Attempting to make my end game keyboard and have a few questions.

[Moralless]

Hello, so I had a spur of the moment idea about a month or so ago of wanting to make my own keyboard, but the problem was that I really wanted it to be a ~60% design(similar to the Leopold 660m) but wasn't too keen on having to hole the Fn key with my pinky to use the F-row as it felt uncomfortable when I tried out my friends Poker 2. Not until the last week or so have I actually had an idea in what I wanted in my keyboard when I saw the smart 68 keyboard designed by DeeLonG: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=61714.0.

I love the concept of this keyboard, hot swappable switches/LEDs and the Fn button being under the spacebar so I can use my thumb to press it instead of my pinky sounds genius to me. However, I did not like the non-standard bottom row - but I'm still going to get one when the group buy begins. So I decided to merge the features of the smart 68 with the layout of a Leopold fc660m and came up with this: http://tinyurl.com/customkeyboard. It's pretty similar to the Leopold 660m but the two buttons on the top right would be dedicated to Print screen and delete, and the Fn button is shown as being below the spacebar.

Now I have some idea on how I'm going to build this keyboard, but I have a few questions on sourcing the actual parts.
1. The PCB. I have yet to design this(and if anyone is willing to help, I'll be willing to pay) but I have no idea on how PCB production works. How common is it for PCB printing companies to produce 1-3 copies of a PCB? If it's not common will I have to start a GB and hope other people would like this and buy a PCB in order for it to be manufactured?

2. The plate. I was considering buying a Leopold fc660m and just using its plate (can anyone confirm this? - my google searches have been useless). If it turns out it doesn't have a plate  that I could use then I have the same question for this as I did for the PCB, except relating to the plate and not the PCB.

3. The case. I have thought of making the case by giving it multiple layers with the middle layer creating space for the Fn button to pop through and then screwing it all together with the plate as the top part (similar to this GON case: http://geekhack.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=43894.0;attach=23174;image).

4. Fn button. I plan to use a micro switch (something similar, if not this: http://au.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=D2F-FL-Avirtualkey65300000virtualkey653-D2FFLA) where the inputs are perpendicular to the actuation button. Does anyone know what kind of conisderations I should have when choosing a micro switch besides the actual size and orientations of the inputs? As for the Fn button itself, I've decided to attempt and mold my own one.

5.Making the PCB hot swappable. Since I am unable to test this, or theorize it (have had basically 0 experience with soldering cherry switches and LEDs and cannot find the dimensions of the pins for the switches/LEDs) I am unsure on which socket to get.  I have found this, which I hope fits the cherry switches: http://au.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=H3161-05virtualkey57420000virtualkey855-H3161-05 and this which I hope fits the LED pins: http://au.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=H3153-05virtualkey57420000virtualkey855-H3153-05

6. And finally I just need some clarification on how NKRO, keymapping is done. I know keymapping via software - but will I have to code my own one or is there a place to buy keyboard mapping software? And how is NKRO achieved? I would like this feature on my keyboard but I'm confused on how it's achieved since some keyboards need a PS2 connection to get NKRO but other only need a USB connection. Can it be achieved by software? the circuitry in the PCB? Or is it a mixture of both?

If you made it to this part, thank you for giving the time to read this and hopefully help me 

[jacobolus]

You can probably use both the plate and the PCB from an existing FC660M. Maybe the case too. You’re just trying to add one key and make a custom layout? That shouldn’t require totally remaking everything from scratch. You could accomplish the custom layout in hardware by cutting some traces on the PCB and soldering in some wires to patch the modifiers on the right over to their new roles and splice in your microswitch for Fn.

[Moralless]

You can probably use both the plate and the PCB from an existing FC660M. Maybe the case too. You’re just trying to add one key and make a custom layout? That shouldn’t require totally remaking everything from scratch. You could accomplish the custom layout in hardware by cutting some traces on the PCB and soldering in some wires to patch the modifiers on the right over to their new roles and splice in your microswitch for Fn.

You might be right about the case and plate, but looking at the smart 68 I don't think I could hard wire the Fn button and fit the microswitch inside the case if it isn't soldered onto the pcb, which for this reason I'm going to design my own pcb for this project which sadly is the hardest part for me :/

[Moralless]

A little update on my keyboard atm. I have managed to do a rough draft of of the plate in paint (since I have no CAD skills) and was wondering how important is the scale of the image when setting an order to get it made. Would it be ok if I provided an image of it, and also provide the dimensions of it stating the distance between each keys, rows etc. or would I need to convert this into a CAD file with everything perfectly to scale.


Plate: http://i.imgur.com/AvL3zwk.jpg


Another thing, I have started some progress on my PCB, where I just drew the inputs of the keyboard (switch inputs, LED inputs and diode inputs) and was also wondering the same thing on the importance of the accuracy in the image. I have been using ExpressPCB to design my board, but my inexperience has left me with non straight rows and probably some inconsistencies with the spacings of each input. Would it suffice if I just provided the design of the PCB itself and then specify the dimensions/spacings of the inputs or would I have to create a scale schematic of the PCB and hope for the best that I didn't make one through hole too far from another?
PCB: http://i.imgur.com/moaBSSs.jpg

[Charger]

i would recommend using at least inkscape to draw up a plate

[jacobolus]

I have managed to do a rough draft of of the plate in paint [...] Would it be ok if I provided an image of it, and also provide the dimensions of it stating the distance between each keys, rows etc. or would I need to convert this into a CAD file with everything perfectly to scale

Would it be okay for what purpose? If you send a metal shop an MS Paint picture they’ll probably laugh at you, and then refuse to work from that. On the other hand folks around here can probably guide you through making CAD drawings yourself or maybe even do the CAD work for you for cheap.

[Moralless]

I have managed to do a rough draft of of the plate in paint [...] Would it be ok if I provided an image of it, and also provide the dimensions of it stating the distance between each keys, rows etc. or would I need to convert this into a CAD file with everything perfectly to scale

Would it be okay for what purpose? If you send a metal shop an MS Paint picture they’ll probably laugh at you, and then refuse to work from that. On the other hand folks around here can probably guide you through making CAD drawings yourself or maybe even do the CAD work for you for cheap.

I plan to convert it to CAD, just wanted to know if I could give it a general outline(like in my image) and provide the dimensions of everything or would I have to make everything to scale.
It only took me 15mins to draw it up, but I did it so that I have some sort of reference when I do it in CAD since I'll probably be busy learning the different features of the program and would be nice to have a reference to have not less thing to think about.