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Author Topic: Is building a mechanical keyboard easy?  (Read 1828 times)

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Offline zoooney

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Is building a mechanical keyboard easy?
« on: Sun, 15 November 2015, 08:51:46 »
Hey guys, I want to build a mechanical keyboard, but I have no idea how. I know what PCB's are, but that's it. It should have mx clear switches. Not sure if I want a 60% board or TKL.




Do you guys know any good tutorials for stupid people like me? I love mechanical keyboards and I always wanted to build one.
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Offline Jokrik

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Re: Is building a mechanical keyboard easy?
« Reply #1 on: Sun, 15 November 2015, 08:53:36 »
This is the guide I followed when I was still learning

index=9&list=FL8rZhuMRVpYVxOpIC3jcJ0g

It's basic stuff
« Last Edit: Sun, 15 November 2015, 08:55:24 by jokrik »
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Offline absyrd

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Re: Is building a mechanical keyboard easy?
« Reply #2 on: Sun, 15 November 2015, 08:53:47 »
I hate soldering with a passion. Some people love it. Some people make boards from complete scratch and handwire them!

I'd suggest starting with deciding what form factor and switch type you want to go with.

And read here:
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=69582.0
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Quote from: specw4r on Sun, 06 March 2016, 05:30:12
My wife I a also push her button . But now she have her button push by a different men. So I buy a keyboard a mechanicale, she a reliable like a Fiat.

Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Is building a mechanical keyboard easy?
« Reply #3 on: Sun, 15 November 2015, 09:29:05 »
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Offline tronbeaver

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Re: Is building a mechanical keyboard easy?
« Reply #4 on: Sun, 15 November 2015, 09:29:57 »
You should start with a kit.  GON Keyboards sell some.
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Offline Findecanor

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Re: Is building a mechanical keyboard easy?
« Reply #5 on: Sun, 15 November 2015, 09:30:08 »
If you are building a kit then that is mostly about soldering and snapping things together and the people who made the kit should have provided buyers with a building guide.
In some cases you would need to buy parts from different places.

If you are building one from scratch then before you start you would need to learn more about how keyboards function and you may also need to do some custom programming of your firmware.

Luckily, both 60% and TKLs should be available as kits.
« Last Edit: Sun, 15 November 2015, 09:32:06 by Findecanor »
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Offline BlindShadow

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Re: Is building a mechanical keyboard easy?
« Reply #6 on: Sun, 15 November 2015, 13:12:27 »
Yes if you go a little overkill to start with, consider using an Arduino if you are a beginner.

/03 
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Offline rowdy

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Re: Is building a mechanical keyboard easy?
« Reply #7 on: Sun, 15 November 2015, 13:12:34 »
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

NEC APC-H4100E | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED red | Ducky DK9008 Shine MX blue LED green | Link 900243-08 | CM QFR MX black | KeyCool 87 white MX reds | HHKB 2 Pro | Model M 02-Mar-1993 | Model M 29-Nov-1995 | CM Trigger (broken) | CM QFS MX green | Ducky DK9087 Shine 3 TKL Yellow Edition MX black | Lexmark SSK 21-Apr-1994 | IBM SSK 13-Oct-1987 | CODE TKL MX clear | Model M 122 01-Jun-1988

Ị̸͚̯̲́ͤ̃͑̇̑ͯ̊̂͟ͅs̞͚̩͉̝̪̲͗͊ͪ̽̚̚ ̭̦͖͕̑́͌ͬͩ͟t̷̻͔̙̑͟h̹̠̼͋ͤ͋i̤̜̣̦̱̫͈͔̞ͭ͑ͥ̌̔s̬͔͎̍̈ͥͫ̐̾ͣ̔̇͘ͅ ̩̘̼͆̐̕e̞̰͓̲̺̎͐̏ͬ̓̅̾͠͝ͅv̶̰͕̱̞̥̍ͣ̄̕e͕͙͖̬̜͓͎̤̊ͭ͐͝ṇ̰͎̱̤̟̭ͫ͌̌͢͠ͅ ̳̥̦ͮ̐ͤ̎̊ͣ͡͡n̤̜̙̺̪̒͜e̶̻̦̿ͮ̂̀c̝̘̝͖̠̖͐ͨͪ̈̐͌ͩ̀e̷̥͇̋ͦs̢̡̤ͤͤͯ͜s͈̠̉̑͘a̱͕̗͖̳̥̺ͬͦͧ͆̌̑͡r̶̟̖̈͘ỷ̮̦̩͙͔ͫ̾ͬ̔ͬͮ̌?̵̘͇͔͙ͥͪ͞ͅ

Offline ideus

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Re: Is building a mechanical keyboard easy?
« Reply #8 on: Mon, 16 November 2015, 16:33:24 »
To build a kit, or not to build it? that is the question. If this is your first try get a kit, if you are comfortable with soldering, doing some programming, and have decent DIY skills then make one from scratch.
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Offline jdcarpe

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Re: Is building a mechanical keyboard easy?
« Reply #9 on: Mon, 16 November 2015, 16:37:42 »
Yes
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Offline p3lim

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Re: Is building a mechanical keyboard easy?
« Reply #10 on: Sun, 29 November 2015, 13:23:13 »
Reasonably easy, you need patience and a steady hand.

My first (handwired): https://imgur.com/gallery/zwsDN
« Last Edit: Sun, 29 November 2015, 13:26:26 by p3lim »
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