slab type 1
Description
This is a mechanical keyboard that I built to replace my aging Sun Type 6. I prefer the Sun UNIX layout, but I could not find off-the-shelf solutions that would really accommodate that layout, so I was left with building my own. The Sun keyboards were numbered up until the "Sun Type 7" (up until Oracle feasted upon their corpse), and this is my first go at it, thus the "slab type 1". It also makes for nice wordplay about [slab type](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slab_serif), so, you know, bonus. I was able to find parts to let me get what I wanted, _except_ for a case-- I wanted a TKL or a full-size keyboard, but I was simply unable to find any sort of "standard" off-the-shelf cases for anything larger than a 60%. But I have a 3D printer, so why not just print one? And really... this is probably the most time-consuming way to build a keyboard. Really. In retrospect I should have paid someone to [laser-cut me a sandwich case](http://builder.swillkb.com/). I chose to go with an off-the-shelf PCB instead of hand-wiring or designing my own PCB. I went with the [Hineybush H87a TKL PCB](https://1upkeyboards.com/shop/controllers/hineybush-h87a-tkl-pcb/). Unfortunately I could not find a dimensional guide, so I had to measure the locations of the PCB notches and the underglow LEDs. I also wanted the capslock key in a different spot, so I needed to cut and reroute a trace for its LED. If I do this all over again I might reconsider designing my own PCB. This was designed in three "layers"; a top case, a bottom case, and the keyswitch plate. All of these were broken up into smaller pieces to print adequately; while the Ender 3 would have been capable of printing these if I had broken each up into two, I had significant problems with parts remaining level across such a large print (and in fact, upgraded my controller and added a bed-level probe partway through this project) so ended up with 3-4 parts per layer, and an idiosyncratic mess of screws to hold everything together. This build used Cherry MX Browns, with purple (caps/scroll lock) and white in-switch LEDs, and purple and white keycaps from Signature Plastics. The purple-and-white theme was an attempt to evoke the purple trim on Sun hardware. On a Sun keyboard the top-left key would be blank; I went with a symbolic key there (of what SP had, I liked the power-symbol icon) and I use that as a modifier key for enabling backlight/underglow.
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