Help with planning for a hand-wired board.

[tjweir]

My desire for a KMAC mini and my realization that 75% is my preferred layout has lead to my dream of this layout[1].  I'm calling it the TyMAC because I'm so witty

It's a 6x18 matrix, which I think exceeds the limit of a teensy2.0, is that true?
@metalliqaz's Zeta[2] board is similar, but he has a PCB and significantly more knowledge that I do.

If I'm going to get a plate cut using swill's tool and BigBlueSaw and hand wire this, what controller can I use?

Thanks!

[1] - http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/layouts/6f8dfb1139a56c7a3b5c1e04cb374b9a
[2] - https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=71161.0

[rsac]

You can always do some creative wiring. A 6x18 matrix can be converted to a 12x9 one. Each matrix column being two keyboard columns, and then two wires for each keyboard row, running in parallel to connect alternating in the columns. If that is too difficult, you could try a Teensy 3.0/3.1, but I'm not sure if there is currently support for that from the major keyboard firmwares...

[suicidal_orange]

There's also the Teensy 2.0++ which has plenty of pins and is supported by all firmwares that support the standard Teensy 2

[tjweir]

Teensy2.0++ it is then!

Thanks for the advice you two.

[metalliqaz]

The Phantom was 6x17 with two LEDs on a Teensy.  If you drop an LED, you could have 18 cols.  The ++ is also a good choice, too

[tjweir]

The Phantom was 6x17 with two LEDs on a Teensy.  If you drop an LED, you could have 18 cols.  The ++ is also a good choice, too

Excellent, as I have a teensy2 doing nothing right now.

[tjweir]

The Phantom was 6x17 with two LEDs on a Teensy.  If you drop an LED, you could have 18 cols.  The ++ is also a good choice, too

Excellent, as I have a teensy2 doing nothing right now.

Ok, I think I understand, on a teensy2, if I use PD6, which is normally the LED pin, I can get 24 data pins.
By skipping VCC and GND only.

Is that what you mean @metalliqaz? Is there any harm in using PD6/LED as a normal data pin?

[metalliqaz]

The Phantom was 6x17 with two LEDs on a Teensy.  If you drop an LED, you could have 18 cols.  The ++ is also a good choice, too

Excellent, as I have a teensy2 doing nothing right now.

Ok, I think I understand, on a teensy2, if I use PD6, which is normally the LED pin, I can get 24 data pins.
By skipping VCC and GND only.

Is that what you mean @metalliqaz? Is there any harm in using PD6/LED as a normal data pin?

All the I/O ports are pretty much the same, so you can allocate them pretty much however you want.  What I meant is that if the Phantom could fit 6x17x2, you should be able to fix 6x18x1.

No matter what, you're going to have to be making your own firmware, so if you use a Teensy2.0++ (AT90USB128) or a Teensy2.0 (ATmega32U4), really only depends on how many LEDs you need.  (or, like you said, if you already own one or the other)

[tjweir]

The Phantom was 6x17 with two LEDs on a Teensy.  If you drop an LED, you could have 18 cols.  The ++ is also a good choice, too

Excellent, as I have a teensy2 doing nothing right now.

Ok, I think I understand, on a teensy2, if I use PD6, which is normally the LED pin, I can get 24 data pins.
By skipping VCC and GND only.

Is that what you mean @metalliqaz? Is there any harm in using PD6/LED as a normal data pin?

All the I/O ports are pretty much the same, so you can allocate them pretty much however you want.  What I meant is that if the Phantom could fit 6x17x2, you should be able to fix 6x18x1.

No matter what, you're going to have to be making your own firmware, so if you use a Teensy2.0++ (AT90USB128) or a Teensy2.0 (ATmega32U4), really only depends on how many LEDs you need.  (or, like you said, if you already own one or the other)

Given that this will be my first attempt, I'm going to view LEDs as a luxury I can't afford yet.
If this goes well, then rev2 will have LEDs. 

The first goal is "working keyboard."

Thanks yet again @metal.