SMD components are actually a whole lot easier and pleasant to solder than through-hole ones. You just need to add flux to the pad on PCB, pick a bit of solder on the iron and hold part with tweezers while introducing solder to the one of the pins. Then when IC is fixed, soldering all other pins is a complete no-brainer job to do - brush a little of flux around and touch every other pin with iron introducing a little of solder. No wire bending, no turning of PCB, saves a ton of time. Just use double sided tape to fix PCB on the mat, and then just solder everything SMD on one side one by one. The key in soldering is actually using plenty of flux, no matter what are you actually soldering. I highly recommend to invest some time in practicing that, it’s actually really fun!
If you do it right, you even can skip the flux. On new joints, I never use flux. But it helps when resoldering something. In fact, the solder itself contains already enough flux if the iron is not set too hot, and you don't heat the solder for too long. I always stay below 320 degree Celsius. And I agree, SMD is much more fun + you don't have to flip the pcb all the time. Desoldering something is also easier on SMD.
Great job on the build! I’ve wanted to build either a Sofle or Lily for a while now, and I really like those keycaps. One thing I wanted to mention, though. It’s heavily discouraged to connect or disconnect the TRRS cable on either side while the board has power. Because of the design of the cable you risk applying voltage to the wrong thing and frying your controller. I believe the master and slave are selected by grounding a pin on the controller on one side, something SplitKB takes care of when they design the Aurora boards. I think the left is normally the master half. I know that’s the case with their Kyria boards, at least. Master and slave can also be set in firmware.
Thanks for this video. I am currently waiting for my Lily58 pro kit to arrive and researching possible pitfalls. Hopefully with the knowledge you've provided I'm not gonna mess up too badly. My kit, controllers, switches and keycaps came to about a half the price of yours in the UK. Stil, that's my most expensive keeb so far. For a bonus challenge I'm going to learn typing in Colemak layout... Hopefully a split keyboard combined with more ergonomical layout is gonna work better for my wrists and wide shoulders. Wish me luck!
My first split helped me tremendously with my shoulder pain. I’m way more comfortable with it, absolutely no regrets and I will never go back to a traditional one.
I got a Lily58 kit and the hot swap sockets + SMD diodes actually weren't bad at all, but it took me four hours across two days to solder all of them. Once I moved on to the TRRS port, the reset switch, and micro controller on the third day, it just went down hill haha I think I didn't do a good job at cleaning my soldering iron because the solder was being stupidly stubborn. Trying to solder the micro controller was an absolute nightmare, and it took me an hour to solder five pins, and they all look like shit. I ordered some flux to hopefully help with it, but man my anxiety was through the roof from frustration and concern that I fucked it all up
I looked up sofle build guide and you came up first, I was surprised to know that you got the same kit from the same seller I'm planning to use. Thank you so much for making this video (you sound maybe Lebanese? if so, mamnounak!)
Wonderful video. Thinking of building my own split keyboard for the first time. I will definitely buy extra components from the beginning! Great advice!
Thanks Bassem for such a video! if I only saw your video ahead of ordering the ZSA Voyager, it's so similar to it (and expensive). and I would acquire a new skill by building the keyboard
The voyager is ❤️ I only recommend building a kit if you want to enjoy it as a hobby. It’s much faster and better to buy prefabricated if the intention is to own a split keyboard
We say the “L” in British English. Drives me nuts when yanks drop it. “Holder, bolder, colder, soldier. Yeah let’s keep the L. Solder? best drop it. Don’t want too much consistency”
SMD components are actually a whole lot easier and pleasant to solder than through-hole ones. You just need to add flux to the pad on PCB, pick a bit of solder on the iron and hold part with tweezers while introducing solder to the one of the pins. Then when IC is fixed, soldering all other pins is a complete no-brainer job to do - brush a little of flux around and touch every other pin with iron introducing a little of solder. No wire bending, no turning of PCB, saves a ton of time. Just use double sided tape to fix PCB on the mat, and then just solder everything SMD on one side one by one.
The key in soldering is actually using plenty of flux, no matter what are you actually soldering.
I highly recommend to invest some time in practicing that, it’s actually really fun!
If you do it right, you even can skip the flux. On new joints, I never use flux. But it helps when resoldering something. In fact, the solder itself contains already enough flux if the iron is not set too hot, and you don't heat the solder for too long. I always stay below 320 degree Celsius.
And I agree, SMD is much more fun + you don't have to flip the pcb all the time. Desoldering something is also easier on SMD.
Thank you so much for documenting this, it makes the process seem way less intimidating!
very cool, Bassem
and the most important advice, don't debug when you're tired xD
Great job on the build! I’ve wanted to build either a Sofle or Lily for a while now, and I really like those keycaps.
One thing I wanted to mention, though. It’s heavily discouraged to connect or disconnect the TRRS cable on either side while the board has power. Because of the design of the cable you risk applying voltage to the wrong thing and frying your controller.
I believe the master and slave are selected by grounding a pin on the controller on one side, something SplitKB takes care of when they design the Aurora boards. I think the left is normally the master half. I know that’s the case with their Kyria boards, at least. Master and slave can also be set in firmware.
100% I got very lucky with this build and didn’t fry my boards 😅
I can't wait for the "Since I built this keyboard I cant stop programming with VIM" video 😂
😂 was practicing my vim motions earlier today .. it’s comin!
Thanks for this video. I am currently waiting for my Lily58 pro kit to arrive and researching possible pitfalls. Hopefully with the knowledge you've provided I'm not gonna mess up too badly.
My kit, controllers, switches and keycaps came to about a half the price of yours in the UK. Stil, that's my most expensive keeb so far. For a bonus challenge I'm going to learn typing in Colemak layout...
Hopefully a split keyboard combined with more ergonomical layout is gonna work better for my wrists and wide shoulders.
Wish me luck!
My first split helped me tremendously with my shoulder pain. I’m way more comfortable with it, absolutely no regrets and I will never go back to a traditional one.
I got a Lily58 kit and the hot swap sockets + SMD diodes actually weren't bad at all, but it took me four hours across two days to solder all of them. Once I moved on to the TRRS port, the reset switch, and micro controller on the third day, it just went down hill haha
I think I didn't do a good job at cleaning my soldering iron because the solder was being stupidly stubborn. Trying to solder the micro controller was an absolute nightmare, and it took me an hour to solder five pins, and they all look like shit. I ordered some flux to hopefully help with it, but man my anxiety was through the roof from frustration and concern that I fucked it all up
@@Issvor Oh man, if you were soldering without flux you’re setting yourself up for trouble. Flux is a must-have for a job like this
@@ellesper lol yup, i learned that the hard way
I looked up sofle build guide and you came up first, I was surprised to know that you got the same kit from the same seller I'm planning to use. Thank you so much for making this video (you sound maybe Lebanese? if so, mamnounak!)
@@SeaWaves8 ahla w sahla!
i'm currently building my own split keyboard as well, glad to see some of the pitfall that i would've defiantly done myself
Patience and plenty of research is key with these builds
Wonderful video. Thinking of building my own split keyboard for the first time. I will definitely buy extra components from the beginning! Great advice!
Have fun!
Thanks Bassem for such a video! if I only saw your video ahead of ordering the ZSA Voyager, it's so similar to it (and expensive). and I would acquire a new skill by building the keyboard
The voyager is ❤️ I only recommend building a kit if you want to enjoy it as a hobby. It’s much faster and better to buy prefabricated if the intention is to own a split keyboard
To make this wireless - would it be enough to get 2 nice!nanos and use them as controllers?
@@GreenStorm01 I’m not sure, I would check compatibility on splitkb’s website: splitkb.com/products/aurora-sofle-v2
Didn’t know that Kris from 1st man is into split keyboards)
I customized my cheap mechanical keyboard by adding a foam layer at the bottom of the keyboard and i thought i was a wizard =D
5 years ago I wasn't even using mechanical keyboards 🤷♂️ we gotta start somewhere 😄
It’s pronounced “SODDERING.” The “L” is silent. Just FYI. Thanks for the video!
We say the “L” in British English. Drives me nuts when yanks drop it.
“Holder, bolder, colder, soldier. Yeah let’s keep the L. Solder? best drop it. Don’t want too much consistency”
typical american