Crafting
Utility.
A curated collection of DIY peripheral builds and the blueprints to make them yours. Industrial performance meets maker ingenuity.
Browse Projects
Model: MonkiiBoard39
Build: Handwired
The Process
01
Blueprint
Comprehensive schematics, bill of materials, and vendor lists. Everything needed to source high-grade components.
02
Assemble
Step-by-step guided construction from soldering to final casing. Minimalist instructions designed for clarity.
03
Calibrate
Fine-tune performance via open-source firmware. Optimize keymaps, macros, and response curves for your workflow.
Our Latest Builds
Field-Tested / User-Verified
Status: In_Progress
Building the MonkiiBoard39
This guide walks you through every step of building the MonkiiBoard39 — from printing the plate to flashing firmware. No PCB needed. You'll handwire a 39-key matrix directly to a Pro Micro ATmega32U4, solder everything by hand, and end up with a fully custom keyboard built entirely by you.
Status: In_Progress
Building the MonkiiPad3x3
The MonkiiPad3x3 is our most beginner-friendly build. Nine switches in a 3×3 grid, fully handwired to a Pro Micro ATmega32U4. No PCB needed — just solder, wire, and a 3D-printed plate. The result is a compact, fully programmable macropad you can put to work immediately.
Status: In_Progress
Building the MonkiiPad20
The MonkiiPad20 steps up from our smaller pads — 20 handwired keys plus a 0.96" OLED screen, all driven by the RP2040 Zero. This guide takes you from a 3D-printed plate to a fully programmable macropad with a live display. No PCB required; just a diode matrix, an OLED, and Arduino firmware.
Status: In_Progress
Handwiring a Custom Keyboard
Handwiring is the purest form of custom keyboard building. With no PCB, you wire each switch directly to a controller using a diode matrix. It takes more time than a PCB build, but gives you complete freedom — any layout, any controller, any case. If you can imagine it, you can build it.
Status: In_Progress
Designing Keyboard Plates & Cases
Before you can build a keyboard, you need somewhere to put the switches. This guide walks through designing a switch plate and case from scratch in OnShape — the free browser-based CAD tool we use for all MonkiiBoard designs. No prior CAD experience required, just patience and a plan.
Honest hardware,
no overclaiming.
We're an open-source hobby project, not a high-end manufacturer. Our handwired boards aren't chasing competitive 1ms specs — they're built to be dependable, repairable, and genuinely good to use every day. Here's what that means in practice.
~5ms
Scan Rate
Snappy enough for daily typing and gaming.
Handwired
Build
A repairable matrix — no proprietary PCB.
Arduino
Firmware
Fully open. Remap keys, layers, and macros.
Soldered
Switches
Not hot-swap. Changing switches needs a soldering station (recommended).
Universal
OS Support
Windows, macOS & Linux. Plug-and-play USB.
Low Cost
Pricing
A fraction of comparable retail keyboards.
Build Together.
Join the community sharing blueprints, troubleshooting circuits, and showcasing their builds.