Post by: the flying penguin on Sun, 22 March 2026, 10:37:50
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IC Form (https://forms.gle/4n5BDCQKHUjyfP9p9) | Discord. (https://discord.gg/pmV9cgQkH6) | Website (https://kaikbd.com/)
Hello, I am Penguin from @kai.kbd. (https://www.instagram.com/kai.kbd/)
I think keyboards have more design potential than most are willing to explore.
Botanica is my third attempt to find some more of it.
This kit takes inspiration from the concept of how plants grow from a single point into something even greater.
Every surface, every step and every bevel traces back to that origin.
Specifications
WK/WKL/True HHKB
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6.9° Typing Angle
Front Height: 17.3mm/23.0mm EKH
1.5~kg Fully Built
Poron Gasket OR Gummy O-Ring
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Exposed Screws
H60 Footprint w/ C3 Daughterboard
Capped at 50 Units
499USD
Top View
The sweeping loft along the sides bring the bezel to just a millimeter whilst twisting the sides to seamlessly taper into a rounded front lip.
The subtle curve along the seam between the top and bottom case reveal a third colour, peaking out just slightly as you turn the board to see its side.
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Side Profile
The side profile flows out from a single point, combining steps and bevels to represent the stems growing out of its roots.
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USB Port
The USB port twists its way out of the stem, blooming into a series of bevels that draw from flower buds that have just started to bloom.
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Bottom
> This section was heavily reworked from the prototype, hence the CAD render.
The bottom is then accented with a stylised leaf, split into 4 sections, drawing a parallel to the side profile.
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The bottom has been revised an additional time:
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[attachimg=17 height = 400] [attachimg=16 height=400]
The focus on the bottom is the new approach for the multiple depths in the badge alongside an additional bottom accent to help tie the bottom view with the consistent three-tone theme from every other viewing angle.
Prototype 1
Gallery
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Soundtest
Built with MX2A Blacks Stock, Aluminium Plate on Poron Gasket
Built with MX2A Browns Stock, Aluminum Plate on Poron Gasket
Aesthetically, the board fulfills the vision I had initially.
Acoustically, the board's volume is stifled by its copper bottom case and does not allow the poron gasket to sing.
These are the changes that I want to make in the next prototype.
1. Removal of hidden screws
Upon further user feedback, I no longer find trading custom feet availability and having to overload screws worth doing just to avoid exposed screws.
2. Change in Materials
The middle and bottom case have been redesigned for the bottom case to be the denser material, whilst the middle will become aluminium.
Maximising contact surface area and balancing the volume of the denser material to allow the board to not be overly muted by the denser metal.
3. Internal Changes
I believe that internal ribbing helps diffuse resonance.
This board needs more of it, so it will be removed for future prototypes.
Internal Space has also been tweaked to be increased across the board (10 -> 10.5), especially for the bottom row with the the reduced space due to the raised ledge. (9.3 @ spacebar > 10 @ spacebar)
All of the real-life photos were taken by @angstylamb and TR from ktechs.
This version of Botanica will be capped at 50 units.
If it interests you, I'd love to hear your thoughts via:
IC Form (https://forms.gle/4n5BDCQKHUjyfP9p9) or Discord. (https://discord.gg/pmV9cgQkH6)
Post by: DirtyGingy on Sun, 22 March 2026, 10:40:50
Post by: ktechs on Sun, 22 March 2026, 10:43:15
Post by: Shogubot on Sun, 22 March 2026, 15:46:23
Could we see more pictures of the other tops and the PCB layout support?
Post by: Flybeck on Sun, 22 March 2026, 17:17:19
Post by: SpilledTea on Sun, 22 March 2026, 17:23:48
Post by: KeyMaze on Sun, 22 March 2026, 22:07:10
Post by: keekeen on Mon, 23 March 2026, 00:47:57
Post by: the flying penguin on Tue, 24 March 2026, 07:52:14
This is a very nice design. I hope it does well so we might see this style in other layouts
The next evolution of lofts. Excited to see this come together :cool:
Good luck with this my guy! 🤘🥵
looks nice, good luck pengu
Love the design. Good luck!
Very cool design, GLWIC Penguin!
Thank you for the kind words!
Design looks great! Love the side profile.
Could we see more pictures of the other tops and the PCB layout support?
The IC has been modified a bit since the original, and a PCB diagram has been added.
Post by: Zzzzhao on Sat, 28 March 2026, 13:37:57
Post by: the flying penguin on Sun, 29 March 2026, 11:03:41
So pretty! I did notice in the sound test that the board seems to be quite pingy, do you plan on making it less pingy or do you plan on keeping that facet of the acoustics?
I wouldn't call it pingy, but rather tinny, largely due to the ludicrously large volume of dense metal in the current prototype. (2.7kg built)
The objective for Prototype 2 is to introduce resonance in a controlled way that gives the board some character, whilst keeping the alphas and spacebar cohesive. The material ratios and contact surface area have already been revised to address this.
Keyboard sound is notoriously difficult to describe in words, so rather than listen to me wax off about it pretentiously, I'm tuning it to my ears first and then passing it to creators so you'll have a real reference point before the GB opens.
Post by: Zzzzhao on Sun, 29 March 2026, 13:06:32
So pretty! I did notice in the sound test that the board seems to be quite pingy, do you plan on making it less pingy or do you plan on keeping that facet of the acoustics?
I wouldn't call it pingy, but rather tinny, largely due to the ludicrously large volume of dense metal in the current prototype. (2.7kg built)
The objective for Prototype 2 is to introduce resonance in a controlled way that gives the board some character, whilst keeping the alphas and spacebar cohesive. The material ratios and contact surface area have already been revised to address this.
Keyboard sound is notoriously difficult to describe in words, so rather than listen to me wax off about it pretentiously, I'm tuning it to my ears first and then passing it to creators so you'll have a real reference point before the GB opens.
Can't wait!Sent from my A059 using Tapatalk
Post by: Randomlosername on Wed, 01 April 2026, 08:40:39
Post by: MoneyDeletionSpeedRunner on Wed, 01 April 2026, 12:18:00
Post by: jigumina on Wed, 29 April 2026, 11:08:25
Good luck with IC ♡
Post by: the flying penguin on Thu, 30 April 2026, 11:06:28
This is probably one of the worst sound tests I have seen, people talking in the background bunch of static noise and no mention of plate material nor mounting style used in the video.
Feedback taken, hope this (https://youtube.com/shorts/ItUnh8KeaoI?si=MfzaeIxOmCqfpAGK) does better as a reference point.
Post by: EdgeOfInfinity on Thu, 30 April 2026, 12:25:38
Post by: the flying penguin on Fri, 01 May 2026, 09:01:35
any more pics? it would be nice to see all of the curves/details for more angles
You are very right, here's some of the other photos we took: Album (https://imgur.com/a/4JhjyiR)
The main post will include some of these as well.
Post by: the flying penguin on Sun, 17 May 2026, 11:41:13
New Typing Test Uploaded w/ MX2A Browns
Design changes for internals and Bottom external
Updated Album with many more angles