PocketType

I bought this to give me a little soldering project to help me decide if I could handle a real keyboard project. The kit didn't disappoint in any respect. I learned I could solder (well enough) and I was ready to tackle a larger board. the kit doesn't make for a great keyboard, but it will be a fine macro board and was a fun little project to learn a few things.

This was my first soldering project since getting into the world of custom keyboards and it was a blast to build. I couldn't really find any tutorials on this specific kit on the web, but I believe that actually helped me as I had to think about it myself rather than following a step-by-step guide.

There is a barebones build guide linked in the 'Additional info' tab that also has the necessary firmware to flash although you can modify it yourself. The firmware layout is like an actual keyboard but since the PocketType is so tiny (your finger covers two buttons - making touch typing impossible) I belive it is better suited as a macro pad.

Considering the price for the whole kit (plus a tenner for a controller) it is good value for some starter soldering practice that actually makes something practical. And while I don't use it as a daily keyboard it is quirky enough for a cool display item to show off your newfound messy soldering skills.

My only minor issue (and this may be user error) is the keycaps do not seem to sit aligned on the keyboard perfectly. One keycap was also malformed and unusable but the kit came with a few spares of most components so it was not an issue.

Spent a a couple of very happy hours building the pockettype, only my third soldering project after working my way through a pair of easy practice kits.

This is a very simple kit with everything you need except for the microcontroller. Once you have one of those you're ready to go.

No instructions came with the kit, and I couldn't find a build guide anywhere, but thankfully YouTube came to the rescue.

For anyone in the same boat, the order of assembly is the resistors (brown ring facing downwards) and diodes first, then the switches, then the LEDs, and finally the microcontroller.

Assembling the acrylic plates was the most confusing part, so good luck doing that without a build guide. Also important is to flash the microcontroller before you solder it to the PCB. The QMK Toolbox is your friend for this part of the process, it already has the necessary firmware.

The end result is a quirky little keyboard with very clicky buttons. Not sure yet if I'll have a practical use for the pockettype, but I'm super pleased that it works at all. It gives me confidence to do more ambitious soldering projects down the road.

The only issue is that the LEDS are not working. I think it's something to do with using a different microcontroller to the recommended Pro Micro.

One last thing; a big thank you to the gang at MechBoards for their generosity. I asked if they would include a set of black keycaps to go with the white board, and they obliged at no extra cost.