11/1/2025 - Designed and started working on my Keyboard

I designed CustomKeyboard V1, a 65% mechanical keyboard for Hack Club Blueprint. The design takes inspiration from Apple's minimalist aesthetic, featuring clean lines, a space gray aluminum case, and a Mac-optimized layout with Command and Option keys. The keyboard uses an ATmega32U4 microcontroller, O-ring gasket mounting, USB-C connectivity, and hot-swap sockets. It runs QMK firmware with VIA support for easy customization. Initially planned as a PCB-based design, I've decided to build the first prototype using hand-wiring techniques with a Pro Micro to validate the layout and gain assembly experience before moving to custom PCB manufacturing.

For now this is what the design will be based on (hopefully)

11/2/2025 - Keyboard Plate Design

I started by designing a custom layout on keyboard-layout-editor.com, aiming for a compact 65% Mac-compatible setup. After finalizing the layout, I rendered it using kle-render.herokuapp.com to visualize spacing and proportions.
Next, I used builder.swillkb.com to generate the plate file. I adjusted stabilizer cutouts and margins, then exported the DXF file.
In Fusion 360, I imported the DXF, extruded the plate to 1.5mm, and added fillets to the corners. I verified switch cutouts and saved the model.
I wrapped up by prepping for case design—measuring the plate, sketching a rough outline, and deciding on mounting style. Case modeling comes next.

11/3/2025 - Case Design and Plate Re-Design

today i started working on the case design. I initially used the plate generator from http://builder.swillkb.com/ but quickly realized the dimensions weren't accurate for my layout and the switch cutouts didn't align properly with standard MX spacing.
so i decided to start over using https://kbplate.ai03.com/ instead. This generator produced much more accurate results. Imported the new plate design into Fusion 360 for 3D modeling. Having gone through the process once already, the second attempt was significantly easier. Completed everything from research to finding new plate design in roughly 2 hours.
The case proved to be the challenging part. Started following YouTube tutorials on keyboard case design and reached out to the community on Discord (that made https://github.com/ph-design/PH60) for guidance. With help from the developer of that keyboard, I worked through the mounting system, wall thickness, and tolerances. Completed the full case design in approximately 3 hours. I also made a place for the arduino pro micro to mount and the hole for the usb c then i finalized the bill of materials and calculated total project cost at last.

ps: took me a lot time in doing research and also this was my first time making a 3d model

11/7/2025 - Wiring Diagram and GitHub Setup

Today i focused on organizing and documenting the firmware side of my custom keyboard. First, I uploaded all relevant files to GitHub: plate DXF, and early Fusion 360 exports. I created folders for each stage: layout, plate, case, and firmware. I also added a basic README.
Then I followed a YouTube video that walked through wiring diagrams for hand-wired keyboards. Using kbfirmware.com, I recreated my layout and mapped out the matrix. I assigned rows and columns based on physical switch positions, added a diode per switch, and finalized the wiring diagram. I exported the firmware config and saved the wiring image for reference.

11/10/2025 - Finished Everything

Today I wrapped up the entire firmware and documentation process for my custom keyboard. I started by searching for all the necessary parts—diodes, microcontroller, switches, and wiring materials—making sure everything matched the layout and matrix I had designed earlier.
Then I finalized the firmware, cleaned up the config, and double-checked the keymap and pin assignments. I used kbfirmware.com to validate the wiring diagram and exported the final firmware files.
Next, I created a complete BOM (bom.csv) listing every component with quantity and source etc and uploaded everything to GitHub. The repo now includes every file i made.
Everything is now documented, uploaded, and ready for the next phase: physical build and testing.

12/6/2025 - Created the 3d files again

so initially while designing my keyboard plate and case i designed it in a way that they would have to be printed without breaking but the guy that was willing to 3d print my parts has a small base printer so i redesigned the plate and base for my keyboard such that the pieces can be joined together and the screws holding the plate and base act as a collective joiners. it took me some time and learning to design the splited keyboards. i also took help from the same discord guy that had helped me earlier in the build to make joiners so they would balance out the force while typing in the keyboard. i also updated github with new files.

here are some images of my work: