Support for Alternative Layouts
This is a summary of how alternative layouts have been supported by kits such as Colevrak and Homing. It is not a discussion of alt layout performance and development, but if that interests you I highly recommend starting with Pascal Getreuer’s A guide to alt keyboard layouts (why, how, which one?). It’s a concise and comprehensive overview with links to some great sites that go deeper. He also has a separate Links about keyboards page. The Keyboard layouts doc he recommends explains layout goals and metrics in detail, summarizing the alt layouts discussed here as well as more than one hundred others. Sculpted-profile The majority of custom keycap sets are sculpted-profile (Cherry, SA, MT3, KAT, etc. - more on profiles generally here) so let’s start there. Because each row has a unique keycap shape, alt layouts require a unique keycap for each legend that moves off its QWERTY row. At first there were two The Dvorak layout was patented in 1936 by August Dvorak & William L....
Apr 23, 2024
Whatever you buy, make sure the tips are compatible with a good brand like Hakko because most of the quality you need is in just the tip.
I have no experience with the SEED portable soldering irons, but I feel that for that price, it's easier to just get a proper station.
In terms of temperature: If you're using regular 60/40 solder, 350 degrees is a good temperature, if you're using lead free, you might want a higher temperature.
Most importantly, you want the entire pad and the area of the component that you will be soldering to to be hot enough in one to three seconds before applying the solder. Any longer, and you risk melting plastics and damaging the components.
I feel matt3o has some good guidelines for this, but as I've mentioned in the comments and on here, you want to apply the heat before the solder, not the other way around.
For removing flux, you can't go wrong with isopropyl alcohol and a cotton pad. When wiping, twist the cotton bud/pad/earbud instead of swiping it because it leaves fewer strands of cotton all over the place.
I use 99% isopropanol from the drugstore to remove leftover flux in generous quantities and wiping with kimwipes or a microfiber cloth . A lot of people leave the flux when using no clean solder, because its not as corrosive.
My temps are a bit lower, I use 310 degC for leaded and 325 degC for non-leaded. My favorite solder is 0.020" Kester SN62/PB36/AG02 as the joints are shinier and it's pretty easy to work with.