-\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
-\item Diodes (42)
-\item Cherry MX switches (37 blue/clear, 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, 3 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{2}: 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 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
+online.\footnote{http://atreus.technomancy.us/assembly.pdf} If you are
+hand-wiring a board without a PCB, see the older assembly
guide.\footnote{http://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 Case}
+\section{Sanding}
-The wood finishing process involves sanding down the wood to remove
-scorch marks and produce a smooth surface, applying an oil/wax mixture
-to further smooth it and protect it from fluids, and allowing it to
-dry. The whole process takes about 45 minutes of work, but since each
-side has to dry individually plan on allowing for a couple 30-minute
-breaks to let it dry. You'll need a place to lay the pieces aside to
-dry; a paper towel would help keep the oil from getting all over your
-table or desk.
+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 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. (Acrylic cases can skip down to the ``Diodes'' step.)
+\vspace{1em}
+\begin{center}
+ \includegraphics[width=0.7\columnwidth]{sanding.jpg}
+\end{center}
\vspace{1em}
-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.
+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.
-\vspace{1em}
-\noindent\makebox[\textwidth]{%
-\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{sanding.jpg}}
\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.
+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{Oiling Case}
+\section{Wood Finishing}
-Be sure to get all the wood dust off the pieces before you go on. 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 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}
-\noindent\makebox[\textwidth]{%
-\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{oiled.jpg}}
\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.
\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 to the bottom of the circuit board, toward each diode's 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}
-Once they're soldered, trim the diode legs with wire cutters. (This
-step should be done with protective eye covering.) 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}
-Once the diodes are in place, you can begin attaching the
-controller. This is the trickiest part of the assembly process, so
-once you knock this out it's all down hill. First pre-fill all the
-holes we're going to use on the controller with solder. (This is all
-the left side ones, plus all the right side ones except 3V3, 5V, and
-VIN.) If you have a ``helping hands'' stand, this is where it comes in
-useful.
-
-\vspace{1em}
-
+Once the diodes are in place, you can begin attaching the 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 six trimmed diode legs and stick them into the top six pins on
-the right-hand side of the controller by melting the pre-filled
-solder. Solder one into the pin labeled ``GND'' as well. Put one in
-the top and bottom pins on the other side, labeled ``0'' and
-``9''. We'll leave out the rest on the left for now to make
-it easier to insert the controller into the circuit board, but we'll
-make another pass to get those in next.
+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]{controller-legs.jpg}}
+\begin{center}\includegraphics[width=0.8\columnwidth]{many-pins.jpg}\end{center}
\vspace{1em}
-Straighten the attached legs as much as possible and carefully insert
-them through the circuit board. Once they are in, you'll want to
-populate the remaining left-side pins. Hold the board vertical either
-using a set of helping hands or pinned between your knees as shown
-below. Insert a diode leg through the circuit board hole so it touches
-the already-solder-filled hole on the controller. Melt the solder
-while pushing the diode leg barely through. You can blow on the solder
-joint to cool it more quickly so it firms up.
+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=0.5\linewidth]{insert-pin.jpg}}
-\vspace{1em}
-Once the pins are all in place on the controller side, it's time to
-attach them to the circuit board. Bend them outwards and solder each
-one, then trim all the legs.
+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}
-\noindent\makebox[\textwidth]{%
- \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{seated.jpg}}
+\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.
+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}
-\noindent\makebox[\textwidth]{%
- \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{switch-corners.jpg}}
+Installing the firmware now isn't strictly necessary, but it will
+allow you to spot mistakes before the board is finished.
\vspace{1em}
-Next take four switches and place each switch in a corner of the
-switch plate. Put the switch plate face-down on the table with the
-pins sticking up. Carefully fit the circuit board over the protruding
-pins and posts and solder those 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.
+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 your kit has five linear switches (non-tactile, usually red) place
-those 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.
+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 the firmware readme for
+ instructions about determining 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.
+
+\section{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}
-Once you have a switch in each column and a switch in each row, you
-can skip ahead to the next step where you install the firmware in
-order to ensure all the connections to the controller are solid. If
-you place all the switches now, it will be difficult to fix problems
-with the controller since reaching the controller involves removing
-all the switches. Testing with only a few switches attached will let
-you spot problems early when they're still easier to fix.
+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}
-\noindent\makebox[\textwidth]{%
- \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{switches.jpg}}
+\begin{center}
+ \includegraphics[width=0.9\columnwidth]{some-switches.jpg}
+\end{center}
\vspace{1em}
-\section{Wrapping up}
-
-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. 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 right-hand
-side of the controller.) Touch them together twice in under a second
-and the LED will begin pulsing. This indicates it has entered the
-bootloader for 8 seconds.
+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.
\vspace{1em}
-While in the bootloader, type \texttt{make upload} from the firmware
-directory. The firmware should be uploaded\footnote{See the firmware
- readme for instructions about 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 by typing
-``The quick, brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.'' and hitting the
-other few keys which aren't hit by that phrase.
+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. If an entire row or column is out, it's probably 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. Reflowing the pin's solder for the
-affected row or column is usually enough to get it working.
+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}
-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. Then 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 on top. 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. If the rubber feet don't
-stay on with the provided adhesive, white glue may be needed to secure
-them.
+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}
-All that's left is to place the keycaps. The larger keycaps go on the
-middle thumb keys.
+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}
-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.
+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
+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.
\vspace{1em}
-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