2 // Build Guide

Overview

Here you'll find a video guide and a written guide on how to build your PhaseOne.

Video Build Guide

Build Guide

1. Contents and Unboxing

First things first, make sure your kit has everything you need. Your kit should include:

• Top Case with a LED diffuser
• Bottom Case with an installed daughter board and forged carbon fiber shields
• PhaseByte wave pouch with silicone gaskets (12) and feet (4)
• PCB (Printed Circuit Board)
• Forged Carbon Plate

Optionally, your kit may also include:

• Foam Kit with Poron Gaskets (6)
• FR4 Plate
• Durock V3 Stabilizers

2. How to Open and Close the Case

The case uses a magnetic closure with really strong magnets. The easiest way to open the case is to place your fingers around the edges of the top case and your thumbs on the base. Now, push down with your thumbs and pull up with your fingers.

The easiest way to close the case is to align the top of the case first. The magnets are strong enough to hold the assembly closed, so they're also strong enough to lift the base. To avoid any damage, after aligning the top of the case, use your thumbs to hold down the base while slowly lowering the top case.

3. Testing the PCB

The last thing you want is to build a keyboard with a bad socket. We’ve tested the PCB but just in case, you should test it too. Here’s how:

1. Grab some tweezers or some wire.

2. Plug in the PCB to the daughter board with the preinstalled ribbon cable. To do so, first unlatch the header. Make sure the blue part of the cable faces towards you and the gold part faces towards the PCB. When inserted, it should be past this jumper. Once inserted, just lock the header back in place.

   

3. Grab a USB-C cable and plug in the board.

4. Navigate to https://usevia.app/test and turn on key sounds for a little more fun.

5. With the tweezer or jumper of your choice, connect the two metal contacts for each switch together.

   

6. Note, the FN key won’t light up as it’s a ZMK layer key. If your board looks like this, you’re good to go.

   

4. Installing the Feet and Gaskets

For the feet, remove the 3M film and place the feet in the 4 slots on the back of the base.

For the gaskets, place 6 on the bottom case slots and 6 on the top case slots. Note, there are 4 slots across the top and two slots along the bottom.

We recommend only using the Poron gaskets on the base for the best fit.

5. Stabilizers

If you’ve got stabs from us or somewhere else, we highly recommend lubing them. There’s plenty of guides out there so we won’t bore you with that, just YouTube “How to Lube Stabilizers” (we like Taeha Types version).

For the PhaseOne, we need 3 shorts stabilizers (2u) and 1 long stabilizer (6.25u). The shorter of the two long stabilizers in the kit. The long stabilizer is for the space bar, and the shorter ones are for the backspace, enter, and left shift key.

To install them, place the board with the socket side down (the side with the screen printing). Place the clip in the end of the larger hole and the screw in the end of the smaller hole. Then flip the board over and place a washer and finally the screw.

6. Foam and Plate

Once the stabilizers are installed you can place the optional foam on top and then the plate. Note, on some foam kits we noticed that the stabilizer bar contacts the foam. If this issue causes fit issues with your build, please cut away the small bit of foam over the stabilizers.

7. Installing Switches and Keycaps

You pretty much just pop these in but you must make sure they go in straight and the pins do not bend. To make sure, take a quick look at the bottom of the switch. If the pins are straight you are good to go. If not, straighten with tweezers. You can check if they’re installed correctly by flipping over the board and visually checking if you can see the pin between the socket.

Be sure to place the switches fully into the board.

Once the switches are installed, place your keycaps of choice on top.

8. Final Assembly

Lastly, connect the PCB back to the daughter board. Note that the cable will twist.

Place the assembly into the case.

Make sure it's an equal distance from both sides. Snap on the top case and there you have it - a fully assembled PhaseOne.

To open the case again, place your thumb on the left alt key and left arrow key. Push down with your thumbs and lift with your fingers.

Troubleshooting

The first thing to check is your USB-C cable. It is a known issue that many cable makers using different specifications for how close the protective jacket or heat shrink is to the end of the metal connector on the cable. Potentially, this stops the cable from making a good connection with the board. You can fix this issue by trying a different cable, or getting a cable specifically for mechanical keyboards.

For more information please check our Improvements Tab or contact us, we'd love to help!