Oooh very interesting insights. I'll try to print a palm rest with your advice!
mptsounds
joined 1 year ago
Wow, that looks gorgeous!!
Ah that's true. I got the SLA printer's build volume and indeed it can't fit a whole half of the split kb in any way.
I think this SLA printer can print ABS. Or at least I'm told the default resin is ABS-like. Probably not as durable I'm guessing.
Nice idea! Do you mean on top of the switch plate? I'm still brainstorming the design, but it will have a removable layer on top of the plate to hide the switches' legs (I don't like that "naked" feel) & keep some dust from falling inside the kb.
Hmm what's the rationale to print the plate with FDM? Are SLA plates brittle or inflexible? (if printed with ABS)? I don't have much experience with SLA. And good point, I'll check Thingiverse for the thickness.
Thanks for the input. I'll definitely spray paint the SLA parts. Not sure if spray painted keycaps will feel more "slippery" but I'll test first with some of them.
Good point with the TPU. I'm not sure what's available, but probably Ninjaflex (so 85A?)
Haha legit point! I definitely need one for as long as I still have to travel with my current kb, just in case more things break. I just learned of the Pinecil the other day, and it looks like the perfect candidate for a portable mini soldering iron.
Virtual Insanity Sorry, just updated my post for more clarity. Essentially, I found a temporary workaround (replaced that failed battery), and I'm considering a permanent solution for my next build/upgrade, which is to somehow power the board at 3.7 V with common batteries (AA, AAA or rechargeable AA/AAA-sized LiPos), or a power bank.
Thank you, this is exactly what I was looking for!
And yes, my keyboard did work fine on wired mode for a while (using ZMK), but because I had to constantly plug and unplug the USB C cable while transporting the keyboard over several months, the port became loose over time. Having a magnetic USB adapter could solve that problem next time.
You mean like a mini power bank? Makes sense, since they're indeed quite easy to find! Maybe I could use USB C instead of JST connection to power each half.
[EDITED for clarity]
Hi folks. For my next wireless split build, I'm exploring battery options for easy replacement while travelling. In this scenario, the battery's reached its end of life and needs to be disposed of/replaced with a new one. However, it's difficult to receive parcels or have access to a workshop while on the move, so the dead battery should be swappable without specialised tools, and the replacement battery should be easily sourced from any local hardware store.
For some background, this just happened to me. The LiPo in my current board was directly soldered to my nice!nano (bad choice, I know). Used the board on wired mode for a while, but the USB-C port became loose at some point due to accidental dragging and unplugging (I couldn't find a magnetic USB adapter). Most local shops didn't have the 3.7 V thin-ish LiPos that I often see in wireless splits, and language barrier made finding things difficult. Fortunately, I found a replacement battery (of dubious quality), but I want to make a dedicated battery slot in my next upgrade/build in case this happens again.
I know adding JST connector is an option, but the issue is, 3.7 V LiPos can be hard to find in some countries. I'm thinking of using AA or AAA-sized batteries (one-time usage or rechargeable type). Or use an RC LiPo (7.4 V?) but step down to around 3.7 V. Not sure what additional circuit or component would be required for this.
Has anyone tried to use such batteries for your split keyboards, or have seen a project that uses them? Also, if not AA/AAA-sized batteries, what other types and/or build would you suggest for this scenario?
(Photo from: https://www.dnkpower.com/lithium-polymer-battery-guide/)
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Good point! I've been considering to print a TPU "sock" of some kind to put on top of a FDM/SLA printed keycap to mimic a silicone (or silicone-like) keycaps, just to see what it feels like. Maybe it's better to make a mold to try other materials too!