geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: KaminKevCrew on Thu, 13 August 2015, 21:57:31
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Now, I'm not ready to order one yet, but if I wanted a custom 60% board, fully programmable, and everything, who would I go about contacting? I'd probably be looking to spend between $500 and $700 usd (obviously less is better, but that's beside the point...) I'd want a milled aluminum housing, and I'd like it anodized (but I guess I would be designing/getting it milled myself?) not really sure how this all works... Full assembly would be preferred...
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Get a TEX 60% Alu case, directly from tex, $130-ish at max, include the alu. feet (best 60% case out there in my opinion, you can't get close by custom-cnc'ing)
PCB from winkeyless.kr or GON (You can also get a plate from GON, and stabiliser parts) ($50-150)
Get switches from mechanicalkeyboards.com (<$50 - best switches out there IMO, these days there are bad switches too)
Assemble (maybe lube the switches and stuff)
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I don't think $500/700 is enough for a true custom with a custom case like that, for $500, you can assemble something decent yourself (the parts above will probably become $400+ with itsy bitsy stuff)
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Get a TEX 60% Alu case, directly from tex, $130-ish at max, include the alu. feet (best 60% case out there in my opinion, you can't get close by custom-cnc'ing)
PCB from winkeyless.kr or GON (You can also get a plate from GON, and stabiliser parts) ($50-150)
Get switches from mechanicalkeyboards.com (<$50 - best switches out there IMO, these days there are bad switches too)
Assemble (maybe lube the switches and stuff)
------
I don't think $500/700 is enough for a true custom with a custom case like that, for $500, you can assemble something decent yourself (the parts above will probably become $400+ with itsy bitsy stuff)
Thanks for the suggestion! If $700 isn't enough, roughly how much would I need for a fully custom board?
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i'm curious about the benefits you're after spending that kind of money on a cherry MX board.
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Get a TEX 60% Alu case, directly from tex, $130-ish at max, include the alu. feet (best 60% case out there in my opinion, you can't get close by custom-cnc'ing)
PCB from winkeyless.kr or GON (You can also get a plate from GON, and stabiliser parts) ($50-150)
Get switches from mechanicalkeyboards.com (<$50 - best switches out there IMO, these days there are bad switches too)
Assemble (maybe lube the switches and stuff)
------
I don't think $500/700 is enough for a true custom with a custom case like that, for $500, you can assemble something decent yourself (the parts above will probably become $400+ with itsy bitsy stuff)
Thanks for the suggestion! If $700 isn't enough, roughly how much would I need for a fully custom board?
Since you are vaguely looking for something that doesn't exist, $10.000 would get you what you want
But, as some concrete advice, if you are looking to get a decent keyboard built from existing but high-grade components, I suggest looking for someone to do the buying and building for you
The most important part is the switch lubrication, a person who lubricates switches well should be able to do the remaining things pretty well too, it all boils down to the lubrication
If regular cherry MX clears are 10X for example, a properly lubed cherry MX clear is easily 100X in terms of satisfaction
I suggest looking for someone to build your keyboard, and strucking a parts + labor kind of deal, this way you can have a clear say in the part selection, and pay $100-$500 labor depending on what kind of a person you are dealing with
This is one example of a keyboard laborer: https://www.reddit.com/r/mechmarket/comments/3gitn2/uspah_keyboard_services_w_paypal/ (sorry off GH :)
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lubing cherry mx is like using hemorrhoid cream, sure it feels better but you still have a problem
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Get a TEX 60% Alu case, directly from tex, $130-ish at max, include the alu. feet (best 60% case out there in my opinion, you can't get close by custom-cnc'ing)
PCB from winkeyless.kr or GON (You can also get a plate from GON, and stabiliser parts) ($50-150)
Get switches from mechanicalkeyboards.com (<$50 - best switches out there IMO, these days there are bad switches too)
Assemble (maybe lube the switches and stuff)
------
I don't think $500/700 is enough for a true custom with a custom case like that, for $500, you can assemble something decent yourself (the parts above will probably become $400+ with itsy bitsy stuff)
Thanks for the suggestion! If $700 isn't enough, roughly how much would I need for a fully custom board?
Since you are vaguely looking for something that doesn't exist, $10.000 would get you what you want
But, as some concrete advice, if you are looking to get a decent keyboard built from existing but high-grade components, I suggest looking for someone to do the buying and building for you
The most important part is the switch lubrication, a person who lubricates switches well should be able to do the remaining things pretty well too, it all boils down to the lubrication
If regular cherry MX clears are 10X for example, a properly lubed cherry MX clear is easily 100X in terms of satisfaction
I suggest looking for someone to build your keyboard, and strucking a parts + labor kind of deal, this way you can have a clear say in the part selection, and pay $100-$500 labor depending on what kind of a person you are dealing with
This is one example of a keyboard laborer: https://www.reddit.com/r/mechmarket/comments/3gitn2/uspah_keyboard_services_w_paypal/ (sorry off GH :)
No worries about it being off GH! Thanks for the advise, I'll definitely look into it!
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lubing cherry mx is like using hemorrhoid cream, sure it feels better but you still have a problem
how so?
In this scenario with cherry mx you get infinite a**holes (one is not working well? replace.)
And they all seem to work consistently well when lubed, without any issues
Tho, let me suggest a HHKB to the OP on behalf of you: https://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=pfu_keyboards,hhkbpro2&pid=pdkb400b
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Tho, let me suggest a HHKB to the OP on behalf of you: https://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=pfu_keyboards,hhkbpro2&pid=pdkb400b
good thinking - almost everybody else did (in conjunction with hasu's TMK board) in this user's other 60% post :)
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Tho, let me suggest a HHKB to the OP on behalf of you: https://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=pfu_keyboards,hhkbpro2&pid=pdkb400b
good thinking - almost everybody else did (in conjunction with hasu's TMK board) in this user's other 60% post :)
No HHKB for me! If they made a normal 60% (or an even better 65%) with 55g domes, I'd be all over it!
As of now, I would only pay money for a Leopold fc660c
Also the HHKB feels light and cheap (I'm not saying it is) :(
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Sprit Face-W is a good PCB as well. Massdrop sells various 60% cases of various quality and price ranges.
For the MX argument: yes, MX is flawed, but so is every other switch.
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Sprit Face-W is a good PCB as well. Massdrop sells various 60% cases of various quality and price ranges.
For the MX argument: yes, MX is flawed, but so is every other switch.
fite me irl
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Sprit Face-W is a good PCB as well. Massdrop sells various 60% cases of various quality and price ranges.
For the MX argument: yes, MX is flawed, but so is every other switch.
+1