2 layers352.5 × 133.1 mm Awesome keyboard, the printed circuit board in 3D

Awesome keyboard

my first attempt at anything tech

Size: 352.5 × 133.1 mm
Copper layers: 2
Thickness: 1.6 mm
Parts: 181
Nets: 191
Pads: 948
Tracks, vias: 1,183, 56
Pours: 1
Routed: Yes
KiCad: KiCad 9.0 (file 20241229)
Created: 3 Jul 2025
Updated: 3 Jul 2025

Overview

Awesome keyboard is an open-source printed circuit board by Ectopl4sm, from the Ectopl4sm/Awesoem-Keyboard repository on GitHub. It is a 2-layer board of 352.5 × 133.1 mm with 181 parts on 191 nets, routed with 1,183 tracks and 56 vias.

It is built around the PCA9506BS and SK6812MINI-E. Its parts include 92 diodes, 83 switches and 2 ICs. It belongs with the keyboards and input boards and the RP2040 boards of this library.

Main components

README

README.md

Awesome Keyboard

This is my first attempt at all of this, had to learn all of this from ground zero. It took an ungodly amount of time to figure everything out and I'm pretty proud of the result :)

I've always wanted to buy a custom keyboard and this was a great oppetunity to do so.

pcb

schematic

pcb

case top profile

case

case bottom profile

case2

case side profile (angled)

case3

Name	Qty	Price	Link	Total
Diodes	68	$4.08	https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/onsemi/1N4148TR/458811	$192.73
LEDs	10	$6.80	https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/sparkfun-electronics/16347/11630204
Rotary Encoder	1	$3.86	https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/alps-alpine/EC11E09244BS/21721622
Raspberry Pi	1	$4	https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/raspberry-pi/SC0915/13624793
GPIO Expander	1	$5.32	https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/nxp-usa-inc/PCA9505DGGY/15221936
PCB + Shipping	1	$37.62	no coupon yet
Knob	1	$1	https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832562966356.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.1.45ffUDhLUDhLFJ&algo_pvid=71e1abc7-852f-4ea9-b764-3d5a0d8d1c36&algo_exp_id=71e1abc7-852f-4ea9-b764-3d5a0d8d1c36-0&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%22390%22%2C%22eval%22%3A%221%22%7D&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%212.62%210.99%21%21%212.62%210.99%21%402101ea8c17511779209908538eb7c6%2112000021682261949%21sea%21US%210%21ABX&curPageLogUid=3QlwZpJpwjt4&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A
USB Extension	1	$0.49	https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806829543297.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.3.4106Y6q8Y6q8DT&algo_pvid=b5aeddfa-dbb1-45e5-aec6-6f821d655cdc&algo_exp_id=b5aeddfa-dbb1-45e5-aec6-6f821d655cdc-2&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%2253%22%2C%22eval%22%3A%221%22%7D&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%210.92%210.48%21%21%216.53%213.40%21%402101c72a17512501047292906e6123%2112000039079686792%21sea%21US%210%21ABX&curPageLogUid=ShbpCxcqfDDf&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A
Switches	70	$34.24	https://clickclack.io/pages/vertex-v-one-switch?variant=40678966034468
Solder Iron	1	$13.95	https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CGHD7GW5?smid=A2CEQAD2VNOS6B&psc=1
Solder	1	$7.30	https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09KM2LW4G?smid=A2L1VF9N696CKB&psc=1
Stabilizers	1	$10.65	https://www.amazon.com/DUROCK-Stabilizer-Innovative-Pre-clipped-Stabilizers/dp/B0D4QF6TGB?crid=B1QVFDU3F7LW&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.AnNX6SDRgog7ofNqmlMNqNef8JSppQsgPn9JIu6masBuPBUXlz5RBSCm-FNXTpn3Pv5ff91niA6Zpf8mIvlFVwttmYCpoc0NlAAuaT50_A1mwhGoobLnapwlS5jaMav5U0kh7eRFyOKiwn3JYkEEDjbfWLttoj615_Tx_n_gjh8wi0Y_ywAYLcNlqXs6QjxtguaTTrfP9AwlMtE6G1s5lOQeK_yg-p39yEu1MBtWsTI.io17eoSt6DqakMlB9KsnNaY1oc2m8gWb1XzLDlXglH0&dib_tag=se&keywords=durock%2Bstabilizers&qid=1751525423&sprefix=durock%2Bsta%2Caps%2C110&sr=8-2&th=1
Keycaps	1	$28.11	https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B096RWG28F?smid=A34E3ZEXX2T0BG&psc=1
Filament	1	$18.19	https://www.amazon.com/OVERTURE-Filament-Consumables-Dimensional-Accuracy/dp/B07PGZNM34?crid=32AI7RQUJ1BJG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.8QdoneAyZDmKLvxB4kTg85hq1GMt1UMF0z-Ykek8s9K8sZmyxnJ0LZ1V4AMEM-rlRVCES6GcmB5JtaOaHvmExRfeyg1cdshvduejLpVBWUDIFjDsg93D7KKAKCPoCRVUsyBzkkMA4FfhvCxKu7eDJCpyREuUiWzgqaA-6kfhz3Dc6fN9Wqsd4ORwEbnMj6ITGn79Z6FkPIs3F0N8W-jUBI5hfbmbCNj8_qc9zyr23kU.kFDXL84Zfq0ibFzAOgnsYru2m1-TobWUl4Pxffm4c_w&dib_tag=se&keywords=pla%2Bfilament%2Bwhite&qid=1751526337&sprefix=pla%2Bfilament%2Bwhit%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-5&th=1
Hotswap Sockets	2	$17.12	https://www.amazon.com/Hot-swap-CPG151101S11-Mechanical-Keyboard-Accessories/dp/B0BVH6M5FP?crid=2M21HYL50NDN6&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.EevZxqeUp-BwdM7j_U8_MQBqduFR0qfaX2_RBhy2tE8trJeGc2Xp0yD4VkZud-JUpuZw9BkB-yAu6XrDBptrfpikVIR1lmyVU0Di9R3S665wqy2uQCoTlIVrluNA6ojenZ9p3xZ4sgiPfOBVyTosSA.BTlHmKso5l5Xw0BaXa-fOXqNKJVF1k3z6Y4HHVrEoes&dib_tag=se&keywords=kailh%2Bhotswap%2Bsockets%2Bmx&qid=1751531218&s=electronics&sprefix=kalih%2Bhotswap%2Bsockets%2Bmx%2Celectronics%2C102&sr=1-1&th=1

Category and platform

Keyboards and input RP2040

Project files

Show this board on your page

https://pcbkit.io/boards/Ectopl4sm/Awesoem-Keyboard

The board's own page, for a message or a post.

Source

Repository: Ectopl4sm/Awesoem-Keyboard
Board file: pcb/awesome keyboard.kicad_pcb
Commit: 92f965d
Licence: Not stated

Parts

181

Qty	Value	Footprint	References
82	D	Diode_THT:D_DO-35_SOD27_P7.62mm_Horizontal	D1, D2, D10, D11, D12, D13, D14, D15, D16, D17, D18, D19, D20, D21, D22, D23 +66
68	SW_Push	ScottoKeebs_Hotswap:Hotswap_MX_1.00u	SW1, SW2, SW10, SW11, SW12, SW13, SW16, SW17, SW18, SW19, SW20, SW21, SW22, SW23, SW24, SW25 +52
10	SK6812MINI	LED_SMD:LED_SK6812MINI_PLCC4_3.5x3.5mm_P1.75mm	D69, D70, D71, D72, D73, D74, D75, D76, D77, D78
6	SW_Push	ScottoKeebs_Hotswap:Hotswap_MX_1.25u	SW15, SW60, SW61, SW62, SW64, SW65
2	SW_Push	ScottoKeebs_Hotswap:Hotswap_MX_1.50u	SW33, SW46
2	SW_Push	ScottoKeebs_Hotswap:Hotswap_MX_2.25u	SW59, SW70
1	LOGO	test folder:sign2	G***
1	LOGO	test folder:bee	G***
1	LOGO	test folder:dino2	G***
1	LOGO	test folder:glasses 4	G***
1	PCA9506BS	Package_DFN_QFN:QFN-56-1EP_8x8mm_P0.5mm_EP4.3x4.3mm	U2
1	Pico	MCU_RaspberryPi_and_Boards:RPi_Pico_SMD_TH	U1
1	RotaryEncoder_Switch	Rotary_Encoder:RotaryEncoder_Alps_EC11E-Switch_Vertical_H20mm	SW14
1	SW_Push	ScottoKeebs_Hotswap:Hotswap_MX_2.75u	SW81
1	SW_Push	ScottoKeebs_Hotswap:Hotswap_MX_6.25u	SW63
1	SW_Push	ScottoKeebs_Hotswap:Hotswap_MX_1.75u	SW47
1	SW_Push	ScottoKeebs_Hotswap:Hotswap_MX_2.00u	SW29

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Questions

How big is the Awesome keyboard PCB?

It measures 352.5 × 133.1 mm and has 2 copper layers, 1.6 mm thick.

What parts does the Awesome keyboard use?

181 parts, built around the PCA9506BS and SK6812MINI-E. The full list of its parts is on this page, with links to each part's symbol and footprint where PCBKit's library has them.

Where can I download the Awesome keyboard KiCad files?

From the Ectopl4sm/Awesoem-Keyboard repository on GitHub, at the commit this page was made from: the board is pcb/awesome keyboard.kicad_pcb and its schematic pcb/awesome keyboard.kicad_sch. PCBKit opens the board in the browser, with nothing to install.

Can I use the Awesome keyboard design in my own project?

Its repository states no licence, so its author keeps all rights: ask Ectopl4sm before reusing the design.