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my homemade keyboard projects

Tony Finch's keyboard projects

This repository is where I keep my work on custom mechanical keyboards.

HHKBeeb

The first keyboard I built is a tribute to the BBC Micro made in the run-up to its 40th anniversary in 2021.

It uses a Yiancar HS60 PCB and a generic HHKB case, and keycaps designed by me and printed by WASD.

The project directory hhkbeeb also contains designs for an acrylic sandwich case that I never made.

The default branch in this repository is jokingly called model-b because git's default branch used to be master, and both are kinds of BBC Micro.

Keybird69

In 2023 I designed a 65% keyboard with a "unix69" layout. It uses a Waveshare RP2040-Tiny controller on a PCB designed by me. The case is a sandwich of FR-4 and LEGO.

I have assembled three versions of Keybird69:

  1. with Cherry MX Clear switches and Signature Plastics DSS "Dolch" keycaps

  2. Cherry MX Clear switches again but with the springs lubericated to eliminate their pinging; and with matt3o's GMK MTNU Susu keycaps.

  3. Gateron CAP milky brown switches with JTK HSA Hyperfuse keycaps

Keybird42

My late 2023 / early 2024 work in progress is series of 77% boards:

  • bigger than 75%
  • fewer keys than 80%
  • more symmetrical

They are called keybird42:

  • 42 cm wide PCB
  • 21 keys wide (42 / 2)
  • 84 keys total (42 * 2)

The first version will have a layered acrylic case; there may be others.