Pictured is the finished build with (close to) ISO-DE Layout, with DSA Profile Keycaps from YMDK, and some blank 1U keycaps.
Click here for the QMK Firmware for this layout.
- reduce heat insert diameter
- 6x7 Layout. Coming from TKL ISO Layout, I am too lazy to use layers and learn a new layout. I also need dedicated F-Keys.
- No Wire Post
- Mount for Delock Cable USB 2.0 Micro-B Female Panel-Mount
- Flipped RJ9 mount, so that the cable clip will end up on the upper side
- New Promicro Mount
See right.stl for preview.
- I use Ultimaker Cura (v5.1.1) as slicer, with following settings
- 0.2mm layer height
- (Important) Support Structure: Tree --> extremely easier to remove compared to normal
- 10% Infill
- 10mm Brim
- Printer: stock Sovol SV02 with heated bed, Esun PLA with 205°C nozzle temp and 60°C bed temp.
- PVA glue (UHU Stic) applied to the bed, especially on the brim and sidewalls area because they tend to warp, which is a common (big) print issue.
- How to know where the brim and side wall will go? Start print and stop when the outer brim is printed. That would be the boundaries. I applied generous amount of PVA glue there.
- Once the print reaches ca. Z=10mm, if warping is not present, print is more likely to be succeeded, w.r.t. warping.
- Be careful on removing support structure around the Promicro mount. Make sure
you know how it should look like without the support. See
right.stl.
For 6x7 you need following items:
- 86 Cherry-MX (or compatible) Switches
- 82 1U Keycaps. I use DSA profile keycaps. Cherry profile are reported to also work.
- 4 1U or 1.25U Keycaps for the upper thumb
- M3 Heat Inserts, at least 10 pcs.
- M3x5 countersink screws, at least 10 pcs.
Wired and (almost fully) assembled left side:
What really helped during the assembly was to have and use following:
- Amoeba single-switch PCB from a local vendor. I bought 100 pcs. with some spares just in case I messed up.
- A good soldering iron. I used Ersa C25 25W. I went through two cheap soldering irons, both end up with broken tip and subpar results. Also a metal solder tip cleaner.
- Single-core jumper wires. I used wires with 0.2 sq. mm cross section. It's stiff compared to wires with multi-core, which make the PCBs to stay in place before soldering.
- Multimeter to do continuity check. Cheap one will do.
Additionally I also use XH-Type connector at the ProMicro as idiot-proofing.
Finished 24h-long print.
"Tree" support structure really makes removing supports easier.
Sanded, primered, painted, clear coat.
Continuity check after soldering diodes.
Easier if you do this in batch of e.g. 10 PCBs
Wiring harness with Amoeba PCB for the left side.
With XH-Connectors for the rows and columns
Mounted wiring harness for the left side.
Soldering the top left (the deepest point) was really difficult. I found it to be easier to first remove the switch, put PCB on position, then carefully insert the switch back.
Close up of the mounted wiring harness for the left side.
Bokeh!
Wiring harness for the right side.
It was a very sunny day
Finished!
For firmware flashing please refer to this page on QMK: qmk_firmware for 6x7 Dactyl Manuform ISO-DE
The source code for generating the models (everything excluding the things/ and resources/ directories is distributed under the GNU AFFERO GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE Version 3. The generated models and PCB designs are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License Version 3.0.