Some of you may have remembered back in April I posted about the SixKeyBoard Pendant I created back in April. Today, I am excited to launch the NineKeyBoard Pendant now with speed control capability. In addition to being a full time IT professional, and woodworking hobbiest, and dad of 3 amazing kiddos, I also have another obsession with mechanical keyboards. If you have never typed on a mechanical keyboard, dump your keyboard and get one right now - it is life changing. So this hobby led me down a rabbit hole which turned into a small business selling Mechanical Keyboard creations and accessories. I saw an opportunity for a perfect crossover between my two hobbies and the result is the Techkeys SixKeyBoard CNC Edition.
I realized that without speed control you are still going back and forth to your laptop/keyboard so I added an additional row of keys. This project took a lot of time, money and coordination, but today I am excited to release the Techkeys NineKeyboard CNC Edition.
This handheld controller has some pretty nifty features:
- Plug and Play USB - behaves like a standard keyboard
- Anodized Aluminum Case
- Cherry MX Compatible tactile and clicky Blue Switches. Click clearly defines a key press unlike a common keyboard or gamepad.
- USB Cable routed from bottom of device to reduce interference with CNC
- Allows operator to get extremely close to bit, and operate with one hand for precision jogging or zeroing operations and eliminate back and forth to PC/Keyboard
- Programmable through visual programming tool EasyAVR.
My primary objective is to share the hard work that I have poured into this project, but if you would like to support me by purchasing one it would be much appreciated. I realize there are a lot of options for jogging devices (game controller, mini-keyboards, tablets and mounted PCs) but I would argue that nothing beats a tactile clicky switch you can hold in one hand and does not require you to look at to control.
FAQ
Q: This is not wireless - will this be a problem for me?
A: Wireless may be nice but presents a lot of challenges - Wireless requires batteries which die at inopportune times, Wireless devices often require syncing/re-syncing procedures, and most wireless devices are not designed for size and layout with CNC in mind.
Q: Why is this more expensive than an amazon keyboard?
A: Everything about this product is custom made and manufactured in a small batch. If the finer details like tactile feedback, anodized aluminum case, and custom keycaps/layout don’t matter to you, this may not be the pendant for you.
Q: Can I re-program the key layout?
A: Yes - and I made a YouTube to walk through exactly how: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n21MFfKx-mg&
Q: What if I want to mill my own case? Can I just buy the PCB?
A: Yes - PCB option is available at a significantly reduced cost
If I didn’t cover your question I welcome all comments and feedback!
