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Building my first mechanical keyboard

not-matthias.github.io

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Re: Building my first mechanical keyboard

#91

Post by the_gipsy »

Veen wrote: post #51
the_gipsy wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many definitely are obsessed only with aesthetics, and it's especially sickening when you look at the subgroup of rare-overpriced keyboards. But split is not the single most important ergonomics aspect IMO. A planck-like ortholinear keeb is more ergonomic than those "alice" splits that have staggered-row-layout, for me at least.

Sickening is an odd word to choose. People have aesthetic preferences about all sorts of things, and they're often prepared to pay more to satisfy their tastes. What's bad about that?

Yeah sorry wrong wording, my bad. I only find the overpriced keyboard competition sickening.

Obsession about aesthetics is completely healthy.

Re: Building my first mechanical keyboard

#92

Post by iamevn »

creakingstairs wrote: post #43
hackernewds wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does it feel intuitive? I'm worried about learning a typing paradigm that isn't accessible everywhere (for eg can't hit both G and H with index if they're in diff sides)

I’m guessing you mean that you tend to hit g and h with hands (eg hit g with right hand and hit h with left hand) and you can’t do that with split keyboard. It doesn’t take that long to get used to it. I still can type pretty well with my laptop keyboard so I wouldn’t worry about it too much.

Usually it's the number row that gets me. I'm working on a keyboard that duplicates the inner columns for this reason.

Re: Building my first mechanical keyboard

#93

Post by swah »

I keep going from mechanical keyboards to low-profile ones (K380, Mx Keys) and not sure which one I like better. For sure the low-profile ones are less painful to type.

(And to be honest my usage is not for typing all the time - its also mousing and pressing a few shortcuts for an hour, and then an hour of mostly typing, etc)

Re: Building my first mechanical keyboard

#94

Post by contingencies »

Beta-7 wrote: post #70
zacharycohn wrote: post #69

I would highly recommend anyone interested in assembling their own invest in a soldering iron. You can find a kit on Amazon for $20 and watch 30 minutes of YouTube videos and know enough to be able to solder your own switches on any board you want.

Some cheap(-ish), but good soldering iron suggestions: The TS-100 and its successor the TS-80 are stand alone soldering irons that only need DC power to function (the TS-80 is powered through USB-C and supports PD meaning you can power it when not at home with a power bank). If portability isn't that important to you the (Ksger, althouh that's just one brand) T12 is a great desktop soldering station.

I use TS-100 daily and have found it excellent (very fast startup, precise control, one-hand UX), but DES-68TE/TF/TH look good too.

Re: Building my first mechanical keyboard

#95

Post by smrq »

vladvasiliu wrote: post #5
smrq wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a trap for sure. I built two 45%s and one 120% in the past year or two. Already planning the next one...

Do you do your own designs? While I'm not exactly sure what a 120% is (macro keys?) I've been looking for something like a gaming model with macro buttons on the left and / or on top, but otherwise 75%. Ideally split but single piece. Think MS Sculpt with extra buttons on the left. Haven't found one. So I was contemplating building one, but I'd have no idea where to start. I've quickly browsed the reddit page, but in…

Yep, I do all my own designs. When I got into the hobby in 2014, there weren't nearly as many ergo designs floating around (at least that I was aware of!), so I learned OpenSCAD to design a keyplate and 3d printed it, with a big awkward block of foam for support. I used that janky keyboard as my daily driver at work for at least 4 years. If your keyboard is perfect for you, it doesn't have to look perfect!

I mostly built the 120% because it was quite a challenge to play Final Fantasy XIV on a compact split ergo. (And because my girlfriend gifted me a set of Evangelion keycaps and it felt like a huge shame not to use all 127 of them.) It was pretty much an excuse to fit all of the keycaps that I had into a mostly normal keyboard layout. The extra keys are things like F13-F24 (poor OS support on those but I remap them to useful shortcuts for FFXIV with AutoHotkey), media controls, a language switcher, stuff like that.

If you want to try your hand at creating your own designs, it's actually not that hard to get started in my opinion, at least from a hardware perspective. I went from never having soldered or 3d printed before to typing on a working keyboard in the space of a weekend hackathon. All you need is the electronics hardware (microcontroller, keyswitches, keycaps, diodes, wire) and some form of keyplate and support. I would recommend lasercut acrylic since it's not very hard to get started with the 2d design with a variety of software options. If you have 3D printing experience and access to a printer then that might be quicker and more convenient.

I have a few designs on GitHub if you want to take a look:

The Sandiego [1] was my first design and so the firmware is pretty simple, so it might be an okay starting point there. I used OpenSCAD for the keyplate design and didn't make a case ever. There were wires hanging everywhere and it was a guaranteed conversation starter at work. Entirely handwired, so no PCB design either.

The Sigmar [2] has a keyplate and case designed in SolveSpace, which worked ok but it was a bit tedious. For this sort of 2D design, I think it was overkill. I used QMK for the firmware, which was kind of a pain in the ass to be honest. I probably wouldn't use it again. You get a lot of features built in for free though, which is definitely a selling point. I did a PCB design in KiCAD and I would absolutely recommend doing the same for your second keyboard. (Wire one by hand first!)

The Type K [3] is the 120%. Did the keyplate and case design in straight Python, generating DXF files for lasercutting. (I made a few mistakes in the design which I had to bodge with a bit of drilling...) The firmware is a beast because it has no dependencies on any USB libraries or anything. Wouldn't recommend that route unless you were seriously interested in USB, but it was definitely educational. PCB design again in KiCAD.

[1] https://github.com/smrq/sandiego/tree/v1

[2] https://github.com/smrq/sigmar-keyboard

[3] https://github.com/smrq/type-k-interface-02

Re: Building my first mechanical keyboard

#96

Post by voussoir »

prmoustache wrote: post #73
samatman wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a whole hobby called model building, building a mechanical keyboard is more like building a model than you appear to think. That's why. Why do you go on the internet and ask aggressive questions predicated on a wrong premise? Just out of curiousity.

There is no aggeessivity in my question. I assembled many model kits and it never occurred to call myself a builder. Model kit builder concieve the kits and or create parts out of raw material, epoxy putty and/or 3d printing. Similarly a bicycle builder will solder/bond individual tubes to build custom frame and fork, possibly custom stem and/or racks. A brand that source frame builts in Asia will but mount the ready…

For what it's worth, I feel the same way you do and very carefully chose the word "assembling" instead of "building" when I blogged about putting my keyboard together.

Re: Building my first mechanical keyboard

#98

Post by rpmisms »

ge96 wrote: post #90
rpmisms wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm addicted to Orthos, have 3 Plancks, a Preonic, and an XD75. Need to build another for my Steam Deck.

Oh the Planck is neat, the visible circuitry. The main thing for me is I need to have the arrow keys and the top row keys have to be the esc/numbers.

Check out the Preonic. Arrow keys, ortholinear, numrow.

Re: Building my first mechanical keyboard

#99

Post by Matthias247 »

swah wrote: post #93

I keep going from mechanical keyboards to low-profile ones (K380, Mx Keys) and not sure which one I like better. For sure the low-profile ones are less painful to type. (And to be honest my usage is not for typing all the time - its also mousing and pressing a few shortcuts for an hour, and then an hour of mostly typing, etc)

You can try the mix: A low profile mechanical keyboard - e.g. with the Kailh Choc switches. They in all sorts of pricepoints - from expensive Logitech G815/G915 to cheaper ones like the Havit HV-KB390L or in europe the Sharkoon Purewriter. I have the latter, and prefer to all regular mechanical keyboards I bought (a Logitech G Pro and a Corsair one with Cherry switches). The low profile one feels far more ergonomic and I make less typos with it - I wouldn't buy a full height keyboard anymore.

Re: Building my first mechanical keyboard

#100

Post by KolenCh »

0xCAP wrote: post #20
Symbiote wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm mostly-maintaining a mechanical split keyboard gallery [1] to help with this. There are a lot of options, from keyboards you can buy from a major retailer (or easily get your IT department to buy), to hand-soldered kits where you need to 3D print the case.- [1] https://aposymbiont.github.io/split-keyboards/

I've always been interested in buying one, but since I'm curre tly budgeting for other major investments I'm not willing to spend like 350€+ for an ergodox. Are there decent sub 100€ non diy (i have never soldered anything in my life) split keyboards around afayk?

Microsoft Sculpt is quite good. It is not mechanical, not truly split. But one that my hand can agree with. It is also the one I travel with because the mechanical split I have is too heavy.
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