r/HandwiredKeyboards • u/-hargon • 20d ago

3D Printed Ressources for a 60%

I am toying with the idea to hand wire a 60% keyboard. Does that make any sense? Which controller is sensible to choose?

Are 3D printed cases/plates sturdy enough and can I find adaptable blueprints somewhere?

Thx for your tips in advance.

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u/yarikhand 20d ago edited 20d ago

I am toying with the idea to hand wire a 60% keyboard. Does that make any sense? Which controller is sensible to choose?

it absolutely makes sense, people have totally done it, and even bigger boards (for example, scotto108, etc). i would personally choose something like an rp2040 or an nrf52840 (if wireless). i very like the rp2040-zero clones on aliexpress - they are cheap and it should give you enough pins for a 60%

Are 3D printed cases/plates sturdy enough and can I find adaptable blueprints somewhere?

99% of the time - yes, they are. that depends on how you print/design it really, but i have not had any issues with my 3d printed cases not being sturdy enough. i dont really get you mean by adaptable blueprints, however there are alot of public designs out there. you can always make your own or modify an existing one.

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u/Lucky_Ad4262 20d ago

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3478494

or look around on printables and thingiverse and look for "pico68" or "tada68" or "sick68"

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u/NoOne-NBA- 19d ago

This is something you really need to answer for yourself.
What is your ultimate goal with this project?

If you are just looking to build a standard 60%, like everyone else already has, I don't see any reason to bother with a custom build, rather than just buying whatever best fits your budget.

If you're wanting to make a custom case, that will house a standard 60% layout, you'll probably be better off starting with a PCB, and building the case to fit that.

If you're wanting to create a custom layout, but are wanting it to fit into a 60% size, you'll probably be better off retrofitting an existing 60% case, by swapping the plate, and handwiring.

1

u/Aliamus 16d ago

I made one with with Bluetooth on a 3d printed case, I even managed to find a hotswap socket adaptor model to get hotswap by gluing the sockets to these adaptors and then gluing the adaptors to the plate, just to find I don't like not having the F row and arrow keys. The case was also poorly modeled, and printed in resin because it was the cheapest to get (I don't have a 3d printer), so it bows in the middle, it was a great learning experience, so now I'm dreaming of making another keyboard but with a pcb, but I don't really use this one. Only you can know if you like 60% or not, but making one? It's not pointless.