10/13/2025 10 AM - Begun Design of key layout

• Begun keyboard definition in ergogen
• read through FlatFootFox's "Lets Design a Keyboard" introduction and 1/4 of part 1 ( https://flatfootfox.com/ergogen-part1-units-points/ )
• Did research on implementing rotary encoder and/or sliding potentiometer into keyboard design; rotary encoder is feasable, sliding potentiometer is not

10/13/2025 5 PM - Designed keymap

• Defined all the keys in ergogen
• came up with a 40 key layout (6x3 main body 1x2 thumbfan)
• Designed the keymap utilizing home-row-mods and special layers configurable in zmk.
• I am planning on implementing Hyprland specific keybinds to the keymap to let me navigate my window manager faster

next steps:

• design key layout in ergogen for ergonomics
• brainstorm case designs
  

10/15/2025 - Designed key layout

• took measurements of my hands
• did research on how to use said measurements in keyboard layout
• made the keyboard layout using ergogen
• spent a while (not included in time estimate, it was like 30 minutes tho) configuring the GODDAMN PRINTER

• verified that there was no overlap between keys which is a bit harder (not much) than it sounds due to how ergogen renders keys
  

• printed out a couple tests for the key layout to make sure it felt good to type on

• figured out how to push to github so now you can see my code on github (also not included in time estimate, it was like 30 minutes also, github CLI hates me)

10/16/2025 12 AM - Begun design of pcb

• did research on part pricing
• started budgeting my build and researching keycaps, switches, encoders etc
• begun design and layout of pcb
• decided on a wired split design using a TRRS cable to communicate between each side
• have ideas for a case (wrist rest mayhaps)
• FlatFootFoxes guide, which i have been using to learn how to use Ergogen, is not of as much help now due to how our designs diverge.
  

10/16/2025 10 PM - Preparations for fabrication

• finalized keyboard design (not including case and other stuff, just the pcb and components that go on said pcb)
• finished wiring up left side of keyboard
• begun making the schematic because ergogen only outputs the pcb file and blueprint needs pcb and schematic file for submission. -

10/18/2025 - SO turns out i cant fully use ergogen

• uhh, so the docs/faq didnt mention ergogen, turns out the ones on slack are different
• uhhh, so we can use ergogen to design keyboard layout but not pcb
• so i made the schematic from scratch and now im going to do the pcb
• at least it makes designing pcb/schematic/case easier pretty much
• 

10/19/2025 - More PCB shenanigans

• placed the pcb components and lined them up with the layout I laid out in ergogen
• routed the traces, spent like 5 minutes finding the last trace
• the 3d models are all messed up and something is messed up with everything
• idek how to explain it
• everything is on the wrong side of the pcb somehow
• to do
  • fix pcb
  • make right side of pcb
  • prepare for fabrication
    

10/21/2025 - Fixed the pcb

• i fixed the pcb
• i really havent gotten much done recently

• i just need to push through to the finish

• todo:

• make right pcb

• set up bom.csv for jlcpcb pcba service

• make some cool renders in blender yay!

idk what happened to the formating on this one :heavysob:

10/22/2025 - Placed footprints for right PCB

• I placed the footprints for the right pcb
• KiCAD crashed and I lost like 10 minutes of progress yay autosave
• pcb design being annoying
• trying to find parts for bom.csv from lcsc and jlcpcb is very annoying. I think I am going to have to solder the Arduino pro-micro myself with help from a friend because i don't have an iron. (yet... tool bag here I come)

10/23/2025 - Finished Designing PCB

All files are ready for fabrication and assembly by JLCPCB I think. I went through their file preparation guide so I think it should all be good. Feeling nervous about finalizing my product but here we go, will be shipping this in the near future

12/14/2025 7 PM - 2 MONTHS LATER

looking back everything in this was so cooked and since I know now how to do stuff I think im going to start from scratch. It shouldnt be so hard as i just need to do everything all over again. :pf: this will be fun

12/14/2025 9 PM - Got a significant amount of the left PCB done

I first had to make the entire schematic which took all of aobut 30 minutes, which included setting up the footprint and symbol libraries which is a bit of a pain, I then layed out the PCB and dug up an old commit for the layout of the keyboard

12/15/2025 - FINISHED LEFT PCB, ON TO THE RIGHT

I fixed up some footprint shenanigans (its always those footprints). I wired up the entire PCB (this is likely one of the worst tracing jobs I have ever done, but it works).

12/16/2025 1 PM - Begun on Right PCB

I copied the left PCB for a starting point and flipped/rotated a bunch of stuff so that it would work. I wired up the diodes kinda and now need to move on the routing the rest of the PCB.

12/16/2025 2 PM - FINISHED RIGHT PCB ROUTING :rac-lfg:

I finished routing up the right PCB. I want to make some nice silkscreen art and then a case to continue on. These routing jobs are kinda terrible but it should work just fine seeing as it passes DRC without any errors

1/14/2026 - Firmware

So for the longest time I had a mental block with the firmware. However, I have just recieved the gift of midnight inspiration and absolutely ripped through the firmware with a bit of help from ai.

• created firmware
• compiled it

1/15/2026 - Created BOM.csv

Midnight inspiration carried over to the next day, and I had a snow day so no school. anyway I think I'm done

• created bom.csv
• exported stuff for production
• no case because IDK how to cad