C
• South-facing switches

Base kit

Base kit:

• Stainless steel keyboard case
• Aluminium Plate
• Hot-swap or solder-PCB
• Clear acrylic window
• 20x Red steel paper washers (+extras)
• 12x M3 Top screws (+extras)
• 16x M2 PCB/Window screws (+extras)
• 8x 4mm hex spacers (+extras)
• 4x Rubber feet (+extras)

Extras:

• Extra plate (FR4, brass, stainless steel or aluminium)
• Extra PCB (solder or hot-swap)
• Extra 5 degree screw in risers

Pricing & Vendors

Pricing: 500 - 600 usd for the base kit
Extras: TBD
Vendors: TBD
GB date: TBD

Status

We are currently looking forward to manufacturing our first steel prototype. Until now, all of our prototype parts have been 3d-printed or lasercut to get the shape and dimensions right. We have also done a few laser cut steel plates (though not one of the current design shown).

Other to-dos:

• Finalize PCB graphics and design
• Finalize plate design
• Mirror polish prototype
• Gather feedback from IC and advisors
• Manufacturing deal for steel parts
• Manufacturing deal for plates
• Selecting vendors

Contact

• @cphkeys on Instagram
• For any questions, concerns or inquiries, please email: Tais.thogersen@gmail.com
• Website coming soon!

IC Form

[homerowco]

...so the acrylic bottom plate is screwed with hexagon brass standoffs to the pcb, the pcb is mounted with switches on the plate, and the plate has long flex cuts so it can move.

I see an issue here

[AshF]

Lovely design / look, I really dig this concept.

 It would have been nice (imho) for an industrial look without the screws on display on the top piece.

Also have concerns with how stiff this will be (as mentioned above).

GLWIC

Sent from my ASUS_I003D using Tapatalk

[Lfgberg]

...so the acrylic bottom plate is screwed with hexagon brass standoffs to the pcb, the pcb is mounted with switches on the plate, and the plate has long flex cuts so it can move.

I see an issue here

100%, why couldn’t this just be mounted to the case similarly to how people generally do brass inserts? Maybe I’m misunderstanding

[TaisT]

...so the acrylic bottom plate is screwed with hexagon brass standoffs to the pcb, the pcb is mounted with switches on the plate, and the plate has long flex cuts so it can move.

I see an issue here

Really good point and thanks for the feedback. We have a bunch of uncertainties about the flex that needs to be ironed out trough prototyping. We were kinda going for a plate-pcb-acrylic-monolith that itself doesnt flex that much but moves together via the leaf springs as one plane (if that makes any sense), but i don't know how it's gonna work out in the end, can't wait to find out! There will probably be a lot of adjustments before the GB.

Lovely design / look, I really dig this concept.

 It would have been nice (imho) for an industrial look without the screws on display on the top piece.

Also have concerns with how stiff this will be (as mentioned above).

GLWIC

Thank you! The top screws were kinda the cornerstone for the design that we had in mind, that and the clear bottom, but a version with the screwholes flipped to the other side would look really cool as well!

[steebs]

very intrigued by that plate design, dig the look overall.  want split space, but I think I'm alone on this