My current success rate with #MechanicalKeyboard PCB soldering is currently only 2 out of 5, well 40% is a pass mark - just.

The #RaspberryPiPico #RP2040 ‘Gamma Omega TC36K’ board worked (an easy build, could probably have socketed it). 💚

One success, one failure with #SeeedStudio #Xiao BLE castellated in Forager ‘Acid’ PCB (some fiddly back pads). 🧡

Two failures with #ProMicro #nRF52840 BLE in ‘Gamma Omega Hesse’ board attempting faux-castellation💔

Just as well custom PCBs are fabricated in batches of five - waiting on spare parts to try again - #LearningByDoing or #LearningByFailing ?

Since getting into #MechanicalKeyboard design as a hobby, my soldering has got a lot better but as I have attempted new PCBs with different approaches, I'm discovering even more of the many different ways things can go wrong #LearningByFailing.

For example, there seems to be no standard for the orientation of simple two-wire connectors like the Molex PicoBlade or JST used for rechargeable batteries - and my latest PCB expects the opposite to the battery 🪫💥👀🤯

Round one of building #Proton failed due to me not understanding *which* directories get bind-mounted into the build schroots, leading to missing tools at build-time.

Round 2 will begin shortly, with a better chance of success ;)

#learningByFailing