1/2/2026 4 PM - decide on the keyboard layout, switches

I decided to go with a split lily58 monoblock style keyboard layout (not exactly but this is what I will build off.
Here's how the lily58 layout looks:

(NONE OF THE IMAGES ARE MY KEYBOARD! i just put this image to show the approximate layout)

here is a sloppy drawing of what the keyboard layout will look like (there are two extra keys)

Ofcouse, I didnt just land on this decision instantly. These are what I considered:

• Sofle This is very similar to the Lily58 layout. Since I am not copy-pasting the design (doing it by hand) it will technically be both and neither sofle and lily58.
• Atreus62 I also dont know the difference with this from lily58 and sofle.
• Lumberjack this ones completely ortholinear with no thumb cluster, its just the Preonic layout except spaced apart.

• Preonic Ortholinear and non split.

Time estimate: 1.75 hrs

1/2/2026 5:26 PM - Made the schematic

it was much harder than it looks because

• its my first PCB
• i have only a 720p screen which is very annoying for this, like zoom out a bit and text turns into unreadable blobs, like try zooming into that screenshot and reading the tiny text its impossible
• kicad crashed
  

1/2/2026 5:32 PM - Downloaded every single footprint needed and...

Downloaded every single footprint needed and assigned them to the symbols. Self explanatory.
I had to spend 30 minutes digging around for footprint libraries, then had to spend another 30 after realizing I downloaded the symbols again accidentally, then I had to look at the list and figure out which one of the components was right, like its impossible to guess what something like Rotary_Encoder:RotaryEncoder_Alps_EC11E-Switch_Vertical_H20mm is supposed to mean without 10 minutes of research. Multiply that by the ~10 options per component and ~30 components and you get justification for why this step took 2 hours.

(note: you may see the upload times and say i am frauding, no i am not because i thought this was a hackpad for the first few hours and it said "journal not needed" now i realized that this is not a hackpad and i am writing the journals)

1/2/2026 6 PM - added RGB + fixed the schematic

i literally forgot about RGB/backlights the first time through

here is what I did:

• added SK6812 Mini-E LEDs

• a polyfuse just incase i short out power or I accidentally turn on the LEDs at 100%

• this power LED was polarity reversed i fixed that

• had to increase the schematic (not pcb) size from the initial A4 to A3 to now A2 (4x increase)

1/2/2026 8 PM - Added LCSC part numbers

I added LCSC part numbers so JLCPCB can do PCBA.

i had to go on LCSC and click the filters until i found the part since LCSC has this weird search where searching something like diode or AP2112K wont work.

1/2/2026 10 PM - created the PCB grid

i created the grid of keys in the PCB

instead of dragging each diode and LED into each key manually I decided to use a plugin that does that for me. however, the grid was not produced correctly by the plugin. however, by noticing that even though the grid is not a rectangle yet, neither is the order correct, every switch number in the same vertical column was in the same residue class modulo 12 (\forall\text{column} A,\forall \text{keyswitch num} x,y \in A, x \equiv y (\text{mod} 12)), so i was able to find a way to turn it into the correct grid

(edit 1: just realized this does not support full markdown so that is not formatted)
(edit 2: this doesnt even support strikethrough i can't even strikethrough the unformatted text

1/4/2026 2 PM - Arranged the PCB components

This took a lot of time since:

• (again) i only have a 720p screen
• arranging the power circuit was tough (this is wireless!)
• deciding on the exact layout was also hard, like I have to make sure this feels good to use
  

1/4/2026 4 PM - Designed this logo thing

I used inkscape to make this logo. Here's how it looks in the PCB

Since I am not going to use a case for this I will use another PCB shaped the same way thats mounted below it with hex standoffs (kind of like raspberry pi HATs). I can put a larger logo there, since it wont have any electric components.

1/4/2026 8 PM - Added the edge and flipped most components to the other side

I added the edge of the PCB, which was a bit hard because of weird KiCad stuff (not thr 720p this time) and rounded it. I also flipped most components to the other side since I will not be using a case (only a second bottomplate PCB mounted using standoffs as protection) and many tiny components can look a bit ugly. I kept these on the top side for obvious reasons:

• Rotary encoder
• BOOT,RESET buttons
• Charging,Power,Standby LEDs
• OLED screen I also added the mounting holes.

1/6/2026 - Routed the PCB

This took 2 days. It got harder as I went and the board started becoming more and more cluttered, at some point my ground pours and power pours started fragmenting even, fixing that was a pain. And I still have to fix 612 DRC violations. help

1/7/2026 - Made the bottom plate PCB

This is going to be mounted under the main keyboard with standoffs for protection (like i dont want my keyboard to short itself when I put it on the table). The battery will also be between the two PCBs.

1/8/2026 8 PM - help

i just found that all kalih choc hotswap switch sockets and switches are out of stock so I have to switch to cherry MX. this means I have to redo the ENTIRE PCB AGAIN.

1/8/2026 10 PM - arranged the keyboard grid for the 2nd time

same thing as before except its cherry mx (19.05mm grid instead of 18x17) and I made it a little more intelligently than before so my wires are less messy.

1/9/2026 2 PM - Routed the key matrix for the 2nd time

this one was a lot easier because I was able to use the improved grid plus cherry switches are biggerr than choc switches and now routing a trace did not feel like an aadvanced math problem

comparision

before

after

1/9/2026 5 PM - Completed the PCB for the second time!

the power circuit was still a nightmare to route even though the keyboard matrix was easier. now its jlcpcb time!