The following parts list has links to various shops. Please don't see this as an endorsement for the shops, its just where I ended up ordering the things I used to help you find the correct parts. I found it quite difficult to find screws and spacers that will fit the tight build, for example.
| Name | Amount | Remarks | Part |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCB | 2 | ||
| Top plate | 2 | ||
| Bottom plate | 2 | ||
| nice!nano | 2 | nice!nano on nicekeyboards.com | |
| 301230 LiPo battery | 2 | ||
| Mill-Max Series 315 header | 4 | headers on keycapsss.com | |
| Mill-Max Series 315 pin | 48 | pins on keycapsss.com | |
| Tactile switch | 2 | TS-1136-4.3 | |
| Power switch | 2 | SS12D00 | |
| Diode | 66 | SOD-123FL | |
| Kailh Choc Hotswap Socket | 66 | Choc Type Hot Swap Socket | |
| Key switch | 66 | PG1350, NOT Choc V2! | |
| Keycaps | 66 | The Taira is NOT compatible with keycaps intended for 19x19mm switch spacing! | MBK Choc Low Profile Blank Keycaps |
| Spacer M2 4mm | 16 | brass round standoff, m2x4 | |
| Screw M2 3mm | 32 | m2x3 screw | |
| Cushion rubber feet | 28 | I had to stack two 1mm cushion rubbers to be higher than the screws, so 7x2x2 | adhesive rubber feet 1mm |
| USB-C cable | 1-2 | At least one for charging the battery, two during assembly |
Download the gerber files from the latest release.
These were exported from KiCad to be printed by JLC PCB. Check your PCB fab for their requirements and maybe export new gerber files with KiCad yourself.
Download the latest firmware from strayer/taira-keyboard-zmk-config, you will need it later to test the nice!nanos during the build process.
Decide which of the PCBs should be the left and right side. You will have to solder some things to the back side and front side, so find a way to keep track on which side you are currently working.
First, solder the diodes to the PCB.
The diodes MUST be attached to the bottom side of the PCB! Not all diodes are directed in the same way, so keep an eye on the arrow markings on the PCB silkscreen to orient the diodes in the right direction.
The orientation of the diode is as follows: Attach the chip component so that the "|||" mark on the diode is facing the "|" of the diode mark "|◁" on the PCB.
Prepare the PCB by putting solder on the right pad of all diode spots. Next, solder the diodes by melting the solder on the PCB while holding them on the pad.
Continue with soldering the other side of the diodes to the PCB.
Solder the power switch and reset switch to the FRONT of the PCB. The orientation of both components doesn't matter.
Clip the legs to avoid conflicts with the bottom plate.
Solder the sockets for the nice!nano to the FRONT of the PCB. The correct holes for the left and right PCB are marked with a white frame.
IMPORTANT: Check that you didn't short the pins of the nice!nano by accident! Due to the flippable PCB design it is easy to make a solder bridge between the front and bottom socket hole and create shorts.
Solder the MillMax pin legs to the nice!nano. IMPORTANT: The side of the nice!nano with the silkscreen markings, components and LEDs must be on top! There are various guides on how to do this, one is linked in the documentation of the nice!nano itself: nicekeyboards.com: Socketing the nice!nano
I did this by putting kapton tape over the two socket rows, inserting the millmax pins or diode legs in each hole, putting the nice!nano on top of it and soldering the pins in place.
Note: I recommend using MillMax pins instead of leftover diode legs as described in some guides. I tried both and the MillMax pins are much more sturdy. It is VERY easy to bend the pins and rip a nice!nano with diode legs out of the sockets just by picking up the board while it is charging via USB-C.
Put the nice!nano in the sockets and attach it to your computer with a USB-C cable. Flash the left and right firmware as described in the ZMK documentation to the respective nice!nanos. Afterwards only the left side needs to be connected to the computer, the right side will connect to the left side via Bluetooth as long as it has power through USB-C. If everything is working correctly you should be able to simulate key presses by shorting the hotswap sockets solder pads. Also try pressing the reset buttons to check if the nice!nanos reset as expected (the blue LED should flash).
Solder the Kailh Hotswap Sockets the same way you did the diodes, also on the BACK of the PCB. The correct spots are again marked with white silkscreen. Put solder on the right pad of all hotswap socket spots, put the socket into position and hold it down with tweezers while melting the solder through the metal part of the socket. Afterwards heat up the left metal part of the socket and solder it on the pad.
The fourth socket in the bottom row can be put in two different positions. You can either have four switches next to each other to have HJKL-like arrow keys or have the switch a bit further to the center to make it easier to reach it with your thumb. You can also solder hotswap sockets to both positions if you want to be able to switch positions later. The default keymap is intended to be used with the thumb on the left side (mapped to Alt) and as arrow keys on the right side (mapped to ←↓↑→).
First remove the nice!nano from the socket and make sure the power switch is set to OFF. Place the battery between the sockets for the nice!nano. Guide the wires through the hole in the PCB to the back side and solder them into the B+ and B- holes there. Measure the voltage if you are unsure which wire is positive and negative. Be extra careful to NOT short the battery terminals/wires! I opted to secure the wires and soldering spots with kapton tape. I also put kapton tape on the back of the nice!nano to avoid it touching the battery directly, although this is probably unnecessary.
Put the nice!nano back into the socket and flip the power switch. Make sure the LEDs on the nice!nano light up to test the connection. (Note: This may not work when the battery is discharged)
A new Bluetooth device named "Taira" should appear on your device after turning on the power switch. Try to connect to it and short the hotswap sockets again to test, ideally with both sides turned on.
Take a top plate and put a 3mm screw from the top through the hole and screw on a spacer, repeat this for every hole. Guide the spacers through the assembled PCB, place the bottom plate on it and secure it with a 3mm screw in each hole. The distance between the PCB and the top plate should be so that an inserted switch is supported by the top plate while still touching the PCB.
Add some rubber pads / feet to the bottom plate to reduce noise while typing and avoid sliding.
Gently insert each Kailh Choc switch into the hotswap sockets. It will require some force, but keep in mind that it is possible to lift off the socket pad if using too much force or changing switches too often.
If required, push the top plate up to the switch support with a screwdriver.
Finally, attach the keycaps.
Congratulations! You successfully built a Taira keyboard!
I'd love to get feedback on the build process and the keyboard itself - feel free to e-mail me at [email protected] or start a discussion on Github!
