flatkeys build log

total hours spent : 14

alright so here’s how this thing went down.

june 9 – ideas & scribbles

• thought of making a compact choc keyboard
• 60 keys felt right — 5x12, nice grid, no weird gaps
• wanted it thin, no mx nonsense
• quick notes on choc switches, mbk keycaps, oled on top for fun
• decided to do pcb & 3d print myself because why not suffer

june 10 – 3d mess

• opened fusion 360, started throwing rectangles around
• ended up making a layered case, not too thick, clean edges
• first draft looked okay-ish
• printed a rough one → forgot usb clearance lol → fixed
• stl ready, printer warm

june 11 – wires on screen

• jumped into kicad, fresh file
• matrix setup: 5 rows, 12 cols → diodes on everything
• pro micro atmega32u4 like usual, oled on i2c
• added reset button because i always need it later and forget
• everything wired → no explosions yet

june 12 – pcb spaghetti

• footprints in → routed all the switches → looked like spaghetti, cleaned it up
• had to fix the usb-c footprint orientation again (it’s always the usb…)
• ran the checks → 1 tiny error → fixed → cool
• gerbers out → we move

june 20 - finally finished

• got busy w school lol, finally finshed, gonna submit today