diff --git a/src/key_transformations.scad b/src/key_transformations.scad
index 19c3217..76ecbf8 100644
--- a/src/key_transformations.scad
+++ b/src/key_transformations.scad
@@ -7,8 +7,9 @@ module translate_u(x=0, y=0, z=0){
   translate([x * unit, y*unit, z*unit]) children();
 }
 
-module brimmed() {
+module brimmed(height = 0.2) {
   $has_brim = true;
+  $brim_height = height;
   children();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/settings.scad b/src/settings.scad
index 0c18260..7fc90b3 100644
--- a/src/settings.scad
+++ b/src/settings.scad
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ $key_length = 1;
 $key_height = 1;
 //print brim for connector to help with bed adhesion
 $has_brim = false;
+//when $has_brim this is the height of the brim
+$brim_height = 0.2;
 // invert dishing. mostly for spacebar
 $inverted_dish = false;
 // array of positions of all stems. includes stabilizers as well, for now
diff --git a/src/stems/alps.scad b/src/stems/alps.scad
index 2babe63..c743bee 100644
--- a/src/stems/alps.scad
+++ b/src/stems/alps.scad
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 module alps_stem(depth, has_brim){
   if(has_brim) {
-    linear_extrude(h=brim_height) {
-      square($alps_stem * [2,2], center = true);
+    linear_extrude(height=$brim_height) {
+      offset(r=1){
+        square($alps_stem + [2,2], center=true);
+      }
     }
   }
-  linear_extrude(h=depth) {
+  linear_extrude(height=depth) {
     square($alps_stem, center = true);
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/stems/cherry.scad b/src/stems/cherry.scad
index a02df73..6654cd5 100644
--- a/src/stems/cherry.scad
+++ b/src/stems/cherry.scad
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@ module cherry_stem(depth, has_brim) {
 
       // brim, if applicable
       if(has_brim) {
-        linear_extrude(height = brim_height){
+        linear_extrude(height = $brim_height){
           offset(r=1){
-            square($cherry_stem - [2,2], center=true);
+            square($cherry_stem + [2,2], center=true);
           }
         }
       }
diff --git a/src/stems/rounded_cherry.scad b/src/stems/rounded_cherry.scad
index 265b0d2..faadf9f 100644
--- a/src/stems/rounded_cherry.scad
+++ b/src/stems/rounded_cherry.scad
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ module rounded_cherry_stem(depth, has_brim) {
     union(){
       cylinder(d=$rounded_cherry_stem_d, h=depth);
       if(has_brim) {
-        cylinder(d=$rounded_cherry_stem_d * 2, h=brim_height);
+        cylinder(d=$rounded_cherry_stem_d * 2, h=$brim_height);
       }
     }