In this post I'd like to show off with my latest project. The idea of cutting an old mechanical to make something smaller is not new. Inspired by SGI Littlefoot
https://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/sgi-littlefoot-a-60-modification-of-the-sgi-bigfoot-t10706.html I've made 74% keyboard from an old&broken KB6151EA from NTC (simplified White alps clones). Here is the process, enjoy.
Starting with the original case.
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I was messing with layout-editor, thinking about the best thing I can accomplish. Unlike SGI, this board has some steep angles which you can't avoid, so my original intensions to build 65+% with 5 rows was too hard to imagine. I had some spare caps and when I found out that bottom row can take 10x1.5u keys all the other aspects became obsolete. This layout was strange enough to be uncommon, easy enough to create, it had no added stabilizers and was good for layer switching.
Without much thinking I took the hacksaw and started cutting. I recommend starting with the top shell. It is easier to to make dimensions clear and form the bottom shell based on it.
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Top shell turned out well. I've seen much better work on it, but this thing is basically a prototype for future projects and I've learned from it. Speaking of bad measurments..
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I'm not particullary good at using the hacksaw, and this tool is.. well it is not the most precise I guess. 5mm gap was thick enough to put a piece of platic in. Everythig was sealed with superglue. As for the superglue, gel ones are the most convenient. It ends faster but makes life so much easier.
Now, the reason I wasn't accurate with the board is its cheap materials. The switchplate is made from plastic, and it's no good unless you want to cut and shape it. To put 10 1.5u keys I needed to shave off the stabilizers, cut the horizontal hole and form the borders for the switch holes by hand. For that I've harvested some plastic from the ruler.
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You can notice that the hole for ANSI style backslash is also presented. Big-ass enter was too bulky, it had to go.
After gluing the parts I've sealed some holes and painted the shell, as well as the switchplate.
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I've test-fitted the switches and decided that they were in a rather shamefull state. Typing on alps was not that good after mx blue clones and here I was, taking apart all those switches to make them clean and linear (Just for lulz).
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Oh, what a hard assembly those have. After you've practised it isn't so bad, but in the process, bending a dozen of leafs is unavoidable.
After the cleaning, those are very good, though. Definetely better than (vintage, I guess) mx blacks I have by side (Lighter and less scratchy but little incosistent).
And here is the part you've seen a lot, wiring. It wasn't hard for the most part, but some changes can be done to reduce the amount of pins used (not a problem with teensy 2++, I guess).
VERY IMPORTANT ADVICE: unless you have a lot of experience and planned the wiring entirely it is better to use QMK inbuilt planner. It's much quicker, as you don't need to redesign it in QMK afterwards and, I believe that it traces the best routes in terms of column/row amount. This was totally ignored by me and I had to make huge changes in QMK routes.
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Nothing special except dual micro usb ports. Those are linked in serial to allow connecting the wire from each side.
With all done it looks like this
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Sooo, am I happy with the board? Abso-lutely.
Any changes in the future? Retr0brighting, software tweaks, repairing Enter-key stabs.
How is the typing? Light as never, very smooth and relaxing with a nice, quite sound.
That's it for now, I hope that the post is readible
, thanks for joining.
