Keeb

keeb

Custom mechanical keyboard project for Hack Club Keeb

My Custom Mechanical Keyboard

About the Project

I got interested in building this custom keyboard because I'm passionate about workplace setups and desk aesthetics. By trade, I'm a Motion Designer (I mainly work in Adobe After Effects), but the process of creating a custom keyboard completely sucked me in. Now, I definitely want to keep building custom hardware in the future!

Development & Challenges

Initial Phase & Features Overload

When I first found out about the Hack Club grant, I wanted to put everything into this board — OLED screens, a volume knob, and RGB LEDs. However, once I started routing the traces on the PCB, things got messy very fast. I simply ran out of space.

PCB & Case Iterations

To overcome these issues and avoid the hassle of sourcing and tuning stabilizers, I redesigned the layout to use three short spacebars instead of a standard long one.

While working on the PCB, I placed the screw mounts and initially didn't notice that the Pico's USB-C connector ended up stuck right in the middle of the board! I had to go back to KiCad and re-route the traces to fix the connector placement.

Switching CAD Software

At first, I tried to design the case using Onshape, but I found its workflow very uncomfortable for my style — to the point where I almost gave up and deleted the progress. But then I realized I could use Blender, a program I already knew well from rendering my first 3D short film. Switching to Blender allowed me to finish the case design smoothly and separate the top plate for a clean print.

Current Status

All PCB routing, case files, and firmware are finalized. I can't wait to get the parts printed and manufactured so I can assemble this keyboard and use it in my daily setup!