Estimate on cost to hire others to build barebones custom keyboard?

[Learis]

Hello, I'm going to share a picture. I've been thinking of making a typical 60% keyboard but with multiple rows below the spacebar along with a split spacebar. My thumbs naturally lie between the c&v keys and the n&m keys so the spacebar is split there with room for another key right below the "b". I've noticed that the thumbs go to waste, and they can comfortably extend much lower than the spacebar. As a programmer, this design (especially the arrow locations), will help me since I won't have to lift my hand and use my pinkies as much. I've only filled out some of the lower rows with actual keys as its all up in the air. The yellow portions show where it becomes kind of difficult to reach naturally with the thumbs. The reds and outwards are very uncomfortable or impossible without lifting the hands and should be avoided for common keys. I know ortholinears exist, but I'm looking to keep staggered for the letter keys which is why I made this design.

" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

So now the actual question. I know nothing about the creation of pcb's, cases, and even soldering. The idea is to hire someone (or multiple people), so that this gets constructed to where I can just screw it and piece the parts together and snap in the switches. I just want a rough ballpark estimate on how much these things cost. It's about making it work, not making it beautiful. Below are the specifications, and tell me if there's other essential stuff I'm not addressing.

Specifications:
1) pcb is hot swappable and compatible with QMK, designed for typical switches like cherries. No lighting needed.
2) The case can be just a cheap plastic case; I'm not in this for aesthetics. No incline needed, just a flat case and the lower the better.
3) A usb connection; I don't care if its type c or not.

- So what does something like this cost to hire others to do? Your best rough ballpark guess on the cost

[jamster]

Based on no actual manufacturing experience, but researching the price of DIY options, it's going to cost a boatload.

Doesn't matter about materials, it's all about someone's highly skilled time for a one-off project.

Forget about a PCB for one-off. Do point to point wiring. Contact someone like Crystalhands on Reddit or Ohmykeycaps (website) to see if they'll custom make a 3D printed hot swap case for you (they usually do ergo split boards but they've designed hotswap compatible cases). The latter does a full build service for ergos, so maybe will be flexible enough to do full custom.

Personally, I'd recommend just going for a pre-made ortho board if something close is already available. Learning ortho is really easy (I have just switched from staggered).

[Leslieann]

Bare minimum $500 (3d print), but more like $800 (plex)-$1500 (aluminum).

Even if you 3d print the case, you still have to design it and the pcb and those man hours add up fast. 3d printing also usually needs a bit of post processing, it doesn't just come off and bolt together.

Oh, and this isn't including switches or assembly.
Add another $100 for assembly, $30-$120 for switches, $20 for stabs, and then there is the caps.

[Learis]

Thx for the info. After a lot of digging, this large programmable keypad seems like the perfect thing to put under my 60% keyboard to accomplish what I want. So no need for any crazy builds just yet.

https://www.amazon.com/Koolertron-Single-Handed-Programmable-Mechanical-Keyboard/dp/B076LRJ528/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=programmable+keypad&qid=1597650879&s=electronics&sr=1-5

[coarse]

you can totally do this with a fr4 case. cheap and gets the job done. it probably wont cost more than $60 per pcb + case

[hvontres]

The other way to maybe get something like this relatively cheap would be to use a regular 60% PCB along with a ortholinear. since they are both USB, your will just end up with the computer seeing two keyboards instead of one. Then you just need to come up with the case design.