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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: zefyr on Thu, 27 October 2016, 02:43:58
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Hello everyone,
I'm Vermillion of team oddforge.
Some of you already knows me :)
Today, I am here to share my experience of building my own custom from scratch and how oddforge was teamed up.
I used split type keyboard since I'm 20. (2 decades ago)
My first split keyboard was first generation of MS natural keyboard.
I used MS natural elite, pro, natural multimedia, natural ergonomic desktop pro.
I was happy that MS keep making split keyboards.
I have interested in mech keyboards but there's not much of choice than.
But suddenly, MS made a BIG mistake that they release series 4000 which SUCKS!
That thing easily gone bad, keycap stucks, just after using it 2~3 months!
I tried rube, but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
Than I found KINESIS like a lay of sunshine from heaven. (Thanks KINESIS, you saved my life)
I used KINESIS Freestyle for 3~4 years.
That's when mech keyboards are being very common in ROK among gamers and programmers.
My passion for mech keyboards rised, again.
I started search split type mech keyboard.
But no, failed.
there's not much choice, MX5000? not afford it. Apple Adj? no interface.
None of them are not for me.
So, I decided to make one.
Speaking that easy huh?
"Yes, I'm gonna make one."
I'm so brave because I'm stupid, dumb. HAHA.
I studied for 1~2 months and gathered vintage apple boards for parts. (I'm Alps fan)
CAD, switch customizing, springs, rubes, plates, designs everything.
There's tons of informations all over the internet now.
Here's my series of works.
(http://i.imgur.com/yV48DC5.jpg)
Dyeing keycaps.
(http://i.imgur.com/aogY4gr.jpg)
First drawn layered case (look! it's 9 layer!)
(http://i.imgur.com/quBi1Nq.jpg)
First wiring.
I cut apple ext PCB and glued it with epoxy.
And used it for fixing switches, not for electrical traces.
I used U.CON made by winkeyless as controller.
(http://i.imgur.com/07TiHAq.jpg)
Done. My First custom.
It was really fun to make one.
But I don't want to do wiring again. NEVER AGAIN!
So, I decided to learn how to draw PCB.
One week later.
(http://i.imgur.com/K22JNbQ.jpg)
I got my first PCB sample, REALLY SIMPLE.
You can see blank for U.CON.
(http://i.imgur.com/EHy7zqv.jpg)
Assembled, you can see acrylic case has simplified to 6 layers.
I thought, LED would be COOL.
So, I draw PCB again.
(http://i.imgur.com/Ay3Oo1v.jpg)
This time, some people started asking for GB.
So, I decided to run GB.
I added some details, simplify case designs.
That time winkeyless made perfect firmware for this one.
I talked him a while ago, just a little bit.
He just made one. What a great guy :)
ps2avrGB_split, that was a great surprise and never expected.
So, I can solve inter-connection problem.
That's how my first GB was ran.
(http://i.imgur.com/YEa022R.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/1N1QFEH.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/D3svpsG.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/OFZdhLA.jpg)
As I said, I'm Alps fan, but for GB my PCB was drawn for combo-compatible.
This is my Alps Vergo type.T
(http://i.imgur.com/vHimW2b.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/zSEQkrk.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/UtMjNDk.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/UHO5HZb.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/cVWBxSA.jpg)
Than, I got interests about metallic plate and cases.
So, I made it.
(http://i.imgur.com/zgGNPLz.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/B3i1AIE.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/b301hBc.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/VM31Nvg.jpg)
You knows something?
People just don't stop.
I wanted to add ICs directly into PCB and some RGB LEDs.
So, I learned circuits. (winkeyless shared it as open-source)
I draw something different.
(http://i.imgur.com/9MzTzgd.jpg)
(My daughter, Summer's fingers on alpetit II)
(http://i.imgur.com/XSGmwzh.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/05nbrSj.jpg)
Actually, I failed alpetit II.
I have only slim knowledge about circuits. So I didn't calculated trace widths for RGB LEDs.
It keeps going down again and again.
I debugged it but couldn't able to fix circuits than.
So, I tried to build test circuits for Vergo type.T-II PCB.
(http://i.imgur.com/lb5PBZk.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/OrjMEUj.jpg)
And I studied a little about circuits and analog world. (I'm software engineer, I live in a bit world of 0/1)
Meanwhile, I learned solidworks. Draw 3D case design.
But I have no access for CNC factory. I talked with several factories but they refused to make one or charge ridiculous prices (like 2000USD for just one)
I got very disappointed, I even asked for designers from kdblab. But they all refused to share factory line.
(I don't have any harm feeling about it! There's SOME reason for refusing and I know exactly why.)
Suddenly, I met a great guy, ildustry. We teamed up under name of oddforge.
From than, we made whole things together.
We worked midnight over nights.
That's how VE.A came out.
First sample. We made first sample in 3 days.
(http://i.imgur.com/1l2VVYz.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/rzpsH1w.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/HDL0BOc.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/zg8abDz.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/mHpxzel.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/8RH2WFj.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/tvFOjmj.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/jkSaEF2.jpg)
Finally, VE.A.
(http://i.imgur.com/P7FndmG.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/OnmgKG4.jpg)
It took about one year from starting.
With great friends.
We ran GB in kbdlab. Some pieces were sold to a member of Geekhack.
That's how we can introduce works here, Geekhack.
Maybe I explained my "experiences" too easy.
"So, I decided", "So, I did it"
But I have no good words for "Yeh, I am a geek, enthusiast enough to design and make my own 500 dollars worth keyboard."
And mostly, with great partner winkeyless.
We oddforge have enthusiasm for keyboards.
We want to introduce other stuffs here.
Thanks for reading geeks.
You guys rock!
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wow.
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Great history of all your projects. It's amazing how quickly you got to this point and learned all that you have about keyboard design. I guess that's what happens when you're driven to make something happen.
Very nice work, Zefyr!
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Very nice work Zef :)
Great history
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Thank you for the story. I really enjoyed reading it 😀
Now, when will the next GB be? 😉😉
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Thanks for sharing the story behind the VE.A/Vergo. It's fascinating to see the various revisions that the final product went through, and to hear that it is backed up by 20 years of ergonomic typing experience.
Really makes me want to get my hands on a VE.A, hopefully during the B-stock sale!
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I really like the split!
But i would appreciate an IBM M15 style (so also on the left side arrow keys)
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Whoa this is really cool and very inspiring. After seeing this I regret not being able to join the last GB. I'd surely join the next one
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Thank you for sharing the story behind VE.A
Definitely feel that VE.A is one of the endgame keyboards, at least for me.
Thank you again for producing this work of art.
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removed.
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I've seen this someone written in Korean. Very nice, very nice.
That would be me, at my blog.
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wow....I ve no words. :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:
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Marvel at the hands of the artist's technology
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wow, you're passion is very admirable. Great read
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Great post Vermillion, really enjoyed reading it! I'm typing this out now on my VE.A and I absolutely love it. It's a great keyboard, and it's awesome to see the history and read about how it all came together. Also thanks to Ildustry, who without, it sounds like the project may have never gotten off the ground. :thumb:
I'll post some build-log pics once I install the final touches. I've got some new keycaps and sata/usb cables on order. :cool:
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This is an awesome story! Thanks for sharing. The end result is beautiful!