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Building my first mechanical keyboard

not-matthias.github.io

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Re: Building my first mechanical keyboard

#61

Post by noir_lord »

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?

Ergo 4000 are good if you don’t require mechanical keys, I’ve used them for years and years.

Re: Building my first mechanical keyboard

#62

Post by CTDOCodebases »

DoingIsLearning wrote: post #55

Ok I will ask something controversial to the enthusiasts. I love the tactil feedback and key travel but I absolutely hate the sound of mechanical switches (or any loud sound for that matter). Is there a technical solution out there to have a keyboard with good feedback and travel but near silent?

Yes there are silent tactile switches. They have dampeners on the stem that cushion the upstroke and the downstroke of the switch. An example of such a switch is the Gazzew Boba U4s.

The dampeners also cushion the bottom out of the keypress so they are a bit easier on the fingers if you are a heavy typist.

In order to deaden the sound further there are various foam products (poron, PE foam, silicon, polyphill) that can be used in the build. There are also mods that can be done like putting painters tape on the back of the PCB or straightening the stabiliser wires and lubing the stabilisers.

It also helps to select a case that doesn't suffer from acoustic resonance.

If you like tactility and silence it might be worth checking out keyboards with silent Topre switches like the HHKB. Although they are not considered a mechanical keyboard some people actually prefer them.

Re: Building my first mechanical keyboard

#63

Post by christophilus »

colordrops wrote: post #8

Great intro. One thing I don't understand about the mechanical keyboard community is how the vast majority (like well over 95%) are not split keyboards. You'd think keyboard enthusiasts that sweat the details would also be obsessed with ergonomics. But no, I suspect that they are more concerned with aesthetics, which are arguably worse with a split keyboard.

I used to use a split keyboard, but now use a tenkeyless Vermillo[0]. Best keyboard I’ve ever used. I find that form factor, paired with VIM gives my wrists less pain than any larger keyboard I’ve used. The distance I have to travel to use a mouse is also reduced, which I find helpful.

[0] https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_det...

Re: Building my first mechanical keyboard

#64

Post by CTDOCodebases »

colordrops wrote: post #8

Great intro. One thing I don't understand about the mechanical keyboard community is how the vast majority (like well over 95%) are not split keyboards. You'd think keyboard enthusiasts that sweat the details would also be obsessed with ergonomics. But no, I suspect that they are more concerned with aesthetics, which are arguably worse with a split keyboard.

People don't like change and not everyone has noticeable issues typing on standard keyboards. Once you do make the switch though the benefits become obvious.

Re: Building my first mechanical keyboard

#65

Post by radus »

DoingIsLearning wrote: post #55

Ok I will ask something controversial to the enthusiasts. I love the tactil feedback and key travel but I absolutely hate the sound of mechanical switches (or any loud sound for that matter). Is there a technical solution out there to have a keyboard with good feedback and travel but near silent?

It’s expensive but the Realforce R2 PFU ticks this box for me. It has Topre switches and is silenced from the factory.

Re: Building my first mechanical keyboard

#66

Post by chevill »

celrod wrote: post #24
badlucklottery wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Whenever the Kinesis Advantage 360 starts shipping, that might be a good option for trying out a split keyboard. They have 60 day returns and don't fight you on RMA at all: https://kinesis-ergo.com/support/returns/

I am a big fan of the Kinesis Advantage 2's dished layout. I think that's a bigger deal for me than being split. The 2 unfortunately is not split, while the 360 is both split and dished. The thumb keys are also extremely important, but they're more common among ergo keyboards. I don't think I'd ever buy a keyboard without thumb keys. Thumb keys go great with emac's standard keybindings. I've spent too much money on k…

Having access to multiple keys per thumb really is a huge improvement over standard keyboards.

They are pretty expensive, but you can get a custom Dactyl Manuform made for about $400-500. I think there are some cheaper ways to get one. I made my own and its the best keyboard I've ever used. Before that I was using a different split keyboard (the ergodox-ex) and it was pretty good but the Dactyl is near perfect. I just wish they were popular enough for a large manufacturer to start making some non-3d printed cases for them.

Re: Building my first mechanical keyboard

#67

Post by DavidVoid »

gorgoiler wrote: post #23

If anyone here also has a keyboard of this size, I would be interested to know how you access the tilde key. I’ve bound mine to Fn-Esc but it feels unsatisfactory as a solution.

I like the way it's done on HHKB layout keyboards: the \ and backspace key switch places and what's normally backspace is split in two so that the top-right key can be used for ~ without requiring any function layer [1].

[1] https://guillaumeplayground.net//wp-content/gallery/gh60_sat...

Re: Building my first mechanical keyboard

#68

Post by chevill »

moondev wrote: post #58
nextlevelwizard wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>they are more concerned with aesthetics, Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner! Mechanical keyboard communities are 110% all about aesthetics. For most it is far more important how the keyboard looks than anything else, the comes how it feels and sounds and somewhere very far comes actual functionality and even further ergonomics. Obviously there is nothing wrong with this, but it makes sourcing split mechanical keyboa…

> Obviously there is nothing wrong with this, but it makes sourcing split mechanical keyboards hard and expensive. Wouldn't increased demand (regardless of purchase motive) increase supply and decrease the price?

In some ways it does but my fellow keyboard hobbyists seem to have an infinite appetite for artificial scarcity. 99% of aluminum keyboard cases are barely distinguishable from one another but some of them cost a few thousand dollars while others cost $80. There are some with a better fit and finish but the higher in price you go the more rapidly the diminishing returns set in.

Occasionally there's some innovation and slowly we're seeing some of these innovations from individual designers get copied by companies more capable (and more importantly, willing) to mass produce things.

Re: Building my first mechanical keyboard

#70

Post by Beta-7 »

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.

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