The CouchSurferA Wireless 60% Lapdesk
Hello, and thank you for being here! I have made a few posts about this project here on geekhack, over at r/mechmarket, and r/mechanicalkeyboards and received a large enough response to make a few! I've already sold one from my first batch, and wanted to reach out to any HTPC or living room gamers here.
***Pricing is down to $125 per board PLUS S & H.*** CONUS only.
Shipping will be more expensive than your average keeb/case purchase and varies depending on zip code, so be please do be aware of that when ordering!
These are handmade, top-mounted maple cases designed to hold a completely wireless YD60BLE (or other compatible 60% PCB) with ample internal space for long Li-Po batteries and dampening material!
I have a bit of an odd setup myself, and The CouchSurfer is my daily driver.
Bonus Cat
Perfect for those HTPC or living room gaming setups. These measure 24" x 10" x 3/4", and are comparable in size to the Corsair K63 and Roccat Sova MK.
What's Included* Handmade Maple Lapdesk stained satin Antique Walnut (polyurethane)
* Mirrored Stainless Steel 60% Plate (available layouts shown below)
* Mounting Hardware (M4 bolts and hex wrench + extra bolt)
* Mousepad! Measures roughly 8" x 9" but is
fully user replaceable. Pads are held on by double-sided adhesive tape and will fit a 12" x 10" replacement.
More images here -->
https://imgur.com/a/g38VtOi /
https://imgur.com/a/vawqD0mWhat's Still Required/Recommended* [The YD60BLE Bluetooth 60% PCB from KBDFans](
https://kbdfans.cn/products/yd60ble-v1-60-bluetooth-customized-mechanical-keyboard-pcb) - This is the only PCB I can 100% guarantee will work in this case. I imagine many other 60% PCB's will fit without issue, but this is the only wireless 60% DIY on the market afaik, so using anything else seems.... silly lol.
* [3.7v LiPo battery (AdaFruit, etc)](
https://www.adafruit.com/product/258) - You should be able to comfortably fit a larger battery in here (2500mah), but thickness is something to consider. There's an average of 10mm clearance from the JST header on the PCB to bottom of the internal cavity. Length or width of battery is no issue, however, as there are no standoffs limiting those dimensions inside. Most common LiPo battery sizes will fit without issue, as there is tons of clearance. Battery life depends on whether you have LED's installed or not, but with my personal board and Red 1.8mm LED's on blast constantly I can get ~10 hours of use before needing a charge. With the LED's off, it can go for ~3 days.
* [Magnetic USB Breakaway Cable](
https://www.amazon.com/Netdot-Generation-Magnetic-Charging-Smartphone/dp/B074TB8KF5?th=1) - These things are a god-send for any wireless device or things with delicate USB ports. [Since my design leaves a large, open area around the USB port](
https://i.imgur.com/gFBfW6b.jpg), I strongly recommend using a cable like this, so that there is no accidental damage while plugged in/charging.
* Switches and Keycaps - This is a BYOKB after all. Even though the plate accepts ALPS switches, DO NOT USE ALPS SWITCHES ON YOUR BUILD. The YD60BLE itself is not compatible with them. The plate design was chosen to allow for switch-top removal for those of you who are into that, and the MX+ALPS design left the most room for such a thing. I'm also not the most proficient CAD designer, so there were limits on what I could redesign or make from scratch.
* [Double-Sided Scotch Tape!](
https://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Double-Dispenser-Inches-136/dp/B00004Z47L) Use this stuff to hold your battery in place! Use it to hold your dampening material in place! Use it to replace/upgrade your mousepad! Use it for whatever!
* Dampening Material - The CouchSurfer can be quite a loud and hollow sounding keyboard, so putting some foam rubber or other material inside will help alleviate the acoustics of the wood. Cutting a section out for the battery will also help designate an area inside to tape it down.
* A Wireless Mouse - These are getting better and better all the time! I recommend a wireless Logitech mouse simply because I've had the most experience with their products and like them, but the offerings from Razer and Corsair all look to be quite good as well. It's 2018, people, let's cut the cords!
This project has taken me about 2 months to complete, from the inital prototyping phase to the completed product. I had intended to have five of these available, but one of them had issues that I was not comfortable passing on to a potential buyer, so I'm eating the cost on it. Because these are not as high-end as I had initially wanted them to be, they will be sold for less, and quite honestly at a monetary loss. I'm not comfortable selling something for a price that I wouldn't pay myself!
DISCLAIMER - There will be minor flaws, evidence of manufacture, imperfect edges inside the PCB cavity, etc. In addition, the mirrored finish I chose for the plates was not the wisest decision, and they all showed up with some tiny micro-scratches. These are hardly noticeable, especially once a build is completed, but I want people to know that they are not flawless either. Each of these boards are *HANDMADE* by me, and are not machine perfect like you're used to seeing from CNC milled products. I aim to change that process after this initial run and have these CNC'd on the next round, as well as change the included plate material/finish.
Thank you again for being here, and I hope to find these things some good homes! Can't wait to see what kinds of crazy living room/HTPC setups these guys end up in!
