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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: dR.Ugz on Thu, 28 May 2015, 16:34:39
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hey guys, i've been looking around for a Tenkeyless DIY kit. I've found a few kits linking to the Geekhack site, but they're all old posts and have ended. So please try and bare with me while i try and describe what I'm looking for. :p
I currently own a Corsair K70, i like how the top plate is exposed and it doesn't sit inside a bezel?(sry, i don't know what you would call the top half of the keyboard case.)
i want the same North American layout just without the keypad. would that be call ANSI? I'm going to be using either MX brown or MX clear.
My first choice would be where the case/frame's outside edge is flush with the outside edge of the top plate. so the top plate is set on top of the case/frame.
OR
The case/frame's top edge ends either flush with the top surface of the top plate, so i guess you could say the top plate would be set inside the case/frame.
i really don't know where to look. i guess the best is to maybe point me in the right direction.
Option Number 2.
As i type out this jumbles mess and blab on and on, im thinking maybe its just easier for someone to point me in the direction of a kit that just has, MOST of the parts i'd need. everything but the case/frame. once i have the switches on the top plate and everything soldered to the PCB. i could make my own case since i have a back ground in custom metal fabrication.
well i hope some one can make sense of all my jumbled ramblings and can at least point me in the right direction!
and if you made it all the way through, i thank you for your time!!
thnx again
Ugz
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Welcome to Geekhack!
You can take a look at Winkeyless (http://winkeyless.kr/shop/), they have some options of DIY TKL keyboards.
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ok thnx i'll check that out
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ok thnx i'll check that out
If you need any help with their boards and supplies needed, ask me and I can help. It has gotten a lot simpler within the past 6 months, but it still might be confusing
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any help i can get , i'll take. so thank you
i think basically what i need is someone to make a list with the parts i need and links of said parts where i can order them.
there are two things i'd really like to do with this keyboard.
1. I'd like a stainless steel top plate to mount the switches through.
and
2. I'm thinking of making the case myself. out of some nice wood, maybe stainless, or even carbon fibre i know a guy...lol. so once i get all the parts together it should be pretty simple for me to figure out the case.
after thought, i didn't see any mention of a teensy 2.0 on the winkeyless site. do they use something else?
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after thought, i didn't see any mention of a teensy 2.0 on the winkeyless site. do they use something else?
That's because they don't use a Teensy, the microcontroller is directly soldered on the board.
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Technically, all you need is an ANSI TKL plate, switches, diodes, wire, a Teensy and a homemade case.
In some cases it's better to use a PCB than hand wire and Teensy, such as when the plate supports multiple layouts, so some switches won't be held securely in position just by the plate.
I highly recommend GON's PCB's, plates, etc, but they don't come cheap: http://www.gonskeyboardworks.com/
Top quality, good service, nice programming software for creating layouts, etc. For a one-stop shop you can even get a kit version of one of his Crystal TKL boards: http://www.gonskeyboardworks.com/diy-kits/108-gon-ns-nerd-crystal-tkl-complete-diy-set.html
Or you can design your plate with swill's tool (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=65189.0) and have it made by Big Blue Saw or some other laser / water cutting shop and hand wire with a Teensy.
Another option is to get a CMStorm QFR and make a new low profile case for it. Probably going to be your cheapest and easiest option. You can even replace the controller with a Frosty Flake if want it programmable.
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after thought, i didn't see any mention of a teensy 2.0 on the winkeyless site. do they use something else?
That's because they don't use a Teensy, the microcontroller is directly soldered on the board.
He uses an ATMEGA chip. He sells something similar to the Teensy though, its called the U CON.