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Author Topic: KTOD - Favorite PCB?  (Read 2246 times)

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Offline CPTBadAss

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KTOD - Favorite PCB?
« on: Mon, 16 June 2014, 19:15:48 »
Over the weekend I finished modding a Ducky DK2108S OMG Keyboard. I was thoroughly impressed by how great the PCB was. Thick, strong, able to take a lot of heat without the PCB and pads warping. It was a true pleasure to work on that PCB. The exact opposite opposite experience of when I was modding a QFR.

What's your favorite PCB and why?

I think the Ducky PCBs have been my favorite to work on. Followed closely by the KMAC 1.2 PCB. And I also really like the GH60's design and the Leeku PCBs seem very nice. I'm looking forward to building up the 3000.
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Offline Puddsy

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Re: KTOD - Favorite PCB?
« Reply #1 on: Mon, 16 June 2014, 19:19:08 »
GON NerD 87

or Phantom
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Offline SpAmRaY

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Re: KTOD - Favorite PCB?
« Reply #2 on: Mon, 16 June 2014, 19:20:43 »
Good to know about the ducky PCB I have one I'm planning on modding.
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Offline Photekq

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Re: KTOD - Favorite PCB?
« Reply #3 on: Mon, 16 June 2014, 19:21:56 »
I'm impressed with GON's NerD too. Old single sided PCBs, like the ones in G80s, are the nicest to work with though. Super easy to desolder.
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Offline CPTBadAss

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Re: KTOD - Favorite PCB?
« Reply #4 on: Mon, 16 June 2014, 19:26:07 »
Aesthetically, some of the older Alps keyboards I've taken apart like a Focus FK2001 and Datacomp XT have really fun traces on the PCBs. They look like they were hand-drawn. It's really mesmerizing to look at. And the Cherry logo on the PCBs is really cool. One of my favorite pictures that I've taken so far.

.....Alps PCBs are all right to work on though. Not the best but not QFR status.

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Offline Defect

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Re: KTOD - Favorite PCB?
« Reply #5 on: Mon, 16 June 2014, 20:43:12 »
The one from the TG3 Data911 is thick as hell and I couldn't burn it when I tried.

The Face-W looks very appealing to me in terms of functionality/support.  But my vote would be for Duck Mini because Alps + MX on the same board....
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Offline strict

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Re: KTOD - Favorite PCB?
« Reply #6 on: Mon, 16 June 2014, 20:54:37 »
Quote from: TacticalStache on Mon, 16 June 2014, 19:19:08
GON NerD 87

or Phantom

The amount of layout options afforded by the phantom is hard to beat. The build quality on the board I received was great. My only complaint was that the white solder mask yellowed easier than I would have liked and also shows solder flux. I wish I could have gotten in on the group buy for black PCBs.
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Offline dorkvader

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Re: KTOD - Favorite PCB?
« Reply #7 on: Mon, 16 June 2014, 23:07:54 »
Quote from: Photekq on Mon, 16 June 2014, 19:21:56
I'm impressed with GON's NerD too. Old single sided PCBs, like the ones in G80s, are the nicest to work with though. Super easy to desolder.
That's only 'cause of the solder, etc. Those PCBs are super cheap and I hate them with a burning rage.
Quote from: Defect on Mon, 16 June 2014, 20:43:12
The one from the TG3 Data911 is thick as hell and I couldn't burn it when I tried.

The Face-W looks very appealing to me in terms of functionality/support.  But my vote would be for Duck Mini because Alps + MX on the same board....
I'm with you on this one; Out of all the PCB's I've seen (for keyboards) TG3 has the best.

Phantom is nice, and so are xwhatsit's beamspring controllers, but the controllers don't really count, and the phantom I still can't get those QR codes to scan right.
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Offline Hak Foo

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Re: KTOD - Favorite PCB?
« Reply #8 on: Tue, 17 June 2014, 00:04:08 »
The AT101W's PCB is nice and thick, and I like that they tried to put resist between places solder bridges were likely to form.  The assembly approach, OTOH, was a disaster (folded over, and thus difficult-to-desolder switches).

I love the Leeku concepts too-- it means you can have a custom board without having to hit a narrow group-buy window for a custom-made case, or spend as much as a new Realforce 103 on said case.  They also managed to deliver on the "MX and ALPS on the same PCB" concept.

Part of me thought a Leeku 8200 would be the obvious next step, but then I realized that real 8200s have full-rollover already, so it would be a hard sell except for the "LED crowd" and the ALPS fans.
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Offline Pacifist

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Re: KTOD - Favorite PCB?
« Reply #9 on: Tue, 17 June 2014, 00:11:52 »
metalliqaz's pcb working is pretty awesome
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Offline bianco

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Re: KTOD - Favorite PCB?
« Reply #10 on: Tue, 17 June 2014, 10:06:16 »
duck's light saver pcb especially v2, a very compact 1800.
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Offline dorkvader

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Re: KTOD - Favorite PCB?
« Reply #11 on: Tue, 17 June 2014, 10:40:44 »
Quote from: bianco on Tue, 17 June 2014, 10:06:16
duck's light saver pcb especially v2, a very compact 1800.

that is a nice PCB, but I think the pad size should be adjusted a bit.
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Offline bianco

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Re: KTOD - Favorite PCB?
« Reply #12 on: Tue, 17 June 2014, 11:01:24 »
Quote from: dorkvader on Tue, 17 June 2014, 10:40:44
Quote from: bianco on Tue, 17 June 2014, 10:06:16
duck's light saver pcb especially v2, a very compact 1800.

that is a nice PCB, but I think the pad size should be adjusted a bit.

sorry, i'm new to the pcb terminology (custom kbs for that matter), what's pad size?
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Offline Oobly

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Re: KTOD - Favorite PCB?
« Reply #13 on: Tue, 17 June 2014, 12:11:27 »
I don't actually have one, but the GH60 Rev. B PCB in white is a thing of beauty:



Would love to get a production one once they are shipped...
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Offline CPTBadAss

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Re: KTOD - Favorite PCB?
« Reply #14 on: Tue, 17 June 2014, 12:14:40 »
The GH60 Rev B PCB is just as gorgeous in person. I'm looking forward to building mine.
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