Less, but better. - Dieter Rams

After seeing the Ferris Sweep for the first time I've fallen in love, but as a designer I cannot accept the things the way they are. So I've done some experimentation with it.

I changed the overall form of the board so it can be a little bit more compact and be a canvas for expression in the matter of case design. For example, you can do a case inspired in the totem or in the stront aesthethic.

With this redesign I've taken every milimiter into account. As so the acrylic case released with the TRRS version counts with 2 versions, the full version adds 2mm to the board height, and the lite version adds 0mm.

This is a parcial redesign of the Ferris Sweep 2 half-swept. In other words this is a:

• 34 keys.
• Diodeless.
• Low profile.
• Non-hotswap.
• Reversible PCB.
• Column staggered.
• Wireless and wired capable.
• Choc MBK spaced (17,5mm x 16,5mm).
• Cheaper than the cheapino (at the time of the build).

What have been done:

• Change PCB overall form.
• Add support screw holes.
• Add teardrop on solder joints.
• Reposition of the reset and power switch.
• Do an extensive and compreensive assembly manual.
• Create an alternative version with USB-C instead of TRRS.
• Add commissioned art by the brazilian artist Aline Dal Pont.
• Remove all the informative silk graphics for a better looking board.

What I may do^1:

• Create an 36 keys pcb with breakpoints.
• Design some minimalist and low profile cases.
• Change the power switch to something better build. I accept suggestions.
• Add a variation with choc spacing for CFX keycaps (16,5mm x 16,5mm).

¹ The main reason for not doing this at the moment is the lack of financial motivation. As I have to pay for every prototype and take time off to do the development and iterations I have to be mindful of the tasks I take. If you want to help contact me :)

Versions

At the moment this repo contains 2 versions, one with TRRS and one with USB-C connecting the halves. The TRRS connector are objectively worse than the USB-C for this use case, due to it introducing a risk of short in the case that the halves are unpluged with the board powered on. On the other side, the USB-C if not wired correctly may introduce a risk of being connected directly to a power supply by mistake. I've done the bare minimum to prevent it, I wired the GND and VCC trying to follow the USB protocol. Another problem with the USB-C is that this implementation doesn't follow the USB protocol, it just hijack some of the data pins.

The gerber files are in the release section. The list of materials for each version are inside of the respective folder.

Assembly

As the pcb doesn't have any information guiding the assembly, I have done an manual with visual instructions.

Silk art

I commissioned the work of the brazilian artist Aline Dal Pont for this board. You can remove the work completely or leave it as it is with the credits. You cannot use the work outside of this board or modify it in any way without the express autorization of the artist.

Firmware

As this redesign had only touched on aesthetic aspects, you can use the firmware from the Ferris Sweep.

Disclaimer

The files in this repo may contain problems, use them at your own risk.

For the type nerds (like me), the text on the PCB and logo are FuturaRenner aka Formera.

The team behind the design of the incredible Ferris Sweep are: Pierre Chevalier, David Barr, Ibnu Daru Aji, Duccio. Without their work this parcial redesign would not be possible.