BBPad Build Guide

A completely normal BlackPill-powered DIY numpad kit.

Required Tools and Components
Recommended Tools
Kit Contents
Step 0: Test and Flash Your BlackPill
Step 1: Per-key SMD LEDs
Step 2: Underglow SMD LEDs
Step 3: Diodes
Step 4: BlackPill/PillBug
Step 5: Encoder
Step 6: Testing Time
Step 7: Standoffs
Step 8: Switches
Step 9: Acrylic Guard
Step 10: Bottom and Feet
Step 11: Finished

Required Tools

These tools and components are required to complete the project and are not included in the kit. The linked names of the components will generally link to a place where you can buy them.

Soldering Iron
- Preferably a medium or small tip to make soldering the components easier.
Solder Wire
- I recommend a thinner 63/37 rosin core solder wire. In this build I am using Kester Solder 63/37 .015 Dia.
Flush Cutters
Small Phillips Head Screwdriver

Recommended Tools

These tools are not necessary to complete the build, but might make the process a little easier for you or help you correct mistakes if you make them.

Through-Hole leg bender forming tool
Solder Sucker
Solder Wick
Switch Puller

Kit Contents

Note: You might have extras of some components. This is normal and is to account for small mistakes.

Components

BlackPill

25x Diodes

Encoder

Knob

Per-key SMD LEDs

Underglow SMD LEDs

Assembly Hardware

Acrylic Guard Selection

2x M2 10mm female-female standoffs

2x M2 8mm male-female standoffs

7x M2 8mm female-female standoffs

2x M2 6mm screws

14x M2 4mm screws

4x Rubber bumpons (feet)

Step 0: Test and Flash Your BlackPill

Firmware is on our firmware repo, available here: https://github.com/MechWild/mw_firmware/releases

All BlackPills that we sell are tested and preflashed with a modified version of either the BBS firmware or OBE firmware. This is just so that you can plug it in and test to make sure it is connected to your computer correctly and then flash it before building the rest of the board. By default, the blue light on the front of the black pill will be connected to the Num Lock status indicator for your computer. Plug in the black pill, and toggle Num Lock with another keyboard to see if the light responds accordingly. All BlackPills that we sell are tested and preflashed with a modified version of either the BBS firmware or OBE firmware. This is just so that you can plug it in and test to make sure it is connected to your computer correctly and then flash it before building the rest of the board. By default, the blue light on the front of the black pill will be connected to the Num Lock status indicator for your computer. Plug in the black pill, and toggle Num Lock with another keyboard to see if the light responds accordingly.

Next, we will try and put it into bootloader mode. To do this, hold the button labeled “Boot0” on the top of the Blackpill, and while you are still holding that button, tap and release the “NRST” button. Then after a second or two, release the “Boot0” button. If nothing happens in QMK toolbox or if it still is responding when you push the Num Lock, then you should try again, because it didn’t go into bootloader mode.

Now we will try and flash the Blackpill using QMK toolbox (or your tool of choice.) Grab the appropriate firmware from the link at the beginning of this step, download it, select it in QMK Toolbox, put the BlackPill in bootloader mode then click flash.

Step 1: Per-key SMD LEDs

Orientation of the components matters here, so look at the picture and red circles to figure out the right way!

Make sure to pay attention to the direction changes between rows. The sliver cut out of the leg always should line up with the little triangle near the pad.

Do them all, then move on to the next step.

Step 2: Underglow SMD LEDs

Pretty much the same idea, but the correct corner is labeled differently. The cutout corner is near the line that makes it a corner. Check the picture below for details:

Do up all of them, then move on to diodes

Step 3: Diodes

The orientation of the diode matters! Black line on the diode should line up with the line on the silkscreen drawing underneath it. Diodes go on the same side as the LEDs did, but are soldered on the other side.

Step 4: BlackPill/PillBug

Put on the BlackPill or PillBug (your choice, I put on a PillBug here, but swap to a BlackPill later to test the full function of the underglow out.)

Components face upwards with the USB port facing to the left.

Step 5: Encoder

Now is the time to put on the encoder if you are using one.

Step 6: Testing Time

Now is the best time to test all the LEDs and encoder functionality. It is also a good time to use your tweezers to test all the switch positions that you need.

Step 7: Standoffs

Simple step. If you are using the full-sized acrylic guard, then each of the six screwholes will be set up like this:

If you are using one of the partial guards, then you will take the female-female 8mm standoffs and use them instead of the male-female 8mm standoffs at the bottom and top right if you are using the half top guard. With the full top guard, you will use all three top ones with the male-female ones.