geekhack
geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: 0100010 on Sat, 13 September 2014, 14:07:35
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Was reading the interest check thread (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=55744.110) for the single switch PCBs that became The Enabler (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=57511.0) - and I saw samwisekoi's post (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=55744.110) about fabbing an entire row using this design, instead of individual keys.
This idea brought me back to my idea of having a bent plate (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=59450.0) instead of a flat plate for the keyboard; as a complete 'enabler' row would work well in such a design. (Besides the fact that none of us has gotten around to trying this bent plate design out [myself included]. I really think that having only a small bend around 3 degrees on each row wouldn't be an issue as far as cut out distortion.)
Additionally - what about having a row specific PCB design library - so you pick the rows you need to build the keyboard you want?
F1-F12 block (ala 122)
F13-F24 block (ala 122)
Standard escape / function / print screen / scroll lock / pause break row (101 syle)
Standard number row / row 1 6 pack / numpad
Tab row
Caps lock row
Shift Row
Winkeyless Modifier row
104 key modifier row
etc
Just thinking out loud. I'm watching the GH-122 thread (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=62003.0) - as that PCB design for the full board goes through iterations; while in my head I'm trying to come up with a better way to have something fabricated that would work for people who have different goals.
Maybe the bent plate idea wouldn't work - but it seems the complete 'enabler' PCB row idea samwisekoi had is a very good one.
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To be honest, I never quite got the point of the enabler. If you're soldering individual PCB's why not just direct wire it? Bent plate is certainly viable, possibly with DSA or all row 3 SA caps. Note that the keycap profile will alter the distance between row centres at the top of the caps due to height differences.
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To be honest, I never quite got the point of the enabler. If you're soldering individual PCB's why not just direct wire it?
LEDs are hard to direct-wire.
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To be honest, I never quite got the point of the enabler. If you're soldering individual PCB's why not just direct wire it? Bent plate is certainly viable, possibly with DSA or all row 3 SA caps. Note that the keycap profile will alter the distance between row centres at the top of the caps due to height differences.
It can be used to "package" the LED, resistor and diode into a single unit, great for prototyping, reusing, etc. Not to mention the more "user-friendly" large pads for soldering.
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I once threw this concept idea out of KiCAD http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=38414.msg751840#msg751840 I don't really want to know if there are anyone here crazy enough to think they want one... I have also thought about the idea of having just strips with all possible switch locations. A strip will help somewhat over simple direct wiring.
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I once threw this concept idea out of KiCAD http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=38414.msg751840#msg751840 I don't really want to know if there are anyone here crazy enough to think they want one... I have also thought about the idea of having just strips with all possible switch locations. A strip will help somewhat over simple direct wiring.
If I could even think up a possible use for me, I would get one.
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I once threw this concept idea out of KiCAD http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=38414.msg751840#msg751840 I don't really want to know if there are anyone here crazy enough to think they want one... I have also thought about the idea of having just strips with all possible switch locations. A strip will help somewhat over simple direct wiring.
PCB strips that are cuttable is an idea I had for wiring up hall effect. You'd only have to break off for any non-1x key. Hall effect requires a PCB, but for cherry / alps, you could just direct wire or use enabler for any non-1x location. I really like it for prototyping.
enabler is better for crazy ergo designs though.