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geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: evangs on Thu, 05 March 2015, 10:58:44

Title: completely new to building custom keyboards and need a little help
Post by: evangs on Thu, 05 March 2015, 10:58:44
I am taking on my first custom keyboard project and am super excited, but am having a bit of trouble. 

My first question is, what kind of diodes do I need and where can I get them?

second question is, what are the non- wire cherry stabilizers called and where can I get them?  Going to be plate mounted switches if that matter.

thanks
Title: Re: completely new to building custom keyboards and need a little help
Post by: phishy on Thu, 05 March 2015, 11:12:02
You need any variant of the 1N4148 switching diode.  Lots of places online carry them but you can also source them from radioshack for 1.99 per 10 pack.  And I think the stabilizers you are talking about are the actual cherry stabilizers but good luck finding them.
Title: Re: completely new to building custom keyboards and need a little help
Post by: evangs on Thu, 05 March 2015, 11:16:20
You need any variant of the 1N4148 switching diode.  Lots of places online carry them but you can also source them from radioshack for 1.99 per 10 pack.  And I think the stabilizers you are talking about are the actual cherry stabilizers but good luck finding them.

thanks!

what's the deal with the cherry stabs? why are they so hard to find?
Title: Re: completely new to building custom keyboards and need a little help
Post by: Dihedral on Thu, 05 March 2015, 11:42:09
1.99 per 10 pack

which is about an order of magnitude or two more expensive then if you buy online.
Title: Re: completely new to building custom keyboards and need a little help
Post by: evangs on Thu, 05 March 2015, 11:45:38
1.99 per 10 pack

which is about an order of magnitude or two more expensive then if you buy online.

I picked up 100 of them on amazon for like 6 bucks
Title: Re: completely new to building custom keyboards and need a little help
Post by: Sygaldry on Thu, 05 March 2015, 11:48:17
http://www.gonskeyboardworks.com/10-stabilizers

Shipping might be expensive but this might be your best bet for now.
Title: Re: completely new to building custom keyboards and need a little help
Post by: evangs on Thu, 05 March 2015, 11:55:53
http://www.gonskeyboardworks.com/10-stabilizers

Shipping might be expensive but this might be your best bet for now.

Those all say pcb mount.  I will be hand wiring the matrix and won't have a pcb, will those still work?  also those all look like they have wires? 
Title: Re: completely new to building custom keyboards and need a little help
Post by: jdcarpe on Thu, 05 March 2015, 12:03:38

http://www.gonskeyboardworks.com/10-stabilizers

Shipping might be expensive but this might be your best bet for now.

Those all say pcb mount.  I will be hand wiring the matrix and won't have a pcb, will those still work?  also those all look like they have wires?

I'm not sure what you mean by non-wire stabilizers? All stabilizers have wires. Cherry plate mount stabs have the wire hidden under the plate.
Title: Re: completely new to building custom keyboards and need a little help
Post by: evangs on Thu, 05 March 2015, 12:16:57

http://www.gonskeyboardworks.com/10-stabilizers

Shipping might be expensive but this might be your best bet for now.

Those all say pcb mount.  I will be hand wiring the matrix and won't have a pcb, will those still work?  also those all look like they have wires?

I'm not sure what you mean by non-wire stabilizers? All stabilizers have wires. Cherry plate mount stabs have the wire hidden under the plate.


ahhh ok, that makes sense then.  Sorry I am a total noob
Title: Re: completely new to building custom keyboards and need a little help
Post by: phishy on Thu, 05 March 2015, 12:18:17
http://www.gonskeyboardworks.com/10-stabilizers

Shipping might be expensive but this might be your best bet for now.

Those all say pcb mount.  I will be hand wiring the matrix and won't have a pcb, will those still work?  also those all look like they have wires?

http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/index.php/products/keyboard-parts.html probably the cheapest bet for stabs.
Title: Re: completely new to building custom keyboards and need a little help
Post by: jdcarpe on Thu, 05 March 2015, 13:16:52

http://www.gonskeyboardworks.com/10-stabilizers

Shipping might be expensive but this might be your best bet for now.

Those all say pcb mount.  I will be hand wiring the matrix and won't have a pcb, will those still work?  also those all look like they have wires?

I'm not sure what you mean by non-wire stabilizers? All stabilizers have wires. Cherry plate mount stabs have the wire hidden under the plate.


ahhh ok, that makes sense then.  Sorry I am a total noob

No need to be sorry for being a noob. We all were, at one point. :)

What you are looking for are called Cherry plate mount stabilizers, or "MX Leveling Mechanism Kit." Cherry part numbers to search for are G99-0224, G99-0225, G99-0226, or G99-0379, depending on the size of the wire you need. Or you can always bend your own wire to spec, and use any of those kits.

When you create your switch mounting plate, you want to use the plain square holes for your switches. And use Cherry (only) stabilizer holes, if you never plan to use Costar stabilizers.
Title: Re: completely new to building custom keyboards and need a little help
Post by: evangs on Thu, 05 March 2015, 14:41:01

http://www.gonskeyboardworks.com/10-stabilizers

Shipping might be expensive but this might be your best bet for now.

Those all say pcb mount.  I will be hand wiring the matrix and won't have a pcb, will those still work?  also those all look like they have wires?

I'm not sure what you mean by non-wire stabilizers? All stabilizers have wires. Cherry plate mount stabs have the wire hidden under the plate.


ahhh ok, that makes sense then.  Sorry I am a total noob

No need to be sorry for being a noob. We all were, at one point. :)

What you are looking for are called Cherry plate mount stabilizers, or "MX Leveling Mechanism Kit." Cherry part numbers to search for are G99-0224, G99-0225, G99-0226, or G99-0379, depending on the size of the wire you need. Or you can always bend your own wire to spec, and use any of those kits.

When you create your switch mounting plate, you want to use the plain square holes for your switches. And use Cherry (only) stabilizer holes, if you never plan to use Costar stabilizers.

Perfect! Thanks so much, this is exactly what I was looking for
Title: Re: completely new to building custom keyboards and need a little help
Post by: evangs on Thu, 05 March 2015, 15:29:39
got the stabilizers from http://www.alliedelec.com/cherry-g99-0224/70386219/ (http://www.alliedelec.com/cherry-g99-0224/70386219/)
Title: Re: completely new to building custom keyboards and need a little help
Post by: geniekid on Thu, 05 March 2015, 16:53:01
got the stabilizers from http://www.alliedelec.com/cherry-g99-0224/70386219/ (http://www.alliedelec.com/cherry-g99-0224/70386219/)

G99-0224 is the right part number but the picture on that site shows PCB-stabs so hopefully the picture is wrong!
Title: Re: completely new to building custom keyboards and need a little help
Post by: jdcarpe on Thu, 05 March 2015, 16:57:14
got the stabilizers from http://www.alliedelec.com/cherry-g99-0224/70386219/ (http://www.alliedelec.com/cherry-g99-0224/70386219/)

G99-0224 is the right part number but the picture on that site shows PCB-stabs so hopefully the picture is wrong!

Yes, the picture is wrong. I ordered some of those from Allied and got the correct plate mount stabs. :)