Mountain Breeze Build Guide

Thanks for your interest in building a Mountain Breeze!

This guide will walk you through the process of building your own Mountain Breeze.

Hardware

The PCB comes with many components pre-assembled. Here's what you'll need to complete the build:

A Mountain Breeze set (Right Hand, Left Hand)
A Mountain Breeze Enclosure set (Right Hand, Left Hand, Function Cluster)
2x nice!nano (or compatible)
2x 3.7V Lipo Battery (consider a large flat battery for extra capacity)
6x 3x4x5mm heated inserts
4x M3 x 4mm screws
2x M3 x 6mm screws
About 7 inches of 22ga stranded wire
Silicon pads for the feet

Let's get started!

Step 1: Install the Enclosure

Install the 3x4x5mm heated inserts for connecting the right hand enclosure to the function cluster.

Identify the 2 holes on the right hand enclosure that are closest to the function cluster.

Insert the 3x4x5mm heated inserts into the holes. Ensure they are flush with the surface of the enclosure.
Connect the right hand enclosure to the function cluster.

Insert the 2x M3 x 6mm screws into the holes on the function cluster to fasten the function cluster to the right hand enclosure.
Install the 3x4x5mm heated inserts to fasten the PCB to the right and left hand enclosures.

Identify the 2 holes on the right and left hand enclosures that are flat on the surface of the switch plate.

Insert the 3x4x5mm heated inserts into the holes. Ensure they are flush with the surface of the enclosure.

Step 2: Prepare the PCB

This is the part where you'll be asked you to break the PCB you just paid for. It's where young mechnical keyboard souls are forged into mechanical keyboard warriors. It's a point of no return. But it's actully pretty easy and fail proof.

We'll break off the function cluster from the right hand PCB.

Grab the right hand PCB and identify the seam between the right hand and the function cluster.
Place the seam on the edge of a table or another rigid flat surface.
Ensure the holes along the seam are aligned with the edge of the table.
Close your eyes.
Snap it!
Don't worry too much, the PCB is designed to cleanly break without damaging the internals.

Step 3: Install the controllers

Seriously consider to socket the nice!nano. Check out this guide.
Identify the bottom side of both PCBs (Left and Right). You should see the text "place nice!nano face up" on the bottom of the PCB.
Stop and think. Make sure you know which is the top side of the nice!nano. It should be facing you. The bottom of the nice!nano should be facing the PCB.
Note: nice!nano has two small pads on the top for wiring the battery. We won't be using those, ensure you don't solder anything to them.
Solder the nice!nano to the PCB.

Step 4: Solder the battery

Ensure the on/off switch is in the off position.
Identify the battery pads on the bottom of the PCB. They are marked with "BAT+" and "GND" on the PCB.
Solder the + of the battery to the "BAT+" pad.
Solder the - of the battery to the "GND" pad.

Note: The battery is hardwired to the PCB, you don't need any connector such as JST.

Step 5: Install the PCB into the enclosure

Insert the right and left hand PCBs into the enclosure.
Fasten the PCBs to the enclosure using the 4x M3 x 4mm screws.
Place the function cluster PCB into the function cluster enclosure. This PCB uses the switches to be secured in place, no screws are needed.

Step 6: Install the MX switches

Install the MX switches into the PCB.
Start with the corener switches on each place to stabilize the PCB. Then continue to install the rest of the switches.

Step 7: Fasten the battery

Use double sided tape to fasten the battery to the back of the PCB. Use the tape to ensure no sharp edges risk the integrity of the battery.

Step 8: Wire the function cluster

Clip 7 wires of about 1.5 inches.
Identify the 7 pads on the function cluster PCB and their corresponding pads on the right hand PCB.
Solder the wires to the pads.
Ensure the wires are not too long and not too short.