I am on other forums with the name Deimos (the RPF for one), but none with the name "Dread" .
W00t! RPF:er here since '02 with another name ("Darth Lars" there... Don't ask. Stupid name, but I got stuck with it).
I found some of the same collecting and building mentality here as there... except that the (mental) age may be a bit lower. You'll fit right in. 
I have been able to apply my skills acquired from plastic armour/prop making to modding keyboard cases - often also of ABS plastic, I.e. styrene blends.
"Artisans" that some people make and/or collect are keyboard keycaps, often cast in urethane resin.
Most keyboard building and modding don't require deep electronics experience. Most keyboard built "from scratch" use off-the-shelf microcontroller boards just hooked up to diodes and switches, and there is freely available firmware to load on them that are relatively easy to mod if you have some programming experience.
Hey "Darth Lars"
) woot! Woot! right back! Glad I have met a "familiar" face here.
I have learned an incredible amount of "how to" from the RPF....have built some props already, nothing so elaborate as armour, tho.
I have been taking woodworking classes for a year (another semester coming up in Sept), and last semester I took a welding class at the local JC.
Welding can be pretty heavy duty, but I also learned brazing, and that comes in handy for doing finer/more detailed work.
The RPF "lessons" encouraged me to try the keyboard mod, but I'm also gratified that you have mentioned your experiences and also have offered encouragement.
(I sometimes will suddenly lose confidence in my abilities to do something new).
Anyway, I have to take some pics of the keyboard I have already opened so as to show what I want to change, and also write up a little narrative with all my questions.
Will get to it maybe by the weekend.
