I started my company about a year ago with the goal of designing and building the keyboard I always wanted to make. I went through the process of designing the case and optimizing it for manufacturability, designing the electronics and getting the FCC pre-screen testing performed (absolutely smoked it, that one felt good), and thinking through every conceivable problem a customer could have and trying to head it off with smart design choices. I’m quite proud of what I made.
It was the point where I started looking at advertising more seriously that just how not-fun the business part of this project was going to be became a reality. So I decided to just. . . not do it. I want to spend my time working on cool designs, not bury my face into my inbox for days at a time.
So after a hiatus I took my finished design and re-worked it to use off the shelf hardware and wrote up some detailed instructions so people can build one themselves. I may dust off my original design someday, and I’m glad I went through the exercise I did, but for now I feel better about doing it this way.
That’s amazing looking. I would say rather than diy the sales side, maybe contact established manufacturers with the full established ground work done and use them for the final annoying side.
But that aside, excellent work and thank you for making it off the shelf and printable. That is just amazing.
All the best and maybe some day I will be able to buy a boxed one
Thanks! I talked to a handful of marketing companies in the Houston area, I think my expectations as an engineer and the reality of that world just didn’t line up.
If you’re brave, you can print it without any supports, too.
Hmmm I am tempted to venture to the 3d print shop, I think they offer printing too and see if they could do up a couple of these. I had a look at the git and associated ZMK stuff and the wireless boards, all seems doable.
I had planned to also hand wire a planck a long time ago but ended up with PCBs. So this could be fun.
Also do post some of this and a link back to this topic in the Mechanical Keyboard Corner.