[IC] KB-40-A - Stainless steel 40% kit

[oneillseanm]

Hello

Hey there, I'd like to share a board I'm developing. The KB-40-A is a 40% kit with a unique stainless steel sheet metal construction. It has some fun light-up switches, a rotary encoder, and a custom hotswap PCB. It's heavy, easily assembled, and repairable.

I would love to hear your thoughts and welcome any questions. Thanks for taking a look!

Interest check form

Project info page


Next steps

• Design
• First prototype
• Interest check
• Design development
• Second prototype
• Interest check update maybe

Details

Kit includes

• Two-piece case Three-piece case
• Two versions of front case piece for full bottom row and HHKB bottom row
• Plate
• Hotswap PCB with pre-soldered buttons and rotary encoder
• Fasteners
• Feet
• Typing angle riser to convert from flat to 6-degree
• PCB gaskets
• Rotary encoder knob
• Sound dampening
• Screwdriver

PCB

• Thickness: 1.6 mm
• Connectivity: USB-C, no wireless option
• Switch connection: Kailh hot swap sockets, supports MX switches only
• Mounting: Tray mount with rubber gaskets
• Flex: No flex cuts
• Firmware: Built with QMK, Via pre-installed; written by Robert Kleemann (sizezero on Discord and Github)
• Designed by: A-Okay!

Materials

• Case and plate: Stainless steel finished with a smooth, matte black powder coat
• Fasteners: Stainless steel
• Feet and PCB gaskets: SBR synthetic rubber
• Sound dampening: Wool felt case padding, IXPE PCB foam
• Packaging: 100% cardboard and paper, except foil PCB bag

Potential sale details

I'll revisit these details following the interest check, but here are the preliminary thoughts:

• Sale structure: In-stock (no group buy)
• Quantity: 10–20 units
• Pricing target: $200–300 USD
• Build options: Limited, if any; for instance: no color options, no wireless option, no solder PCB option

Background

Outside the hobby, I work as a residential architect. Growing up, my family was into vintage autos and midcentury industrial design. I've always loved sheet metal and continue working with it professionally.

Here, I wanted to use sheet metal to create a board as solid and enclosed as a CNC aluminum unit but with less material. Sprinkle in some control panel and toolbox flair, and voila.

Appreciate you taking a look and any feedback you have to offer!


Photos

First prototype pictured below. Shown with GMK MTNU Graphite keycaps and Gateron Baby Kangaroo v2 switches, which are not included in the kit.





Updates


2024-09-03

Good news: the response has given me enough encouragement that I'm just going to get working on the second prototype. I'm grateful for all the excellent feedback. Thanks to everyone who responded! Here are the plans for the second prototype:

• Second prototype coming in early October, will include sound test
• Sticking with flat typing angle likely, but still exploring
• Sticking with raised edges: going with this design for this project but exploring other shapings for down the road
• Revising bottom row layout
• Fixing 90-degree rotated hotswap sockets
• Improving PCB mounting to make build process easier, reduce part number, and improve PCB isolation
• Adding another color, potentially a white / cream, depending on affordability
• Adding a lid (doubles as a wrist rest) with a handle and a cover: recently found a viable solution for a feature I've been trying to implement since day one
• Likely removing light-up buttons: unable to make them look as integrated as I want; less useful than expected; realized I mainly just wanted a glowy thing; replacing with a "lamp" feature
• Adding more knobs

Next steps

• Design development
• Second prototype
• Interest check update

Edit: Trimmed down. I'm too wordy.


2024-09-10

Worked up a few additional things for the second prototype:

• Improvement to case design that allows for an included, convertible HHKB option: front "cowling" is now a separate piece; kit will include two versions of it, one for full bottom row and one with blockers for HHKB bottom row
• Adding a convertible 6-degree typing angle: found a way to add something that still allows for the flat angle and also feels integrated in the board

[ggggggg]

Very cool and very underused aesthetic, though I wish the the bottom and top case were flush, the way the sides and back protrude over the top case doesn't do it for me.
How do you feel about adding an incline? It looks alright with MTNU but r4 especially on DCS is gonna be rough with a completely flat board.

[oneillseanm]

Really appreciate your input.

The raised edge was a look I arrived at after exploring other flush treatments. It's definitely unusual. I've been curious to hear how others feel. This is good to hear. After seeing this iteration through, I'll take another look at some of those other ideas.

Incline is one of the details I've been most interested in getting feedback on. I love flat for ergonomic reasons, but didn't know if it would fly. The feet, rubber grommets that insert into holes in the case, provide some minor adjustability. The back pair can be swapped out for a taller grommet (included), giving a 2-degree incline. Something, but not quite the standard 5-7-degree. I'm continuing to work on this.

Good to hear your take on tall, sculpted profiles. I've been finding I almost prefer them on the flat board. For me, a tall row 4 seem to meet my fingers halfway, so I don't have to reach as far. Whereas the uniform profiles seem to involve just a little more finger work.

This is all super helpful feedback, thank you!

[scudseagull]

Really appreciate your input.

The raised edge was a look I arrived at after exploring other flush treatments. It's definitely unusual. I've been curious to hear how others feel. This is good to hear. After seeing this iteration through, I'll take another look at some of those other ideas.

Incline is one of the details I've been most interested in getting feedback on. I love flat for ergonomic reasons, but didn't know if it would fly. The feet, rubber grommets that insert into holes in the case, provide some minor adjustability. The back pair can be swapped out for a taller grommet (included), giving a 2-degree incline. Something, but not quite the standard 5-7-degree. I'm continuing to work on this.

Good to hear your take on tall, sculpted profiles. I've been finding I almost prefer them on the flat board. For me, a tall row 4 seem to meet my fingers halfway, so I don't have to reach as far. Whereas the uniform profiles seem to involve just a little more finger work.
coreball
This is all super helpful feedback, thank you!

Your analysis is really detailed. Great to do more research on keyboards. They really vary in construction.

[oneillseanm]

Pretty cool how much variety is out there. Before I started this project I think I took the product for "solved". There's so much fun design space to explore.

[Jimmy T]

Cool project, I dig the unusualness - in a good way. Agreed on the flush sides feedback above, would prefer if they don't stick out on the sides, the top most side is fine. As for the typing angle, maybe something a little higher than 2 degrees for the second set of feet would be nice, maybe in the 4 degree and above range. Not sure if completely flat and 2 degrees have much of a difference, I'm guessing that it varies depending on the sculpt of the keycaps.

Anyways, love the effort and GLWIC! 

[oneillseanm]

Cool project, I dig the unusualness - in a good way. Agreed on the flush sides feedback above, would prefer if they don't stick out on the sides, the top most side is fine. As for the typing angle, maybe something a little higher than 2 degrees for the second set of feet would be nice, maybe in the 4 degree and above range. Not sure if completely flat and 2 degrees have much of a difference, I'm guessing that it varies depending on the sculpt of the keycaps.

Anyways, love the effort and GLWIC! 

Thanks for the feedback! All valuable points and glad you like the unusualness too.

You’re right about the 2 degree lift—not a significant enough difference. I think the 4 degrees you suggested would be just enough. This is on the list for sure now.

Good to hear more feedback on the raised sides. Having heard a few folks say it’s not their cup of tea, I’m looking forward to exploring some different treatments after I see this one through.

Appreciate it!

[ANTICATER]

40% looks exquisite！

[paperassgasket]

Neat.

GLWIC

[oneillseanm]

Calling it a wrap on the interest check! Added an update to the original post. Thank you so, so much to everyone who has provided feedback and expressed interest. I'm excited to take this project to the next step.

[oneillseanm]

I think I might want this to be an 11u board instead of 12u? There have been so many amazing 35%s lately, I initially thought I wanted to see a bog standard 12u. But I’m having trouble getting over how much I love sub-12us. Would love to hear if anyone has thoughts.

Here's a comparison of the recently updated 12u layout and the 11u layout I have my eye on.



As a bonus, I made an improvement to the case design that allows for an included, convertible HHKB option. The front "cowling" is now a separate piece. The kit will include two versions of it--one for the original, full bottom row layout and another with blockers for an HHKB layout. So far I've only designed this option into the 11u layout, but it may also be possible to offer with 12u.

[ggggggg]

I f with sub12u, but feel there's been so many 11u and below boards recently that I found 12u to be a refreshing return to the roots of 40s.

Not really feeling the alt layout with 2x1.75u, looks unbalanced. Maybe consider 1.25-1-1.25-2-2-1.25-1-1.25? While 2x2u is harder to kit you'd end with a "more true" HHKB look (small mod bigger mod bars bigger mod small mod), and it'd lend itself to WKL as well. Would also get "free" 4u bar support, a rare but incredibly cute bar setup.
That being said, that 1.5-1.5-2.25-2.75-1.5-1.5 bottom row is hella precious, too.

Edit: also if you're interested in being swamped with opinions I'd move this sort of design talk to the 40s discord server, geekhack is alright for showcasing but unwieldy for brainstorming.

[oneillseanm]

I f with sub12u ...

That's what I was thinking about 12u but couldn't articulate. Definitely makes me reconsider the 35 impulse.

Love the suggestions on the bottom row. I'll be looking into these. The 4u bar is so good.

Will definitely move the design discussion to the 40s server, good call. I was having trouble with the IC request channel a couple weeks ago so I gave up there. It looks like that's been resolved, though.

By the way, I'm adding a convertible 6-degree typing angle. Finally found a way to add something that still allows for the flat angle and also feels integrated in the board.