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geekhack Community => New Members => Topic started by: RandalFlagg on Sun, 10 July 2016, 18:41:28
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Just getting into mechanical keyboards after admiring them from afar for quite some time. As someone who uses their keyboard constantly at work, and then once again when I come home to enjoy some Starcraft 2, I felt I needed to make the jump. if for nothing else but preservation of my fingers. Just ordered a Varmilo VA108 with Gateron Blues as my keyboard for work, and am currently borrowing a Razer Blackwidow TE Chroma until I make a decision for a home keyboard. Looking forward to sharing my inevitable projects here, and checking out all of yours as well!
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Welcome to GH!
Have any projects in mind yet? Be sure to check out the Making Stuff Together! sub-forum (https://geekhack.org/index.php?board=117.0) for ideas. :thumb:
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Thanks :D
I have so many projects in mind that I'm refusing to spend any more money until the initial fascination has worn off a bit haha.
I'll list a few things I have in mind from small - large scale
Keycap set for the VA108. Nothing too crazy, and I'll have to retain letting on at least half the board(coworkers who peck type), but some whites to mix in with the stock mint set would be nice. A bit of research will be required I'm sure to get the profiles as close as possible, but that's half the fun right?
--Home game keyboard-- Built from the deck up. Wanna try out ALL THE SWITCHES before settling on something I'm simply used to. Custom weight resistances on my hotkeys compared to the rest of the board. Since it will be used mostly for gaming, I'm torn between a 40% or 60%.
--Mech keyboards for my close family and friends. Everyone I know interacts with a computer in one way or another, so why not try and make their experience better? I'll probably be pretty lame and just go with their favorite football team colors as keycaps, but it may spark an interest in them to look into future mods themselves.
--Homemade numpad for work-- I use the numpad for close to 80% of key inputs at work, I'd like to make something that will not only be unique, but will ultimately benefit my work as well.
--Homebrew keyboard project. I've always been the type of person that enjoys taking one thing and re-purposing it for something completely different. No real ideas as of yet, but something outlandish like turning an old VCR/Stereo Amplifier/Nintendo/PS1 into a functioning keyboard. I'm putting this one last...Simply because it may never be done. I just don't know enough about keyboards yet to know whats going to be possible while still making the typing experience a fun thing for me.
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Thanks :D
I have so many projects in mind that I'm refusing to spend any more money until the initial fascination has worn off a bit haha.
I'll list a few things I have in mind from small - large scale
Keycap set for the VA108. Nothing too crazy, and I'll have to retain letting on at least half the board(coworkers who peck type), but some whites to mix in with the stock mint set would be nice. A bit of research will be required I'm sure to get the profiles as close as possible, but that's half the fun right?
Lots of info on GH. A good place to start is the Simple Questions, Simple Answers thread (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=40501.0). CPTBadAss has a pretty good FAQ in the OP.
--Home game keyboard-- Built from the deck up. Wanna try out ALL THE SWITCHES before settling on something I'm simply used to. Custom weight resistances on my hotkeys compared to the rest of the board. Since it will be used mostly for gaming, I'm torn between a 40% or 60%.
Size sometimes depend on the games you play. Personally, 60% is the smallest I can go. :p
--Mech keyboards for my close family and friends. Everyone I know interacts with a computer in one way or another, so why not try and make their experience better? I'll probably be pretty lame and just go with their favorite football team colors as keycaps, but it may spark an interest in them to look into future mods themselves.
Spreading the love! Don't forget to get the to sign up on GeekHack! :p
--Homemade numpad for work-- I use the numpad for close to 80% of key inputs at work, I'd like to make something that will not only be unique, but will ultimately benefit my work as well.
There's a few projects in the Making Stuff Together! sub-forum (https://geekhack.org/index.php?board=117.0). Off the top of my head is MOZ's SAMPad - Sundstrand Adding Machine - Numpad that is usable on right & left side (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=80949.0).
Or you could always go DIY and handwire instead of using a PCB (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=43550.0). All you need are diodes, switches, wire, a controller (e.g. Teensy), firmware (e.g. Easy AVR USB Keyboard Firmware and Keymapper (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=51252.0), and a plate to mount the switches to (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=65189.0).
--Homebrew keyboard project. I've always been the type of person that enjoys taking one thing and re-purposing it for something completely different. No real ideas as of yet, but something outlandish like turning an old VCR/Stereo Amplifier/Nintendo/PS1 into a functioning keyboard. I'm putting this one last...Simply because it may never be done. I just don't know enough about keyboards yet to know whats going to be possible while still making the typing experience a fun thing for me.
In principle with handwiring and a controller (e.g. teensy), you could make anything that you can mount switches to a keyboard. I will look forward to the VCR KB! :cool:
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Welcome to Geekhack!
Some good projects you've got lined up.
infiniti's already given you some great links to follow, I can't think of much more to add, other than the recommended reading thread (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=68372.0).