LUNAR II
Second generation compact AEK keyboard by Switchplate Peripherals and ai03
Building upon the legacy of the first generation design, Lunar II brings the acclaimed curved design to a more accessible price, complete with an entirely seamless exterior, increased typing comfort, and solenoid support.
Project Status
Extras sale
Extra units from group buy sale are available at Switchplate Peripherals
Extras sale
2024-07-20
Extra units from group buy sale are available at Switchplate Peripherals
Shipping
2023-11-24
Units have completed fulfillment; awaiting extras sales
Manufacturing
2023-08-03
Currently waiting on reanodizing for some silver unit ano issues; final packaging and shipment to vendors to follow afterwards
Manufacturing
2022-12-01
PCBs have finished manufacturing; cases have finished machining and are heading into finishing/anodizing/coating phase
Manufacturing
2022-09-03
Units have begun manufacturing
Group buy closed
2022-08-02
Unit cap reached
Preparing for manufacturing
Group buy
2022-07-26
Group buy live at Switchplate Peripherals and TypePlus
Pending group buy
2022-07-06
Group buy launching on the 26th
Announced
2021-07-28
Undergoing revised prototype testing
On hold
2020-10-17
Project delayed due to necessary solenoid improvements and life workload
Announced
2020-09-18
IC published at GeekHack
A Worthy Successor
Lunar II takes user feedback into mind as it improves upon the first generation design.
The curvature has been refreshed completely to reduce the front ledge height for easier typing, and the 1.2mm aluminum plate balances typing comfort, acoustics, and ease of assembly.
A weight has been added for additional heft and aesthetic accent while retaining the low typing angle.
Zero-Seam Design
Whereas the original Lunar hid the seam on the bottomside, Lunar II removes the seam completely with a single-piece case, with nothing to break the continuous smooth curvature.
A carefully engineered mounting method secures the plate to the case via O-ring-tipped standoffs, allowing for maximized flex on the typing surface without the stiffness of a typical tray mount.
Making Noise
Solenoid support allows for audible feedback at will. Use the electromagnetic hammer to add clickiness to tactile or linear switch without changing feel, or supplement and amplify the sound of clicky switches to a further level. When in need of quiet, simply toggle the solenoid off.
Alps For All
The Lunar II brings the mini-AEK form to a more affordable price point with easier assembly.
Lunar II only requires a single Apple Extended Keyboard’s worth of keycaps and stabilizers to build, making the task of sourcing parts much easier than the original.
Choose between the unified and split backspace plate options to tailor the build to your needs.
Specifications
Case | Aluminum, single part design |
Case Colors | Silver, Grey |
Weight | Stainless Steel |
Plate | Aluminum, through-PCB standoff mount, unified and split backspace variants |
PCB | ESD protection, in-switch caps lock LED support for SKCL-LED variants, solenoid switching support (Solenoid included in kit) |
Case Mass | ~1.2kg (Case, weight, plate) |
Layouts | Note: Each layout requires its own plate; select the correct one as necessary. |
Units | 100 total |
Price (at time of group buy) | 419USD at Switchplate Peripherals, 399USD at TypePlus |
Vendors | Switchplate Peripherals, TypePlus |
Advice and Notes |
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Photo credits go to Switchplate Peripherals.