The finished build
[attachimg=3]
Quite the looker
[attachimg=4]
Rear 3/4 view
[attachimg=2]
So pretty!
Typing test and musings
Sound test (now with 100% less scuff!)
The final build feels very soft indeed - it was honestly unusable until I tape-modded the PCB, first covering the flex cuts, then the entire back side. Now it’s much better behaved :-) It’s comfortable to type on for long periods and has a pleasing sound. I enjoy the way plateless builds let you feel and hear the switch with less influence from the plate material, and this is no different. That lovely solid Alps sound we know and love is still there even without the plate’s support.
The flex cuts offset the shorter travel of SKCL/SKCM by allowing the entire build to move a bit, although the effect is unsurprisingly most noticeable towards the center of the alphas. One oddity I’ve noticed is the switches mounted into the plate sit about 1mm higher than the alphas and I can't figure out why. It’s most noticeable on the modifiers and the pipe key (so I don’t think it’s the stabs), it’s not enough to really feel awkward but some of the mods sound pretty muted.
Final thoughts
This entire build has been quite a learning experience. Leaning into the meme flex was fun and the outcome is surprisingly good. I’ve already begun planning a follow-up with a few adjustments to make a better daily driver. The proper plate thickness makes a major difference with Alps plate-mount stabs - too thin/thick and they don’t clip in properly - and should resolve all the minor stabilizer issues I ran into. I’ll make a hybrid plate to support MX split spacebars, and I’ll definitely use a PCB without obscene amounts of flex cuts. They’re so much fun, but I need just a little bit more firmness in a daily use board. All in all, these are pretty minor shortcomings and I’m very proud of this build.
Thank you so much for reading!
Acknowledgements:
-Delirious (https://geekhack.org/index.php?action=profile;u=19221): for writing the original Alps half-plate build log and sharing the design of their alignment tool
-Karolus (https://www.karolingian.com): a very good keyboard friend
-NeonKnight: for designing the AlpineFL PCB
-Hineybush (https://geekhack.org/index.php?action=profile;u=58261): for open-sourcing his Jane v1 Alps plate, his lovely PCBs, and for catering to the Alps crowd in general
-Zhol (https://geekhack.org/index.php?action=profile;u=145786): for promoting keyboard communism ☭
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Edits:
-July 1, 2023: Added more images, fixed some text.
-June 28, 2023: Added a paragraph and few more images.
-June 27, 2023:Initial log post.