1h 29m 38s logged
I worked on some problems that I had with my case and am going to try to fix everything tomorrow
2h 43m 53s logged
PLUTOXL: I have no clue what im doing. I tried to make the pcb but all the traces were wrong and I decided to get rid of the nets and pins and just do it freehand. I highly doubt what I did was right and don’t think that I can get this project done before the program ends. I’m gonna try but it looks impossible.
3h 15m 40s logged
PLUTOXL: Left PCB done now i have to route traces and do it on the Right side. This is a big milestone in this project. Now I can start moving along. I did run into some problems with schematic drawing and so I switched back to Ergogen and finished it up from there. I made many adjustments to all the component and I am pretty happy with it. Tomorrow I will work on the right side
4h 13m 20s logged
PLUTOXL: I am designing the pcb myself because ergogens footprints were pretty bad and I don’t think a lot of the traces right. I’m doing it myself now. However, I am struggling finding the right footprints that I need. I should hopefully get the PCB done in the next few days. I am crunching to get this done by the 30th. Wish me luck
7h 36m 24s logged
PlutoXL: I learned how to use Ergogen and configured my keyboard. I need to get my PCB done in the next two days. I was able to complete the layout and outline. But I am struggling to configure the file on the desktop version of Ergogen. That part is very vague to me.
2h 25m 56s logged
PlutoXL: this is a split keyboard specifically for me and for for this time I worked on planning for the parts I’m going to use. This was also the time that I started thinking how my keyboard would look like. I’m still curious on how all of it will come together and since I don’t have the funds for this on my own if I’m going to be able to get sufficient funds for this project. Next will be the layout for the PCB
4h 21m logged
Pluto_BLARE: I finished up my case and worked on my firmware. Lastly, I worked on getting all the files to submit this project. This alarm will be able to hold time, set five alarms, use a 4 digit combination, and allow the user to reset password.
3h 12m 56s logged
Pluto_BLARE: Today I worked on the CADing part of my BLARE alarm clock. Some of the instructions on the guide were a bit unclear how to do things. I like them using Onshape for easy access for a more users. However, I personally use fusion as it is provided to me via school so the adjustment was pretty difficult therefore, making me take longer on this portion but this was pretty fun to model. The picture is off what I was able to get done during this time
2h 40m 8s logged
Pluto_BLARE: I was able to build the PCB for this alarm clock with in this time frame. The guide was well laid out so I was able to follow it pretty easily. However, I did run into a hiccup with the dimensions so I had to completely reconfigure the PCB again. It is a good thing I find making PCB fun. This was a pretty simple design for this alarm clock I will move onto CADing and Firmware tomorrow.
Ship
Changes requested
I made a Hackpad, which I named the Plutopad. This was very challenging due to the fact that I have never used KiCAD prior to this mission. I have also never worked with building firmware or even trying a “ysws” program like this, so I am going in headfirst with something I enjoy very much, building “things”. My firmware works and is compiliable but it is baseline it can still be configure and the OLED screen doesn’t have any input yet; however, if this is approved I will definitely be taking a crack at this really cool thing that I built. The screenshot is of my QMK firmware finally working after about 2 hours of troubleshooting. It was a wonderful and joyous end to a project.
9h 44m 37s logged
I have finished my Plutopad and have gathered all my files and spent a very long time trying to compile my firmware to get it right. I was also doing all this in the midst of a possible tornado around me. Anyways, I was able to settle on my PCB and case and am ready to submit this project. This is my very final PCB.
1h 29m logged
This is my new and improved PCB. I redid my schematic for safe measures and was able to finish both the PCB and schematic in this time span. Now I will move onto making my firmware and try to code it in QMK firmware to get the most out of my macropad. I am not doing the case yet because I might change my mind on the layout and don’t want to keep remaking a case. This is be my fifth iteration of this design and have learned a lot and am planning to learn more.
4h 47m 44s logged
I am starting all the way over. I had weighed how my workflow was going and it wasn’t going well; therefore I am starting over. I plan on making this version much better and done more efficiently. I am doing this for 3 main reasons: to be more efficient, properly organized, and better set up. This photo was of my last PCB
20m 40s logged
I have worked on the Schematic, PCB, and Case up to this point. A total of 23 hours has been put in due to the fact that I am brand new to making electronics and have had to search up how to do a lot (I did not know how to track my time outside of coding before this). I went through a lot of trial and error with schematics and PCBs. I went through 3 iterations of a schematic trying to see how I can optimize the number of pins I’m using while keeping 10 or 12 switches. I tried LEDs but they were causing many errors in the DRC. The LEDs were more hassle than function so i decided to go with my optimized 12 switches, OLED display, and Rotary Encoder with no switch capabilities. Below is my final interation of my PCB that was able to throw no errors.
