Out of curiousity and the possibility of improving the ergonomics of my work setup, I have decided to build a custom keyboard. After a lot of research I choose the Cygnus 4x6 from Juha Kauppinen.
Contents:
Picture of the right half of the keyboard.
Why this keyboard
Cygnus has a lot of features that I liked, and after extensive research
Original design features
- 4x6 → More buttons (4 rows and 6 columns.)
- Shape → Looks cool :D
- SU 120 PCB → It enables hostwappable key switches. Both MX and Low profile ones.
Beginner friendly
- Comes with design files
- Has a variaty of supported Micro controllers
- Has a part list to make ordering parts easier
Personal preference
- Silent switches
- Mx switches → because they are cheaper compared to low profile silent switches.
- Brass inserts → Screws don’t wear out the plastic → long product lifetime.
- Both wireless and wired mode at the same time. (Nice nano v2 / NRF52840 chip)
Modifications to the original
I modified the bottom plate of the Cygnus keyboard to house a 18650 lithium-ion battery cell, and put a permanent bracket for for the Micro controller.
Battery
I choose a relatively huge battery, based on the ZMK firmware calculator
In theory, it should last 6-12 months of use, which I think many people would prefer for some extra weight.
Final thoughts
Time it took
It is a lot more work than it seems, but it is definitely possible. For me, it took about 2 days of soldering, and about 3 more days to figure out the firmware.
Where to order
I ordered parts from Aliexpress, everything arrived within 15 days. It is about 2-3 times cheaper than any other website, at the cost of arrival time.
Tips for building
I wouldn’t recommand being cheap on wiring, because it will hugely impact the final product.