The Lotus 58 Keyboard

The Lotus 58 is a family of ergonomic split keyboards that can be customized and programmed to suit your individual needs.

The Lotus 58 Keyboard is meant to be DIY & beginner friendly, allowing almost anyone to succesfully build it from a kit to a finished keyboard, regardless of your previous level of experience soldering and tinkering, and with access to mostly basic level tools.

Some previous experience soldering is a great help but not in any way neccesary. Most components are selected to be large enough and robust enough to survive being handled by an inexperienced builder, and still produce a nice, clean keyboard, that functions well.

The 58 key layout is meant to be roughly equivalent to a 60% keyboard with a number row, but with no dedicated function keys, and with a gentle stagger, it should suit most hand sizes witout having to reach for the keys. Basically, it's meant to be a good middle ground, and to suit most users.

Cases and plates are meant to be largely interchangeable between different variations of Lotus 58, with obvious caveats for what layout you select, requiring the top plate to match (OLED/Encoder/Blank).

Lotus 58 - USB Link

A wired, easy to build variant with USB type C link between hands, allowing hot-plugging.

The more modern USB type C link offers care-free hot-plugging, you can simply unplug or plug the two hands together without risking any damage with the keyboard fully powered by the computer USB cable. The small downside is that the components needed are of SMD type, meaning it is slightly less beginner-friendly to solder.

The USB type C port is designed into the keyboard to be as fool-proof as possible, and if you by accident plug it into a host port (computer or USB hub), it simply means nothing happens! No device is detected, and no power is applied.¹ To link the two hands you need a standard USB type C to type C cable.

Main Features:

• Features 56-58 keys, with a 4x6 main matrix and 4+1 thumb-keys per hand.
• Supports one Rotary encoder and one OLED per hand.
• Designed with a Sandwich-style plate/case as part of the design and 3D printed cases as added options.
• Can be used as a 'normal' split keyboard for typing and work, or with one hand as a dedicated gamepad/Gaming keyboard.
• Fully QMK and VIAL compatible, with every aspect of it being programmable.
• Kaihl Hot-swap sockets for Cherry MX compatible switches.²
• Hands are connected using a serial link over USB type C with full support for ESD protection on the link.

Build Features:

• Main components are either Through-Hole or large and easily soldered SMD (RGB & Hotswap Sockets) suitable for beginners.
• Each hand uses a Pro Micro Arduino as the controller (Pro Micro or pin equivalent).
• Reversible PCB design, identical PCB for both sides lower the cost.
• Full build instructions printed on the PCB for an easy build.

Physical dimensions:

Dimensions per hand (LxBxH): 145x115 mm Case height 11-13mm, Height with keycaps/encoder ~35mm

Optional Features:

These options require additional parts

• Optional OLED Screen
• Optional Rotary Encoder

Add RGB to your keyboard

Both the USB Link and TRRS Link versions of Lotus 58 support underglow (downward facing RGB) that can be used as a general soft glow, or to indicate layer or similar, as well as per-Key lighting with one RGB placed under each key to illuminate a shine through key, or in general the keyboard body. These are controlled by the QMK RGB Light feature and work seamlessly in both QMK, and Vial-QMK with multiple effects supported.³ RGB Matrix effects can be added (but is not included in the supplied standard firmware)

RGB Glow consists of 6 RGB per hand, for 12 total, placed around the edge of the PCB, facing down. In a dark room, this can be used for a soft colored glow, to allow you to see the keyboard and general key placement.

RGB per-Key consists of 29 RGB per hand, for 58 total, one placed under each key. This can be used for advanced effects like a running rainbow strobe or similar.

If built with SK6803 mini-e type RGB LED's, as of version 1.50, Lotus 58 - USB Link can be built with BOTH Glow and per-Key active at the same time! SK6803 have a lower total light output vs the older SK6812 version, but also a much lower power consumption. Keep in mind though that building the new version PCB with SK6812 mini-e RGB may overload the computers USB port auto-fuse, and require you to reflash the firmware/reset the USB port on the computer (reboot the computer).

Basic Component Kit

This add-on kits contain all the basic components needed to make a complete and working keyboard for your PCB version.

What do you need to buy?

You can buy most parts for a full-functioning keyboard in this listing or as additional components in this store. You will however need to add switches, key-caps, and colored/sleeved cables of your choice from other sources, as it would be impossible for me to stock a reasonable selection of what the market can offer.

For a bare minimum functional keyboard you will need:

• This PCB pair with the component kit (A component kit is needed to finish the keyboard, you can however choose to source the parts yourself.)
• Controller (x2) Pro Micro or a more powerful equivalent Pro Micro RP2040.
• Case Kit (x2) with hardware or a set of 3D printed cases or similar.
• Controller Sockets (x2) Technically optional, but highly recommended!

Required Accessories

• Key Switches, Cherry MX compatible (58 pcs total)
• Key Caps, Cherry MX compatible (Set)
• Cable to link the two hands (USB type C, USB 2.0 compatible)
• USB cable to your computer (Connector types depend on the controller and computer port)

The Sandwich Case

Lotus 58 is designed as a complete keyboard with a sandwich-style case

The FR4 fiberglass plates used are quite stiff and give a good intermediate feel for keyboards, making it the ideal low-cost material for a case. The 'case plates' are available in black or white, with multiple options based on your choice of layout.

Build Guide

The PCB has most of the needed build instructions printed on the silkscreen, and you can likely build the entire keyboard from these!

If you however need more detailed instructions, please refer to the GitHub link to the Documentation below.

If ever the instructions in the build guide and the instructions on the silkscreen are different, the version on your actual PCB is what is in fact relevant for your version!

Build Level

DIY Kit

This one is fairly obvious. You get a PCB and parts, and you solder all the parts yourself. If you choose the through-hole component kit, and the TRRS link, this is extremely easy and well suited to a beginner, and even if you have never soldered before, using a decent soldering iron and practicing a fair bit of patience, you should be able to build this.The SMD & USB type C version is a little bit more challenging, but still DIY friendly.

Partially Built

If you do want to build the keyboard yourself, but are either a novice at soldering, or unsure and want a little help. This comes with the more challenging parts like the USB port, ESD protection circuit, and ferrites already soldered and tested. This way you can build the more basic parts yourself, and know that the USB type C link will in fact work from the start. (For the TRRS version, the ESD circuit is soldered in place, and included in the price.)

Fully Built

This option allows you to have a fully built, ready-to-use keyboard, where you simply need to flash/configure the firmware and assemble the case/keys/caps you have chosen to start using it. The option DOES NOT INCLUDE the components needed like the controller, OLED, encoder, and RGB depending on your choice, in the given price. This is ONLY the cost of the build/work/time needed. To have a complete keyboard, you need to also ADD the components needed to the order.

¹ Connecting powered hubs with questionable standards adherence, keyboards, and possibly multiple computers together in entirely non-standard ways can still potentially cause power loops, and damage to components, user beware!

² Please note that Lotus 58 supports only Cherry MX type switches (3 & 5 pin), NOT Kaihl Choc, as they require a different PCB and plate design.

³ The number of effects supported are dependent on the controller type and MCU selected for your build. An older MCU type with limited memory will not have space for more than a few effects to be active at the time.

Normal handling time is 3 - 5 working days, not including build items (Those usually take 1 - 2 weeks).

Shipping is done with insured/signed for parcels, where no such service is available the parcel is sent as insured parcel, but may not be fully traceable the entire transit. If no insured or traceable service is available, parcels will be sent as uninsured/untraceable at the buyers responsibility. All of which is clearly stated on checkout.

All packets are represented to courier services and customs at their true sale value, and all responsibility for import fees, taxes and tariffs lie with the buyer.

The SE/EU "Act on Distance Contracts and Off-Premises Contracts (SFS 2005:59)" allows returns of the items in undamaged (unsoldered!) condition within 14 days of receiving it. Return shipping on returned items are the responsibility of the buyer.