This hobby appears to require an ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF PATIENCE!!!

[keebler]

I'm new to keyboarding, and was eager to "jump right in". However, I had no idea it'd be this hard: EVERYTHING I WANT IS ALWAYS SOLD OUT!

I'm looking specifically for (65+Hot Swap+QMK) keyboards, but....THEY'RE ALL SOLD OUT. I decided "oh, I'll just get a DIY kit and build it myself". Nope: ALL SOLD OUT.

(I guess restricting myself to hot swap/qmk makes me a snob? The thing is, I'm a noob and therefore the ability to try out different switches and keyboard layouts is incredibly appealing. Maybe when I find what switches/key mappings I like best, I'd be less concerned with the flexibility.)

Meanwhile, I thought I'd look into getting a new keycap set...simple, right?...uhhhh...NO. I mean, there's TONS of choices...................in the "Interest Checks" section! But ACTIVE, IN-STOCK keycap sets? NOPE! There's like...ONLY TEN SETS! And what I didn't know before, and I know now, is that for any of these ten sets, if I sign up for the group buy, I WON'T GET IT FOR 6+ months. 

This hobby appears to require an ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF PATIENCE!!!

[keebler]

By the way...I'm not mad at anyone, just venting.

Also if anyone can prove me wrong and guide me on how to do a decent DIY 65+HotSwap+QMK keyboard without waiting for months I'd appreciate it.

[Hellcatz]

I would hope that if you are willing to spend loads of money on your keyboard you would at least take the time to plan your build out. kbd fans, kp republic and alixpress have kits you can purchase if you just want to dip your toes.

[jamster]

It depends on what you need from it.

Seems like a lot of people need to own some quirky customised thing that ticks all the current buzzwords. The hobby is a lot wider than that, with a lot of history behind it- you could probably buy a Model M from eBay for a hundred bucks, have it within a week, and experience something that no diy board could ever hope to replicate. Ditto with a Realforce (more money though).

Cast your net wider, seriously. It makes me a bit sad that so many people latch onto such a narrow view of mech boards and never move beyond variants of MX switches, or think that it stops at collecting GMK sets.

If you were a snob, you'd be insisting on nothing besides vintage beamspring

Edit: if you want keycap sets right now, look at Originative Co. You'll be paying a premium for the quality, and for instant gratification, but that's the way it works with caps.

[jamster]

Oh, and hot swap, layer customisation (via proprietary SW), 40-88%? Look at a Dumang DK6. Totally weird design that blows away anything for true customisation.

It's not perfect, has its shortcomings, but it in an indicator of how much more there is to this niche.

[keebler]

Thanks guys. Looks like there's more immediately-available keycap sets than I thought. https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/ has plenty of options, too.

Also, I managed to find the board I wanted on /r/mechmarket (albeit for a high price). 

So, I guess perhaps I should re-title this post to "A MODERATE AMOUNT OF PATIENCE". 

[HungerMechanic]

Ha ha, you don't know the half of it. I suggest getting in a Group Buy for some GMK or KAT keycaps. Hope you don't mind waiting until 2022+

[ideus]

Check around, pal. Go to Deskthority, rMK, at least. Check the vendors' thread at GH. The classifieds at the 3 sites are also a potential source for what you are looking for. Finally, do not let the buzzwords trapped you; go beyond them and make your mind about what you need: Switches, layouts, keycaps, size of the boards, etc.