[GB] Phantom-based "Skeleton" Keyboard Kits - GB COMPLETE

[rampantandroid]

all invoices have been reconciled. i will begin ordering parts tomorrow. build log will be up soon also!

My friend is still thinking things over - are the cancelled order slots still open until Friday? 

[Niarbeht]

Don't worry, we've already been talking.

[roostrc0gburn]

all invoices have been reconciled. i will begin ordering parts tomorrow. build log will be up soon also!

My friend is still thinking things over - are the cancelled order slots still open until Friday? 

Don't worry, we've already been talking.

yes, thanks guys. i will get your invoice out tomorrow, niarbeht

[roostrc0gburn]

just placed the order with mechanicalkeyboards.com for the pcbs, switches, and switch tools. i will order the plates, hardware, teensys and electrical components over the next couple days

i will post the build log tomorrow - its nearly complete, except for the 7u stabilizer wire. i encourage you all to check that out, as i am going to ask for feedback on standoff length. i had to order longer standoffs in order to complete the build as i had designed, but that is not necessary for everyone. more details to come...

[Skysophrenic]

D:

I'm too late :<

Why didn't I check out group buys earlier....

[duras]

just placed the order with mechanicalkeyboards.com for the pcbs, switches, and switch tools. i will order the plates, hardware, teensys and electrical components over the next couple days

i will post the build log tomorrow - its nearly complete, except for the 7u stabilizer wire. i encourage you all to check that out, as i am going to ask for feedback on standoff length. i had to order longer standoffs in order to complete the build as i had designed, but that is not necessary for everyone. more details to come...

the shorter the better IMO

[TerryMathews]

If someone wants out of this buy, I'd take over an ANSI 1.25 kit.

[Skysophrenic]

If anybody wants out, I too will be willing to buy in for an ANSI kit

[roostrc0gburn]

i am purchasing a couple extras of everything. plates will be available from a vendor after the GB is finished

[TerryMathews]

Well, if I can get hooked up with one I want to try to do something cool with it - RGB modded Phantom via QMK.

[roostrc0gburn]

Well, if I can get hooked up with one I want to try to do something cool with it - RGB modded Phantom via QMK.

i would love to see that!

[rampantandroid]

I've been mulling over sticking a couple of LEDs between the PCB and the bottom plate, and just feeding them off the USB +5V directly - probably blue to match the indicator LEDs on my board.


I haven't dug too far yet, but could I instead do this using the teensy? Can it control brightness with the Easy AVR firmware? It looks to have dedicated buttons for brightness, anyway...

Well, if I can get hooked up with one I want to try to do something cool with it - RGB modded Phantom via QMK.

What are you planning to do with the board - where will the LEDs go?

[a-c]

All pins on the Teensy are in use. You would have to give up Caps lock or Scroll lock LED to get at an io pin.

[rampantandroid]

All pins on the Teensy are in use. You would have to give up Caps lock or Scroll lock LED to get at an io pin.

OK...that sounds fine to me - I see no real use for the scroll lock key to exist anymore - I already planned to make it into some other scan code. What voltage does the scroll lock LED put out right now, and how much power can I safely draw from it? I'm guessing a couple of LEDs in parallel would work fine?


Thanks!

[TerryMathews]

All pins on the Teensy are in use. You would have to give up Caps lock or Scroll lock LED to get at an io pin.

PE2 on the ATmega32u4 is available. It's connected to ground via a 1k resistor but it's not a pin that has to be grounded.

[TerryMathews]

Well, if I can get hooked up with one I want to try to do something cool with it - RGB modded Phantom via QMK.

WS2812B LED strip two-sided taped to the bottom of the PCB.
What are you planning to do with the board - where will the LEDs go?
[/quote]

[roostrc0gburn]

UPDATE
build log finally posted. forgive any errors, it is midnight... i'm sorry it took me longer than i promised to post this. if you see anything i missed, have questions, or anything else please comment or let me know
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=80118.msg2077558#msg2077558

please post your comments on preference for the standoffs. i dont want to send anyone parts they dont like or wont use!

Also, all parts are ordered except plates. i will get the invoice and pay for those tomorrow!

[K.Mak]

Damn, starting to wish I hadn't hesitated because of the lack of 1u Winkey on the ANSI 1.5, it does look pretty sexy and lord knows when I'll find a another 7u plate that takes Costar.

[mrging]

if there's round 2 , i would probably join it
look nice, so sad have to cancel last minute.....
will there be some sparing part ?

[rampantandroid]

UPDATE
build log finally posted. forgive any errors, it is midnight... i'm sorry it took me longer than i promised to post this. if you see anything i missed, have questions, or anything else please comment or let me know
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=80118.msg2077558#msg2077558

please post your comments on preference for the standoffs. i dont want to send anyone parts they dont like or wont use!

Also, all parts are ordered except plates. i will get the invoice and pay for those tomorrow!

I guess I'll be the first - I'm not 100% on board with the idea of a taller keyboard, and I think I may go the route I was looking at earlier - a USB board from adafruit or similar. Drill 4 holes in the bottom plate and that way I'll have a USB plug at the back of the keyboard, easy to access while also keeping the keyboard as thin/short as possible.


I hadn't thought about your solution using an angle connector though - I like it for how simple it is

[00zeRO]

I like thin....

[rampantandroid]

I like thin....

Another option that occurs to me: what if we use shorter standoffs on the front than the back? The front then will be nice and low as it is limited by either the teensy or any USB ports. It's also a way to add a little bit of a angle to the keyboard as well. I'd want to file the standoffs to add an angle though (otherwise you'll bend the plate when you tighten the bolts) and might need to run a tap through to clean the threads up afterwards.

[roostrc0gburn]

I like thin....

Another option that occurs to me: what if we use shorter standoffs on the front than the back? The front then will be nice and low as it is limited by either the teensy or any USB ports. It's also a way to add a little bit of a angle to the keyboard as well. I'd want to file the standoffs to add an angle though (otherwise you'll bend the plate when you tighten the bolts) and might need to run a tap through to clean the threads up afterwards.

yes, i had considered this. you would have to get the angle of the standoffs within a few degrees of perfect. i would also consider puttting a rubber grommet between the standoff and both plates to make up for that, but it would probably wobble a bit. if you could make this idea work, though, you would end up with a nice angle without a need for feet.

i would still like some more feedback before ordering, as the standoffs are a bit pricey. i can't order a bunch and just ship people what they want. i either need to know now what each person wants with their kit, or we pick a length by popular vote. maybe i should start a new poll? these are the last pieces to order.

i transferred money from paypal to my bank account today, as the shop does not accept paypal. i will send payment tomorrow, and have them send me a confirmation email or some proof of purchase that i can post for you guys. everything else should be here tomorrow! i will post pictures of the stuff when it gets here.

here's the diodes and teensys:

More

plates should be done in a couple weeks

[duras]

I would prefer not using the angle adaptor and using the shortest possible standoffs

[roostrc0gburn]

I would prefer not using the angle adaptor and using the shortest possible standoffs

i will break out the calipers tonight and measure what the minimum height of standoff will be.

do we need a poll? i dont see a lot of activity on the thread... idk if many people are even following this anymore

[00zeRO]

I would prefer not using the angle adaptor and using the shortest possible standoffs

i will break out the calipers tonight and measure what the minimum height of standoff will be.

do we need a poll? i dont see a lot of activity on the thread... idk if many people are even following this anymore

Thin is best. The beauty is that if someone wants longer then they can buy some later to customize what they want if they don't like the size you include with their order.

[rampantandroid]

Well, about the standoffs and angle - I'd need to bend the actual standoff the more I think about it - even if the standoff has the right angle, the bolt will still go in at the wrong angle. I do wonder if a small angle (a mm or two difference between front and back ) would provide enough extra space to wedge a connector in, use a rubber grommet and not sacrifice how rigid it'll be.


Rubber could also help with noise, too - the KB will be sitting on rubber feet anyway.


Take the lack of replies as a vote of confidence 

[roostrc0gburn]

ok, thanks for the feedback everyone. i am mostly hearing thin is the preference.

the distance between the bottom of the plate and the top of the USB plug (which is what protrudes the furthest from the pcb) is 9/16" if you opted to not use the standoffs for the teensy in your build, that would eliminate another 1/8", making the distance 7/16". i would recommend a minimum of 1/16" between any electrical components and the backplate (unless you were to insulate it somehow) making the absolute smallest standoff 1/2"

to recap: if you build the board like my build log, you should use 5/8" standoffs. if you opt to not use the standoffs on your teensy, you should use 1/2" standoffs. these are the lengths we should decide on.

i will offer longer standoffs for people who request them specifically. let me know by saturday - that is when i will order the hardware. as always, pm me or post your questions

[infamouslife7314]

I would like enough room to use the teensy with standoffs but no 90 angle adapter please

[rampantandroid]

ok, thanks for the feedback everyone. i am mostly hearing thin is the preference.

the distance between the bottom of the plate and the top of the USB plug (which is what protrudes the furthest from the pcb) is 9/16" if you opted to not use the standoffs for the teensy in your build, that would eliminate another 1/8", making the distance 7/16". i would recommend a minimum of 1/16" between any electrical components and the backplate (unless you were to insulate it somehow) making the absolute smallest standoff 1/2"

to recap: if you build the board like my build log, you should use 5/8" standoffs. if you opt to not use the standoffs on your teensy, you should use 1/2" standoffs. these are the lengths we should decide on.

i will offer longer standoffs for people who request them specifically. let me know by saturday - that is when i will order the hardware. as always, pm me or post your questions

How much space between the bottom of the phantom PCB and bottom plate is there when using the 1/2" standoffs? If there's enough room for me to mount the sparkfun USB board (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9966), I'm happy with 1/2".

[TerryMathews]

How much space between the bottom of the phantom PCB and bottom plate is there when using the 1/2" standoffs? If there's enough room for me to mount the sparkfun USB board (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9966), I'm happy with 1/2".

How are you planning on mounting this?

[roostrc0gburn]

How much space between the bottom of the phantom PCB and bottom plate is there when using the 1/2" standoffs? If there's enough room for me to mount the sparkfun USB board (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9966), I'm happy with 1/2".

How are you planning on mounting this?

I think he was going to drill the plate and bolt it on

[rampantandroid]

How much space between the bottom of the phantom PCB and bottom plate is there when using the 1/2" standoffs? If there's enough room for me to mount the sparkfun USB board (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9966), I'm happy with 1/2".

How are you planning on mounting this?

I think he was going to drill the plate and bolt it on

 Yeah -that was the idea. 4 holes, something to insulate the board from the case and probably a couple washers.

[roostrc0gburn]

How much space between the bottom of the phantom PCB and bottom plate is there when using the 1/2" standoffs? If there's enough room for me to mount the sparkfun USB board (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9966), I'm happy with 1/2".

How are you planning on mounting this?

I think he was going to drill the plate and bolt it on

 Yeah -that was the idea. 4 holes, something to insulate the board from the case and probably a couple washers.

idk how wide the usb breakout is, but height should  not be a problem

[roostrc0gburn]

update -

we got parts! pcbs, switches, teensys, diodes, leds are in





plates will be done in a couple weeks. i will be out of town next week, but i will have access to internet and email if anything comes up. i will go pick up the plates when i get back.

hardware will be ordered tomorrow. unless i hear some outcry otherwise, i will be ordering 5/8" standoffs. i was also playing around with the standoffs i have ordered on my own, and i wanted to show you this:


7/16" in the front, 3/4" in the back. the standoffs are beveled just enough for this to work. it's sturdy, and there is enough room in the back for a 90-degree adapter. if you want to do this, pm me immediately. you will need to source your own adapters, but i can order you the standoffs tomorrow with the rest.

here is an example adapter from ebay:

More

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-USB-5Pin-Male-to-Female-M-F-extension-adapter-90-degree-Left-angled/131457706009?_trksid=p2045573.c100507.m3226&_trkparms=aid%3D555014%26algo%3DPL.DEFAULT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20150817211758%26meid%3D00632866a9c84136a65bd92fa1fdc386%26pid%3D100507%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26

[TerryMathews]

It's alive.

And I do still want to take over a kit if anybody wants to sell.

[rampantandroid]

So those LEDs are just to provide light below the KB?


Roostr - I thought you were going to order 1/2" standoffs unless people wanted 5/8"? I like the idea of the slant, but on second glance, I see it's missing two standoffs on the edges. Does this affect the plate's rigidity at all?

[roostrc0gburn]

Roostr - I thought you were going to order 1/2" standoffs unless people wanted 5/8"? I like the idea of the slant, but on second glance, I see it's missing two standoffs on the edges. Does this affect the plate's rigidity at all?

imo, no it doesnt affect rigidity. this is 1/16" steel, and there are 10 secure standoffs holding it together. it's solid.
i just replied to your pm. let me know what length standoffs you want

[duras]

I would also like the 1/2" standoffs please

[TerryMathews]

So those LEDs are just to provide light below the KB?


Roostr - I thought you were going to order 1/2" standoffs unless people wanted 5/8"? I like the idea of the slant, but on second glance, I see it's missing two standoffs on the edges. Does this affect the plate's rigidity at all?

Correct. RGB underglow.

It's a grown-up version of the Satan GH60 RGB mod.

[roostrc0gburn]

I would also like the 1/2" standoffs please

got it.

[rampantandroid]

Hey Roostr - any update on the plates? 

[roostrc0gburn]

Hey Roostr - any update on the plates? 

yes! i was going to post an update this evening, but i have time now. i am back from vacation, it was a blast. got an email from the shop and the plates are done and ready for pickup. I will not be able to pick them up until next wednesday, though. It is a 4hr+ round trip for me, and that is the only time that the shop will be open and i will have time to go.

I will try to have as many orders as i can packed up and ready to ship by then, so all I will have to do is slip the plates in and send them off. My intention is to have everything shipped by 6/4. Of course, I will post pictures of the progress along the way

[00zeRO]

Hey Roostr - any update on the plates? 

yes! i was going to post an update this evening, but i have time now. i am back from vacation, it was a blast. got an email from the shop and the plates are done and ready for pickup. I will not be able to pick them up until next wednesday, though. It is a 4hr+ round trip for me, and that is the only time that the shop will be open and i will have time to go.

I will try to have as many orders as i can packed up and ready to ship by then, so all I will have to do is slip the plates in and send them off. My intention is to have everything shipped by 6/4. Of course, I will post pictures of the progress along the way

Appreciate the update

[fendent]

I'm glad your build is going well! I've built my own Phantom-based TKLs with some trials and tribulations. Made my own wood frame for it with an external USB port too. Let me know if you have any questions or ideas for it.

[roostrc0gburn]

got a pic of that usb port?

[fendent]

got a pic of that usb port?

I'll take a pic when I get back to work tomorrow!

[TerryMathews]

[rampantandroid]

I'm glad your build is going well! I've built my own Phantom-based TKLs with some trials and tribulations. Made my own wood frame for it with an external USB port too. Let me know if you have any questions or ideas for it.

I'd love info on the wood. I've been thinking about doing something similar, but I wasn't sure how much space there was with the plates.


Terry - what case is that?

[00zeRO]

I'm glad your build is going well! I've built my own Phantom-based TKLs with some trials and tribulations. Made my own wood frame for it with an external USB port too. Let me know if you have any questions or ideas for it.

I'd love info on the wood. I've been thinking about doing something similar, but I wasn't sure how much space there was with the plates.


Terry - what case is that?

SPRiT if I had to guess