Making My Own USB Keyboard from Scratch

funny, I was just looking at a keyboard stream on twitch for https://ishtob.net/hadron/hadronv3-groupbuy and I was just browsing the open source code used in the keyboard here https://github.com/qmk/qmk_firmware

If you’re open-sourcing a project, you can get a real USB PID instead of hijacking someone else’s: http://pid.codes/howto/

It's $255 and doesn't come with any switches from what I can tell. Not the person you're responding to but I've heard good things about the UHK: https://ultimatehackingkeyboard.com/

I have a design wish for people who make things like this: “row modules”

Basically, as an example - i wouldnt be fond of the size of that spacebar, and would like other modules.

What if each horizontal row of the standard length on a qwerty were its own module, and you can snap several together to make the board you want.

Want a touchpad? Snap it to the base or side. Want a touchbar oled strip: snap it to the top. 9-key? No problem - gamer config wsad side module? Yep.

Want to just pull out the small qwerty section for some reason - just unsnap whatever you need.

Also, from a connection perspective, they should be little round rare earth magnet cylendars in dowl posts and you just mate the pieces this way.

Fyi, Daiso Japan carries these in packs of 8 for $1.50.

Keycaps are fairly straightforward to 3d print.

If that's not DIY enough you can make a mold and cast them from silicone (the method used by most artisan keycaps) or make them out of wood.