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geekhack Community => New Members => Topic started by: livingspeedbump on Wed, 25 March 2015, 17:30:57

Title: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: livingspeedbump on Wed, 25 March 2015, 17:30:57: Hello from (sometimes) lovely North Carolina. I work as an IT specialist for a Museum as well as an AV director for a theatre. My degree is in audio engineering with a minor in electronics. My love for mechanical keyboards was rekindled almost two years ago after a colleague at my (then) new job noticed that I had brought my Model M in, and introduced me to Geekhack and world of new keyboards. As a non-gamer I never gave it much thought and figured they simply wouldn't ever make keyboards like they used to. I'm glad I was wrong there. Currently after these two years I have a solid little collection of keyboards going. I try to keep one at each of my jobs and loan out a few to other people in my departments that are interested in them. My main keyboard is still my Model M for writing (a hobby of mine), and a Kul 87 with Greens for normal home use. I use a Kul 87 with clears and HHKB Pro 2 being my work keyboards. You can never learn enough and I can't wait to see what I discover next here!

I will be building a Terminus Mini this week as my first build when it arrives. I'm quite excited about that, I hope to try my hand out at building more keyboards from kits/parts/scratch in the future when I have time.

I am unfortunately A) terrible at taking pictures and B) never really take pictures thanks to point A, but here is a few keyboards I've had along the way. Now that I am posting I will try to update this over the week to include all of my current keyboards :D

http://imgur.com/a/XurL1 (http://imgur.com/a/XurL1)
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: billnye on Wed, 25 March 2015, 17:37:55: Welcome from a fellow NC brother :)
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: livingspeedbump on Wed, 25 March 2015, 17:40:10: Quote from: billnye on Wed, 25 March 2015, 17:37:55
Welcome from a fellow NC brother :)

Thank you!
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: kaiser on Wed, 25 March 2015, 20:36:03: You should check out the thread with the pixel stuff to get pixel versions of all your keyboards! Would look pretty sweet, especially with a collection like yours.

Here is a link: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=19113.new;topicseen#new

I just got addicted to it and have to share. Enjoy!
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: DrHubblePhD on Wed, 25 March 2015, 20:37:17: Welcome to GH! Glad to see that you have already started a great collection :thumb:
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: engicoder on Wed, 25 March 2015, 20:57:46: Quote from: billnye on Wed, 25 March 2015, 17:37:55
Welcome from a fellow NC brother :)

Ditto
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: livingspeedbump on Wed, 25 March 2015, 20:59:06: Quote from: engicoder on Wed, 25 March 2015, 20:57:46
Quote from: billnye on Wed, 25 March 2015, 17:37:55
Welcome from a fellow NC brother :)

Ditto

Hey! Mr. 1976 creator I believe? That set can't arrive fast enough.
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: motherbrain on Wed, 25 March 2015, 21:10:05: welcome to the community...it took me a while to get up the nerve to post too. i'm still learning the etiquette too ;D

love your collection of boards--thanks for sharing. my first mech was a dell at-101, but it didn't get much use because i found a model-m a few mos later which i still love. currently using mx greens which my co-workers appreciate (they're not QUITE as loud). anyway, nice meeting you!
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: HPE1000 on Wed, 25 March 2015, 21:15:54: Quote from: billnye on Wed, 25 March 2015, 17:37:55
Welcome from a fellow NC brother :)
Yep :)

That hydrodipped QFR is really cool!
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: livingspeedbump on Thu, 26 March 2015, 13:06:15: Quote from: motherbrain on Wed, 25 March 2015, 21:10:05
welcome to the community...it took me a while to get up the nerve to post too. i'm still learning the etiquette too ;D

love your collection of boards--thanks for sharing. my first mech was a dell at-101, but it didn't get much use because i found a model-m a few mos later which i still love. currently using mx greens which my co-workers appreciate (they're not QUITE as loud). anyway, nice meeting you!

Thanks! I wanted to wait long enough so I could actually be a benefit to the community and not just ask "what should I buy on a budget" like every post on /r/mk seems to be. I actually just did the Dell AT101W giveaway on /r/mk where i gave a few away that i found at work. I still have one and its not terrible, but after finding a Model M it never gets used haha. And Greens are my favorite MX switch as well :)
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: billnye on Thu, 26 March 2015, 13:11:04: We should all plan a NC meetup at HPE's beach house ^-^ ^-^
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: livingspeedbump on Thu, 26 March 2015, 15:39:56: Quote from: billnye on Thu, 26 March 2015, 13:11:04
We should all plan a NC meetup at HPE's beach house ^-^ ^-^

I'll bring the booze.
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: rowdy on Fri, 27 March 2015, 05:20:28: Welcome to Geekhack!

Ah - it was your dipped QFR I saw recently - nicely done :)

Also it seem you like the stiffer switches - BS, greens, clears. Me too!

They don't really make keyboards like they used to - I've been using an SSK at work and had the most fun with it of any of the keyboards I've tried.

What do you think of the HHKB after all your other stiff-springed keyboards?
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: heedpantsnow on Fri, 27 March 2015, 07:56:18: Welcome to GH! My wife is from Charlotte and we visit NC often.

Sounds like you've already got a nice little collection; hope you enjoy your time here!
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: LXXXIX on Fri, 27 March 2015, 08:07:23: Welcome to GH my fellow KUL brother! :thumb:

Hope you enjoy yourself here and if you have any questions please message me! :cool:
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: livingspeedbump on Sat, 28 March 2015, 11:00:56: Quote from: rowdy on Fri, 27 March 2015, 05:20:28
Welcome to Geekhack!

Ah - it was your dipped QFR I saw recently - nicely done :)

Also it seem you like the stiffer switches - BS, greens, clears. Me too!

They don't really make keyboards like they used to - I've been using an SSK at work and had the most fun with it of any of the keyboards I've tried.

What do you think of the HHKB after all your other stiff-springed keyboards?

Thanks! And yes, I definitely do prefer the stiffer switches. I have a few books of poetry that are published, and all of them were written on old Royal De Luxe typewriters, so that definitely had something to do with why I like the heavier feeling switches.

Hm, on the subject of the HHKB it definitely wasn't love at first sight like getting my first MX (Green) keyboard was. I pretty much fell in love with that immediately. The HHKB was underwhelming at first, and I did find myself wishing the switches were heavier. After a few weeks of making myself exclusively use it (to get used to it and its layout) I found myself becoming very fond of it. I still almost exclusively use it for extended typing sessions for essays or drafts, as it is by far the most comfortable keyboard I have to use.
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: livingspeedbump on Sat, 28 March 2015, 17:21:18: Quote from: LXXXIX on Fri, 27 March 2015, 08:07:23
Welcome to GH my fellow KUL brother! :thumb:

Hope you enjoy yourself here and if you have any questions please message me! :cool:

Thanks! If I come across anything I can't figure out I'll take you up on that.

And I love the KUL's. They are some seriously good quality keyboards, and as someone that isn't into the crazy backlighting and crazy case shapes the minimalistic approach makes them even more appealing. I actually just ordered a second with Clears, and my forth overall about 10 mins ago. Im honestly very surprised I don't see more posts with them between here and /r/mk. They have mentioned wanting to expand their line sooner than later too, which really excites me.
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: rowdy on Sun, 29 March 2015, 04:34:38: Quote from: livingspeedbump on Sat, 28 March 2015, 11:00:56
Quote from: rowdy on Fri, 27 March 2015, 05:20:28
Welcome to Geekhack!

Ah - it was your dipped QFR I saw recently - nicely done :)

Also it seem you like the stiffer switches - BS, greens, clears. Me too!

They don't really make keyboards like they used to - I've been using an SSK at work and had the most fun with it of any of the keyboards I've tried.

What do you think of the HHKB after all your other stiff-springed keyboards?

Thanks! And yes, I definitely do prefer the stiffer switches. I have a few books of poetry that are published, and all of them were written on old Royal De Luxe typewriters, so that definitely had something to do with why I like the heavier feeling switches.

Hm, on the subject of the HHKB it definitely wasn't love at first sight like getting my first MX (Green) keyboard was. I pretty much fell in love with that immediately. The HHKB was underwhelming at first, and I did find myself wishing the switches were heavier. After a few weeks of making myself exclusively use it (to get used to it and its layout) I found myself becoming very fond of it. I still almost exclusively use it for extended typing sessions for essays or drafts, as it is by far the most comfortable keyboard I have to use.

Topre does that to you - you don't like it at first, then it sneaks up on you and suddenly you'd find yourself lost without it!

Quite a few people say that 55g Topre is the best, and rue the lack of an HHKB with 55g domes, although a few people have sacrificed a RealForce keyboard and swapped domes.

A 55g Realforce is one of the very few keyboards still on my wish list :)
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: livingspeedbump on Sun, 29 March 2015, 08:08:56: I'm one of the people that have 55g domes from a Realforce on my HHKB Pro 2 ;) It is glorious.
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: rowdy on Mon, 30 March 2015, 04:57:57: Quote from: livingspeedbump on Sun, 29 March 2015, 08:08:56
I'm one of the people that have 55g domes from a Realforce on my HHKB Pro 2 ;) It is glorious.

Which would only leave the question - is lpate-mounted (RealForce) or case-mounted (HHKB) better?
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: livingspeedbump on Mon, 30 March 2015, 11:04:04: Yeah, that is definitely the end question, and I honestly haven't even decided for myself yet.
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: rowdy on Tue, 31 March 2015, 04:57:52: Quote from: livingspeedbump on Mon, 30 March 2015, 11:04:04
Yeah, that is definitely the end question, and I honestly haven't even decided for myself yet.

Some say plate-mounted is better as it is more sturdy.

Others say case-mounted is better for a wonderful sound the upstroke has.
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: livingspeedbump on Tue, 31 March 2015, 11:16:33: Yeah, I love the HHKB's sound, but not sure if that outdoes how sturdy the Realforce is. If i had to go with my gut I'd probably choose the HHKB. That plastic gives it a glorious sound.
Title: Re: Hello from NC - Long Time MK User/Lurker, Finally Posting
Post by: rowdy on Sat, 04 April 2015, 04:31:18: Quote from: livingspeedbump on Tue, 31 March 2015, 11:16:33
Yeah, I love the HHKB's sound, but not sure if that outdoes how sturdy the Realforce is. If i had to go with my gut I'd probably choose the HHKB. That plastic gives it a glorious sound.

And putting it on different surfaces will produce different sounds. I usually have mine sitting on a folded sheet of drawer liner. That does wonders for stability, and also dampens the downward stroke a bit (I bottom out a lot), leaving mostly the upwards thock.

Sweet :)