Creating BOM

What I need:

1. Xiao - i think the cheapest place is https://www.seeedstudio.com/XIAO-RP2040-v1-0-p-5026.html?srsltid=AfmBOorlfO1uHob3eIWfmOLdOJ4iHvk6txfohUEs03Rc06YnOjkPoCdD, $3.99
   

2. PCB - According to ts,

1. aliexpress stuff

created cad (btw journal self deflated hella

I got an MX Cherry switch from https://github.com/ConstantinoSchillebeeckx/cherry-mx-switch/blob/master/switch.step :D

Some weird stuff happened, and it turned out my top layer silkscreen shifted, so I have to restart now

This took much longer than it should have, but we done now gng. IDK how this took this long but it did

TL;DR my goal was to make it as polished as possible. Im now figuring out a coloring scheme, but im really happy with my results:

First, I have standoffs to make it polished (basically to reduce the amount of holes either side and not damage components)

I added art, for 2 of these it was really complex so I imported STLs and did a booleon subtract

No regrets; they look sick.

This one I made myself

if ur curious re: how I did this, just check my onshape link!

I decided to make 2 versions: one with the OLED, and one without:

Edge Cuts

Im positioning everything exactly 5mm out from the internal components using the cords:

Note I didnt do this on the top, just to be able to place the Xiao.

My biggest issue is the design: I'm not sure how to make it look cool. I dont have much space for silkscreens, and they will be cut off.

due to this mess, ill use a higher size.

these are the lengths, add 10 foro 5 each side, 73.2+10=83.2 so I have room for like 10 mm margins.

I really like this everything is beautifully concentric.

Removing trash silkscreen text and adding sick swords, I tested for color, and found this the sickest. It is also the same price.:

NVM HeadFreeHASL expensive

I learned how to change the colors on a PCB to match my choice!

^^ onshape

Routed the PCB :D

I routed the PCB! This took me a while, and I almost died when the new announcement came out saying it won't be counted as a hack pad, but I then learned that I need to track all my hours lol to submit it as a macropod so at least my work isn't being wasted :D

I tried to not use vias, which proved not possible due to the neopixels. I have a few vias. I still think its pretty clean tho! Diodes and LEDS are on the back.

My main struggle was lining up the footprints.

Up next:

1. pretty edgecut
2. pretty silkscreen or maybe clay silkscreen idk
3. Figure out the color scheme
4. figure out the case.
5. Texture with copper-fill texturing

Introduction + Made schematic

The goal of this is to create a really polished macropad and fit as much as I can into this, utilizing the GPIO as much as possible.

On the lock in call @Logan Peterson hosted, I made the schematic! I used @alexren's OrphPad, primary the schematic, as reference.

^^ Alex's schematic

My schematic:

I tried to:

1. Make it as neat as possible, and even the goat @Kai Pereira said its clean :D
2. Add as much as possible (I added backlight LEDS for every switch, an OLED, a rotatory encoder connected to the matrix.)