Obviously I can buy all the different coloured keys from WASD Keyboards, so there's no issue there
I believe that the Caps Lock key is different. Centered stem on the WASD, and offset stem on the Cherry G80-3000.
Instead of WASD, then maybe you could get a black G80-3000 to get the black (POM) keys. A drawback is that Cherry's POM keys are more slippery.
For the coloured, keys, get some light grey (PBT) keys from fellow Geekhackers and dye them with Rit Dye.
I don't think that you would have any problems painting a black case white.
I have tried to dye light grey PBT keys black with Rit Dye, but failed at that... but that may be just me.
Thats why I was hoping there would be some of you that could explain to me a bit better about the construction/finish of the casing of the G80-3000, and how easy it is to take apart.
It is not that difficult. The case consists of a top and a bottom snapped together. Turn the keyboard over and pry open each snap in turn with a flat-head screwdriver while using your other hand to hold the halves apart.
Once you have the top off, lift the keyboard PCB over to expose two screws on the controller PCB under the ribbon cable. Once those are off, you just lift the guts out. Be careful not to bend the paper-ribbon cable too much.
If I need to sand the housing back to get rid of the Cherry logo, and make the finish less glossy, I don't mind putting in the effort to make that happen.
Like most electronics, it is textured plastic. It is not glossy. You can feel the Cherry logo, though, so it would be best to sand it off, I think.
Here is a modified MX-11801 that I painted white. The case (was) not that different from the G80-3000's, except for the layout and that it has screws instead of snaps. (I did some modifications to both the PCB and the case to get this custom layout, but that is another topic...)
I did sand off the logo and sanded the case smoother before I painted it. I painted the halves with a few coats of "primer" (spray can), sanded them with 400 grit sand paper and then painted a few coats of
Duplicolor Satin White (spray can).
"Wet-sanding" is better than dry, because dust is not flying around. Rinse and leave to dry after each sanding. If you use different grit, don't have too large steps: because that won't eliminate streaks from lower grit. 250 - 400 - 600 is good.
When painting, follow the instructions on the cans to the letter. It is better to spray many thin layers -- especially when painting the top coats, so that you avoid paint runs. The surface does not have to get entirely covered the first time. Spray from all sides, and make sure to get paint inside each key well and in the seam between case halves also. Do it outside or in a well ventilated area, with something to cover the table underneath. I had mine propped up on a few empty toiled paper rolls on a table on the balcony during the summer.
It might take a few days to get it painted, including time it takes for the paint to dry. However, in actual work-time, you spend more sanding and cleaning than doing actual painting. As harrison typed above: the quality of the result depends on the prep.
I don't think there are any problems with using a black case. The primer will cover the black.
I don't think that you need to worry about the white paint wearing off. The case does not get that much wear, at least not compared to the keys. My keyboard was used every day at work for three months before the picture was taken.
