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geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: Gracana on Mon, 28 January 2013, 23:40:02

Title: DIY keyboards -- doing it cheaply
Post by: Gracana on Mon, 28 January 2013, 23:40:02

Well, this is probably not an oft-asked question here, but here goes...

What are the options for someone who wants to build a custom keyboard cheaply? Like, waay cheaply? There are a handful of options for high quality components and keycaps, but they tend to be on the high quality and expensive side.

The reason I ask is because I'm working on a project that involves multiple devices, and I'd like to integrate a keyboard into each device. Think 80s microcomputer style devices. I'd love to have cherry keys and double-shot molded keycaps and all that jazz, but it's damn expensive to go that route.

So, what other options do I have? I've scoured the net for kiosk keyboards, industrial keyboards, switches and keycaps etc. At the end of the day I want something that I can mount in my own enclosure, whether it's an off-the-shelf keyboard designed for that purpose, or something I build myself. Membrane or scissor keys would be fine, but squishy sloppy rubber and plastic-capped-rubber keypads are no good, and that knocks out all the industrial and kiosk keyboards I've found.

Thoughts, suggestions?

Title: Re: DIY keyboards -- doing it cheaply
Post by: sth on Mon, 28 January 2013, 23:51:55

Cherry G84 series, can be removed from housing, takes up very little space, and if you look for a little bit you might get your hands on one with dyesub PBT keys instead of ABS. the demand for them is fairly low since you can't put silly novelty caps on them.

Title: Re: DIY keyboards -- doing it cheaply
Post by: SmallFry on Tue, 29 January 2013, 00:46:39

Speaking of the ML series... what about a HHML? (http://www.otd.kr/gn/bbs/board.php?bo_table=album&wr_id=55173)

Title: Re: DIY keyboards -- doing it cheaply
Post by: sth on Tue, 29 January 2013, 00:48:57

Quote from: SmallFry on Tue, 29 January 2013, 00:46:39

Speaking of the ML series... what about a HHML? (http://www.otd.kr/gn/bbs/board.php?bo_table=album&wr_id=55173)

very cool! :)

Title: Re: DIY keyboards -- doing it cheaply
Post by: SmallFry on Tue, 29 January 2013, 00:50:07

I found it the other day and instantly thought of you sth. :D

Title: Re: DIY keyboards -- doing it cheaply
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Tue, 29 January 2013, 14:12:09

While not totally DIY, there will be some modding and such needed... every once in awhile there is a lot of something like old ti99 keyboard module on ebay, which could be ideal for many reasons. You should keep on the look out for such items.

Title: Re: DIY keyboards -- doing it cheaply
Post by: Samwell on Mon, 15 July 2013, 15:58:53

There's an open-source DIY Keyboard described in detail at: http://lucidtronix.com/tutorials/44 (http://lucidtronix.com/tutorials/44) and available for sale either ready made or as soldering kit: http://lucidtronix.com/products/13 (http://lucidtronix.com/products/13).  Arduino code and some example videos are on the site too.