-\documentclass{article}
+\documentclass[landscape,twocolumn]{article}
\title{Atreus Keyboard Assembly}
\date{ }
+\usepackage{pdflscape}
\usepackage{graphicx}
+\usepackage[landscape,twocolumn]{geometry}
+\usepackage{wrapfig}
+\newgeometry{margin=2cm}
\begin{document}
+\setlength{\columnsep}{1.4cm}
\setlength{\parindent}{0cm}
\maketitle
\section{Prerequisites}
-In order to assemble your keyboard, you'll need your kit plus a few
-other tools. The kit should contain these parts and a few spares:
+Before starting, make sure your kit has all its parts:
\begin{itemize}
-\item Case (top plate, switch plate, spacer, bottom plate)
-\item Sandpaper
-\item Finishing wax (mixture of beeswax and mineral oil)
-\item Diodes (42)
-\item Key switches (37 tactile or clicky, 5 red)
-\item A-Star Micro controller
-\item Machine screws and nuts (8 each, 16mm M3 size)
-\item Key caps (40 normal, 2 long)
+\item Case: top plate, switch plate, spacer pieces, bottom plate
+\item Sandpaper: 100-220 grit and 1000-2000 grit waterproof
+\item Key switches: 42 tactile or clicky, 5 red optional
+\item Printed circuit board (PCB)
+\item A-Star Micro controller\footnote{The controller and diodes will be
+ attached to the PCB already in presoldered boards.}
+\item Diodes\textsuperscript{1}: 42
\item USB micro cable
+\item Key caps: 40 normal, 2 long
+\item Screws and nuts: 8 each, 16mm M3 size
\item Rubber feet
\end{itemize}
You'll also need to have these on hand:
\begin{itemize}
-\item Soldering iron and solder
-\item Wire cutters
-\item Tape (masking tape works well)
-\item Brush for applying finishing wax (a toothbrush will do)
-\item Optional: ``helping hands'' stand
+\item Can of spray lacquer, shellac, or polyurethane (for wood cases)
+\item Newspaper or other material to spray on (for wood cases)
+\item Soldering iron and solder (lead-free not recommended)
+\item Wire cutters (not needed for presoldered kits)
+\item Eye protection for soldering
\end{itemize}
\vspace{1em}
The latest version of this document can always be found
-online.\footnote{http://atreus.technomancy.us/assembly.pdf} If you're
-reading a black-and-white printed copy, you may find some of the
-photos clearer in color onscreen. This copy describes the
-circuit-board-based kit. If you have an earlier hand-wired kit, see
-the older assembly
-guide.\footnote{http://atreus.technomancy.us/assembly-hand-wired.pdf}
-The photos in this guide depict Cherry MX switches, but some kits ship
-with Matias switches instead, which have a clear housing. The assembly
-steps are the same in either case.
+online.\footnote{https://atreus.technomancy.us/assembly.pdf} If you are
+hand-wiring a board without a PCB, see the older assembly
+guide.\footnote{https://atreus.technomancy.us/assembly-hand-wired.pdf}
+The photos in this guide depict Matias switches (with rectangular
+switch stems), but you can use Cherry MX switches (with stems shaped
+like a +) as well.
\section{Sanding}
-Start by sanding down both sides of each piece. You may want to
-hold two pieces together while sanding for strength or placing it on a
-flat surface you don't mind scruffing up; too much pressure on a
-single plate could damage it.
+Acrylic cases can skip down to the ``Diodes'' step below. Otherwise
+start by sanding with your rougher sandpaper. The top side of the top
+plate and the bottom side of the bottom plate are the only surfaces
+that are exposed to the touch once the keyboard is fully assembled, so
+these are the ones you'll need to sand.
\vspace{1em}
-\noindent\makebox[\textwidth]{%
-\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{sanding.jpg}}
+\begin{center}
+ \includegraphics[width=0.7\columnwidth]{sanding.jpg}
+\end{center}
\vspace{1em}
-Keep in mind that the top side of the top plate and the bottom side of
-the bottom plate are the only surfaces that are exposed to the touch
-once the keyboard is fully assembled, so these will need the most
-attention when sanding. You can sand the other surfaces as well just
-to get the scorch marks off, but you don't need to worry about how
-smooth the inner surfaces feel to the touch. Be sure to get all the
+You may want to hold two pieces together while sanding for strength or
+placing it on a flat surface you don't mind scruffing up; too much
+pressure on a single plate could damage it. Be sure to get all the
wood dust off the pieces before you go on. A clean tack cloth or other
fine cloth works well.
-\section{Finishing}
-
-You have two options when it comes to finishing. The easiest way is to
-proceed with the wax/oil mixture included in the kit. The other option
-is to apply several layers of lacquer and wet sand it down in
-between coats. This requires buying more supplies and takes significantly
-longer, but it results in a shinier
-finish.\footnote{http://atreus.technomancy.us/lacquer.gif} The steps
-for the lacquered finish are described in a separate
-document,\footnote{http://atreus.technomancy.us/lacquer.pdf} and the
-rest of this section describes the quicker finishing method.
-
-Open up the wax/oil mixture. Apply some to the brush and start
-spreading it over one side of each case piece. The color of the wood
-will darken as it absorbs the oil. Try to ensure it's spread
-evenly. Be more generous with the oil on the outer exposed
-surfaces. Once you've spread it with the brush, you can use your
-fingers to work the wax into the wood more deeply.
-
\vspace{1em}
-\noindent\makebox[\textwidth]{%
-\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{oiled.jpg}}
+
+Some people don't like the look of the exposed edges charred black
+from the laser cutter. You can choose to sand off the charring, or
+alternately cover it all with black ink from a sharpie marker for a
+more consistent look, or just leave it alone.
+
+\section{Wood Finishing}
+
+Once the case is sanded down all over with coarse sandpaper, find a
+good place to spray the lacquer or polyurethane; either outdoors or in
+a well-ventilated garage. Lay down the newspaper with the pieces of
+the case on top of it. Spray your first coat of lacquer to the face-up
+side of each piece. As you spray to and fro, overlapping the path of
+the spray slightly will minimize running. The evenness of the spray
+matters less on the internal surfaces of the case, so that's a good
+place to practice and get the hang of it.
+
\vspace{1em}
-As your brush goes over the edges of the laser-cut wood, it will get
-dirty from charred wood particles. After you've finished oiling one
-side of each piece, it's best to wash out the brush. Be sure it's
-fully dry before going on.
+Check the lacquer directions to see how long your particular product
+needs to dry; this can vary from half an hour to many hours. Once your
+first coat is dry, flip each piece over and spray the other
+side. Repeat for a second coat. After the second coat, you can ignore
+all surfaces except for the top of the top plate and the bottom of the
+bottom plate since only these are exposed to the outside. At this
+point you can take in the switch plate and continue the rest of the
+keyboard construction in between applying the further coats.
-\section{Drying Case}
+\vspace{1em}
-Once one side of each piece is finished, you'll need to lay them out
-for a half hour or so to let them dry. Once one side is dry, repeat
-the process on the other side. After you've finished the construction
-you can come back and add another few coats to the outermost surfaces
-for a smoother texture. Once it's dried for a while, wipe the excess
-off. While you're waiting, you can start soldering the diodes and
-controller onto the circuit board, but don't solder any switches in
-before the switch plate is ready or you'll just need to remove them
-later.
+The outer surfaces should have between five to eight coats applied
+total. As you get to the later coats, the end result will be smoother
+if you can keep them thinner. After your second-to-last coat dries,
+take your fine sandpaper and soak it in water, then sand over the top
+and bottom surfaces lightly. Add a final coat and buff it with a fine
+cloth. If you make any mistakes or are unhappy with the smoothness of
+the finish, let it dry and add another layer until you are satisfied.
\section{Diodes}
+If you've got a presoldered board, you can skip ahead to the
+``Switches'' section.
+
+\vspace {1em}
+
If you've never soldered before, there are plenty of good
introductions online.\footnote{This one from Adafruit is great:
https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-guide-excellent-soldering/tools}
Coat the tip of the hot iron thinly with some solder before you
-start. The key is to use the iron to heat both parts of the joint for
-a second or two, then bring in a dab of the solder and let it melt and
-stick to the component and the circuit board pad.
+start. The key is to use the iron to heat both the hole and the lead
+sticking through it for a second or two, then bring in a dab of the
+solder. The solder should melt immediately if the joint is hot enough.
\vspace{1em}
Take five diodes at a time and bend them into a U shape. Place them
-into the diode holes next to each switch slot on the reverse side of
+into the diode holes next to each switch slot on the unlabeled side of
the board. Each diode has a black band on it; the band should be
-pointing in the direction of the arrow on the printed side of the
-board. Once all five are in, bend the legs of the diodes outwards to
-hold them in place, then flip the board over and solder them in place.
+pointing in the direction of the arrow on the printed side of
+the board. Once all five are in, pinch the legs of the diodes together
+to keep them from falling out, then flip the board over and solder
+them in place. Make sure they don't protrude up more than necessary.
\vspace{1em}
-\noindent\makebox[\textwidth]{%
- \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{diodes.jpg}}
+\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{diodes.jpg}
\vspace{1em}
-In the photo the diodes are inserted from the back of the circuit
-board, but it will work just as well to insert them from the front as
-long as the black band is oriented correctly. Once they're soldered,
-trim the diode legs with wire cutters. Grip the diode leg as you
-trim it to keep it from flying across the room. Keep the diode legs;
-they will be needed in the next step. Repeat until each diode position
-is filled.
+Once each set of diodes is soldered, trim the diode legs with wire
+cutters. Pinch the diode leg as you trim it to keep it from flying
+across the room or into an eye. \textbf{Keep the diode legs}; they will be
+needed in the next step. Repeat until each diode position is
+filled. Note that each row on the bottom needs six diodes instead of five.
\section{Controller}
If the controller came in a pink bag with its own header pins, you may
be tempted to use them to connect the controller to the circuit
board. Don't do this--they are too big and will prevent the case from
-closing when you're done.
+closing when you're done. We will be using the diode legs we just
+trimmed instead.
\vspace{1em}
-Take four trimmed diode legs and bend them into an L shape. Hold the
-controller upside down and insert the diode legs into the holes at the
-corners, (except for the VIN corner, which is not used; use the GND
-hole instead as indicated in the picture below) fixing them in place
-with tape. Try to get them to point straight.
+First take the PCB with the labeled side down and fill the four corner
+holes in the center ``A-STAR'' section with solder. Insert diode legs
+into these holes while melting the solder. Then repeat the process for
+the other holes on the left, keeping them pointing as straight as
+possible. Leave the rest of the right side alone for now.
\vspace{1em}
-\noindent\makebox[\textwidth]{%
- \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{taped-pins.jpg}}
+\begin{center}\includegraphics[width=0.8\columnwidth]{many-pins.jpg}\end{center}
\vspace{1em}
-Insert the legs into the circuit board. The port for the USB cable
-should fit into the circuit board's notch in the middle. Solder the
-diode legs into the circuit board and trim them. Then flip the whole
-thing over, remove the tape, and solder them into the controller on
-the other side, trying to ensure the controller is as close to the
-board as possible.
+Fit the controller over the legs you've attached so far. You can trim
+the legs some if it helps get the controller on, but don't cut them to
+less than a quarter of the original length. Solder the four corner
+pins already connected to the PCB into the corners of the
+controller. (The bottom left corner pin of the controller is unused;
+the pin above it is used instead.) Try to ensure the controller is as
+close to the PCB as possible and not at an angle. Then solder the
+other left-side diode legs into the controller as well. Trim them all
+with your wire cutters when they are secure.
\vspace{1em}
-\noindent\makebox[\textwidth]{%
- \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{insert-pin.jpg}}
-\vspace{1em}
-Now that the controller is secured in place, bend some more diode legs
-and put them in the other holes in the circuit board. You can do this
-one side at a time. Use the same method of taping the bent ends in
-place, flipping, and soldering the other side in place before going
-back to solder the bent side. Trim as you go. Be sure to fill all the
-``A-STAR'' holes in the circuit board.
+Eight right-side holes remain. For these, bend four diode legs at a
+time into an L shape, and insert them into four of the remaining
+holes. Flip the board over and solder the protruding diode legs to the
+PCB, then trim them down and flip the board back over. Straighten the
+diode legs, then solder and trim them. Repeat for the remaining
+right-side holes. From the PCB side, all the holes will be used, but
+from the controller side, there will be some unused.
+\vspace{1em}
+\begin{center}
+ \includegraphics[width=0.8\columnwidth]{bent-legs.jpg}
+\end{center}
\vspace{1em}
Before you go on, take the time to double-check the solder joints on
the controller. The solder should fill the hole completely without
-spilling over to adjacent holes, and the legs should be secure. Also
-check that all the diodes are facing the correct direction with the
-black band pointing to the bottom of the board. Once the switches are
-in place, the controller will be pinned between the switch plate and
-the circuit board, making it difficult to make further changes to the
-controller and its connections.
+spilling over to adjacent holes. Also check that all the diodes are
+facing the correct direction with the black band pointing to the
+bottom of the board.
-\section{Switches}
+\section{Firmware}
-Next take four switches and place each switch in a corner of the
-switch plate. (The case layer with all the holes in it.) The switches
-should be oriented so that the side with pins is to the ``north'' of
-the board so they fit into the holes in the circuit board. Put the
-switch plate face-down on the table with the pins sticking
-up. Carefully fit the circuit board over the protruding pins, trying
-to get the pins to push as far through the circuit board as you can.
-Solder those corners to hold the circuit board and the switch plate
-together. The labeled side of the board should be face-up. Take care
-that the switch pins are straight; pushing in a switch with a pin
-that's a bit bent will bend it flat and prevent it from poking through
-the circuit board.
+Installing the firmware now isn't strictly necessary, but it will
+allow you to spot mistakes before the board is finished.
\vspace{1em}
-If your kit has five linear switches (non-tactile, usually red), you
-can choose to use these for the modifiers or to leave the modifiers as
-normal tactile keys. Since modifier keys are held down, they do not
-benefit from tactility like normal keys do, so some people find they
-prefer linear keys there, but this is a matter of personal taste.
+Plug in the USB micro cable into the controller, and plug the other
+side into your computer. Get a copy of the
+firmware \texttt{.hex} file \footnote{Available at
+ https://atreus.technomancy.us/download} and \texttt{avrdude}. The
+first time you upload the firmware, you will have to use the hardware
+reset to enter the bootloader: take a diode leg or wire and touch one
+end to the reset pin and one end to the ground pin. (These are circled
+in the photo.) Touch them together twice in under a second and the
+LED underneath will begin pulsing in a smoother pattern from the
+original blinking. This indicates it has entered bootloader mode for 8
+seconds.
\vspace{1em}
-If you decide to use the linear switches, place them in the modifier
-positions next and solder them in. These all go on the bottom row:
-SW3:3, SW5:0, SW6:0, SW8:3, and SW9:3. Fill in the rest of the bottom
-row with your primary switch type, and then fill in the leftmost
-column as well. Note that the center two switches are oriented
-sideways. The pins on them may need to be bent outwards a bit to get
-them to fit into the circuit board.
+While it's in the bootloader mode, run \texttt{avrdude -p atmega32u4
+ -c avr109 -U flash:w:atreus.hex -P /path/to/usb} from the directory
+containing the firmware\footnote{See
+ https://atreus.technomancy.us/upload for how to determine the USB
+ argument and customizing the layout.}. The firmware should be
+uploaded, and it will start functioning as a keyboard once switches
+are connected. Next time you upload, you can use the reset key instead
+of touching the pins together.
-\vspace{1em}
-\noindent\makebox[\textwidth]{%
- \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{switches.jpg}}
-\vspace{1em}
-
-\section{Firmware}
+\section{Switches}
-With a full row and a full column installed you now have enough
-switches installed to test every pin on the
-microcontroller. Installing the firmware will allow you to spot
-mistakes before the board is fully completed. Once all the switches
-are in place it's a lot of work to go back and fix connections on the
-microcontroller, but at this point it can be done by only removing a
-handful of switches.
+Next take four switches and place each switch in a corner of the
+switch plate. (That's the case layer with all the holes in it.) The
+switches should be oriented so that the side with pins is to the
+``north'' of the board so they will fit into the holes in the circuit
+board. Put the switch plate face-down on the table with the pins
+sticking up.
\vspace{1em}
-Plug in the USB micro cable into the controller, and plug the other
-side into your computer. Get a copy of the
-firmware \footnote{Available at
- https://github.com/technomancy/atreus-firmware} and its
-dependencies, \texttt{avrdude} and \texttt{gcc-avr}, linked in the
-firmware readme\footnote{If you only want to use the default layout
- and don't want to bother with installing everything, the firmware
- readme also describes simpler steps for installing a pre-built
- firmware with the default layout}. The first time you upload the
-firmware, you will have to use the backup reset to enter the
-bootloader: take a diode leg or wire and touch one end to the reset
-pin and one end to the ground pin. (These are the bottom-most two
-exposed pins on the left-hand side of the controller when the keyboard
-is facing down.) Touch them together twice in under a second and the
-LED will begin pulsing in a different pattern from the original
-blinking. This indicates it has entered the bootloader for 8 seconds.
+Carefully fit the circuit board over the protruding pins with the
+labeled side down. Solder those corners to hold the circuit board and
+the switch plate together. The switches should be flush with the
+PCB. Take care that the switch pins are straight when you insert them;
+pushing in a switch with a pin that's a bit bent will bend it flat and
+prevent it from poking through the circuit board.
+\vspace{1em}
+\begin{center}
+ \includegraphics[width=0.9\columnwidth]{some-switches.jpg}
+\end{center}
\vspace{1em}
-While in the bootloader, type \texttt{make upload USB=/path/to/usb}
-from the firmware directory. The firmware should be
-uploaded\footnote{See the firmware readme for instructions about
- determining the USB argument and customizing the layout.}, and it
-should start acting as a keyboard. (At this point if you need to
-upload it again, you can use the reset key instead of touching the
-pins together.) Now would be a good time to test each switch that's
-been placed so far.
+Next fill in the rest of the bottom row (SW1:3 through SW10:3) and the
+leftmost column (SW0:1 and SW0:2). If your kit has red linear switches
+which do not have any tactile bump, you can choose to use these for
+the modifier keys (shift, ctrl, alt, etc) or to leave the modifiers
+using the same switches as the rest of the board.\footnote{Since
+ modifier keys are held down, they do not benefit from tactility like
+ normal keys do, so some people find they prefer linear keys there,
+ but this is a matter of personal taste.} The modifiers on the bottom
+row are SW2:3, SW3:3, and SW8:3 in the default layout.
-\section{Wrapping Up}
+\vspace{1em}
-If all the switches are registering key presses on your computer,
-finish soldering the rest of the switches in.
+Solder the left and right pins of each of the switches you've placed
+so far, and then plug it in to a computer to test them to ensure that
+each row and column is connected back up to the controller
+correctly. Once you've confirmed this, solder the rest of the
+switches.
-\vspace{1em}
+\section{Wrapping Up}
If there's a misbehaving switch, it's often caused by a cold
-joint. Reflow the solder on both contacts of the switch and the diode
-first; if that doesn't fix it, it may be the connection to the
-controller. You can follow the traces for the columns back to the
-middle, but the rows on the back of the board are obscured when the
-keyboard is assembled. The bottom four pins on the left correspond to
-the four rows, top to bottom.
+joint. Reflow the solder on both contacts of the switch and the
+diode. If an entire row or column is affected, it's probably the
+connection to the controller. You can follow the traces for the rows
+back to the middle, but the columns on the back of the board are
+obscured when the keyboard is assembled; you can see them in this PCB
+diagram\footnote{https://atreus.technomancy.us/pcb}. Re-melting the
+controller's solder joint for the affected row or column is usually
+enough to get it working. If you still can't
+get it working, email me: \texttt{phil@hagelb.org}.
\vspace{1em}
-Re-melting the controller pin's solder for the affected row or column
-is usually enough to get it working. First try the melting exposed
-solder on the big circuit board; if that doesn't fix it you may need
-to desolder some switches to get to the pins on the controller
-itself. It's possible to remove switches using only your soldering
-iron, but getting a desoldering pump is much more effective.
+You may want to add strain relief by wrapping the USB cable with
+electrical tape at the point just below where it leaves the case. This
+will make it so pulling on the cable does not dislodge it from the
+controller.
\vspace{1em}
-After the switches are all in and tested, close the case by placing
-the switch plate on top of the spacer and bottom plate, placing the
-top plate on it, and screwing it together with the nuts facing up. If the
-controller was not attached close enough to the circuit board, it may
-be necessary to sand down the USB connector in order to close the
-case. Before you place the rubber feet on the bottom plate near the
-corners, consider giving the outer case another coat or two of wax and
-allowing it to dry. If the rubber feet don't stay on with the provided
-adhesive, white glue may be needed to secure them.
+After the switches are all in and tested, place the keycaps. They can
+take a fair bit of pressure to go on, so support the underside of the
+board while pushing them on. Once the caps are on, they are very
+difficult to remove again; don't try to pull them off without
+desoldering\footnote{Desoldering a single switch can be done with just
+ an iron, but for doing more you may want a pump or wick. See
+ https://blog.adafruit.com/2015/11/25/collins-lab-desoldering/} the
+switch first.
\vspace{1em}
-All that's left is to place the keycaps. The larger keycaps go on the
-middle thumb keys.
+All that's left is to do is close the case by placing the spacer
+pieces and bottom plate on the keyboard while upside down, then
+putting some screws in. Flip it over and place the top plate on, then
+attach the nuts. If the controller was not attached close enough to
+the circuit board, it may be necessary to sand down the USB connector
+to reduce its height in order to close the case. If the rubber feet
+don't stay on with the provided adhesive, white glue may be needed to
+secure them. If you have some wood finishing oil or beeswax, you can
+apply it with your fingers after the feet go on for a shinier surface.
\vspace{1em}
-Congratulations. Enjoy your new keyboard. It will take a considerable
-adjustment period to get used to it, but it should result in much more
-comfortable and effective typing. Also remember that you're encouraged
-to customize the layout to make it truly your own. Happy typing!
-
-%% \noindent\makebox[\textwidth]{%
-%% \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{finished.jpg}}
+Congratulations! Enjoy your new keyboard. It will take a
+considerable adjustment period to get used to it, but it should result
+in much more comfortable and effective typing. Also remember that
+you're encouraged to customize the layout to make it truly your
+own. Happy typing!
\end{document}
projects / atreides.git / blobdiff