This way users can make their own keyboards, modify them to accommodate modern day keycaps, make groupbuys or start making batches for everyone to enjoy ?īelow you’ll find everything you’d need to make your own MechBoard64. This includes files for creating the keyboard PCB (Gerber, Excellon, BOM), the keyboard bracket (Illustrator, PDF, bend allowance drawing), 3D printed keycap adapters (.STL), the keyboard stabilizers (dimensions, material) and all miscellaneous parts (cables, screws, nuts, super lube). As I have no intention to become a Commodore 64 mechanical keyboard manufacturer, I’ve therefore decided to release all information regarding the creation of the MechBoard64.
When the MechBoard64 was finally realized and presented on my blog, it soon came clear that a new mechanical keyboard was the missing piece in the creation of a brand new Commodore 64 (…well that and some new keycaps…). Truth is (and don’t tell anyone, ok?), I’ve never actually owned a mechanical keyboard, so I’ve also spent a bit of time trying to understand the differences between switches, brands and where to get a hold of them.
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However, I have never used that software either so that also took me a while to be acquainted with. The laser cutting companies all ask for Adobe Illustrator files for their machines. I’ve never drawn a PCB before, so that took me quite some time to learn. However, I truly enjoyed the engineering part of creating the keyboard PCB, the search for a solution for the Shift Lock circuit, the drawing of the keyboard bracket, sending the drawings off to China and finally see it all come together. Going into such a large project was quite naive, as I had absolutely no idea how much effort I actually had to put into it to get my two keyboards.
Step 7. We remove the toner with acetone, then we drill holes, cover with rosin varnish, and service the contact pads.I’ve been racking my brain for quite some time, to find a solution on what to do with my MechBoard64 ( link) keyboard project… The project started as I needed two new keyboards for my C64 Reloaded boards ( link, link). Step 6. We etch our board in ferric chloride. For the etching process to go quickly, the solution must be heated to 40-50 degrees. Step 5. Then put the board with the sticky paper in hot water of about 50 degrees and wait until the paper is softened.Īfter the paper swells, it must be carefully separated from the board. The remains of paper roll with your finger under water. We check the dried-up board for possible defects, if in some places the toner is still out, it can be finished with a regular permanent marker. Now we take an ordinary iron, turned on at the maximum temperature, and carefully iron the paper board from the side of the drawing. Then firmly pressing the board to the paper, carefully wrap the edges of the paper, fixing them with pre-prepared strips of adhesive tape. Next, lay the board with the foil side onto the paper, precisely positioning it along the contour. After the image is printed, we cut out the contour, remembering to leave the margins approximately the width and height of the board. We stack the sheet with the image up. Prepare strips of paper tape about a centimetre long. On a laser printer, print out the printed circuit board pattern on glossy tissue paper. I use this kind of paper from the catalog of electronic magazines.